Writing practices in the engineering workplace: Findings and implications for teachers of engineering communication

As both a participant and an observer in engineering communication pedagogy and practice, the researcher had long been intrigued by the means by which young engineers make the transition from writing in the classroom to writing in the workplace. The goal of this dissertation research was to shed greater light on this process. Through quantitative surveys and subsequent interviewing, a group of practicing engineers was asked about the genres, characteristics, and practices of their workplace writing, and the preparation they received for that writing through their academic courses and on-the-job training. Of particular interest was the effectiveness of technical writing and discipline-specific, writing-intensive courses in guiding students toward their future writing tasks. While results generally support theories of situated learning and the contextual nature of any writing activity, some academic practices do seem to contribute to new engineers' readiness for writing in the workplace. Further, additional results suggest that engineers understand, and can articulate, the rhetorical nature of their writing; that engineering employers provide scant structured support for employees' writing learning; and that some recent and current trends in academic writing instruction are beneficial. The dissertation discusses implications for teachers of technical writing and discipline-specific, writing-intensive engineering courses.