Date of Award
2008
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Creative Writing
First Advisor
Dr. Karen Kuralt
Abstract
Technical writers add great value to companies across many industries with their specialized skills. However, there is a problem with writers being undervalued and not having the credibility they deserve. In order to achieve more credibility for individual writers and for the field as a whole, technical writers need more than just writing, editing, and formatting skills when they enter into the workplace. They need to be equipped with social and verbal strategies to be better prepared for a full-time technical writing position. By examining and applying Aristotle's notions of pathos, logos, and ethos to technical writing, technical writers can begin to integrate strategies for building their credibility, or overall ethos, on the job. This project can also be helpful to other groups such as technical writing teachers and supervisors of technical writers. Technical writing teachers can use this material to develop curricula for their classes, and supervisors of technical writers can use this material as a tool to learn the skills technical writers need to possess and to learn how to work with technical writers more effectively.
Recommended Citation
Cavazos, Melissa Brooke, "The Rhetoric of Technical Writing: Applying Social and Verbal Rhetorical Strategies to Prepare New Technical Writers for the Workplace" (2008). Theses and Dissertations. 166.
https://research.ualr.edu/etd/166
