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Annotated Bibliography
Bokor, M. (2011). Moving international technical communication forward: a World Englishes
approach. Journal of Technical Writing and Approach, 41(2), 113-138.
This article explores the idea that the TPC classroom needs to include multicultural
sensitivity training, namely in the form of the World Englishes approach. The author
explains his research study on the effectiveness of this approach and concludes that in a
world where American English rhetoric is not the only English rhetoric, TPC students
must diversify their English communication to understand and adapt to these other
Englishes.
This article is applicable to the research field of international and multicultural
participation in TPC because it highlights a naturally ethnocentric ideology native
English speakers have about language. This ethnocentric attitude can be off-putting to
potential international or multicultural participants in TPC.
Day, C., & Frye, C. (2011). Global training, multicultural course design, and delivery: the impact
on cultural style adjustments of faculty and global training instructors. Rhetoric,
Professional Communication and Globalization, 2(1), 34-50.
This article studied the current attitudes held by business faculty in academia toward
making adjustments to curricula to accommodate multicultural students. The study found
that most teachers are willing to include cultural references in their lessons, but that they
were unwilling to adjust time constraints surrounding exams and assignments which
might take longer for a non-native English speaker to complete. The study also shows
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that most faculty feel underprepared for multicultural students in their classrooms due to
lack of training.
This article is applicable to the research field of international and multicultural
participation in TPC because it highlights a disconnect between teachers and
multicultural students which may keep these minority students from approaching or
continuing in the field.
Dennett, J. T. (2000). Going beyond the native speaker in technical communication. Professional
Communication, IEEE Transactions on, 43(3), 327-330.
This article explains that non-native English speakers in TPC are often over-corrected in
the workplace by native English speakers because they are seen as being incorrect and
ineffective communicators. The author attempts to explain how native English speakers
in the TPC workplace can adjust their approach to non-native English speakers by
understanding that the goal of language is communication. The author explains that
communication requires comprehension, which is possible even with the grammatical
errors commonly seen from non-native English speakers. By seeing non-native speakers
as communicating differently rather than incorrectly, the non-native speaker may feel
more comfortable and produce better documents in the TPC workplace.
This article is applicable to the research field of international and multicultural
participation in TPC because it shows that being ostracized for an incomplete grasp of the
English language may be a fear which keeps minorities from participating in TPC.
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Goleman, P. (2003). Communicating in the intercultural classroom. Professional
Communication, IEEE Transactions on, 46(3), 231-235.
This article explains the approaches international and multicultural students may take
toward the classroom environment and the reasons for these approaches. The author
explains some of the various causes for cultural divide and how those reasons translate in
a classroom setting. The author stresses the importance of teachers becoming
knowledgeable of these cultural differences and offers suggestions for how the teacher
might be able to compensate for differences amongst multicultural students.
This article is relevant to the research area of international and multicultural participation
in TPC because it shows how cultural differences can cause problems in a classroom
setting if the teacher is not aware of or willing to compensate for the cultural differences
among students.
Grant, K. A., Lainema, T., Tuleja, E. A., & Younger, J. (2015). Teaching professional
communication in a global context: using a three-phase approach of theory exploration,
self-assessment, and virtual simulation. Rhetoric, Professional Communication and
Globalization, 8(1), 4-21.
This article was mainly an explanation of an experimental professional communications
course model which allowed the TPC students in three countries to collaborate during
timed realistic simulations of a business setting. The course, and the article’s, purpose
was to show that traditional business-setting simulations in TPC classrooms are deficient
in their ability to prepare students for the reality of interacting with other cultures in a
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stressful business situation, and to offer a new model for TPC simulation courses which
addresses these deficiencies.
This article is applicable to the research field of international and multicultural
participation in TPC because with courses such as the one described in this article, the
TPC classroom can become a culturally welcoming and inviting place where not only
more minority students may feel at ease, but where native English speakers will become
more culturally aware. This type of environment may encourage more international and
multicultural students to join TPC courses and programs.
Mattson, K., & Savage, G. (2011). Perceptions of racial and ethnic diversity in technical
communication programs. Programmatic Perceptions, 3(1), 5-57.
This article explored the concept of diversity inclusion in TPC programs from the
perspective of TPC instructors in various universities across the U.S. The author
presented a questionnaire to these instructors asking for an assessment of their
university’s support of cultural and diversity awareness as well as the instructors’ own
diversity awareness and willingness to make concessions for minority students.
This article is applicable to the research field of international and multicultural
participation in TPC because it examines the outlook toward diversity held by TPC
instructors. If the instructors and institutions do not find diversity inclusion important
than this could lead to minorities not being interested in the TPC field.
Matveeva, N., &Savage, G. (2011). Toward racial and ethnic diversity in technical
communication programs. Programmatic Perceptions, 3(1), 58-85.
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This article examines the TPC course offerings available in Historically Black
Universities and Colleges (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) across
the United States. The author finds that there is a disproportionate amount of TPC
courses available to minority students at these schools, which the author suggests may be
a cause for the lack of minority participation in TPC programs. The author suggests that
more TPC programs and courses be introduced to HBCUs and TCUs in order to create
more interest amongst minorities in the TPC field.
This article is applicable to the research area of international and multicultural
participation in TPC because it highlights the fact that schools which traditionally attract
minority students do not offer as many TPC courses or programs as other universities.
This may be a cause for the lack of minority participation in TPC.
Schafer, R. (2009). Introducing heuristics of cultural dimensions into the service-level technical
communication classroom. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 39(3),
305-319.
This article attempts to show that a TPC student must be given certain tools to help them
understand and navigate a culturally diverse workplace environment. The author explains
various types of cultural differences and how these differences apply to the TPC
workplace. The author then explains specific tools with which a TPC teacher may equip a
student to better enable that student to work in a multicultural environment. The author
also explains a teaching model which uses these tools. The author explains that by
understanding culture, TPC students can approach multicultural settings more
appropriately and with greater ease.
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This article is applicable to the research field of international and multicultural
participation in TPC because it shows that there is a need for TPC classrooms to become
more culturally aware and sensitive. The face that TPC classrooms need improvement
could be a reason for the current lack of minority involvement or interest in TPC.
St Amant, K. (1999). When culture and rhetoric contrast: examining English as the international
language of technical communication. Professional Communication, IEEE Transactions
on, 42(4), 297-300.
This article points out that English has become the new standard language of technical
and scientific writing. The article explains and supports this claim with references to
other research on the topic as well as by showing examples of English technical and
scientific documents which are becoming standard in non-English speaking countries.
The article argues, however, that native English speakers need to use caution when
writing technical documents so as to not offend international readers by using improper
rhetoric. The author explains that each culture has a preferred rhetorical style which is
typically very different from American English rhetoric. The author states that a TPC
student must sometimes adjust their English rhetoric to be more in line with the
international audience.
This article is relevant to the research area of international and multicultural involvement
in TPC because it shows a language gap between the TPC literature and potential
international or multicultural participants.
Subbiah, M. (1992). Adding a new dimension to the teaching of audience analysis: cultural
awareness. Professional Communication, IEEE Transactions on, 35(1), 14-18.
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This article highlights the subtle differences between other cultures’ form of English
writing and America’s form of English writing. It provides multiple examples of these
nuances and explains how these differences can cause miscommunication in TPC, even
when English is being used by both the writer and the reader. The author gives first-hand
examples of his teaching strategies which have helped him bridge the cultural divide. The
author offers his teaching strategies as a model for other TPC instructors to use.
This article is applicable to the research field of international and multicultural
participation in TPC because it offers a discourse in cultural awareness from a native
English speaking TPC student toward non-native English speakers. By increasing cultural
sensitivity in the TPC classroom, minority students may see these courses and programs
as more appealing.