Locke Carter is an expert in technical communication at Texas Tech University and in his article “The Implications of Single Sourcing for Writers and Writing” he details the effect single sourcing has on writers. He defines single sourcing as “producing documents designed to be recombined and reused across projects and various media.” Some examples include the memo format, or the 12 point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced format that characterizes academic writing.
Carter goes into how single sourcing occurs in a more professional setting like a corporation or a firm that has a manager and has multiple employees. In this regard, an example of single sourcing would be a new way of technical communication that all employee must follow (employees being technical writing for our purposes). So, it could be a new email format imposed by the boss or a new format for writing proposals or using a new technology. Also, single sourcing doesn’t have to be a new thing. Writers can be hired by companies that have already implemented single sourcing. But Carter’s article talks about single sourcing from the perspective of a writer reluctant to accept it.
The reaction of writers to single sourcing is presented as typical. Writers like any other comfortable employee don’t like change and perceive the change as a threat to their job because they may not be able to master the technology or the format or they feel the change is a disregard for what they do, the science and art of writing in its barest form.
Carter concludes his article by saying single sourcing is good for technological innovation and progressiveness; it’s good for writers to know more than just how to write, it’s good for writers to know how to maximize their abilities.
I agree with Carter for the most part. I do, however, feel that Carter doesn’t take into account the newer more tech savvy generation that for the most part would more than willingly embrace technology. Also, I think Carter doesn’t acknowledge the increasing number of education programs and writing programs that emphasize tech skills.
source: Technical Communication, Volume 50, Number 3, August 2003
I think you bring up a good point about Cater not recognizing the new tech savvy generation. I agree he does not take this into consideration enough and implies that as writers we are still stuck in the early to mid-1990's with the mindset the only way to compose a document is with TImes New Roman and 12 pt. font. I think this article would be more informative and interesting if he would have written it from the perspective of a writer who embraces technology.
ReplyDelete