background

As a field and discipline Technical Writing always seem to be attempting to define and justify itself. As a potential technical writer you may be asked to define technical writing for others. In the Case Against Defining Technical Writing Jo Allen complicates the concept of building definitions of Technical Writing. She points out that most definitions are much too broad and generalized to actually be useful and that defining Technical Writing may divide the field instead of building a sense of community within it. While I agree that such limiting structures can restrict possibilities of a field or discipline, I also feel that understanding the context (historical, cultural, personal) of what you are asked to do as a professional is important.

Definitions can be dangerous but they can also be empowering. As a graduate student studying media, technology and rhetoric people outside the academy often ask me to explain what I do. I struggle to explain the kinds of courses I teach, the kinds of research in which I'm involved, the texts I read. I want to offer more than just a list to represent what I do. I don't want to stifle or "pin down" what I do because it would be unfair to the myriad of things in which I'm interested. Nothing I say about my life as a graduate student and my career as an academic can fully describe my experience. And yet, people continue to ask, "What do you do?"

This assignment grew out of my own frustrations as well as readings I encountered about the stakes of defining a field like Technical Writing (see Dr. Savage's text Power and Legitimacy in Technical Communication). The assignment is intended to help you explore your ideas, pre-conceived notions and conflicts regarding technical writing as a profession, field, and practice.

the assignment

The assignment is fairly straightforward. Consider our discussions, definitions, readings about defining technical writing then represent your definition, key concept or idea of technical writing. You might choose to do this visually, using audio or video, hypertextually or some other media, text or combination. The representation should be thoughtful but accessible. In other words, your classmates and I should "get it".