The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether a paradigm shift is occurring or has occurred in technical writing textbooks since 1994. This study will further the work of Jerold J. Jeansonne, who chronicled the paradigm shift in technical writing textbooks from 1900 to 1994. Using product and process orientation guidelines, this thesis will examine several technical writing textbooks produced after 1994. The findings will then be calculated to determine the present status of the paradigm shift.
The thesis will also propose that the technical writing paradigm shift mirrors the paradigm shift in academic writing textbooks. To make this connection, the rhetoric of Aristotle will be employed to show that textbooks, whether they are academic or technical, are essentially argumentative. In light of this, particular attention will be given to Aristotle's characteristics of artistic argument: rational, ethical, and emotional appeal.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether a paradigm shift is occurring or has occurred in technical writing textbooks since 1994. This study will further the work of Jerold J. Jeansonne, who chronicled the paradigm shift in technical writing textbooks from 1900 to 1994. Using product and process orientation guidelines, this thesis will examine several technical writing textbooks produced after 1994. The findings will then be calculated to determine the present status of the paradigm shift.</p><p>The thesis will also propose that the technical writing paradigm shift mirrors the paradigm shift in academic writing textbooks. To make this connection, the rhetoric of Aristotle will be employed to show that textbooks, whether they are academic or technical, are essentially argumentative. In light of this, particular attention will be given to Aristotle's characteristics of artistic argument: rational, ethical, and emotional appeal.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Byrd, Terre D.M."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MA (Master of Arts)","degree_level":"Thesis - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"English","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2002,"date_issued":"2002-05-04T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2002-05-04T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:07Z","subjects":["Aristotelian Rhetoric","Technical Writing","Paradigm Shift","Arts and Humanities","English Language and Literature"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/643","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Byrd, Terre D.M."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2002-05-04T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["English"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MA (Master of Arts)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Aristotelian Rhetoric","Technical Writing","Paradigm Shift","Arts and Humanities","English Language and Literature"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/1800/viewcontent/byrdt041602.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/643"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether a paradigm shift is occurring or has occurred in technical writing textbooks since 1994. This study will further the work of Jerold J. Jeansonne, who chronicled the paradigm shift in technical writing textbooks from 1900 to 1994. Using product and process orientation guidelines, this thesis will examine several technical writing textbooks produced after 1994. The findings will then be calculated to determine the present status of the paradigm shift.
The thesis will also propose that the technical writing paradigm shift mirrors the paradigm shift in academic writing textbooks. To make this connection, the rhetoric of Aristotle will be employed to show that textbooks, whether they are academic or technical, are essentially argumentative. In light of this, particular attention will be given to Aristotle's characteristics of artistic argument: rational, ethical, and emotional appeal.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Investigation into the Current Status of the Paradigm Shift in Technical Writing Textbook Pedagogy."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Byrd, Terre D.M."],"dc:date.issued":["2002-05-04T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether a paradigm shift is occurring or has occurred in technical writing textbooks since 1994. This study will further the work of Jerold J. Jeansonne, who chronicled the paradigm shift in technical writing textbooks from 1900 to 1994. Using product and process orientation guidelines, this thesis will examine several technical writing textbooks produced after 1994. The findings will then be calculated to determine the present status of the paradigm shift.
The thesis will also propose that the technical writing paradigm shift mirrors the paradigm shift in academic writing textbooks. To make this connection, the rhetoric of Aristotle will be employed to show that textbooks, whether they are academic or technical, are essentially argumentative. In light of this, particular attention will be given to Aristotle's characteristics of artistic argument: rational, ethical, and emotional appeal.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/1800/viewcontent/byrdt041602.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/643"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["Aristotelian Rhetoric","Technical Writing","Paradigm Shift","Arts and Humanities","English Language and Literature"],"dc:title":["An Investigation into the Current Status of the Paradigm Shift in Technical Writing Textbook Pedagogy."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["English"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["MA (Master of Arts)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:07Z"}