Identifying Commonalities and Divergences Between Technical Communication Scholarly and Trade Publications (1996–2017)

Abstract

More than 20 years ago, Elizabeth O. Smith published her points of reference that documented the research trajectory of technical communication from 1988 to 1997. Her results indicated a focus on rhetorical analyses, a decrease in collaborative research, and a disproportionate representation of male authors. This study builds on these points with a quantitative content analysis of 1,271 articles that were published in five leading technical communication journals and Intercom, the trade magazine for the Society for Technical Communication, from 1996 to 2017. The results show that both the research journals and Intercom have pivoted to process-driven rather than product-driven content. The results also suggest that the primary topics of communication strategy and collaboration might be the most likely places to foster future industry–academic ties and that the greatest division between the two populations is the primary topic of rhetoric. This study offers an updated baseline for future investigations by offering an evaluation of disparate content foci between the publication types.

Investigating the Needs of Technical Communication for TVET Students: A Case Study of Manufacturing Students in the Central Part of China

“…The results showed that solid correlation variables, such as pedagogy, virtual collaboration, and intercultural communication were found. Another quantitative analysis of TC found that topics related to communication strategy and collaboration might foster future academic-industry connections (Friess & Boettger, 2021).…”

Toward TPC-UX: UX Topics in TPC Journals 2013–2022

“…Though I believe this research is ultimately replicable, aggregable, and data-driven (Haswell, 2005), it differs enough from previous meta-analyses to warrant explanation. Friess and Boettger (2021) define content analysis as "the systematic, objective, and quantitative analysis of message characteristics that adheres to the standards of the scientific method" (p. 413; see Boettger & Palmer, 2010;Neuendorf, 2016). But this article should not be considered a post-positivistic attempt at objectivity.…”

“…To collect articles for this investigation, I used the five TPC journals that are frequently cited as key disciplinary forums in other meta-analyses (e.g., Friess & Boettger, 2021;Melonçon & St. Amant, 2019;Smith, 2000). These journals are as follows: Based on conversations with an established TPC scholar (J.…”

“…Tellingly, all correlations across time for these broad topics were weak, and none approached statistical significance (p ≤ .05). The weak correlations suggest that the discipline's focus on these topics is relatively unaffected by time and that TPC largely emphasizes processes and products (see Friess & Boettger, 2021). The descriptive statistics are as follows:…”

Peer-Led Professional Development: How One Technical Communication Team Learns on the Job

“…University education programs in TC attempt to merge the teaching of transferrable, conceptual knowledge with that of practical knowledge for preparing students for the realities of work in industry (Hart et al, 1994). We know that such a synthesis is challenging because, in general, research indicates that primary topics of concern for TC academics and TC practitioners are dissimilar (Friess & Boettger, 2021; Smith, 2000). Academic–industry partnerships, industry advisory boards, capstone projects, internships, and community-based learning attempt to bridge these gaps and offer TC students experiences that will prepare them for the differences in writing in the university and writing on the job (Kohn, 2015).…”