Technical and Professional Writing Commons^™

Warrior Bot, Relational Bot, Blameworthy Bot: How A Student Design Team Anthropomorphize Their Combat Robot Creations, Daniel Burton Shank, Frederick F. Sunkpal, Nova Lee Young, Karli Hoerstkamp, David Wright, Merilee A. Krueger, Carleigh J. Davis

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

How do robot designers anthropomorphize their own creations? Because robot designers have the ability to alter the robot, identify as its creator, and understand their robot's internal makeup, their process of anthropomorphism and its outcomes may be different from that of the typical robot user. We investigate this research question in the domain of combat robots, where anthropomorphism is critical to decision-making, communication, and trust in high-stakes, high-emotion combat situations faced by robot-soldier teams. We conducted an in-depth case study of a university's student-led Combat Robotics Design Team over the design, construction, testing, and competition phases for their competitive combat …

Hospitality At The End Of The World: An Ideological Rhetorical Criticism Of Tactical Technical Communication In The Prepper Journal, Ryan Cheek

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Apocalyptic Technical Communication From Clockface To Briefcase: Revealing The Spurious Coin Of Nuclear-Security Rhetoric, Ryan Cheek

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article the Doomsday Clock and the Nuclear Football as interconnected technical communication artifacts that function as two sides of a "spurious coin" in the securitization of nuclear deterrence. While the Clock externalizes existential risk through apocalyptic rhetoric, the Football internalizes it within exclusive military command structures—together legitimizing perpetual nuclear crisis. Drawing on technical communication scholarship and critical security studies, the analysis argues that both artifacts sustain nuclearist ideology by reinforcing deterrence as common sense. The Clock's ominous countdown and the Football's ever-present launch capability are mutually validating and together normalize nuclear brinkmanship as the price of global security.

Biden's Puppet And Mcconnell's Protege: Manipulative Political Communication Design In The 2023 Kentucky Govenors Race, Ryan Cheek, Samuel Allen

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

Building on research identifying manipulative communication design (MCD) tactics, including clickbait and dark patterns, in the 2020 U.S. election, we analyzed the interface of political emails from the 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial contest between Andy Beshear (D) and Daniel Cameron (R). This extended abstract reports study results from a critical interface analysis of 291 emails to answer the question: How does political ideology influence the use of MCD tactics? Such tactics exploit cognitive biases to gain political advantage by maximizing the extraction of donations from supporters. Five MCD tactics were prominent in both campaigns (individualization and personalization, inverted authority appeals, political …

"You Want Me To Teach What?!": Emerging Technologies, Required Knowledge, And Pedagogical Practice, Rachel Bryson, Ryan Cheek, Sam Clem, Hannah Stevens

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

Being assigned to teach unfamiliar content is an experience that many technical communication (TC) instructors can relate to. In this experience report, four TC instructors describe their experiences teaching unfamiliar and emerging technology, providing takeaways for readers about how they might approach similar tasks, particularly when constrained by a lack of time and resources when teaching a class for the first time. The instructors had to adapt their pedagogical approaches to teach a range of technology and software. These approaches include building students' visual and rhetorical literacy, diving deep into ethics, explicitly teaching students how to learn, and humbly showing …

Hoodies In The Halls Of Power: A Rhetorical Materialist Critique Of Professional Decorum In The United States Senate, Ryan Cheek, Samuel T. Allen

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

This brief paper explores the controversy surrounding Senator John Fetterman's sartorial choices of casual attire in the hyper-professionalized space of the United States Senate. Fetterman's clothing choices transcend mere fashion; they embody a statement of class identity and challenge the established power dynamics within the Senate. His attire reflects Pittsburgh's industrial and labor-oriented history, in contrast to the conventional, affluent image most associated with politicians. Although controversial, Fetterman's white male privilege minimized the consequences of his indecorous behavior. The reactions to Fetterman's attire highlight the debate over what constitutes appropriate professional decorum, unveiling the underlying biases and demonstrating how something …

Mapping The Dna Of Conspiracy Theories: Analyzing Key Nodes Across Digital Geographies, Carleigh J. Davis, Ryan Cheek, Kathryn C. Dolan, Rachel M. Schneider

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

This project articulates a new methodology, Discursive Nodal Analysis (DNA) to explore and track the growth, spread, and interaction of conspiracy-oriented communities in digital spaces. By utilizing a combination of social network analysis (SNA), critical discourse analysis (CDA), and memetic rhetorical analysis (MRA), DNA empowers researchers to explore the unique rhetorical characteristics of online conspiracy theories that enable their evolution within digital environments while simultaneously tracking and analyzing their velocity and spread. Through an examination of discursive patterns, rhetorical strategies, and the mapping of communicative networks in digital communities, this methodology seeks to shed light on the dynamics of conspiracy …

Professionalizing Campaign Text Spam: How Technical Marketing Rhetoric Influences Rapid Change To The Professional Communication Of Politics, Ryan Cheek, Samuel T. Allen

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

In This Brief Paper, We Report Findings from an Ideological Rhetorical Analysis of the Technical Marketing Materials of Politically Focused Peer-To-Peer Texting Service Companies Peerly, Hustle, RumbleUp, and MudShare. Although Other Studies Have Focused on the Efficacy and Effects of SMS Texts in Political Communication, the Technical Marketing Used by P2P Texting Service Companies is an Understudied Phenomenon. through Ideological Rhetoric, Technical Marketing Constructs Narrative Framings that Control How Campaigns Use P2P Texting as a Political Communication Tool. in the Sample of Technical Marketing Materials Studied, All of the P2P Texting Service Companies Emphasized the Efficacy and Speed Advantages of …

Perspectives On Usability Testing With Iot Devices In Technical Communication Courses, David Wright

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

This Article Offers Perspectives on Adopting Smart Home Technology into Usability Testing for Technical and Professional Communication (TPC) Courses. Usability is a Valued Skill for Technical Communicators. However, Usability Testing Methods Have their Problems as Pedagogical Tools. Internet-Of-Things (IoT) Devices and Smart Home Technology (SHT) May Offer Instructors Tools to overcome Some of Those Problems. This Article Details Advantages and Concerns Associated with using SHT for Curricular Usability Testing.

Making A Case For Political Technical Communication (Pxtc), Ryan Cheek

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

In This Article, I Argue that the Accelerated Adoption of Political Technology during the COVID-19 Pandemic Evinces Exigency for a Rhetorically Grounded Framework to Teach, Research, and Practice Political Technical Communication (PxTC) as a Sub-Discipline. as a Starting Point, I Use a Rhetorical Genre Studies Approach to Identify Political Social Actions that Separate Political Communication Technologies into Four Distinct Genres: Election, Electioneering, Constituent Services, and Punditry.

Channeling Experience: Reflections On Developing A Technical Communication Youtube Channel, Daniel Liddle, Victoria Braegger, Allison Durazzi, Yoonji Kim, Elena Kalodner-Martin, Jacob Richter

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

This experience report shares reflections and observations from launching a YouTube channel dedicated to broadcasting research in technical and professional communication to a wide public audience. Authors note the importance and potential for such work to amplify scholars from marginalized communities, to publicly showcase the value of TPC scholarship, and to reach new non-academic audiences with TPC research. The authors also note the challenges of such work, describing the difficulty of developing a content strategy for public academic work on YouTube beyond the role already fulfilled by podcasts.

Unjust Revisions: A Social Justice Framework For Technical Editing, Sam Clem, Ryan Cheek

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

Background: There is a lack of conceptual framework for how to develop more inclusive practices in the subfield of technical editing. Literature review: Some researchers have posited theories, like feminism and rhetorical theory, as ways to conceptualize technical editing. This piece extends that literature into social justice using Walton, Moore, and Jones's 3Ps heuristic of positionality, privilege, and power. Research questions: 1. What ideologies are circulating in technical editing pedagogy? 2. How might technical editing pedagogy become more inclusive? Methodology: We conduct a rhetorical analysis of the major academic works in technical editing, including books, textbooks, and academic articles, and …

Trans∗Vulnerability And Digital Research Ethics: A Qubit Ethical Analysis Of Transparency Activism, Avery C. Edenfield, Ryan Cheek, Sam Clem

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

Trans communities across the United States are under assault. Researchers seeking to work with trans people and other multiply marginalized and underrepresented communities must attend to ethical research practices within the communities in which they participate. Digital research ethics is particularly murky with issues of embodiment, vulnerability, and unclear IRB guidance. Comparing two transparency activist organizations-Wikileaks and DDoSecrets-we introduce "qubit ethics," a trans material, trans-corporeal ethics of care as praxis within vulnerable online communities. We then demonstrate how this unique approach to research design allows for the complex entanglements that is trans life, particularly digital life. Finally, we present clear …

Outcomes Of Training In Smart Home Technology Adoption: A Living Laboratory Study, David Wright, Daniel Burton Shank, Thomas Yarbrough

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

While various forms of smart home technology have been available for decades, they have yet to achieve widespread adoption. Although they have risen in popularity during recent years, the general public continue to rate smart home devices as overly complex compared to their benefits. This article reports the results of an eight-month study into the effects of training on smart home technology adoption. Building upon the results of a previous study, and using the same living laboratory approach, we studied the effects of training on the attitudes of a group of residents toward use of smart home technology. Results show …

Zombie Ent(R)Ailments In Risk Communication: A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Cdc’S Zombie Apocalypse Preparedness Campaign, Ryan Cheek

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

Apocalypticism is a powerful brew of eschatological belief and political imagination that is extremely persuasive. This article addresses the intersections between apocalyptic rhetoric and the technical communication of risk, disease outbreak, and disaster preparedness by analyzing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's zombie apocalypse preparedness campaign. Specifically, I argue that the framing of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's campaign relies on and extends problematic iterations of apocalypticism and undermines the educational objectives of disaster preparedness and response. I conclude with suggestions for how technical communicators designing public awareness and outreach campaigns can use existential risk rhetoric for …

Inclusive Audience Analysis And Creating Manageable Content, Carleigh J. Davis, Michelle F. Eble

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

Over the last 15 years, content management systems have dramatically changed the ways we think about our pedagogical approaches to teaching audience analysis. This is especially true when content may need to be reused in a set of discrete contexts for various audiences. This chapter introduces a heuristic that helps students think about, write, and deliver reusable content. Modeled after Ridolfo and DeVoss’s (2009) concept rhetorical velocity, this heuristic introduces students to both how they must consider primary audiences for the content they develop as well as various stakeholders, possible audiences, and potential contexts where their content needs to be …

Rhetorical Analysis Of Statements Of Purpose (Sps) For Admission To Graduate School: A Shared-Understanding Perspective Of The Sp Genre, Priyanka Ganguly

Masters Theses

"In this study, I analyzed twenty-four statements of purpose (SPs) submitted to the Department of English and Technical Communication at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) by current and former students. My goal was to determine the applicants' shared understanding of the SP genre. I analyzed the SPs from three dimensions: rhetorical moves, rhetorical appeals (pisteis), and rhetorical style (elocutio).

To understand the rhetorical moves used by the applicants, I analyzed the content of their SPs according to the categories (moves) and codes (steps) validated in my pilot study. To understand the arguments used by the …

General Guides To Publish Well-Written Technical Papers, Jie Han

Invited Speakers

Technical papers are one of the important means to disseminate research results to the scientific and engineering community. They should be well written and make original contributions to the body of knowledge. Most technical papers are published after a peer-review process, which may be short or long, depending on many factors including the quality of technical contents, presentation, responses to review comments, and revisions. This webinar will first provide a brief overview of a typical publication process, key requirements for technical papers, and standards of acceptance and then focus on common issues in paper writing (including paper presentation) with general …

Six Key Elements Of High Quality Technical Writing, Xianming Shi

Invited Speakers

What is the definition of “high quality”, when it comes to technical writing? What are the key elements that differentiate high-quality technical writing from the technical writing that is less effective in communicating the message? This webinar stems from the presenter’s observations and personal thoughts over the last decade or two, as an active researcher, a mentor, and a teacher in the engineering community. This webinar will be organized around six key elements or keywords identified by the presenter, i.e., innovation, engaging, hypothesis, logic, synthesis, and details.

Student Perceptions And Attitudes Towards A Technical Writing Service Course At Missouri S&T, Hannah Claire Coffman

Masters Theses

"In order to learn how STEM students perceive Missouri S&T's English 3560 Technical Writing class, I designed a research study to investigate how a sample population of 90 students viewed the class. Due to the nature of qualitative research, the results of this study cannot be generalized to a larger population. However, the results can and do provide insight into the situation of these Missouri S&T students in English 3560 classes and contribute to our collective understanding of the technical writing service course at Missouri S&T and other US universities. The study investigated whether the sample population of students who …

Shifting The Center: Piloting Embedded Tutoring Models To Support Multimodal Communication Across The Disciplines, Dustin Hannum, Joy Bracewell, Karen J. Head

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

Beginning in its third year, the Georgia Tech Communication Center began investigating embedded tutoring as part of the overall slate of tutoring services already in practice. Because our center remains in a nascent period of identity, we continue to enjoy an unusual amount of flexibility in how we are exploring new ways to work within the tutoring milieu—that is, we have not had time to become complacent in providing services in particular ways. Additionally, because we are somewhat unusual given our professional staff of postdoctoral fellows, we have a broader ability to work across disciplines with instructors who are more …

E-Mail And Writing, Karlynn D. Herman

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

This project was conducted to determine the effects of e-mail, used in class assignments, on student writing. Essays from two English 20 classes, one using e- mail and one not using e-mail, were examined at intervals over the course of one semester and graded holistically to determine improvement in student writing. These essays were also graded by computer to objectively measure writing improvement using the Grammatik program. Surveys were administered to the two classes at the beginning and end of the semester to gauge the students' confidence with and interest in writing. These same surveys were also administered to an …

An Overview And Evaluation: Computer Software To Aid Students In Prewriting, Writing, And Revision, Mary Lou Shomaker

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The research on computer software to aid inexperienced writers was done from May, 1990 through August, 1990, and involved examining software that would help students improve their writing. The softwares also were evaluated according to their value for use in computer assisted writing classes. The project had three objectives: 1) to evaluate software designed to aid the writer in the pre-writing, writing, and revising stages; 2) to identify the components of this type of software; 3) to recommend software for the beginning academic writer.