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The questionnaire below aims to identify pros and cons of collaborative technical writing as preliminary research for a Masters thesis in Technical
Authorship. The title of the thesis is, "Is collaborative work helping the writing process or hindering it? An investigation into the pros and cons of collaborative technical writing in a commercial environment."
Collaborative writing may involve joint authors, or a single author working with technical experts, graphic designers or other participants.
There are only 7 questions, although you may have multiple answers for 2 of them. The 3 personal questions serve to qualify the validity of your
experiences for the evaluators of my thesis. No names of respondents will be included in the write-up of this research.
Thank you to any of you who have the time to complete and return this questionnaire for me.
Best Wishes,
Kirstie Edwards
kirstie -dot- edwards -at- lycos -dot- com
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Questionnaire
1. Please briefly describe any negative aspects you have experienced during the process of collaborative writing. Please use (and copy if necessary) the
following lists to help you describe your experiences:
7 Negative aspect:
7 Document type:
7 Your role:
7 Mode of working:
7 Effect on writing process:
7 Effect on final product:
7 Solution:
7 Negative aspect:
7 Document type:
7 Your role:
7 Mode of working:
7 Effect on writing process:
7 Effect on final product:
7 Solution:
7 Negative aspect:
7 Document type:
7 Your role:
7 Mode of working:
7 Effect on writing process:
7 Effect on final product:
7 Solution:
2. What positive aspects of collaborative work in technical writing have you experienced? Please use (and copy if necessary) the following lists to help
you describe your experiences:
7 Positive aspect:
7 Document type:
7 Your role:
7 Mode of working:
7 Effect on writing process:
7 Effect on final product:
7 Positive aspect:
7 Document type:
7 Your role:
7 Mode of working:
7 Effect on writing process:
7 Effect on final product:
7 Positive aspect:
7 Document type:
7 Your role:
7 Mode of working:
7 Effect on writing process:
7 Effect on final product:
3. Are you able to apply positive and negative experiences in collaborative writing to benefit your current professional practice, and if so how?
4. Please indicate briefly, in terms of years of experience or qualifications, your involvement in technical writing.
5. Please indicate your working environment: e.g. office in commercial or academic environment or from your own private office:
6. Please indicate your status: e.g. as freelancer, consultant or employee:
7. If you know any technical writers who might kindly help with this research, please enter their e-mail addresses here, so that I can forward them the questionnaire.
Thank you
Kirstie Edwards
Kirstie -dot- Edwards -at- lycos -dot- com
18-3-01
IPCC 01, the IEEE International Professional Communication Conference,
October 24-27, 2001 at historic La Fonda in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.
CALL FOR PAPERS OPEN UNTIL MARCH 15. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
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