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Profession and Practice of Technical Communication [Pehme köide]

  • Formaat: Paperback / softback, 248 pages, kõrgus x laius: 229x152 mm, kaal: 371 g, 23 Tables, black and white; 2 Line drawings, black and white; 9 Halftones, black and white; 11 Illustrations, black and white
  • Sari: ATTW Series in Technical and Professional Communication
  • Ilmumisaeg: 30-Jul-2021
  • Kirjastus: Routledge
  • ISBN-10: 0367557371
  • ISBN-13: 9780367557379
  • Formaat: Paperback / softback, 248 pages, kõrgus x laius: 229x152 mm, kaal: 371 g, 23 Tables, black and white; 2 Line drawings, black and white; 9 Halftones, black and white; 11 Illustrations, black and white
  • Sari: ATTW Series in Technical and Professional Communication
  • Ilmumisaeg: 30-Jul-2021
  • Kirjastus: Routledge
  • ISBN-10: 0367557371
  • ISBN-13: 9780367557379

This practical text offers a research-based account of the technical communication profession and its practice, outlining emergent touchpoints of this fast-changing field while highlighting its diversity.

Through research on the history and the globalization of technical communication and up-to-date industry analysis, including first-hand narratives from industry practitioners, this book brings together common threads through the industry, suggests future trends, and points toward strategic routes for development. Vignettes from the workplace and examples of industry practice provide tangible insights into the different paths and realities of the field, furnishing readers with a range of entry routes and potential career sectors, workplace communities, daily activities, and futures. This approach is central to helping readers understand the diverse competencies of technical communicators in the modern, globalized economy.

The Profession and Practice of Technical Communication

provides essential guidance for students, early professionals, and lateral entrants to the profession and can be used as a textbook for technical communication courses.



This book a research-based account of the technical communication profession, outlining emergent touchpoints of this globalizing, fast-changing field while highlighting its diversity. It is ideal for students, early professionals, and lateral entrants to the profession, and can be used as a textbook for technical communication courses.

List of Figures
xi
List of Tables
xii
List of Boxes
xiii
Series Editor Foreword xiv
Acknowledgments xvi
PART I The Profession of Technical Communication
1(82)
1 The Nature of Technical Communication
3(21)
Introduction
3(2)
Boundaries of Technical Communication
5(4)
Distinctiveness in Technical Communication
6(2)
Working Definition
8(1)
Historical Roots
9(1)
Theoretical and Research Bases of Technical Communication
9(5)
Theories in Technical Communication
9(3)
Research Base of Technical Communication
12(1)
Research Challenges
13(1)
Technical Communication and Related Roles
14(4)
Job Titles in Technical Communication
14(1)
Synergies with Other Roles and Professions
15(3)
This Book's Perspective
18(2)
The Scope of this Book
18(1)
Who Should Read this Book?
19(1)
Summary of
Chapter 1
20(1)
Discussion Questions
21(1)
References
21(3)
2 Technical Communication Education and Professional Development
24(30)
Introduction
24(1)
Development of Technical Communication Education
25(4)
Practicing Without Academic Qualifications
25(3)
The Value of Education for the Profession
28(1)
International Education and Training Programs
29(1)
Finding and Choosing a Study Program
29(8)
Program Titles
29(2)
Academic Degrees: Certificate, Master's, and PhD
31(2)
Choosing a Program: A Vignette
33(2)
Typical Program Content
35(1)
Examples of Education Paths
36(1)
Program Spotlight: Communication and Media Management at the University of Applied Sciences, Karlsruhe, Germany
37(4)
Alternatives and Supplements to Formal Education
41(4)
Examples of Training and Professional Development
43(1)
Learning at Work
44(1)
Certification in Technical Communication
45(2)
The STC Certification Model
46(1)
The Tekom Europe Certification Model
46(1)
Certification Limitations
47(1)
Education and Training Projects in Technical Communication
47(3)
Technical Communication Body of Knowledge
47(1)
The TecCOMFrame Project
48(2)
Summary of
Chapter 2
50(1)
Discussion Questions
51(1)
References
52(2)
3 Technical Communication Communities
54(29)
Introduction
54(1)
What is a Community?
55(1)
Professional Identity and Communities
55(2)
Professional Associations
57(10)
Features and Benefits of Professional Associations
57(2)
Professional Associations in Technical Communication
59(8)
Online Communities in Technical Communication
67(6)
Communication Channels
68(1)
Practitioner Communities
69(1)
Volunteer Communities
70(1)
Academic Communities
71(1)
Academic/Practitioner Communities
71(2)
Workplace Communities
73(4)
Team Configurations in Technical Communication
74(2)
Sociability at Work
76(1)
Challenges and Limitations of Communities
77(2)
Summary of
Chapter 3
79(1)
Discussion Questions
79(1)
References
80(3)
PART II The Practice of Technical Communication
83(100)
4 Technical Communication Activities, Tools, Genres, and Artifacts
85(40)
Introduction
85(1)
Competencies and Skills
86(4)
Research and Projects about Competencies and Skills
86(1)
Frequently Cited Competencies and Skills
87(2)
Transferable Skills
89(1)
Core Activities
90(13)
Communication
90(2)
Information /Content Development
92(6)
Technological Dexterity
98(1)
Management
98(2)
Audience Analysis
100(1)
Content Strategy and Information Architecture
101(1)
Domain Knowledge
102(1)
Tools and Technical Skills
103(6)
Range and Variety of Tools
103(2)
Common Tools and their Functions
105(2)
Other Technical Competencies
107(1)
Tools are just Tools!
108(1)
Vignette: A Day in the Life of a Technical Communicator
109(3)
Technical Communication Genres
112(4)
Purposes of Genre
113(1)
User Contexts and Genre
113(1)
Genre Conventions
114(1)
Typical Genres in Technical Communication
115(1)
Common Technical Communication Artifacts
116(5)
Publishing Formats
116(1)
Manuals /User Guides
117(1)
Topic-based Formats
117(1)
Embedded User Assistance
118(1)
Training and E-Learning Content
118(1)
Websites
119(1)
Video and Animation
119(1)
Social Media Content
120(1)
Podcasts
121(1)
Summary of
Chapter 4
121(1)
Discussion Questions
122(1)
References
122(3)
5 Technical Communication Workplaces
125(28)
Introduction
125(1)
Workplace Cultures, Sectors, and Environments
126(7)
Workplace Cultures in Technical Communication
126(2)
Industry Sectors in Technical Communication
128(3)
Work Environments in Technical Communication
131(1)
Vignette 1: The Content Writing Team Member
132(1)
Global and Globalized Features of Contemporary Work
133(9)
Remote Working
133(3)
Vignette 2: The Contractor who Works from Home
136(1)
Virtual Teams
137(1)
Organizational Practices that Impact Technical Communication
138(3)
Vignette 3: The Lone Writer
141(1)
Professional Outlook for Technical Communication
142(7)
Job Satisfaction in Technical Communication
142(2)
Factors that Cause Dissatisfaction
144(1)
Labor Market Trends in Technical Communication
145(4)
Summary of
Chapter 5
149(1)
Discussion Questions
150(1)
References
150(3)
6 Technical Communication Futures
153(30)
Introduction
153(1)
The Future of Work and Professions
154(15)
The End of an Era
155(1)
The Implications of "The End of an Era" for Technical Communication
155(1)
Transformation by Technology
156(1)
The Implications of "Transformation by Technology" for Technical Communication
157(2)
Emerging Skills and Competencies
159(1)
The Implications of "Emerging Skills and Competencies" for Technical Communication
159(2)
Professional Work Reconfigured
161(1)
The Implications of "Professional Work Reconfigured" for Technical Communication
161(1)
New Labor Models
162(1)
The Implications of "New Labor Models" for Technical Communication
163(1)
More Options for Recipients
163(1)
The Implications of "More Options for Recipients" for Technical Communication
164(1)
Preoccupations of Professional Firms
164(1)
The Implications of "Preoccupations of Professional Firms" for Technical Communication
165(1)
Demystification
166(1)
The Implications of "Demystification" for Technical Communication
166(1)
The Implications of Covid-19 for the Future of Work
166(2)
The Implications of Covid-19 for the Future of Technical Communication
168(1)
Durable and New Competencies
169(10)
Durable Competencies in Technical Communication
169(1)
New Competencies in Technical Communication
170(7)
How Technical Communicators are Preparing for the Future
177(2)
Summary of
Chapter 6
179(1)
Discussion Questions
180(1)
References
180(3)
PART III Theories and Methods
183(51)
7 Theories of Professions and Practice
185(25)
Introduction
185(1)
Profession and Practice: A Broad Perspective
186(2)
Defining the Field and Habitus
186(1)
The Importance of "Capital"
187(1)
Professions and Professionalization
188(3)
What are Professions?
188(1)
Becoming a Profession
189(1)
Technical Communication Professionalization
189(2)
Problems with the Appeal to Professionalization for Technical Communication
191(1)
Alternative Approaches to Studying Occupations
191(4)
The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
192(1)
Professionalism and Professional Identity
193(2)
Outcomes of Professionalization for Technical Communication
195(1)
The Practice Turn in Theory and Research
196(4)
What is Practice?
197(1)
Communities of Practice
197(1)
Variation in Practice
198(1)
Researching Practice
199(1)
Practice Studies in Technical Communication
200(4)
Variation in Technical Communication Practice
200(1)
Practice Narratives in Technical Communication
200(2)
Research Studies of Workplaces and Practices
202(1)
Education and Practice Intersections
203(1)
Summary of
Chapter 7
204(1)
Discussion Questions
205(1)
References
205(5)
8 Data Gathering and Analysis
210(17)
Introduction
210(1)
Background: Why I Conducted this Study
211(2)
My Doctoral Study
212(1)
Taking a Global Perspective
212(1)
Phase 1 Planning the Study
213(5)
The Research Approach
213(1)
Situational Analysis
214(3)
The Research Questions
217(1)
Phase 2 Gathering the Data
218(4)
Literature Review
218(1)
Practice Narratives
219(2)
Content Analyses
221(1)
Phase 3 Analyzing and Reporting the Practice Narratives
222(2)
Qualitative Analysis: Categorizing and Coding the Practice Narratives
222(1)
Writing the Vignettes
223(1)
Limitations of this Project
224(1)
Summary of
Chapter 8
225(1)
Discussion Questions
225(1)
References
225(2)
9 Conclusions and Future Directions
227(7)
Introduction
227(1)
Insights about the Profession and Practice of Technical Communication
227(1)
Persistent Concerns: Strategic and Research Directions
228(5)
Strengthening our Professional Identity
230(1)
Research of/with /within International Contexts
231(1)
Practice- and Practitioner-focused Engagement
232(1)
References
233(1)
Appendices
Appendix A Profession and Practice Resources
234(4)
Appendix B Ethics Committee Documentation
238(4)
Index 242
Yvonne Cleary is Head of Technical Communication and Instructional Design at the University of Limerick, in Limerick, Ireland. Her research interests include professional issues in technical communication, technical communication pedagogy, virtual teams, and international technical communication.