Conservation Writing: An Emerging Field in Technical Communication.

Annotation by Joshua Barron

Recognizing the growing public interest in (and demand for) conservation of the earth's ecological systems, this article examines "conservation writing" as a new realm within the larger technical communication discipline. The formation of environmental policy is explored through the discussion of curriculum development and the identification of potentially beneficial pedagogical methods. The article also provides helpful definitions and descriptions of appropriate written communication forms used within the genre.

Based on the article, it appears that the development of this new domain is running in step with the relatively recent reform of engineering writing instruction during the mid-twentieth century. Specifically we note the public interest in (and demand for) immediate improvement in the technical writing of each particular discipline and, in response, a scramble of writing professionals and university faculty staking their claim in the new academic territory. Because of its new-ness, the act of reading this article may provide the reader with a pseudo-romantic appreciation (or at worst a vague understanding) of the larger discipline's key principles. Digging a little deeper and reading more responsibly reveals a fair treatment of the area's own opportunities to invest in (and potentially shape) the future of ethical interactions and behaviors. This topic relates closely to other assigned readings related to policy development and the praxis of rhetorically-based technical communication.

Johnson-Sheehan, R., & Morgan, L. (2009). Conservation Writing: An Emerging Field in Technical Communication. Technical Communication Quarterly, 18(1), 9-27. doi:10.1080/10572250802437283. Retrieved online Monday, September 6, 2010, from http://j.mp/conservationrhetoricarticle.