Research Questions in Technical Communication

Carolyn Rude uses this article in order to determine how the field of technical communication. Typically, most academic fields establish their authority through their research methods. However, in the field of technical communications, the legitimacy of the field is defined through practice because it is so new to the academic world. Rude breaks down technical communications into four different key topics. The topics work to answer Rude's key questions, "How do texts and related communication practices mediate knowledge, values, and action in a multitude of social and professional situations (p. 175)?

1. Disciplinary- This topic of technical communication deals with the questions regarding the academic discipline. For example, this topic asks what our research methods are and what our history is. Rude concludes through this topic that there is no definitive definition for "technical communications," and that since the field is so new, there is no solidified history formed yet. She also says that because of these things, the field has little power in business and academia at the moment. The field can gain power through working with other professional associates that already have a legitimate authority established. Finally, this topic concludes that there is no one set research method for technical communication. For example, technical communicators can perform research through ethnographies, textual analyses, historical research, surveys and questionnaires, and experiments.

2. Pedagogy- This topic analyzes how we teach technical communications to students. It asks questions like what type of courses should be taught and what the best practices to teach them are. Rude found that there is a close tie between curriculum and technical communications because classrooms incorporate "visual information and design, user-oriented standards for defining document effectiveness, intercultural communication, Web-site development, content management, and project management” (p. 194). Teachers encourage their students to welcome technology in order to relate their writings closely to the working environments as well. Finally, Rude has concluded that since there is not a strict curriculum, it allows for different programs to develop so students can discover their own methods of creativity.

3. Practice- The third topic discussed analyzes the ability for technical communicators to effectively develop and distribute information and knowledge. This topic concludes that a text is only effective if it works well with the user, since the user is the most important element of technical communication. The effectiveness of a design or text can be determined through usability tests and consumer satisfaction reports. Rude establishes that the field of technical communications is different than most other academic fields because it works to develop new knowledge, rather than figuring out how to apply old knowledge to new situations.

4. Social Change- The final topic listed by Rude is used to determine the purpose of the discipline. This means that one must analyze how to use texts to influence change and produce knowledge. Some social issues related to technical communications include the environment and health care. Technical communications relates to these issues because it allows for a communication outlet and the spreading of knowledge.