Colton, Holmes, Walwema Awarded 2018 Nell Ann Pickett Award

Congratulations to Jared S. Colton, Steve Holmes, and Josephine Walwema, who were awarded the Nell Ann Pickett Award for their article, “From NoobGuides to #OpKKK: Ethics of Anonymous’ Tactical Technical Communication,” published in Volume 26.1, 2017.  The Award Selection Committee noted that “one thing that makes this article exemplary is that it engages with concepts we thought we knew–de Certeau’s tactics and strategies–and helps us to see them in a new way. It is one of those rare “both/and” pieces that raises concerns about a widely accepted framework without disregarding its value and that identifies shortcomings and proposes strategies for mitigating them. Fitting with this year’s ATTW conference theme, this article engages deeply and carefully with theory, vividly illustrating why theory matters by tracing out precarities and possibilities for ethical interventions in the world.”

Jared S. Colton is an assistant professor at Utah State University. Steve Holmes is an assistant professor at George Mason University. Josephine Walwema is an associate professor at Oakland University.

Josephine Walwema, Steve Holmes, and Jared Colton at the 2018 ATTW 21st Conference Awards Reception in Kansas City, KS on March 13.

Congratulations also to Ashley Rose Mehlenbacher‘s for her article “Crowdfunding Science: Exigencies and Strategies in an Emerging Genre of Science Communication,” which was named honorable mention by the committee. They wrote that  “this article reports on a rigorously designed empirical study of a new genre in science communication. This piece ties into a multitude of relevant considerations of our field– from proposal writing to social media, from building credibility to clearly communicating technical information to lay audiences, from preparing students for ever-changing workplaces to identifying key opportunities for future research.”

Ashley Rose Mehlenbacher is an assistant professor at University of Waterloo.

The Nell Ann Pickett Award is given annually for the best article in ATTW’s journal, Technical Communication Quarterly, for the previous publication year. Judges for the award are previous award winners. It is named for a founding member of the association who initiated the award and originally funded it.

 

ATTW 2018 Conference Information

ATTW 2018 is one week away! We wanted to round up all the information about conference events in one place as everyone prepares for their travel. Hopefully, this answers your last minute questions, but if not, please feel free to contact us at attworg@gmail.com.

Have a look at the  ATTW 2018 program preview and plan your conference!

All ATTW conference events are held at the Reardon Convention Center 510 Minnesota Ave. Kansas City, KS 66101 Tel: 816.765.4707

The Reardon Convention Center is located right next to Hilton Garden Inn Kansas City/Kansas, 520 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas, 66101 Tel: 913-342-7900

Registration

If you haven’t registered, please do so by Friday, March 9. While you will be able to register on-site at the conference, the registration costs will be increased. Registering early lets us provide the convention center with a more accurate headcount, and it promotes a more efficient check-in process at the conference. Here’s the registration link:

Register for ATTW 2018 Two-Day Conference

Social media

Plan to tweet using the #attwcon hashtag.

Join us from a distance

We are planning to stream select panels, including the plenary, from Wyandotte Ballroom 2 throughout both days. Look for theafter panel and special event titles. More information to come.

Conference Check-in

The main room for ATTW on Tuesday and Thursday will be Wyandotte Ballroom 2. Check-in and registration will be available outside of this room beginning at 8:00 AM on Tuesday, March 13.

If you preregistered for the conference:

Look for someone with a cellphone or tablet to get you checked in quickly through Eventbrite. Pick up your nametag and program, and have a great conference!

If you registered, but need to pay onsite:

Look for Brian Blackburne & Michelle Eble. They’ll help you finish your registration.

If you missed the online registration window:

Look for Brian Blackburne. He will be handling onsite registrations. Here are the costs for onsite registrations:

Full-time faculty or professionals $170.00
Contingent faculty $100.00
Students $70.00

Poster Presentation Information

The Poster Presentation Session is scheduled for Tuesday, March 13, from 11:15 am-12:30 pm in Wyandotte Ballroom 2. Posters should be 30″ x 40″ or smaller to fit on the foam boards that will be provided.  We will provide foam boards, binder clips, and push pins to mount the posters.

Then the foam boards will be displayed on easels.

Presenter Information

Rooms will have a projector and Internet access. Presenters should bring laptops and connecting dongles for audio visual.

Each session is an hour and fifteen minutes. In general, with a panel of four, each presenter has fifteen minutes, leaving fifteen minutes for questions. The issue of when to take questions is up to the chair and the panel, but taking questions at the end, by which time everyone has had time to present, is a good idea.

Research Methods Workshops

Workshops will take place Tuesday, March 14 from 1:30 pm-5:30 pm in Argentine and Armourdale in the Reardon Convention Center.

Each room will have a projector and screen, but facilitators and participants should bring laptops.

There will be a short break at 3:15.

Women in TC Luncheon

The luncheon is scheduled for Wyandotte Ballroom 1 on Wednesday, March 14, 12:15 pm-1:45 pm. Registration is required for this event. Organizers will check people in at the door using the Eventbrite registration information.

Accessibility

If you have have accessibility concerns for which you need assistance, please contact Michelle Eble at eblem@ecu.edu.

 

 

ATTW 2018 Registration & Program Preview

The  ATTW 2018 Conference is just 10 days away! Check out a preview of the ATTW 2018 Conference program!

If you haven’t registered, please do so by Friday, March 9. While you will be able to register on-site at the conference, the registration costs will be increased. Registering early lets us provide the convention center with a more accurate headcount, and it promotes a more efficient check-in process at the conference. Here’s the registration link:

Register for ATTW 2018 Two-Day Conference

 

 

ATTW Announces Amplification Awards

In our commitment to social justice practices and increasing organizational participation and supporting research from underrepresented scholars and teachers of technical communication, ATTW is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018 ATTW Amplification Awards.

Congratulations to the following recipients who will be presenting at the ATTW 2018 Annual Conference in Kansas City, KS as Sessions B1 and B6 on Tuesday, March 13,  2:00-3:15.

Keshab Acharya, Lecturer, University at Buffalo-SUNY, “Localization Usability for Social Justice: Exploring Usability Implementation in Global North Technology in the Context of a Global South Country”  (B6)

Constance Haywood, Teaching Instructor, East Carolina University, “Headwraps & Hoops in TPC: Decolonizing Professionalism through Dress & Work Practices” (B1)

Temptaous Mckoy, East Carolina University, “You’ve Recruited Black Graduate Students, Now What?: Eliminating Privileged Socialization Practices for Minority Students in Graduate TPC Programs” (B1)

The award selection committee was really impressed with the quality and important contributions of all of the submissions and found it difficult to narrow their choices to three. Award recipients will be recognized at the ATTW awards reception on Tuesday, March 13.

The Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW) is an active professional organization of teachers, researchers, and practitioners of technical communication. Formed in 1973 to encourage dialogue among teachers of technical communication and to develop technical communication as an academic discipline, the organization boasts an international and interdisciplinary membership. ATTW produces Technical Communication Quarterly, a leading academic journal, and it collaborates with Taylor & Francis/Routledge to publish the ATTW Book Series in Technical and Professional Communication.

ATTW Announces 2018 Graduate Research Awards

ATTW is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018 ATTW Graduate Research Awards. In our commitment to advancing graduate students in the field, the award’s purpose is to support and advance the research of graduate students in the latter stages of their PhD programs.

Congratulations to the following recipients for their potential contributions to research in technical and professional communication:

Breeanne Matheson, Utah State University, “[Taking] Responsibility for the Community”: Claiming Power and Legitimacy in Technical and Professional Communication in India”

Maria Poznahovska, Carnegie Mellon University, “Negotiating Collaboration:  Preparing Students for Workplace Co-Writing Amidst Linguistic Proficiency Differences”

John T. Sherrill, Purdue University, “From Pussyhats to Gynepunk: DIY Feminism in Post-Industrial Spaces”

The Graduate Research Award recipients will present on their work at a panel at the ATTW Conference on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, Session D2, at 10:45 AM in Kansas City, KS.

The award selection committee was really impressed with the quality and potential contributions of these research projects as well as the others submitted. Award recipients will be featured and present their research in a panel at the annual ATTW conference, which will be held on March 13-14, 2018, in Kansas City, KS.

The Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW) is an active professional organization of teachers, researchers, and practitioners of technical communication. Formed in 1973 to encourage dialogue among teachers of technical communication and to develop technical communication as an academic discipline, the organization boasts an international and interdisciplinary membership. ATTW produces Technical Communication Quarterly, a leading academic journal, and it collaborates with Taylor & Francis/Routledge to publish the ATTW Book Series in Technical and Professional Communication.

 

ATTW 2018 Conference Program & Registration

We are pleased to share the preliminary schedule and program for the ATTW 2018 Conference in Kansas City, KS at this link: http://attw.org/conference/schedule. We are excited that this year our conference is a full 2-day event, hosted on Tuesday, March 13 and Wednesday, March 14^th at the Reardon Convention Center. Concurrent panels will take place on both days. In addition, our first-ever plenary panel will take place during a dedicated session (no concurrent sessions) on Wednesday, March 14th at 9am.

At this time, we are unable to make any major changes to the schedule (including accommodating requests for presentations on specific days). But please help us double-check the accuracy of your information and that of co-presenters’, if applicable (email bscott@ucf.edu with any corrections).

Please use this schedule as you plan your travel for the conference. Note that the deadline for reserving your hotel room at the discounted block rate has been extended to Wednesday, Feb. 14. Here is the hotel information:

Hilton Garden Inn (located next door to the Reardon Convention Center)
520 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City,
Kansas 66101
Tel: +1-913-342-7900 Fax: +1-913-342-7901

Finally, registration for the conference is now open and can be accessed here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-attw-conference-registration-40140033922

We are looking forward to seeing you in Kansas City, KS! Thank you for your support of ATTW.

All best,
Natasha Jones and Blake Scott
Conference Co-Chairs

ATTW 2018 Amplification Awards

On behalf of the ATTW Executive Committee, I’m excited to announce a new award that will be given for the first time at ATTW 2018 in Kansas City, Kansas. If you are graduate student or non tenure-track faculty member who has been accepted to present at ATTW 2018, please read below to see if you are eligible for this award. Applications are due by January 30, 2018.

 

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ATTW Amplification Awards

As part of ATTW’s commitment to social justice practices and increasing organizational participation and supporting research from underrepresented scholars and teachers of technical communication, ATTW is offering three awards to recognize and amplify the important contributions of underrepresented students and/or non-tenure track faculty presenting at ATTW 2018 in Kansas City, Kansas. The award includes a conference registration waiver and financial assistance ($500) with the costs of traveling to ATTW 2018. Award recipients will be honored at the ATTW awards reception.

Eligible candidates for this award include students and non-tenure-track faculty whose race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and/or nationality are underrepresented in the field of technical communication. Applications include an extended abstract (not more than 750 words) that summarizes the applicant’s ATTW presentation and its contribution(s) to the field of technical communication. The Awards Selection Committee will prioritize abstracts that are clearly defined and offer significant pedagogical, theoretical, and/or methodological contributions to the field of technical communication.

Applications should be submitted to http://attw.submittable.com by 11:59 PM PST, January 30, 2018.  

 

ATTW 2018 Research Workshops

ATTW 2018 Research Methods Workshops
March 13, 2018 1:30-5:30
Scholarships Available!

The Research Methods Workshops are an initiative of the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW) aimed at providing an opportunity for those entering the profession and those less trained in research to develop more sophisticated research skills.

This year, ATTW is sponsoring two Research Methods Workshops:

• Tiane Donahue, Dartmouth College Institute for Writing and Rhetoric and Université de Lille, France, on Analyzing Cross-cultural Data in an International Context, and
• Cheryl Geisler, Simon Fraser University, on Coding Language Reliably.

These two half-day workshops will be held in The Reardon Convention Center in Kansas City, Kansas on Tuesday afternoon, March 13, 1:30-5:30.  This is the first day of the ATTW conference (March 13-14) and the day before the CCCC conference (March 14-17).

Each workshop focuses on a methodology for data analysis and is designed to help researchers devise and try out an analytic approach. Analyzing Cross-cultural Data in an International Context, with Tiane Donahue focuses on planning and completing a qualitative analysis of cross-cultural data.  Coding Language Reliably with Cheryl Geisler focuses on measuring and improving the agreement between coders.  Complete descriptions of these workshops can be found at:

Donahue: http://attw.org/node/188847

Geisler: http://attw.org/node/188846

Registration for each workshop is $100.  Ten scholarships of $200 each are available to graduate students to defray the cost of the workshop and hotel.

Participation in these workshops is awarded on a competitive basis and constitutes a place on the ATTW program.

To apply for a place in one of these workshops, download and complete the application form found at

Application Form: https://attw.submittable.com/submit/104986/attw-2018-research-methods-workshops-application

The deadline for applications has been extended January 30, 2018 and acceptances will be emailed to you by Feb 2.

Questions about these workshops can be directed to Cheryl Geisler (cgeisler@sfu.ca), Chair of the ATTW Committee on Research.

ATTW Membership Information–Join/Renew

As we look forward to celebrating the 45th anniversary of ATTW this March 13-14 in Kansas City, Kansas, the ATTW executive committee wanted to take a moment to thank its members for their participation in the ATTW community. Because of your continuing support as members of ATTW, we will host a two-day conference that supports diverse scholarship and several opportunities for professional development, offer conference funding opportunities for graduate students to showcase their research, sponsor scholarships to the Research Methods Workshops so students can continue to find mentors and develop their work, and recognize and amplify the important contributions of underrepresented students and/or non-tenure track faculty within technical communication presenting at ATTW 2018.

I think it’s an exciting time to be a member of ATTW!

Please check your membership status since we’ll be electing new members to the Executive Committee in February. If you’re not currently an ATTW member, or you haven’t already renewed your membership for 2018, please be sure to do so as soon as possible because ballots will be emailed to current ATTW members mid-February in order to elect a vice-president and three members-at-large in time for the conference.

Joining or renewing your membership in ATTW is linked to subscribing or renewing your subscription to Technical Communication Quarterly. Check out the membership page of the ATTW website for instructions on how to join or renew your ATTW membership.

ATTW members who would like to check the status of their membership may do so by accessing  the Taylor & Francis Access Entitlements page but this requires a prior login username and password.

I look forward to seeing many of you in March as we convene for our annual conference. Thanks!

Michelle F. Eble, ATTW President

 

ATTW 2018 Graduate Research Award CFP

In our commitment to advancing graduate students in the field, ATTW is pleased to announce the 2018 ATTW Graduate Research Award. This award’s purpose is to support and advance the research of graduate students in the latter stages of their PhD programs (preference will be given to those students working on their dissertations).

Up to three awardees will receive a monetary amount ($500.00) to be used for research expenses and/or to help defray the costs of attending the annual ATTW conference. In addition, award recipients will be featured in a work-in-progress panel presentation at the annual conference in Kansas City, Kansas in 2018, and the conference registration fee will be waived.

Application details

At this time, we are soliciting application materials from graduate students whose research is in technical and professional communication. Interested students should submit (as one *.pdf file)

• a prospectus that describes their current research and its contribution to the field of technical and professional communication; the prospectus should also address the applicants’ plans for future work. (Please limit to 3-4 pages).
• a description of the ways in which the award money will be used to support the research.
• a current CV.
• a letter of support from the student’s advisor that confirms the student’s status as a graduate student and details the advisor’s support for the student’s application.

Awards will be given to those with clearly defined research projects that contribute to the field of technical and professional communication.

Completed applications should be submitted online: http://attw.submittable.com

Important Dates

Application deadline: January 20, 2018

Notification of award recipients: February 5, 2018

ATTW Conference: March 13-14, 2018

Questions

If you have questions, feel free to contact Michelle F. Eble at eblem@ecu.edu

Note: The selection committee for these research awards operate outside the conference proposal submission process. In the event that graduate students are selected for this award, they would present at a work-in-progress panel award panel.