Technical Communication Quarterly Jun 2007

Undistributing Work Through Writing: How Technical Writers Manage Texts in Complex Information Environments

Shaun Slattery DePaul University

Abstract

Abstract This article presents findings from a recent study of mediated writing in a technical writing firm to examine distributed work conditions and how they affect the practices of individual technical writers. Distribution of labor, texts, and technologies for producing documentation creates complex information environments that writers must negotiate. In doing so, they practice two kinds of expertise central to technical writing as a profession—technological and rhetorical skill. This article examines how those skills are affected by distributed work.

Journal
Technical Communication Quarterly
Published
2007-06-07
DOI
10.1080/10572250701291046
CompPile
Open Access
Closed
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Cited by in this index (45)

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    Modeling Writing Processes and Predicting Text Quality in Technical Communication
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    Faith, Squirrels, and Artwork: The Expansive Agency of Textual Coordination in …
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  35. Barton et al. (2012)
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CrossRef global citation count: 48 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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