Advancing the profession through research

In A Research Primer for Technical Communication, Hughes and Hayhoe (2007) define research as "the systematic collection and analysis of observations for the purpose of creating new knowledge that can inform actions and decisions" (p. 4). "The field of technical communication," they write, "relies on research to inform best practices within it" (p. 5).

Hughes, Michael A., & Hayhoe, George F. (2007). A research primer for technical communication: Methods, exemplars, and analyses. New York: Routledge.

Searching for research results

This is your guide to searching for reports on research in technical communication and related fields.

• Searching for research results

Assessing and using research methods

How can you tell whether a research method is right for you? This section is a primer on research methods with links to the best in-depth resources.   You can find out how to choose a research method based on the problem that you want to investigate, your own capabilities, and the resources available to you.

• Assessing and using research methods

Applying theories to improve practice

Our discipline is an applied one, and many of our research efforts are about practical, real-world problems. In this section, you'll find out how theories can help you to understand and improve practice and how you as a reflective practitioner can contribute to building better theories to guide the consolidation of knowledge in technical communication.

• Applying theories to improve practice