Kirk St. Amant
Louisiana Tech University, Literature and Language, Department Member
- Louisiana Tech University, English, Department Memberadd
- Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Contrastive Rhetoric, Comparative Rhetoric, Globalization, and 37 moreOutsourcing, Offshoring, and Insourcing Strategies, Offshoring, International Studies, Localization, Translation Studies, Content Management, Content Strategy, Global media, Assistive/Adaptive Technology, Online Learning, Virtual Learning, Instructional Technology, Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Distance Education, Distance Learning, Education, Communication, Business Communication (in Communication), Professional Communication, Medical Rhetoric, Cross-Cultural Communication, Communication Design, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Scientific and Technical Communication, Information Design, Rhetoric, Computer-Mediated Communication, Business Communication, Professional and Technical communication, International Professional Communication, Business Writing, Technical and Business Writing, Medical Communication, Health Communication, and Health Literacyedit
- Kirk St.Amant is a Professor and Eunice C. Williamson Endowed Chair in Technical Communication and Research Faculty M... moreKirk St.Amant is a Professor and Eunice C. Williamson Endowed Chair in Technical Communication and Research Faculty Member with the Center for Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Science (CBERS) at Louisiana Tech University. He is also an Adjunct Professor of International Health and Medical Communication with the University of Limerick in Ireland and a Research Fellow and Adjunct Professor of User Experience Design with the University of Strasbourg in France. He researches how cognition affects usability and design with a focus on international health and medical contexts and on international online educational settings.edit
The entries in this volume introduce technical communicators to foundational practices, current approaches, and emerging trends in translation and localization. To do so, the editors of this collection purposefully recruited authors from... more
The entries in this volume introduce technical communicators to foundational practices, current approaches, and emerging trends in translation and localization. To do so, the editors of this collection purposefully recruited authors from the translation and localization industries. All of these contributors, moreover, have previous experiences, stretching back decades, working with technical communicators on international projects. Each individual was asked to contribute a chapter that explained, to a non-translator/non-localizer, what a particular translation or localization practice was and how it worked. Contributors were also asked to draw from their prior experiences working with technical communicators and focus on the question, “Based on your prior experiences working with technical communicators, what do they need to know to work effectively with translators and localizers?” The objective underlying this approach was to provide technical communicators with the understanding of translation and localization needed to work effectively with professionals in these fields.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, Translation Studies, International Communication, and 12 moreProfessional Communication, Technical Communication, Localization, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, Communication Design, Information Design, Translation, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, and Professional Communications
Communication to a global audience presents a number of new challenges; writers seeking to connect with individuals from many different cultures must rethink their concept of audience. They must also prepare to address friction that may... more
Communication to a global audience presents a number of new challenges; writers seeking to connect with individuals from many different cultures must rethink their concept of audience. They must also prepare to address friction that may arise from cross-cultural rhetorical situations, variation in available technology and in access between interlocutors, and disparate legal environments. "Thinking Globally, Composing Locally" explores how writing and its pedagogy should adapt to the ever-expanding environment of international online communication. The volume offers a pedagogical framework that addresses three interconnected and overarching objectives: using online media to contact audiences from other cultures to share ideas; presenting ideas in a manner that invites audiences from other cultures to recognize, understand, and convey or act upon them; and composing ideas to connect with global audiences to engage in ongoing and meaningful exchanges via online media. Chapters explore a diverse range of pedagogical techniques and online forums used in global distance education.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Distance Education, Computer-Mediated Communication, and 14 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, Computer Mediated Communication, Online Learning, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Online Communication, Composition, Online Pedagogy, Rhetoric and Writing, English Composition, and Oline Education
This collection examines the forces and factors affecting rhetoric, writing, and communication expectations in the nations of the former Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc. The entries in this collection focus on four interconnected topics... more
This collection examines the forces and factors affecting rhetoric, writing, and communication expectations in the nations of the former Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc. The entries in this collection focus on four interconnected topics or contexts influencing rhetorical expectations and writing practices in these countries. The four contexts are (1) the dynamics of the educational settings in which students learn about the relationships between rhetoric and writing; (2) the professional environments in which students will apply their knowledge of rhetoric and writing upon completing their formal studies; (3) the greater global context that affects the teaching of rhetoric and writing as connected to educational institutions becoming part of a larger and more integrated global community; and (4) the factors and perceptions that affect how students apply and/or expand their foundations in rhetoric and writing to communicate effectively across different forms of media.
By approaching ideas of rhetoric, writing, and communication from the perspective of these four areas, this collection provides readers with a broad foundation for understanding the various overarching and interlocking contexts that affect perceptions of and practices involving communication practices and expectations in the former Eastern Bloc. Additionally, this approach provides researchers, teachers, and students with ideas and approaches that can be used to more effectively engage both with this topic area and with individuals from these nations.
By approaching ideas of rhetoric, writing, and communication from the perspective of these four areas, this collection provides readers with a broad foundation for understanding the various overarching and interlocking contexts that affect perceptions of and practices involving communication practices and expectations in the former Eastern Bloc. Additionally, this approach provides researchers, teachers, and students with ideas and approaches that can be used to more effectively engage both with this topic area and with individuals from these nations.
Research Interests: Rhetoric (Languages and Linguistics), Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, and 20 moreProfessional Writing, Professional Communication, Cross-Cultural Studies, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, Communication Design, International Business Communication, Business Communication (in Communication), Culture and Communication, Information Design, Cross-cultural studies (Culture), Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Business Communication, Communication and Culture, Research Writing, Business Communications, Contrastive Rhetoric, and Interculural Business Communication
This collection explores ideas related to forging effective academia-industry relationships and partnerships so members of the field can begin a dialogue designed to foster communication and collaboration among academics and industry... more
This collection explores ideas related to forging effective academia-industry relationships and partnerships so members of the field can begin a dialogue designed to foster communication and collaboration among academics and industry practitioners in technical communication. To address the various factors that can affect such interactions, the contributions in this collection represent a broad range of approaches that technical communicators can use to establish effective academy-industry partnerships and relationships in relation to an area of central interest to both: education. The 11 chapters thus present different perspectives on and ideas for achieving this goal. In so doing, the contributors discuss programmatic concerns, workplace contexts, outreach programs, and research and writing. The result is a text that examines different general contexts in which academia-industry relationships and partnerships can be established and maintained. It also provides readers with a reference for exploring such interactions.
Research Interests: Professional Writing, Professional Communication, Collaboration, Technical Writing, Communication Design, and 18 moreInternships (Active Learning), Business Communication (in Communication), Business Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Business Communications, Writing and Rhetoric, Careers and internships, Business Writing, Business and Technical Communications, Industry-Academy collaboration, Rhetoric and Writing, INTERNSHIPS, University-Industry Relationships, Technical and Business Writing, Communications design, Writing Education, and Techical Communication
This collection provides an overview of different legal aspects that technical communicators might encounter when creating materials or sharing information in international environments. Through addressing topics ranging from privacy... more
This collection provides an overview of different legal aspects that technical communicators might encounter when creating materials or sharing information in international environments. Through addressing topics ranging from privacy rights and information exchange to the legalities of business practices in virtual worlds and perspectives on authorship and ownership, the contributors to this volume examine a variety of communication-based legal issues that can cause problems or miscommunication in international interactions. Reviewing such topics from different perspectives, the authors collectively provide ideas that could serve as a foundation for creating best practices on or for engaging in future research in the area of legal issues in international settings.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Globalization, Professional Writing, Cross-Cultural Studies, and 6 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Globalization of Culture and Society, and Technical and Business Writing
Computer-Mediated Communication across Cultures: International Interactions in Online Environments provides readers with the foundational knowledge needed to communicate safely and effectively with individuals from other countries and... more
Computer-Mediated Communication across Cultures: International Interactions in Online Environments provides readers with the foundational knowledge needed to communicate safely and effectively with individuals from other countries and cultures via online media. Through a closer examination of the expanded global access to the Web, this book discusses the use and design of cross-cultural digital media and the future of the field for executives, marketers, researchers, educators, and the average user.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Globalization, Internet Studies, Computer-Mediated Communication, and 10 moreTechnical Communication, Online Learning, Internet & Society, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), The Internet, Cross-Cultural Communication, Online Communication, Cultural Globalization, Media and Culture, and Globalization of Culture and Society
Computer-Mediated Communication: Issues and Approaches in Education examines online interactions from different national, cultural, linguistic, legal, and economic perspectives, exploring how the increasingly international and... more
Computer-Mediated Communication: Issues and Approaches in Education examines online interactions from different national, cultural, linguistic, legal, and economic perspectives, exploring how the increasingly international and intercultural Internet affects the ways users present ideas, exchange information, and conduct discussions online. Educators, researchers, and practitioners will discover ways to effectively use Web-based technologies, transcending barriers to participate and collaborate in international projects that reflect the scope and scale of today’s global interactions.
Research Interests: Distance Education, Internet Studies, Computer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, Online Learning, and 9 moreInternet & Society, Online Education, Globalization And Higher Education, Online and Distance Education, Inovations in Distance Education, Distance Learning, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Open and Distance Education, and Internet
This text examines globalization and its effects from the perspective of how differences in access to online communication technologies between the economically developed countries and less economically developed countries is affecting... more
This text examines globalization and its effects from the perspective of how differences in access to online communication technologies between the economically developed countries and less economically developed countries is affecting social, economic, educational, and political developments in the world’s emerging economies. In so doing, the collection also examines how this situation is creating a global digital divide that will have adverse consequences for all nations. Each of the book’s chapters examines trends and ideas related to the global digital divide between economically developed countries and less economically developed nations. Through this approach, the contributors present perspectives from the economically developing nations themselves versus other texts that explore this topic from the perspective of economically developed countries. In this way, this volume offers a new and an important perspective to the growing literature on the global digital divide.
Research Interests:
The increasingly global nature of the World Wide Web presents new challenges and opportunities for technical communicators who must develop content for clients or colleagues from other cultures and in other nations. As international... more
The increasingly global nature of the World Wide Web presents new challenges and opportunities for technical communicators who must develop content for clients or colleagues from other cultures and in other nations. As international online access grows, technical communicators will encounter a range of challenges related to culture and communication in cyberspace. The contributors to Culture, Communication and Cyberspace examine these challenges through chapters that explore the different aspects of international online communication. The contributing authors use a range of methodologies to review a variety of topics related to culture and communication in cyberspace. In so doing, the authors also examine how business trends, such as international outsourcing, content management, and the use of open source software (OSS), are affecting and could change practices in the field of technical communication as related to online cross-cultural interactions.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Globalization, and 15 moreInternet Studies, Professional Communication, Computer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Online and Distance Education, Information Design, Cross-cultural studies (Culture), The Internet, Cross-Cultural Communication, Online Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Cultural Globalization, and Teaching Writing and Professional Communication
In today's integrated global economy, technical communicators often collaborate in international production teams, work with experts in overseas subject matter, or coordinate documentation for the international release of products.... more
In today's integrated global economy, technical communicators often collaborate in international production teams, work with experts in overseas subject matter, or coordinate documentation for the international release of products. Working effectively in such situations requires technical communicators to acquire a specialized knowledge of culture and communication. This book provides readers with the information needed to integrate aspects of intercultural communication into different educational settings. Its objectives are to assist readers in learning approaches to teaching intercultural communication concepts in different contexts, understanding how to develop classes and curricula focusing on teaching such concepts, considering how to merge professional practices with educational approaches to teaching intercultural communication, and developing mechanisms for evaluating learning related to intercultural communication practices. By balancing theory, research, and reporting from the field, this collection provides readers from academia and industry with insights and approaches for integrating aspects of intercultural communication in a range of educational contexts.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Professional Writing, and 12 moreProfessional Communication, International Education, Comparative & International Education, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Globalization And Higher Education, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communication, Global education, Scientific and Technical Communication, and English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric
Today, diseases can spread internationally faster and farther than ever before, and a range of public health issues can "go global" quickly and easily. The challenge becomes communicating ideas of care-that is, issues of health and... more
Today, diseases can spread internationally faster and farther than ever before, and a range of public health issues can "go global" quickly and easily. The challenge becomes communicating ideas of care-that is, issues of health and wellness-across different cultures, languages, and geopolitical contexts. Doing so involves understanding the dynamics of such factors and how to apply this knowledge effectively. The entries in this special issue examine such factors and provide readers with frameworks for understanding and strategies for addressing these issues.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Technical Communication, and 7 moreTechnical Writing, Writing Studies, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Cross Cultural Communication, Medical Communication, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
The nature of society means health and medical communication often occurs in different international and local settings. Such interactions generally involve offering care-practices that help individuals maintain or return to a level of... more
The nature of society means health and medical communication often occurs in different international and local settings. Such interactions generally involve offering care-practices that help individuals maintain or return to a level of health and wellness. These exchanges usually take place in different cultural, linguistic, and geopolitical environments involving individuals who: Provide care to others Educate others on care and caregiving Receive or participate in such care In these situations, care-related information must be contextualized to address how care is perceived and administered in such contexts. Doing so is not easy, for it requires an understanding of the cultural context of care. In this special issue, the authors examine a range of contexts of care to show how technical communicators and rhetoricians of health and medicine can work at the intersections of health, wellness, and culture to contribute to healthcare practice.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Professional Communication, and 10 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, Communication Design, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Medical writing, Medical Communication, Medical Discourse, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
This special issue represents an initial examination ideas of durability and portability by providing different perspectives of what they mean and how they are approached within the domain sphere of technical communication (TC) and the... more
This special issue represents an initial examination ideas of durability and portability by providing different perspectives of what they mean and how they are approached within the domain sphere of technical communication (TC) and the rhetoric of science (RoS). The contributors represent scholars who bring different backgrounds, perspectives, and approaches to the study of communication in technical and scientific domains. As such, these entries represent a cross-section of ideas and approaches at work in RoS and TC at this time. The goal of this special issue, in turn, is twofold. The first goal is to provide readers with
a range of perspectives they can use to determine what resonance means for members of the field. A second is to assess how the field defines and approaches ideas of durability and portability to determine how we might address such factors in how we, as members of a field, undertake and share
research.
a range of perspectives they can use to determine what resonance means for members of the field. A second is to assess how the field defines and approaches ideas of durability and portability to determine how we might address such factors in how we, as members of a field, undertake and share
research.
Research Interests: Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, Professional Communication, Academic Writing, Rhetoric of Science, and 10 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, Communication Design, Speech Communication, Information Design, Communication Studies, Scientific and Technical Communication, Rhetorics of Science and Technology, and Research Writing
The objective of this special issue is to provide communication designers with an overview of ideas to consider, approaches to try, and resources to use when developing materials for users from other cultures. To this end, the entries in... more
The objective of this special issue is to provide communication designers with an overview of ideas to consider, approaches to try, and resources to use when developing materials for users from other cultures. To this end, the entries in this issue should be viewed as the start of a discussion related to investigating how individuals think about communication practices in different intercultural, international, and global contexts. The editor of this issue therefore encourages readers to consider how the ideas, information, and approaches examined in these articles might be applied, modified, or built upon to extend our understanding of designing for and engaging with users from other cultures.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Usability, and 14 moreUser Experience (UX), Professional Writing, Professional Communication, Computer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Computer Mediated Communication, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, and Rhetoric and Composition
This guest-edited issue represents an initial look at current themes that could affect practices and perspectives in the years to come. These entries also represent members of the field who wish to examine such themes at different points... more
This guest-edited issue represents an initial look at current themes that could affect practices and perspectives in the years to come. These entries also represent members of the
field who wish to examine such themes at different points in their respective technical communication careers. These authors include more established researchers in the field,
researchers who are just beginning their careers, and graduate students starting their studies. What all of these individuals have in common is an interest in exploring the
current context of technical communication to help us consider how the field might evolve in the future. The perspectives they provide offer us, as technical communicators, topics to consider as we re-think where the field currently is and reflect upon where it may be headed.
field who wish to examine such themes at different points in their respective technical communication careers. These authors include more established researchers in the field,
researchers who are just beginning their careers, and graduate students starting their studies. What all of these individuals have in common is an interest in exploring the
current context of technical communication to help us consider how the field might evolve in the future. The perspectives they provide offer us, as technical communicators, topics to consider as we re-think where the field currently is and reflect upon where it may be headed.
Research Interests: Usability, Professional Writing, Professional Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, and 7 moreCommunication Design, Usability and user experience, Business Communication (in Communication), Information Design, Business Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, and English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric
When we write online, who is our audience? Is it a specific group of readers who frequent our particular blog or who refer to our specific website, or is it more varied? As we’re regularly reminded, cyberspace is borderless space—a realm... more
When we write online, who is our audience? Is it a specific group of readers who frequent our particular blog or who refer to our specific website, or is it more varied? As we’re regularly reminded, cyberspace is borderless space—a realm in which geopolitical boundaries often have deceptive consequence. And as conventional notions of geopolitics and geography change, ways in which we perceive “audience” in writing must evolve.
The entries in this special issue review how different aspects of culture, language, and technology can affect composing practices when writing online for globally distributed audiences.
The entries in this special issue review how different aspects of culture, language, and technology can affect composing practices when writing online for globally distributed audiences.
Research Interests: Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Computers and Composition, Digital Rhetorics, and 27 moreAcademic Writing, Computer-Mediated Communication, Teaching Composition, Rhetoric and Public Culture, Writing, Writing Studies, Computer Mediated Communication, Computers And Composition (Education), Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Teaching and Learning Writing Online, Composition, Digital writing, Research Writing, Online writing pedagogy, Teaching Writing, Rhetoric, Composition, Teaching Writing and Teaching Writing Online, Computer Mediated Education, Digital Writing Spaces, Composition and Rhetoric, Professional Writing, Computers and Writing, English Composition, Online Writing, Teaching Writing Online, Teaching Writing Skills and Strategies, Composition Teaching, Teaching writing; College Composition;, and Pedagogy of Teaching Composition
Technical communicators need to understand the role OSS can play as a mechanism for facilitating a range of content-related practices within an increasingly expanding global context. Each of the four entries in this special issue, in... more
Technical communicators need to understand the role OSS can play as a mechanism for facilitating a range of content-related practices within an increasingly expanding global context. Each of the four entries in this special issue, in turn, provides a different perspective on how OSS might be used to achieve a content-related task associated with technical communication practices. Each entry also overviews—to different degrees how OSS might allow such practices to expand into global contexts within today’s information economy.
Research Interests: Professional Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Information Design, and 6 moreOpen Education, Open Source and Free Software Studies, Scientific and Technical Communication, Professional Communications, Intercultural business and technical communication, and International & Intercultural Communication/Marketing
The entries in this special issue provide a relatively broad-based review of legal issues affecting technical communication practices in global contexts. The objective of this special issue is to provide readers with ideas that can become... more
The entries in this special issue provide a relatively broad-based review of legal issues affecting technical communication practices in global contexts. The objective of this special issue is to provide readers with ideas that can become the foundation for best practices or future research in the area of international legal issues.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Globalization, Professional Communication, Technical Communication, and 9 moreCommunication Design, International Business Communication, Content Management, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Content Management System, Content Strategy, and International & Intercultural Communication/Marketing
Making effective use of information has become a key objective for both individual organizations and overall industries. Within this context, effective professional communication practices—and an effective understanding of communication... more
Making effective use of information has become a key objective for both individual organizations and overall industries. Within this context, effective professional communication practices—and an effective understanding of communication in professional contexts—can allow organizations to manage information for economic ends successfully. This special issue explores the relationship between communication and economics. Through this examination, readers can gain a better understanding of the role professional communication practices play in today’s information economy.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Globalization, Professional Communication, Technical Communication, and 6 moreTechnical Writing, Communication Design, Information Economy/Society, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communication, and International & Intercultural Communication/Marketing
This special issue is designed to serve as a resource for re-thinking approaches to program review and program assessment in technical communication. To do so, the entries in this issue -- Identify trends and developments affecting the... more
This special issue is designed to serve as a resource for re-thinking approaches to program review and program assessment in technical communication. To do so, the entries in this issue
-- Identify trends and developments affecting the configuration of programs in the field
-- Address the diverse and changing nature of technical communication
-- Provide readers with review and assessment approaches that both industry and academia can use to mutually improve what they offer students
The guest editors hope that the ideas presented in these articles will begin a dialog that can include educators, academics, and industry practitioners in a conversation that will continue in other publications and conferences within the field.
-- Identify trends and developments affecting the configuration of programs in the field
-- Address the diverse and changing nature of technical communication
-- Provide readers with review and assessment approaches that both industry and academia can use to mutually improve what they offer students
The guest editors hope that the ideas presented in these articles will begin a dialog that can include educators, academics, and industry practitioners in a conversation that will continue in other publications and conferences within the field.
Research Interests:
Employees in a range of industries need to understand what outsourcing is and how it operates in order for them to function more effectively in the workplace of today and of tomorrow. The purpose of this special issue is to provide... more
Employees in a range of industries need to understand what outsourcing is and how it operates in order for them to function more effectively in the workplace of today and of tomorrow. The purpose of this special issue is to provide readers with the insights and the information needed to understand and to adapt to outsourcing trends. This introduction examines some of the concepts and trends behind outsourcing practices. The other contributions that comprise this special section, in turn, provide perspectives on how to contextualize and address such trends.
Research Interests: Information Technology, International Communication, Globalization, Project Management, Professional Writing, and 9 moreProfessional Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Technology and Society, Outsourcing, Offshoring, and Insourcing Strategies, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, IT Outsourcing, and International & Intercultural Communication/Marketing
Online media increasingly allow technical and professional communication (TPC) programs to engage in international collaborations. For such undertakings to be successful, program administrators must address different aspects affecting... more
Online media increasingly allow technical and professional communication (TPC) programs to engage in international collaborations. For such undertakings to be successful, program administrators must address different aspects affecting international online exchanges. Doing so requires effective discussions between program administrators and the stakeholders involved in the internationalization process. Aphorisms that effectively encapsulate core ideas can play a central role in these interactions. This entry presents aphorisms administrators can use when discussing the internationalization of TPC programs with key constituents.
Research Interests: Internationalisation of the curriculum, Writing Program Administration, Professional Communication, International Education, Technical Communication, and 8 moreTechnical Writing, Business Communication (in Communication), Online and Distance Education, Global education, Business Communication, Writing Pedagogy, Cross-Cultural education, and Professional and Technical communication
The usability of items is connected to cognition, or how the brain processes information. Many of the related processes occur subconsciously and are guided by the mental models individuals have created based on their experiences. The... more
The usability of items is connected to cognition, or how the brain processes information. Many of the related processes occur subconsciously and are guided by the mental models individuals have created based on their experiences. The better communication professional and communication students understand such dynamics, the more effectively they can create usable content for an audience. This article presents an approach, the Actualization, Recognition, Categorization, Operationalization (ARCO) method, for identifying the mental models that influence usability expectations. Individuals can use the results of this process to create content that better addresses an audience's usability expectations.
Research Interests: Communication, Usability, User Experience (UX), Professional Writing, Professional Communication, and 11 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, User eXperience, Communication Studies, Scientific and Technical Communication, Usability Testing, and UI/UX Design
Design thinking is a process for identifying solutions to problems in certain contexts. The better one understands contextual factors affecting use and interaction, the more effectively one can use design thinking to address issues at the... more
Design thinking is a process for identifying solutions to problems in certain contexts. The better one understands contextual factors affecting use and interaction, the more effectively one can use design thinking to address issues at the context and greater systems levels. This article examines how the cognitive science concepts of scripts and prototypes can help realize the potential of design thinking in different settings.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, Usability, User Experience (UX), Professional Writing, and 14 moreProfessional Communication, Product Design, User Centred Design, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, User Experience Design, User eXperience, Cross-Cultural Communication, UX and design methodology, Human-centered Design, UX/UI, UX Research, UX Design, and UI/UX Design
The COVID-19 pandemic has markedly heightened global awareness of online education. This entry presents approaches for addressing this international context when developing online courses and curricula in technical communication.
Research Interests: Education, Composition and Rhetoric, Educational Technology, Distance Education, Higher Education, and 14 moreProfessional Writing, Writing Program Administration, Professional Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Online and Distance Education, Curriculum Development, Teaching Online, Globalization and education, Digital Pedagogy, Global education, Scientific and Technical Communication, Rhetoric and Composition, and English Teaching and Curriculum Development
Prior research reveals that cognitionor how the mind processes informationoften guides human behavior in familiar settings (St.Amant, 2018). Such factors can affect the communication practices persons use to convey information about... more
Prior research reveals that cognitionor how the mind processes informationoften guides human behavior in familiar settings (St.Amant, 2018). Such factors can affect the communication practices persons use to convey information about health concepts or medical processes (Hamm, 2003; St.Amant, 2021). The challenge becomes anticipating such connections in order to create texts and visuals audiences can understand and use to meet healthcare needs. This article presents an approach to meeting this need by applying the concept of cognitive scripts to understand and address the communication expectations audiences often associated with health and medical settings. In presenting these ideas, the article begins with an explanation of how cognitive scripts can affect communication processes. From there, the author advocates applying script dynamics to health and medical communication practices. To do so, the author expands upon ideas in the literature on cognitive scripts to create a script-based approach for researching an audience's expectations of healthcare situations. The author then describes how to apply the information collected from this research to create communication materials audiences can more easily use in healthcare contexts. The result is a three-factor method that focuses on applying cognitive scripts to identify and address an audience's expectations for healthcare communication in a given context. Readers can then use this approach to design healthcare communication materials that audiences can easily and effectively use.
Research Interests: Health Communication, Design, Usability, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, and 8 moreCommunication Design, Usability and user experience, Information Design, Scientific and Technical Communication, Rhetoric and Composition, Medical writing, Medical Communication, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
Meeting the needs of users requires an understanding of the contexts where they interact with materials. This entry presents an approach for integrating script theory into usability to develop medical materials individuals can use in the... more
Meeting the needs of users requires an understanding of the contexts where they interact with materials. This entry presents an approach for integrating script theory into usability to develop medical materials individuals can use in the settings where they receive or perform healthcare activities. The entry introduces technical communication
professionals to script theory and presents mechanisms for using script
theory to research patient expectations of and presents usable materials for health and medical contexts.
professionals to script theory and presents mechanisms for using script
theory to research patient expectations of and presents usable materials for health and medical contexts.
Research Interests: Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, Usability, User Experience (UX), User Centred Design, and 14 moreMedical Rhetoric, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, User eXperience, Users Experience of Health Services, Communication in Healthcare, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Medical Communication, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
Individuals act on information that connects to their daily lives. In emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, these connections are central to maintaining individual health and community safety. Making such connections requires an... more
Individuals act on information that connects to their daily lives. In emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, these connections are central to maintaining individual health and community safety. Making such connections requires an understanding of audience perceptions; the better technical communicators address these perceptions, the more successful their materials can be. This article presents a cognitive framework, based on script theory, to help identify and address such factors in the COVID-19 crisis and in future public health challenges.
Research Interests: Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, Usability, User Experience (UX), Technical Communication, and 11 moreTechnical Writing, Writing Studies, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, Scientific and Technical Communication, Medical writing, Medical Communication, UI/UX Design, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
Effective health and medical policy implementation in international contexts is a complex process. Success often reflects effective communication practices. Credibility is often a key to achieving such objectives. Cultures, however, can... more
Effective health and medical policy implementation in international contexts is a complex process. Success often reflects effective communication practices. Credibility is often a key to achieving such objectives. Cultures, however, can have differing credibility expectations that can affect these communication and policy implementation processes. Individuals working in such contexts can benefit from mechanisms that can facilitate credible communication in health and medical policy contexts. This entry overviews one such mechanism, that of ethos prototypes.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, Science Communication, International Communication, and 14 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, International Public Health, Cross Cultural Communication, Medical Communication, Global communication, Inter-Cultural and Cross-Cultural Communication, Communication of Public Policy, International health, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
The speed and ease with which individuals can share information internationally means almost any discussion can move from the local to the global instantly. Such factors have important implications for communicating about medicine,... more
The speed and ease with which individuals can share information internationally means almost any discussion can move from the local to the global instantly. Such factors have important implications for communicating about medicine, health, and care on global and local levels. Knowledge of these dynamics is central to effective global communication around issues of health, medicine, and care. Such knowledge, however, must be adaptable and scalable to accommodate expanding global settings and increasingly multicultural and multilingual local contexts. Gaining such knowledge of global contexts begins by understanding the interconnection of three concepts: medicine, health, and care.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, Health Communication, International Communication, Professional Communication, and 9 moreMedical Rhetoric, Technical Communication, Communication Design, Public Health, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communication, Public Health Communication, Medical Communication, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
The global diffusion of online media means individuals are increasingly composing web texts for international readers. To do so effectively, writers need to understand the expectations and preferences cultural and national audiences... more
The global diffusion of online media means individuals are increasingly composing web texts for international readers. To do so effectively, writers need to understand the expectations and preferences cultural and national audiences associate with using online materials-particularly where they are used, when, and how. The usability concept of personas-or archetypes of an audience-can help writing students research and understand such aspects. Personas do so by focusing research on viewing readers/users as distinct groups within greater social and cultural contexts. This article explains how writing instructors can user persona-related activities to help composition students address contextual factors when writing online texts for international and intercultural audiences.
Research Interests: Composition Studies, Intercultural Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Usability, and 13 moreUser Experience (UX), Computers and Composition, Computer-Mediated Communication, Writing Studies, Computer Mediated Communication, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, User eXperience, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Composition, Rhetoric and Composition, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, and English Composition
The technical communication service course exists with a range of institutional contexts involving different departments, programs, and faculty. Technical communication program administrators can benefit from mechanisms that help them... more
The technical communication service course exists with a range of institutional contexts involving different departments, programs, and faculty. Technical communication program administrators can benefit from mechanisms that help them identify the contexts and stakeholders invested in the service course. This entry presents a research-based approach, contextualized course design, for engaging effectively in such activities.
Research Interests: Curriculum Design, Writing Program Administration, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Curriculum Development, and 8 moreCurriculum and Instruction, Curriculum, Scientific and Technical Communication, Professional and Technical communication, Writing Program Administration Theory, Business and Technical Communications, Technical and Business Writing, and Professional and Technical Writing
User expectations are often connected to context. This means the better UXD professionals understand connections between location and usability, the greater the chances they can create materials that meet expectations of usability in a... more
User expectations are often connected to context. This means the better UXD professionals understand connections between location and usability, the greater the chances they can create materials that meet expectations of usability in a particular place. The cognitive factors of prototypes and scripts can provide a foundation for investigating such factors. This entry examines how prototypes of place can help identify aspects of location that infl uence the usability of items in a space. In so doing, the entry also provides strategies for researching expectations of contexts and usability and using resulting data to guide design practices.
Research Interests: Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, Design, Usability, User Experience (UX), and 12 moreVisual Rhetoric, Professional Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, Culture and Cognition, Scientific and Technical Communication, Visual Communication Design, and UI/UX Design
International interest in technical communication education is growing as more individuals gain online access worldwide. This factor means technical communication educators might find themselves developing online classes for students... more
International interest in technical communication education is growing as more individuals gain online access worldwide. This factor means technical communication educators might find themselves developing online classes for students located in other nations. Doing so requires an understanding of aspects affecting international interactions in such educational contexts. This article examines central factors—or friction points—that technical communication instructors must understand and address to offer effective online educational experiences to globally distributed students.
Research Interests: International Communication, International Business, Professional Writing, Computer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, and 26 moreTechnical Writing, Writing Studies, Computer Mediated Communication, Communication Design, Online Learning, Business Communication (in Communication), Online and Distance Education, Information Design, Teaching Online, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Business Communication, Online Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, International Communications, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Online Teaching and Learning, Cross Cultural Communication, Teaching Writing and Professional Communication, Writing Pedagogy, Online Pedagogy, Business and Technical Communications, Intercultural business and technical communication, Online Higher Education, and Technical Communication and Rhetoric
The concept of usability is often connected to the setting – or context – in which individuals perform an activity. International settings complicate such relationships by introducing new variables that affect usability in different... more
The concept of usability is often connected to the setting – or context – in which individuals perform an activity. International settings complicate such relationships by introducing new variables that affect usability in different locations. In international health and medical communication, this situation can create problems that affect the health and wellness of patients in other nations and cultures. International patient experience design (I-PXD) presents a heuristic for addressing this situation. I-PXD helps individuals identify variables affecting usability in different international contexts. Persons working in health and medical communication can use this I-PXD heuristic to address usability expectations in various international contexts.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, International Communication, Usability, User Experience (UX), and 29 moreProfessional Writing, Intercultural Health, Cross-Cultural Studies, Medical Rhetoric, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, User eXperience, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Rhetoric and Health, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Cross Cultural Communication, Medical Communication, Cross-cultural Communications in healthcare, International Usability Testing, Intercultural technical communication, research methods, social justice in technical communication, rhetoric of science and medicine, and esl writing., Cultural usability, Intercultural Communication in Healthcare Settings, Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, Technical and Business Writing, Rhetoric of Health Care Communication, Professional and Technical Writing, Rhetorics of Health and Medicine, and Health and Medical Rhetoric
In today's interconnected global society, health and medical communication must increasingly cover a growing range of international and intercultural contexts. Meeting the communication and design expectations of audiences from different... more
In today's interconnected global society, health and medical communication must increasingly cover a growing range of international and intercultural contexts. Meeting the communication and design expectations of audiences from different cultures and in other nations, however, is a complex process. By focusing on usability, individuals can create materials that effectively meet patient expectations associated with the context(s) in which care—or processes related maintaining or improving one's health and wellness— is administered. To facilitate this process, this entry presents international patience experience design (I-PXD) as an approach that can help individuals better understand the dynamics of usability in different contexts around the world. By using prototype theory as a foundation for mapping the contexts in which patients use materials, I-PXD allows individuals to identify the variables affecting usability in different parts of the globe and design materials to account for those factors.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, Translation Studies, International Communication, and 30 moreUsability, User Experience (UX), Medical Rhetoric, Technical Communication, Localization, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, International Business Communication, Information Design, User eXperience, Translation, Intercultural Communication and Rhetoric, Scientific and Technical Communication, International Communications, Medical writing, Usability Research and Design, Medical Communication, Medical Rhetorics/Community Rhetorics/Critical Discourse Analysis, Intercultural Communications, International Professional Communication, Intercultural Rhetoric, User Experience Research, Intercultural Communication in Healthcare Settings, Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, Communications design, Rhetorics of Health and Medicine, Writing in the Health Sciences, and Health and Medical Rhetoric
Culture is nuanced and complex. Knowing what factors to consider when engaging in international user experience design (I-UXD) is thus no small undertaking. Technical communicators, information designers, and user experience (UX)... more
Culture is nuanced and complex. Knowing what factors to consider when engaging in international user experience design (I-UXD) is thus no small undertaking. Technical communicators, information designers, and user experience (UX) professionals can benefit from applications that help identify aspects affecting usability and design in different cultural contexts. A modified version of script theory (from cognitive psychology), combined with a targeted application of prototype theory (from linguistics), can provide a mechanism for understanding the settings in which cultures use communication products. This entry explains how the combination of these two theories can help address this situation.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Usability, User Experience (UX), Professional Communication, and 17 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Visual Communication, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Business Communication (in Communication), Information Design, User eXperience, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Business Communication, International Communications, Visual Communication Design, Intercultural Communications, Visual Communications, and Intercultural business and technical communication
This article presents the results of a limited study to determine what cultural rhetorical factors might affect American users’ perceptions of information presented on Chinese created traditional Chinese medicine Web sites. The purpose of... more
This article presents the results of a limited study to
determine what cultural rhetorical factors might affect American users’ perceptions of information presented on Chinese created traditional Chinese medicine Web sites. The purpose of this research was to gain an initial understanding of what particular communication patterns seemed to be the most problematic for American users. The results reveal three core problem areas in relation to culture and design, and this article both presents these results and provides accompanying explanations for what causes such problems. By understanding what kinds of problems to expect and why these problems occur, technical communicators can better perform writing and research tasks required to revise Chinese-created Web sites for non-Chinese audiences.
determine what cultural rhetorical factors might affect American users’ perceptions of information presented on Chinese created traditional Chinese medicine Web sites. The purpose of this research was to gain an initial understanding of what particular communication patterns seemed to be the most problematic for American users. The results reveal three core problem areas in relation to culture and design, and this article both presents these results and provides accompanying explanations for what causes such problems. By understanding what kinds of problems to expect and why these problems occur, technical communicators can better perform writing and research tasks required to revise Chinese-created Web sites for non-Chinese audiences.
Research Interests: Health Communication, International Communication, Web Design, Usability, User Experience (UX), and 19 moreProfessional Writing, Professional Communication, Computer-Mediated Communication, Medical Rhetoric, Technical Communication, Localization, Technical Writing, Computer Mediated Communication, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Business Communication (in Communication), Information Design, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Visual Communication Design, Medical Communication, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
Advertising messages often are intended to ignite large-scale word-of-mouth campaigns among consumers. Drawing primarily from memetic theory, cognitive fit theory, and perceptual fluency, this research examines how rhetoric and cognitive... more
Advertising messages often are intended to ignite large-scale word-of-mouth campaigns among consumers. Drawing primarily from memetic theory, cognitive fit theory, and perceptual fluency, this research examines how rhetoric and cognitive load interact to enhance or diminish desirable effects such as retention of the original intent of the message (copy-fidelity) and engendering a desire to pass the message along (fecundity). Certain types of rhetoric are shown to aid this process by making some messages more attractive for retransmission and increasing retention of the original message, while cognitive load modifies which types are effective in accordance with cognitive fit and perceptual fluency. The results suggest that low-deviation high-complexity message forms (known as reversal) are the most effective for creating positive word-of-mouth outcomes and limiting potentially negative outcomes. Additionally, the results show that destabilization messages are more likely to yield mutated word-of-mouth messages that consumers still feel a strong desire to pass along to others. For practitioners, the results indicate what message forms should be used to effectively spark word-of-mouth campaigns.
Research Interests: Rhetoric, Professional Writing, Professional Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, and 12 moreCommunication Design, Information Design, Marketing Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Marketing Communications, Professional and Technical communication, Technical Communications, Business Writing, Business and Technical Communications, Technical Communication and Rhetoric, and Professional and Technical Writing
Extending digital products and services to global markets requires a communication design approach that considers the needs of international (e.g. non‐U.S.) users. The challenge becomes developing an approach that works effectively. The... more
Extending digital products and services to global markets requires a communication design approach that considers the needs of international (e.g. non‐U.S.) users. The challenge becomes developing an approach that works effectively. The concept of personas, as applied in user experience design (UX), can offer an effective solution to this situation. This article examines how this idea of personas can expand communication design practices to include users form other cultures.
Research Interests:
Translation is becoming an important aspect of medical communication as medical industries increasingly seek out market share in a global context. Success in such an international sphere often becomes a matter of access, and in many... more
Translation is becoming an important aspect of medical communication as medical industries increasingly seek out market share in a global context. Success in such an international sphere often becomes a matter of access, and in many cases, this access is connected to one key factor: translation, which allows speakers of other languages to access key information needed to understand/access ideas or operate devices (i.e., access information on how to use a particular item). This article provides medical writers with an introduction to the topic of language translation and provides an overview of what translators do when producing texts in other languages.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, International Communication, Globalization, Professional Communication, and 10 moreHealth Literacy, Medical Rhetoric, Technical Communication, Communication Design, Information Design, Translation, Cross-Cultural Communication, Medical writing, Medical Communication, and Medical Rhetorics/Community Rhetorics/Critical Discourse Analysis
Over the last 2 decades, the nations that once comprised the Soviet Union have begun to play an increasingly important role in the global economy. As a result, today’s technical and professional communicators could find themselves... more
Over the last 2 decades, the nations that once comprised the Soviet Union have begun to play an increasingly important role in the global economy. As a result, today’s technical and professional communicators could find themselves interacting with co-workers, colleagues, and clients in these nations. Being successful in such contexts, however, requires an understanding of the cultural, historic, educational, and economic factors that have affected and continue to shape technical and professional communication practices in these countries. This article provides an overview of the literature that has been published on technical and professional communication practices in the former USSR as well as reviews educational factors that have contributed to such practices. Through such an examination, the article provides readers with a foundation they can use to engage in future research relating to technical and professional communication practices in post-Soviet states.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, International Communication, Professional Writing, Technical Communication, and 6 moreTechnical Writing, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Contrastive Rhetoric, and Business Writing
Today, we are continually reminded how information communication technologies (ICTs) level barriers of time and distance to open a newer, latter geography of global communication. But as ICTs flatten barriers of physical space, other... more
Today, we are continually reminded how information communication technologies (ICTs) level barriers of time and distance to open a newer, latter geography of global communication. But as ICTs flatten barriers of physical space, other obstacles have emerged. These new barriers require individuals to reconsider the flat earth paradigm as one that does not represent a uniformly smooth landscape. Rather, the surface of the modern globe is covered by friction points—areas where something can slow or stop the low of information. International organizations thus need to know where friction points occur to avoid them and get information from point to point as quickly and easily as possible.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Globalization, Professional Writing, Technical Communication, and 6 moreCommunication Design, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, and International & Intercultural Communication/Marketing
Website localization is an important part of international technical communication. However, at present, few technical communication programs offer courses in localization. This article provides an overview of a course devised to... more
Website localization is an important part of international technical communication. However, at present, few technical communication programs offer courses in localization. This article provides an overview of a course devised to familiarize students with ideas and approaches related to website localization. The course was based upon Robert Gagné’s nine events of instruction—an approach that allowed students to move from the learning of abstract ideas to the application of knowledge to the website localization process.
Research Interests: Education, Intercultural Communication, Instructional Design, International Communication, Web Design, and 11 moreProfessional Writing, Training, Internationalization, Localization, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Globalization And Higher Education, Information Design, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Teaching Writing and Professional Communication, and Technial Communication
In this article, the authors present the perspective of using OSS as a mechanism for adding value to offshoring practices. The authors begin this process with a summary of how offshoring increasingly involves software-based activities.... more
In this article, the authors present the perspective of using OSS as a mechanism for adding value to offshoring practices. The authors begin this process with a summary of how offshoring increasingly involves software-based activities. Next, the authors review how such activities create complex legal situations and examine how OSS can provide a solution to such problems. In so doing, the authors explore how OSS use in offshoring contexts can provide technical communicators with new and important opportunities to display the value their skills can bring to an organization. The authors conclude by presenting four example strategies technical communicators can use to display the value they can contribute to OSS-driven offshoring practices.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Globalization, Professional Writing, Open Source Software, and 10 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Information Design, Outsourcing, Offshoring, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, and Business Process Outsourcing and offshoring
This article describes research designed to assess the interaction between culture and classification. Mounting evidence in cross-cultural psychology has indicated that culture may affect classification, which is an important dimension to... more
This article describes research designed to assess the interaction between culture and classification. Mounting evidence in cross-cultural psychology has indicated that culture may affect classification, which is an important dimension to global information systems. Data were obtained through three classification tasks, two of which were adapted from recent studies in cross-cultural psychology. Data were collected from 36 participants, 19 from China and 17 from the United States. The results of this research indicate that Chinese participants appear to be more field dependent, which may be related to a cultural preference for relationships instead of categories.
Research Interests:
Online access and interest in technical communication are increasing on a global scale. The time is therefore right for instructors to consider offering online courses to students located around the globe. Providing effective online... more
Online access and interest in technical communication are increasing on a global scale. The time is therefore right for instructors to consider offering online courses to students located around the globe. Providing effective online courses for such a diverse audience, however, is no simple matter. This article provides an overview of the global market in online education. It presents information and approaches that can help with the development of online courses for international delivery as well as the training and professional development of the instructors, U.S.-based or otherwise, who teach them.
Research Interests:
The growing connections among international economies means that professionals will increasingly fi nd themselves interacting with persons from other cultures. Cultures, however, can have different expectations of what constitutes an... more
The growing connections among international economies means that professionals will
increasingly fi nd themselves interacting with persons from other cultures. Cultures,
however, can have different expectations of what constitutes an effective professional
communiqué. This article examines how the rhetorical factors of the forum, ethos, and
the special topics provide a mechanism for identifying and analyzing such differences.
increasingly fi nd themselves interacting with persons from other cultures. Cultures,
however, can have different expectations of what constitutes an effective professional
communiqué. This article examines how the rhetorical factors of the forum, ethos, and
the special topics provide a mechanism for identifying and analyzing such differences.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Usability, User Experience (UX), Professional Writing, and 15 moreUser Centred Design, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, User Interface, Interface Design, Visual Communication, Communication Design, User Experience Design, Information Design, Visual Communication in Design, Cross-Cultural Communication, Visual Design, Scientific and Technical Communication, Website Design, and Visual Communication Design
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Today, success in the international marketplace often requires that technical documents be translated into multiple languages. Translation, however, can be a time-consuming and costly process, especially if a company anticipates that a... more
Today, success in the international marketplace often requires that technical documents be translated into
multiple languages. Translation, however, can be a time-consuming and costly process, especially if a company anticipates that a product will be frequently updated
or revised. Approaches that make the translation process quicker and less resource intensive can cut production costs and reduce the time it takes to introduce a product
into a particular overseas market. A systems-theory perspective can enhance the translation process by reconfiguring the ways in which technical writers and translators exchange information.
multiple languages. Translation, however, can be a time-consuming and costly process, especially if a company anticipates that a product will be frequently updated
or revised. Approaches that make the translation process quicker and less resource intensive can cut production costs and reduce the time it takes to introduce a product
into a particular overseas market. A systems-theory perspective can enhance the translation process by reconfiguring the ways in which technical writers and translators exchange information.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Instructional Design, Translation Studies, International Communication, Web Design, and 14 moreTraining and Development, Professional Writing, Computer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Information Design, Translation, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Website Design, Web Designing, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, and Visual Communication Design
Online communication technology makes intercultural communication faster and more direct than was ever before possible, but, in doing so, it may also amplify cultural rhetorical differences. Communication scholars, therefore, need to... more
Online communication technology makes intercultural communication faster and more direct than was ever before possible, but, in doing so, it may also amplify cultural rhetorical differences. Communication scholars, therefore, need to begin examining potential areas of conflict in international cyberspace to anticipate and to resolve potential cross-cultural misunderstandings related to online exchanges. This commentary proposes that researchers need to compare the communication patterns noted in the computer-mediated communication (CMC) literature and in the intercultural communication literature to see where these communication patterns collide.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, International Communication, Internet Studies, Professional Writing, and 9 moreComputer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communication, Online Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, and Professional and Technical Writing
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Distance Education, Internet Studies, Professional Writing, and 10 moreComputer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, Communication Design, Online Education, Globalization And Higher Education, Online and Distance Education, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, and English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Communicating about health and medical topics can be challenging due to an audience’s familiarity with the concepts presented and the processes described. When expanded to international contexts, these situations become increasingly... more
Communicating about health and medical topics can be challenging due to an audience’s familiarity with the concepts presented and the processes described. When expanded to international contexts, these situations become increasingly complex as expectations, perceptions, and attitudes can vary according to different linguistic, cultural, and geopolitical factors. Such dynamics became increasingly apparent as nations struggled to address the international spread of COVID-19. The more we can learn from how countries and cultures communicated about COVID-19, the better national, regional, and local organizations can plan for future threats and engage in effective communication practices to address them.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Technical Communication, and 9 moreTechnical Writing, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Medical writing, Cross Cultural Communication, and Medical Communication
Some 4.8 billion persons worldwide have online access, yet this number fails to show the full scope of online education today. In truth, every individual with online access is a learner—someone who goes online to learn something they do... more
Some 4.8 billion persons worldwide have online access, yet this number fails to show the full scope of online education today. In truth, every individual with online access is a learner—someone who goes online to learn something they do not know. The result is a context where online learning has become lifelong learning as multiple generations regularly consult online sources to acquire the knowledge they need and skills they desire. The question becomes: How do we realize these opportunities? The answer involves understanding content creation—or composing of texts in order to convey ideas, create conversations, and establish communities when online.
Research Interests: Composition and Rhetoric, Distance Education, Computers and Composition, Academic Writing, Computer-Mediated Communication, and 11 moreWriting Studies, Online Learning, Online and Distance Education, Distance Learning, Open and Distance Education, Rhetoric and Composition, ONLINE READING AND WRITING, Teaching Reading and Writing Skills, English Composition, Open Distance Learning, and Online Edudation
The international spread of online access means we live in an increasingly interconnected world. This situation means our students will likely write for audiences in different parts of the globe. Writing for such diverse audiences means... more
The international spread of online access means we live in an increasingly interconnected world. This situation means our students will likely write for audiences in different parts of the globe. Writing for such diverse audiences means addressing different contexts affecting how individuals perceive texts. Writing students can benefit from approaches that help them understand the reading expectations of other cultures. This chapter introduces the globalized rhetoric approach of identifying the reading expectations of other cultures and overviews how students can use this method to analyze audience expectations among different cultures when composing for them.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Usability, Computers and Composition, and 9 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, Cross-Cultural Communication, Composition, Scientific and Technical Communication, Rhetoric and Composition, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, and Writing and Rhetoric
This entry examines the dynamics of re-humanizing online education in global contexts. The objective is to present a new metaphor for thinking about such processes in order to re-humanize educational approaches. In so doing, the entry... more
This entry examines the dynamics of re-humanizing online education in global contexts. The objective is to present a new metaphor for thinking about such processes in order to re-humanize educational approaches. In so doing, the entry presents a framework for approaching the human and non-human elements affecting uses of online media to deliver education internationally.
Research Interests: Literacy, Information Literacy, International Communication, Globalization, Distance Education, and 12 moreInternational Education, Computer-Mediated Communication, Media Literacy, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Computer Mediated Communication, Online and Distance Education, Cross-Cultural Communication, International Higher Education, Internationalisation of Higher Education, Cross Cultural Communication, and Online Higher Education
Globalization is increasingly integrating the world’s economies and societies. Now, products created in one nation are often marketed to a range of international consumers. Similarly, the rapid diffusion of online media has facilitated... more
Globalization is increasingly integrating the world’s economies and societies. Now, products created in one nation are often marketed to a range of international consumers. Similarly, the
rapid diffusion of online media has facilitated cross-border interactions on social and professional levels. Differing cultural expectations, however, can cause miscommunications within this discourse paradigm. Localization – customizing a communiqué to meet cultural expectations – has thus become an important aspect of today’s global economy. This essay examines localization in offshoring practices that could affect database creation and maintenance.
rapid diffusion of online media has facilitated cross-border interactions on social and professional levels. Differing cultural expectations, however, can cause miscommunications within this discourse paradigm. Localization – customizing a communiqué to meet cultural expectations – has thus become an important aspect of today’s global economy. This essay examines localization in offshoring practices that could affect database creation and maintenance.
Research Interests: Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Globalization, Project Management, and 12 moreProfessional Communication, Computer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, Localization, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Business Communication (in Communication), Information Design, Outsourcing, Business Communication, IT Outsourcing, and Global communication
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Globalization, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, and 8 moreContent Management, Outsourcing, Offshoring, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Business Process Outsourcing and offshoring, Culture and globalization, and Content Strategy
The ability to use information easily and effectively is essential to medical communication. Yet who uses medical information, when they use it, and how they use it has changed with the rise of personal medical technologies and increased... more
The ability to use information easily and effectively is essential to medical communication. Yet who uses medical information, when they use it, and how they use it has changed with the rise of personal medical technologies and increased reliance on telehealth practices. Meeting usability expectations of such diverse audiences involves understanding both the cognitive models writers use to create content and those that readers rely on when using content to achieve a health care objective.
This article provides medical writers with an overview of what these mental models encompass and how they affect an audience’s usability expectations.
This article provides medical writers with an overview of what these mental models encompass and how they affect an audience’s usability expectations.
Research Interests: Health Communication, Usability, User Experience (UX), Technical Communication, Technical Writing, and 8 moreCommunication Design, Usability and user experience, Public Health, Information Design, Scientific and Technical Communication, Medical writing, Medical Communication, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted an unprecedented number of employees to online work environments. This move was not easy, but the work from home (WFH) trend has prompted many organizations to make it part of their regular practices.... more
The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted an unprecedented number of employees to online work environments. This move was not easy, but the work from home (WFH) trend has prompted many organizations to make it part of their regular practices. Most individuals are still learning the dynamics of this new workplace context, but one core aspect has become clear: Effective WFH practices encompass how individuals perceive and engage in online exchanges. By understanding such factors, technical communicators can play a central role in shaping emerging WFH practices and contributing value to organizations.
Research Interests:
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost every process of our lives. As societies reopen, the challenge becomes maintaining social distancing during essential interactions. Technical communicators can play a central role in addressing... more
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost every process of our lives. As societies reopen, the challenge becomes maintaining social distancing during essential interactions. Technical communicators can play a central role in addressing such needs situations. By tapping their expertise in providing instruction, technical communicators can create the content that promotes safe interactions in pandemic contexts.
Research Interests: Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, and 8 moreCommunication Design, Information Design, Scientific and Technical Communication, Rhetoric and Composition, Medical writing, Medical Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, Professional Writing, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
Global online access has increased rapidly in the last decade, and online education has become increasingly international as a result. The challenge for writing instructors becomes addressing this new educational environment to offer... more
Global online access has increased rapidly in the last decade, and online education has become increasingly international as a result. The challenge for writing instructors becomes addressing this new educational environment to offer effective education to globally distributed student in online classes. The four plenary speakers at the 2018 inaugural GSOLE conference discussed this context and presented ideas and opinions on this topic. This editorial is a summary of that conversation.
Research Interests: Composition Studies, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Distance Education, Computer-Mediated Communication, and 14 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, Computer Mediated Communication, Online and Distance Education, Computer-Mediated Discourse Analysis, Teaching Online, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Teaching and Learning Writing and Reading, Teaching and Learning Writing Online, Online Communication, Rhetoric and Composition, ONLINE READING AND WRITING, and Rhetoric and Writing
If individuals cannot locate a tool, feature, or function, they simply cannot use it. This is why the first step to creating usable designs involves identifying what individuals are looking for in different settings. Such processes are... more
If individuals cannot locate a tool, feature, or function, they simply cannot use it. This is why the first step to creating usable designs involves identifying what individuals are looking for in different settings. Such processes are not random. Rather, they are governed by cognitive processes affecting how humans search for and locate items. The better technical communicators understand these dynamics, the more effectively they can create findable and usable designs.
Research Interests: Design, Usability, User Experience (UX), Professional Communication, Technical Communication, and 10 moreTechnical Writing, Interface Design, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, User eXperience, Scientific and Technical Communication, User Interface Design, and UI/UX Design
In times of public health crises, effective information on how to perform daily activities can be central to the stability of local communities. Technical communicators can make important contributions to these situations by developing... more
In times of public health crises, effective information on how to perform daily activities can be central to the stability of local communities. Technical communicators can make important contributions to these situations by developing materials that meet local informational needs. This entry reviews strategies technical communicators can use to address public health challenges on the local level both today and in the future.
Research Interests: Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, Professional Writing, Professional Communication, Technical Communication, and 8 moreTechnical Writing, Communication Design, Composition, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Medical writing, Medical Communication, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
Our brain is an amazing computer. Like all computers, our brains also
have limitations affecting how much data they can process at once. This factor is called cognitive load, and it has implications for usability and design.
have limitations affecting how much data they can process at once. This factor is called cognitive load, and it has implications for usability and design.
Research Interests:
The COVID-19 pandemic is prompting communication professionals to examine ways they might help their communities. As the pandemic unfolds, the question becomes: How can communication professionals meaningfully intervene in this crisis?... more
The COVID-19 pandemic is prompting communication professionals to examine ways they might help their communities. As the pandemic unfolds, the question becomes: How can communication professionals meaningfully intervene in this crisis? One missing and needed resource is informational materials that help address local situations. The objective is to reduce the demand on communities by providing informational and instructional materials for understanding the COVID-19 crisis.
Research Interests:
Individuals are increasingly using technologies for personal health. These practices are largely driven by products that monitor the body’s activities, identify symptoms, and suggest wellness strategies. From wearables to websites, the... more
Individuals are increasingly using technologies for personal health. These practices are largely driven by products that monitor the body’s activities, identify symptoms, and suggest wellness strategies. From wearables to websites, the options seem endless; the challenge is designing usable products for this growing market.
The solution involves understanding the context of care, or where individuals use these technologies. Location affects how people use products. The better product developers understand such dynamics, the more effectively they can create usable designs for these settings.
The solution involves understanding the context of care, or where individuals use these technologies. Location affects how people use products. The better product developers understand such dynamics, the more effectively they can create usable designs for these settings.
Research Interests:
Today, diseases can spread internationally faster and farther than ever before, and a range of public health issues can "go global" quickly and easily. The challenge becomes communicating ideas of care-that is, issues of health and... more
Today, diseases can spread internationally faster and farther than ever before, and a range of public health issues can "go global" quickly and easily. The challenge becomes communicating ideas of care-that is, issues of health and wellness-across different cultures, languages, and geopolitical contexts. Doing so involves understanding the dynamics of such factors and how to apply this knowledge effectively. The entries in this special issue examine such factors and provide readers with frameworks for understanding and strategies for addressing these issues.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Usability, and 9 moreUser Experience (UX), Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, Communication Design, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Medical Communication, and Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
The modern age is one of international integration and intercultural exchange.The speed and ease with which individuals can share information internationally means almost any discussion can move from the local to the global instantly.... more
The modern age is one of international integration and intercultural exchange.The speed and ease with which individuals can share information internationally means almost any discussion can move from the local to the global instantly. Local interactions can thus have global consequences individual actors might never fully realize. At the same time, trends in international migration and global employment mean communities increasingly encompass individuals from varying cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Such factors have important implications for communicating about medicine, health, and care on global and local levels.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Technical Communication, and 8 moreWriting, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, Communication Design, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, and Medical Communication
Health and medical content frequently covers processes for maintaining or treating one's health. Generating this content involves health and medical subject matter experts (SMEs) providing procedural information that technical... more
Health and medical content frequently covers processes for maintaining or treating one's health. Generating this content involves health and medical subject matter experts (SMEs) providing procedural information that technical communicators develop into deliverables for different audiences. The usability of that content involves more than how well it is written. It includes how effectively individuals can perform a process based on their backgrounds and where the related activity occurs. We usually use our own experiences to guide the instructions we create for others, and that is a problem. Providing someone with instructions about how to drive from point A to point B, for example, is generally based on how we have driven that route vs. how our audience might approach this situation. As such, we might overlook key factors like how the time of day can affect how easily you can get from point to point during a trip. Such assumptions can affect the success with which an audience performs a process.
Research Interests:
Today health and wellness accounts for some 4.2 trillion dollars of the global economy. At the same time, technological advances continually change how we engage in health-related and medical activities. This situation represents a... more
Today health and wellness accounts for some 4.2 trillion dollars of the global economy. At the same time, technological advances continually change how we engage in health-related and medical activities. This situation represents a perfect opportunity for technical communicators, and perhaps the best place to start is understanding contexts of care—the settings in which health and medical communication occur. The better technical communicators understand these contexts, the more effectively they can participate in them.
Research Interests:
Successfully sharing information involves holding and keeping an audience's attention. Yet the dynamics of attention are not random. They reflect how the brain processes information. Understanding these factors can help technical... more
Successfully sharing information involves holding and keeping an audience's attention. Yet the dynamics of attention are not random. They reflect how the brain processes information. Understanding these factors can help technical communicators create effective materials for different users.
Research Interests: Composition and Rhetoric, Usability, User Experience (UX), Professional Writing, Professional Communication, and 10 moreInteraction Design, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Writing Studies, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, User eXperience, and Visual Communication Design
Usability is central to effective communication in health and medical contexts. It reduces instances of individuals using medical technologies or medications in unintended ways. It also enhances the design of interfaces to ensure... more
Usability is central to effective communication in health and medical contexts. It reduces instances of individuals using medical technologies or medications in unintended ways. It also enhances the design of interfaces to ensure health-related information is effectively collected, stored, and accessed. However, achieving usability in health and medical settings requires an understanding of different environments. Understanding Contexts of Care Health and medical communication is about care-activities that maintain or restore one's level of health (e.g., doing something to keep a pulse rate at, or return it to, a particular level). Usability and design are often essential to providing effective care, because doing so requires individuals to use materials to perform a process. The dynamics of care are a matter of context-where individuals perform activities. Understanding this context of care is central to designing health and medical materials individuals can effectively use. Ideally, the context of care is a medical facility where care is administered by trained medical professionals under optimal conditions. In reality, the context of care is often one where patients perform different care-related activities on themselves. Designing usable health and medical materials for such situations is not easy. It involves identifying factors affecting how individuals perform a process in a setting.
Research Interests: Health Communication, Usability, User Experience (UX), Professional Communication, Medical Rhetoric, and 15 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, User eXperience, Medical Education: Professionalism, Ethics and Communications, Health communication and mass media, Usability Testing, Usability Evaluation, Medical Communication, Medical Rhetorics/Community Rhetorics/Critical Discourse Analysis, Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, and Communications design
HUMANS ARE WIRED for feedback. We use feedback to assess our communiques, and we provide feedback to let others know how we feel. Sometimes, we are aware of this factor; other times, things happen reflexively. In all cases, humans need... more
HUMANS ARE WIRED for feedback. We use feedback to assess our communiques, and we provide feedback to let others know how we feel. Sometimes, we are aware of this factor; other times, things happen reflexively. In all cases, humans need feedback to determine whether something worked. Understanding how these feedback dynamics operate can greatly enhance usability and design.
Research Interests: Composition and Rhetoric, Usability, User Experience (UX), Professional Communication, Technical Communication, and 9 moreTechnical Writing, Writing Studies, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Business Communication (in Communication), Information Design, User eXperience, and Scientific and Technical Communication
Practitioners and academics are often presented as two camps within technical communication. Yet the two groups have a great deal in common. Both are interested in the same area: Communication. Both also focus their actions on a shared... more
Practitioners and academics are often presented as two camps within technical communication. Yet the two groups have a great deal in common. Both are interested in the same area: Communication. Both also focus their actions on a shared objective: Effectively conveying technical information to different audiences. The two groups also value research in improving technical communication practices. In fact, shared value of research should be an area where industry and academia can find common ground. This essay examines 5 barriers that tend to separate technical communication practitioners from academics. These barriers involve Scope, Scale, Speed, Strategy, and Situatedness.
Research Interests:
Global online access has increased rapidly in the last decade, and online education has become increasingly international as a result. The challenge for writing instructors becomes addressing this new educational environment to offer... more
Global online access has increased rapidly in the last decade, and online education has become increasingly international as a result. The challenge for writing instructors becomes addressing this new educational environment to offer effective education to globally distributed student in online classes. The four plenary speakers at the 2018 inaugural GSOLE conference discussed this context and presented ideas and opinions on this topic. This editorial is a summary of that conversation.
Research Interests: Composition Studies, Composition and Rhetoric, Distance Education, Computer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, and 15 moreTechnical Writing, Writing Studies, Computer Mediated Communication, Online and Distance Education, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Teaching and Learning Writing Online, Open and Distance Education, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Writing Pedagogy, Online writing pedagogy, Rhetoric, Composition, Teaching Writing and Teaching Writing Online, Writing and Rhetoric, Rhetoric and Writing, and Online Higher Education
Usability is about context. If you know where someone performs a process, you can develop materials for that setting. The idea is conforming content to context makes that content easy to use. Today’s global economy complicates this... more
Usability is about context. If you know where someone performs a process, you can develop materials for that setting. The idea is
conforming content to context makes that content easy to use. Today’s
global economy complicates this situation by increasing the contexts
in which individuals use products. Technical communicators can
address this challenge by identifying central factors affecting usability in
different settings.
conforming content to context makes that content easy to use. Today’s
global economy complicates this situation by increasing the contexts
in which individuals use products. Technical communicators can
address this challenge by identifying central factors affecting usability in
different settings.
Research Interests: Composition and Rhetoric, Usability, User Experience (UX), Professional Writing, Technical Communication, and 12 moreTechnical Writing, Communication Design, User Experience Design, Business Communication (in Communication), Information Design, User-Centered Design (UCD), Business Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Rhetoric and Composition, Business Communications, Visual Communication Design, and Rhetoric and Writing
The growth of global markets means technical communicators are increasingly doing or reviewing research on other cultures. For technical communicators, this situation involves addressing one central question: What particular factors must... more
The growth of global markets means technical communicators are increasingly doing or reviewing research on other cultures. For technical communicators, this situation involves addressing one central question: What particular factors must one consider when researching culture and communication? This article presents five principles that can help address this question. By considering each of the five, technical communicators can understand key factors that can influence the effectiveness—and the applicability—of research on culture, communication, and design.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Professional Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, and 6 moreCommunication Design, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Business Communication, and Scientific and Technical Communication
(Foreword to the Bedford Bibliography of Research in Online Writing Instruction -- Full Text Online at https://community.macmillan.com/docs/DOC-2834-forward-to-the-bibliography-for-online-writing-instruction) Ubiquity can foster... more
(Foreword to the Bedford Bibliography of Research in Online Writing Instruction -- Full Text Online at https://community.macmillan.com/docs/DOC-2834-forward-to-the-bibliography-for-online-writing-instruction)
Ubiquity can foster passivity. Essentially, the more common something is in our daily lives, the less attention we give it. This means we generally spend little time critically thinking about and reflecting on that which seems to be a common part of our regular routines. Our minds seem to fade such items into the background until they become the dull shapes and white noises of life -- items always present, but that we’ve learned to overlook for the very reason that we expect them to be there. As a result, we often forget to ask key questions about these “everyday” things -- questions like “What it is?” “How it is used?” “What potential might it hold? “and “How can we tap that potential?” And when it comes to such ubiquitously present things, we almost never ask the questions “Are we doing this correctly?” and “Should we re-think our approach to this all-present thing?”
Ubiquity can foster passivity. Essentially, the more common something is in our daily lives, the less attention we give it. This means we generally spend little time critically thinking about and reflecting on that which seems to be a common part of our regular routines. Our minds seem to fade such items into the background until they become the dull shapes and white noises of life -- items always present, but that we’ve learned to overlook for the very reason that we expect them to be there. As a result, we often forget to ask key questions about these “everyday” things -- questions like “What it is?” “How it is used?” “What potential might it hold? “and “How can we tap that potential?” And when it comes to such ubiquitously present things, we almost never ask the questions “Are we doing this correctly?” and “Should we re-think our approach to this all-present thing?”
Research Interests:
In this entry, we propose six contexts technical communicators
can focus on to better understand the design and communication expectations of users in different nations and from other cultures.
can focus on to better understand the design and communication expectations of users in different nations and from other cultures.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Usability, User Experience (UX), Professional Communication, and 14 moreTechnical Communication, Internationalization, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, User eXperience, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Business Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Business Communications, Global communication, and Business and Technical Communications
As a relatively new and growing discipline, technical and scientific communication abounds with important and interesting narratives that have a great deal to offer members of the field. These range from stories of the individual faculty... more
As a relatively new and growing discipline, technical and scientific communication abounds with important and interesting narratives that have a great deal to offer members of the field. These range from stories of the individual
faculty member/program administrator navigating her or his way through a greater department (usually an English department) to persons recounting how discipline-specific programs emerged out of various concentrations, degrees,
or departments to become independent academic units/entities. Such narratives provide a rich set of experiences others can use as heuristics for contextualizing
their own experiences or as approaches for addressing a wide range of events. Moreover, when collected in one place, this aggregation of narratives can serve as a critical resource and reference for other members of the field.
faculty member/program administrator navigating her or his way through a greater department (usually an English department) to persons recounting how discipline-specific programs emerged out of various concentrations, degrees,
or departments to become independent academic units/entities. Such narratives provide a rich set of experiences others can use as heuristics for contextualizing
their own experiences or as approaches for addressing a wide range of events. Moreover, when collected in one place, this aggregation of narratives can serve as a critical resource and reference for other members of the field.
Research Interests: Composition and Rhetoric, Narrative, Professional Writing, Professional Communication, Technical Communication, and 7 moreTechnical Writing, Communication Design, Narrative and Identity, Business Communication (in Communication), Information Design, Business Communication, and Scientific and Technical Communication
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, International Communication, Usability, Professional Communication, and 14 moreHealth Literacy, Medical Rhetoric, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Information Design, Visual Design, Scientific and Technical Communication, Medical writing, Cross Cultural Communication, Visual Communication Design, Medical Communication, Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, and Rhetoric of Health Care Communication
Increasingly, health and medical communication involves a global perspective. Communication designers therefore need to identify approaches that can facilitate the usability of health and medical content in a range of international... more
Increasingly, health and medical communication involves a global perspective. Communication designers therefore need to identify approaches that can facilitate the usability of health and medical content in a range of international settings. In many
cases, the central factor to consider is access. It comes down to one key question: Do the individuals in a given region have access to the materials needed to perform a particular health or medical process effectively – if at all? Understanding this factor is essential to creating effective instructional materials for diverse global contexts. This entry examines aspects of access communication designers need to consider when creating instructional content for users in different international settings.
cases, the central factor to consider is access. It comes down to one key question: Do the individuals in a given region have access to the materials needed to perform a particular health or medical process effectively – if at all? Understanding this factor is essential to creating effective instructional materials for diverse global contexts. This entry examines aspects of access communication designers need to consider when creating instructional content for users in different international settings.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, International Communication, Usability, User Experience (UX), and 18 moreProfessional Writing, Visual Rhetoric, Medical Rhetoric, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Visual Communication, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Visual Design, Scientific and Technical Communication, Visual Communication Design Expertise, Visual Communication Design, Medical Communication, and Medical Rhetorics/Community Rhetorics/Critical Discourse Analysis
Social media is increasingly part of the technical communicator’s toolkit. At the same time, the international use of social media on the rise. It would therefore seem logical for technical communicators to use social media to connect... more
Social media is increasingly part of the technical communicator’s toolkit. At the same time, the international use of social media on the rise. It would therefore seem logical for technical communicators to use social media to connect with global audiences. Yet not all cultures use these technologies in the same way, nor do all individuals worldwide turn to the same social networking services to interact. This entry examines different aspects to consider when using social media to try to connect to greater global audiences.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Globalization, and 23 moreUsability, Internet Studies, User Experience (UX), Professional Communication, Computer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, Social Media, Computer Mediated Communication, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, User eXperience, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, User-Centered Design (UCD), Online Communication, User Centered Design, Professional and Technical communication, User-Centered Design, Cultural usability, and Professional and Technical Writing
With almost 3 billion persons online around the globe, the world seems smaller than ever. In this context, the challenge becomes developing and delivering Web-based content to this international audience. But where to begin and how to... more
With almost 3 billion persons online around the globe, the world seems smaller than ever. In this context, the challenge becomes developing and delivering Web-based content to this international audience. But where to begin and how to proceed? One mechanism that can help is the REACH approach to understanding international online contexts. Each letter of “REACH” represents an area to consider when developing online materials for international audiences. The idea is to answer key questions associated with how individuals in other nations access and use Web-based materials.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, International Communication, Web Design, Usability, Internet Studies, and 18 moreUser Experience (UX), Professional Communication, Computer-Mediated Communication, Technical Communication, Social Media, Localization, Technical Writing, Computer Mediated Communication, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, User-Centered Design (UCD), Online Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, User Centered Design, User-Centered Design, and User-Centered
As recent media coverage of Ebola has demonstrated, there is a growing need to communicate health and medical information effectively on a global scale. Doing so requires creating visuals that effectively convey health and medical... more
As recent media coverage of Ebola has demonstrated, there is a growing need to communicate health and medical information effectively on a global scale. Doing so requires creating visuals that effectively convey health and medical information to diverse audiences (e.g., healthcare providers and patients) in different cultures. This entry discusses how prototype theory can help communication designers address cultural expectations associated with visual design in health and medical contexts. The over‐arching idea is to apply prototype theory to certain design areas associated with care giving. By doing so, communication designers can better contextualize visual information to meet the expectations of individuals from other cultures.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, International Communication, Usability, User Experience (UX), and 22 moreProfessional Communication, Health Literacy, Medical Rhetoric, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communication, Visual Design, Scientific and Technical Communication, Medical writing, Cross Cultural Communication, Visual Communication Design, Medical Communication, Health Communications, International health, Cultural usability, Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, Health Communication Health Literacy, and Rhetoric of Health Care Communication
Different cultural groups can have varying expectations of what constitutes an effective presentation. Fortunately, these differences can be addressed effectively. This article provides an overview of these factors and presents... more
Different cultural groups can have varying expectations of what constitutes an effective presentation. Fortunately, these differences can be addressed effectively. This article provides an overview of these factors and presents suggestions for preparing materials for audiences from different cultures.
Research Interests:
The global marketplace for online learning has grown rapidly over the last decade, and it will only continue to expand as more individuals around the world gain access to online environments. Providing effective training to globally... more
The global marketplace for online learning has grown rapidly over the last decade, and it will only continue to expand as more individuals around the world gain access to online environments. Providing effective training to globally dispersed and culturally different audiences, however, is no easy feat. By following certain strategies, instructors can provide effective online training to individuals from other nations and cultures.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Instructional Design, International Communication, Distance Education, Technical Communication, and 6 moreTechnical Writing, Online Learning, Online Education, Online and Distance Education, Instructional Design for Online Learning, and International Training and Development
By understanding how ideas from rhetoric can be applied to intercultural communication, technical communicators can interact more effectively in global business situations. This article introduces various rhetorical concepts or categories... more
By understanding how ideas from rhetoric can be applied to intercultural communication, technical communicators can interact more effectively in global business situations. This article introduces various rhetorical concepts or categories affecting the exchange of information among individuals. It also presents a question-based framework technical communicators can use to do initial audience analysis. Through such an approach, technical communicators can better understand and design more effective materials for audiences from cultures other than their own.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, International Communication, Professional Writing, Professional Communication, and 8 moreTechnical Communication, Technical Writing, Cross-Cultural Communication, Languages for Specific Purposes, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Contrastive Rhetoric, and International & Intercultural Communication/Marketing
Research Interests:
Thanks to electronic communications technologies, interacting with individuals in other nations is often as easy as interacting with our next-door neighbors. This speed and ease of access has eroded traditional barriers of distance and... more
Thanks to electronic communications technologies, interacting with individuals in other nations is often as easy as interacting with our next-door neighbors. This speed and ease of access has eroded traditional barriers of distance and has led to an interconnected global economy of unprecedented scale. These new levels of interaction and connection will undoubtedly affect individuals in all professions, and future success will certainly involve understanding and appreciating the status of key economic players. From a technical communication perspective, the People’s Republic of China—more commonly referred to simply as China—is poised to become a major power in the international technical marketplace of this new century. Today’s technical communicator should therefore examine how China could affect future trends in the field by looking at three key kinds of issues: economic, communication, and ethical/legal.
Research Interests:
In this interview, Alisa Bonsignore, Kelly Schrank, and Kirk St.Amant participated in an interview on making the move to medical writing. Questions were crafted by career coach and consultant Porschia Parker, and an abridged version of... more
In this interview, Alisa Bonsignore, Kelly Schrank, and Kirk St.Amant participated in an interview on making the move to medical writing. Questions were crafted by career coach and consultant Porschia
Parker, and an abridged version of the interview was published in the article “Medical Writing: A Flexible Career Choice” (see https://www.biospace.com/article/medical-writing-a-flexible-career-choice/).
Parker, and an abridged version of the interview was published in the article “Medical Writing: A Flexible Career Choice” (see https://www.biospace.com/article/medical-writing-a-flexible-career-choice/).
Research Interests:
Kirk St. Amant and Ben Woelk discuss what it’s like to be an introvert in the classroom, how we engage students, and the role of popular culture in teaching. We also discuss how we adapt to the absence of in-person feedback mechanisms in... more
Kirk St. Amant and Ben Woelk discuss what it’s like to be an introvert in the classroom, how we engage students, and the role of popular culture in teaching. We also discuss how we adapt to the absence of in-person feedback mechanisms in webinars and online courses.
Research Interests:
In this interview, Kirk draws on his work in usability, intercultural technical communication, and health and medical communication to describe the role of contextualized time in the design and use of medical technology. How time is... more
In this interview, Kirk draws on his work in usability, intercultural technical communication, and health and medical communication to describe the role of contextualized time in the design and use of medical technology. How time is valued and whose time is valued is rhetorical. Cultural values of time, then, dictate how health care is administered, who administers it to whom, and of course, when it happens. Confronting this complex problem, Kirk discusses research challenges and perspectives for scholars in technical communication, usability studies, and rhetoric, with the ultimate goal of enabling a standard of “kairotic care.”
Research Interests:
Interview for 10-Minute Tech Comm podcast series. In this interview, Kirk St.Amant talks about script theory and prototypes, two concepts for researching UX in international contexts and offers related examples (especially relating to... more
Interview for 10-Minute Tech Comm podcast series. In this interview, Kirk St.Amant talks about script theory and prototypes, two concepts for researching UX in international contexts and offers related examples (especially relating to medical care) of how to apply such ideas. The interview is connected to two of St.Amant's recent articles: "Mapping the Cultural Context of Care: An Approach to Patient-Centered Design in International Contexts" and "Of Scripts and Prototypes: A Two-Part Approach to User Experience Design for International Contexts." (Listen to the interview online at https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/10minute-tech-comm/e/52583945?autoplay=true)
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, Health Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, and 29 moreUsability, User Experience (UX), Professional Communication, Cross-Cultural Studies, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, International Business Communication, Information Design, User eXperience, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Intercultural Communication and Rhetoric, Users Experience of Health Services, Scientific and Technical Communication, International Communications, Usability Testing, Medical Communication, Medical Rhetorics/Community Rhetorics/Critical Discourse Analysis, Intercultural Communications, Professional and Technical communication, International Professional Communication, Communication in Health care, International Usability Testing, Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, International & Intercultural Communication/Marketing, and Rhetorics of Health and Medicine
Dr. Kirk St.Amant, Professor and the Eunice C. Williamson Endowed Chair in Technical Communication at Louisiana Technical University (USA), visited the University of Central Florida (UCF) campus on April 11, 2017, to speak with students... more
Dr. Kirk St.Amant, Professor and the Eunice C. Williamson Endowed Chair in Technical Communication at Louisiana Technical University (USA), visited the University of Central Florida (UCF) campus on April 11, 2017, to speak with students and faculty in the Texts and Technology Doctoral Program, as well as to perform other on-site activities. Texts and Technology Ph.D. students, Jennifer Roth Miller and Jessica Campbell, were fortunate to be able to sit down and discuss with Dr. St.Amant some of the emerging trends in the field of technical communication and gain insight on how the profession and discipline have changed in the past few decades, as well as gain perspectives on the future of the field.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, User Experience (UX), Professional Writing, and 9 moreTechnical Communication, Writing Studies, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, and Usablity
This article is based on an interview with (and readings by) Dr. Kirk St.Amant on 28 March 2016, on the occasion of his visit to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as the Spring 2016 Rhetoric Series Speaker for the Division of... more
This article is based on an interview with (and readings by) Dr.
Kirk St.Amant on 28 March 2016, on the occasion of his visit
to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as the Spring 2016
Rhetoric Series Speaker for the Division of Rhetoric, Writing, &
Linguistics in the University of Tennessee Department of English.
Kirk St.Amant on 28 March 2016, on the occasion of his visit
to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as the Spring 2016
Rhetoric Series Speaker for the Division of Rhetoric, Writing, &
Linguistics in the University of Tennessee Department of English.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Composition and Rhetoric, International Communication, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, and 9 moreCommunication Design, Business Communication (in Communication), Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Business Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, English--Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Business Communications, and International Business and Corporate Communication
This is a the transcript of an interview with Dr. Kirk St.Amant on 28 March 2016, on the occasion of his visit to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville as the Spring 2016 Rhetoric Series Speaker for the Division of Rhetoric, Writing, &... more
This is a the transcript of an interview with Dr. Kirk St.Amant on 28 March 2016, on the occasion of his visit to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville as the Spring 2016 Rhetoric Series Speaker for the Division of Rhetoric, Writing, & Linguistics in the UT Department of English.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Translation Studies, International Communication, Usability, Professional Writing, and 12 moreProfessional Communication, Technical Communication, Localization, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, International Business Communication, Information Design, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Usability Testing, and Global communication
An interview on the state of, current practices in, and prospective future developments in international technical and professional communication.
Research Interests: Communication, Intercultural Communication, Translation Studies, International Communication, Usability, and 27 moreUser Experience (UX), Professional Communication, Interaction Design, Technical Communication, Technical Writing, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Business Communication (in Communication), Culture and Communication, Information Design, Translation and Interpretation, User eXperience, Translation, Cross-Cultural Communicaiton, Cross-Cultural Communication, Business Communication, Scientific and Technical Communication, Translation and Interpreting, Communication and Culture, Cross Cultural Communication, Business Communications, International and Global Strategic Communication, Global Media and Public Relations Ethics, and Public Affairs and Issues Management in Countries with Transitional Economies, Global communication, User Experience Design, Interation Design, Medical Design, Business Writing, and User Experience Research
An interview on aspects of persona development as related to international/global design and usability practices.
Research Interests: Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, International Communication, Usability, Internet Studies, and 24 moreUser Experience (UX), Visual Rhetoric, Professional Communication, Computer-Mediated Communication, User Centred Design, Technical Communication, Computer Mediated Communication, Communication Design, Usability and user experience, User Experience Design, Business Communication (in Communication), Information Design, User eXperience, Intercultural Design, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Cross-Cultural Communication, Business Communication, Personas, Scientific and Technical Communication, Business Communications, Visual Communication Design, User Testing, Techical Communication, and User Experiece
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everyday life on a global scale. After a period of limited interaction, many nations are beginning to ease social distancing requirements. The potential dangers of the pandemic, however, are not over, for... more
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everyday life on a global scale. After a period of limited interaction, many nations are beginning to ease social distancing requirements. The potential dangers of the pandemic, however, are not over, for an outbreak can easily occur again without warning. Addressing this situation involves planning for interactions post pandemic restrictions, and communication professionals can play a central role in these activities.
Research Interests:
This chapter draws from ethnographic research to explore how Indonesian scholars access written academic resources when confronted with both the digital divide and increasing demands that they publish in internationally-indexed journals,... more
This chapter draws from ethnographic research to explore how Indonesian scholars access written academic resources when confronted with both the digital divide and increasing demands that they publish in internationally-indexed journals, most of which are in English. Economic inequality means unequal access to digital and linguistic resources, creating what this chapter terms an "information divide." This chapter highlights the ways Indonesian scholars successfully negotiate the information divide by engaging in strategic literacy sponsorships and personal networking; in the process they bring hard-to-access digital written resources to their Indonesian academic communities and help share Indonesian knowledge with non-Indonesian audiences. Despite this success, the author contends that to create a global academic conversation where digital written information truly flows, we must