Diane Allen Technical Writing Coordinator, Midland College

1


A Survey of Technical Writing Programs at
Community Colleges

• Diane AllenTechnical Writing Coordinator,
  Midland College

2
What happened on my trip around Cape Horn?
3
What prompted this research?
Technical Writing program coordinator at Midland
College
4
What prompted this research?
Technical Writing program coordinator at Midland
College
5
Where did I start?
This research proposes to conduct surveys of
technical communication faculty at community
colleges in order to determine the location of
technical writing programs at community colleges
nationwide and to profile those programs.
6
Where did I start?
The research will be descriptive rather than
evaluative in nature and will be a component of a
larger research project. After conducting this
research, I will compile a database and profile
of community colleges nationwide and make it
available to other community colleges. I will
use this data to conduct a local needs assessment
which will be provide the framework for
developing the technical writing program at
Midland College.
7
What was the first detour?
I will compile a database and profile of
community colleges nationwide.
Planned to compile a database for CPTSC, STC or
ATTW
8
Where did I go next?

• Sent initial request to attw-l, cptsc-l, techrhet
  asking technical writing faculty at community
  colleges to self-identify by contacting me
  off-list.

9
From there. . .what next?

• Brainstormed questions that I wanted to know
  about existing programs
• Wrote survey instrument
• Asked/received feedback about my questionnaire

10
What about the survey process?
11
Plan B?
12
Was that the end of Plan B?
13
Did Plan B produce useful information?
14
Was that the whole trip around Cape Horn?
15
What difficulties did I have?
16
Questions?
dallen_at_midland.edu