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Summary: History of Technical Comunication
Review: Longo has written an insightful book on using technical writing to present scientific and engineering information. She investigates the advance of technical writing from the 19th century to present in her book, using an analogy between science, metalurgy, and technical writing. She promotes the idea that scientific knowledge is the "currency that keeps society's economy circulating," suggesting that technical writing is the coinage in our society that conveys science's message. Longo presents opposing theories for consideration-that writers can use their humanistic skills to misrepresent science, or that writers can add a genuine stamp of science by their writings. She investigates another theory that scientists lose their prestige and ability to progress upwards in their organizations by allowing their findings to be presented by technical communicators with no standing in the scientific community. The book presents several viewpoints as to how technical communication teachers should proceed to instruct the next writers emerging from academia into the scientific communities. She suggests that although they can find dominant practices in textbooks of previous decades, teachers must look to current debates, journal articles, and scholars to learn how to instruct future students. And above that, they must look within themselves to teach students how to add a humanistic touch to technical writings. I would recommend this book to students and teachers of technical communication who wish to examine the history and value of the technical communication field and postulate on its direction in future decades. Kay Walker, Student, Texas Tech University
Master of Arts in Technical Communication Program
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