Rhetorical Function in Large-Scale Technological Disaster

技术传播中的伦理研究强调了 教学生如何有效沟通， 材料使用假设的案例研究来证明道德 问题. 历史研究表明，沟通错误 在大规模技术灾难中扮演重要角色， 专家们还没有详细研究过实际的文献。 对采矿灾害的初步研究， 国会的监督表明，文件中的问题， 指导方针和规格会导致灾难。 的 证据提出了关于写作练习的后果的问题 以及技术文件的使用和解释。 本研究 我将检查两个灾难的文件，以（1）定义类别 不同类型的文件对技术的影响和作用 开发和管理，（2）确定代码和惯例 管理文件的制作，并允许管理层使用 （3）描述作者如何选择或排除证据 接受、分配或逃避责任，并确定这些责任如何 决定影响灾难;（4）确定作者是否看到他们的 作为观察者的角色，记录客观事实或活跃的问题 解决者;（5）比较专家和非专家证词， 机构如何影响文本的产生;（6）确定 个别文件对决策的影响 复杂的技术。 本提案的主题是道德和价值观的高度优先事项 问题研究 研究者的资格和记录 都很好 该项目提供了一个重要的推动修辞 技术写作的发展和管理的研究 复杂的技术。 除了他们的奖学金的效用， 这一领域，结果将是有用的科学家，工程师， 政策分析师、决策者和公民关注的问题 这些问题 它们在课程和课程中也将是有用的 技术写作。 建议支持该提案。

Ethical studies in technical communication underscore the importance of teaching students about effective communication, but much teaching material uses hypothetical case studies to demonstrate ethical issues. Historical research suggests that communication errors play a major role in large-scale technological disasters, but rhetoricians have not studied actual documentation in detail. Preliminary research into mining disasters that were the subjects of Congressional oversight suggests that problems in documentation, guidelines and specifications contribute to disasters. The evidence raises questions about the consequences of writing practice and the use and interpretation of technical documents. This study will examine documentation in two disasters to (1) define categories and functions of different kinds of documents affecting technological development and management, (2) determine the codes and conventions that govern the production of documents and allow management to use and interpret them, (3) describe how writers select or exclude evidence to accept, assign or avoid responsibility and determine how those decisions affect disasters; (4) determine whether writers see their role as observers, recording objective facts, or active problem solvers; (5) compare expert and non-expert testimony to understand how agencies influence the production of texts; and (6) determine the function of individual documents in influencing decisionmaking about complex technologies. The topic of this proposal is of high priority for Ethics and Values Studies. The qualifications and track record of the investigator are good. The project provides an important impetus to rhetorical studies of technical writing in the development and management of complex technologies. Besides their utility for scholarship in this field, results will be useful for scientists, engineers, policy analysts, decisionmakers and citizens concerned about these issues. They will also be useful in courses and curricula in technical writing. The proposal is recommended for support.