A Research Primer for Technical Communication

Dr. Michael A. Hughes works for IBM Internet Security Systems as a User Experience Architect identifying tools, methods, and standards to integrate the content and delivery of user assistance. He is an Associate Fellow with the Society for Technical Communication, and he holds a PhD from the University of Georgia. Dr. George F. Hayhoe worked for 18 years as a technical communicator, and is currently professor of technical communication at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He has been editor of Technical Communication since 1996, and is an active member of the Society for Technical Communication and IEEE Professional Communication Society. He holds a PhD from the University of South Carolina.

Contents: Preface. Research: Why We Do It and Why We Read It. The Research Phases and Getting Started. Reviewing the Literature. Analyzing Quantitative Data. Conducting a Qualitative Study. Conducting Surveys. Analyzing a Literature Review. Analyzing a Quantitative Research Report. Analyzing a Qualitative Research Report. Analyzing a Report on the Results of a Survey.