Russell Willerton Texas Tech University Technical Marketing Communication: Shall We Welcome It In, or Leave It Out? Russell Willerton Texas Tech University

Should Tech Comm Curricula Include Marcomm? The field of technical communication has changed and is changing. Academic programs struggle for students, space, and recognition. Perhaps technical marketing communication (a.k.a. “marcomm” or “TMC”) is an area that more programs would want to address.

Defining Technical Marketing Communication Technical marketing communication involves creating materials (in various media) to promote technical products and services in specific markets. --see Harner and Zimmerman (2001) and Janice King (1995).

Survey Population: Directors/Overseers of Academic Tech Comm Programs Sample: Directors/Overseers of Programs in the STC Online Database of Academic Programs 252 entries in the database in August 2004. I removed duplicates; used the Web to identify closed programs, service-course-only programs, and non-tech comm programs, then removed them. 186 e-mail contacts; lost 4; 182 in final sample. Contacted one person per institution.

Survey Method Web-based survey (20 questions) Contacted each member of the sample via individual e-mail (August 16-18) Sent a reminder e-mail on September 3 Closed the survey on September 8 77 respondents, or 42.3 percent

Respondents’ Institutions

Does Your Program Offer A Course in Classical Rhetoric? Yes, and it is required: 19 (24.7%) Yes, and it is an elective: 21 (27.3%) No: 37 (48.1%)

Does Your Program Offer A Course in TMC? Yes: 7 (9%) No: 70 (91%) If so, how often do you offer it? At least one per year – 6 Sporadically – 1 If so, do you offer a course in classical rhetoric? Yes: 4 No: 3

What Factors Led You to Offer TMC? (choose all that apply) Comments from students: 1 (14.3 %) Comments from alumni or advisory boards: 2 (28.6%) Comments from employers who tend to hire your graduates: 3 (42.9%) Availability of faculty interested in teaching the course: 6 (85.7%) Trends in technical communication practice; marketability of skills in this area: 7 (100%)

What Primary Factor Led You to Offer TMC? Comments from alumni or advisory boards: 1 (14.3%) Availability of faculty interested in teaching the course: 2 (28.6%) Trends in technical communication practice; marketability of skills in this area: 4 (57.1%)

What Primary Factor Led You to Not Offer TMC? (1 of 2) It doesn’t relate to technical communication practice; skills in this area aren’t marketable: 1 (1.4%) Another department owns technical marketing communication and we send our students to take that course: 3 (4.3%) Employers who tend to hire our graduates don’t express interest in it: 4 (5.7%) Alumni and/or advisory boards don’t express interest in it: 4 (5.7%)

What Primary Factor Led You to Not Offer TMC? (2 of 2) Students do not express interest in it: 5 (7.1%) Another department owns technical marketing communication: 5 (7.1%) Faculty are not interested in teaching the course: 6 (8.6%) It does not fit within our departmental or programmatic mission: 14 (20%) Other (please specify): 28 (40%) Program is small and/or constrained; haven’t seen the need/other issues are pressing; faculty lack expertise in the subject, et al.

Next Section: Assessing Opinions

Technical marketing communication involves applying principles of classical rhetoric. Mean = 4.21; SD = 0.71

Technical marketing communication is a viable area of specialization for practicing technical/professional communicators. Mean = 4.04; SD = 0.79

Technical marketing communication belongs in “business communication” curricula, not technical/professional communication curricula. Mean = 2.58; SD = 0.89

Technical marketing communication tends to involve deception or dishonesty. Mean = 2.70; SD = 0.69

TMC-Teaching Schools: Technical marketing communication tends to involve deception or dishonesty. Mean = 2.57; SD = 0.98

Technical marketing communication presents writers more ethical challenges than other areas of technical/professional communication. Mean = 3.08; SD = 1.0

Technical marketing communication receives an appropriate amount of attention in our textbooks, academic journals, and professional society journals. Mean = 2.37; SD = 0.76

Findings Many program directors/overseers see skills in TMC as viable in the marketplace. Those who don’t offer TMC often cite constraints of size and faculty, presence of other pressing issues, lack of fit within their programs, lack of student interest in the subject. Many are ambivalent about TMC’s ethical standing. Many are open to more research and discussion on TMC.

Thank You Russell Willerton Doctoral Candidate Texas Tech University russell.willerton@ttu.edu