Date of Award

12-17-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Rhetoric and Writing

First Advisor

Karen Kuralt

Abstract

This research investigates how professional technical writers use AI technology in their work today, which tools they are using, and which tasks they use them for. Using a mixed-methods research design, the study involved 21 participants completing a survey hosted in Qualtrics, and three participants interviewed over Zoom. Quantitative analysis was performed on the survey data, and the researcher used grounded theory to analyze the transcripts of the interview participants. The findings offer insight into how professional technical communicators use these tools and their attitudes toward including AI technologies in future pedagogies. While most participants had used AI technology in their workflows in some capacity, those who did were generally dissatisfied with the results. Participants were largely unsure if these tools would be useful in the future or if they should be included in future curricula. The study highlights the uncertainty that professional technical writers and employers have surrounding these tools and suggests that future studies are needed to examine how—or if—AI should be incorporated into pedagogies moving forward.

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