Channels, Fall 2016

Page 76 Duffus • Feminist Theory and Technical Communication Students who study feminist theory will also gain the respect of a larger audience of professionals than students who do not. For example, women (especially feminists) are more likely to listen to someone who has considered feminist theory and understands feminists’ point of view, especially if the writer is a male. Giving students the foundations to further study feminism will ultimately give them opportunities to effectively work and collaborate with feminists, rather than secluding them from future research. This is another aspect of their broadened sphere of influence. Studying feminism will broaden students’ influence in the research world, but it will also create stronger relationships with users of their documents. Because studying feminism can lead to effective user-centered design, as mentioned earlier, technical communicators who study feminism will create more effective documents. Users, women and men alike, will appreciate the intuitiveness of well-designed manuals and documents in general. This will broaden technical communicators’ spheres of influence with their users, which can lead to even further research. Conclusion In this article, I have discussed the relationship between feminism and technical communication, and I have argued that students should have the opportunity to study feminist theories during their undergraduate studies. In the professional sphere, students who study both technical writing and feminism will have advantages over students who have not. They will have a greater knowledge of the field of technical communication as a whole, including aspects of its history that show how far the field has evolved. Furthermore, students will be able to produce effective user-centered designs and broaden their spheres of influence, simply by taking time to study feminist theory as it relates to technical communication.