Meet the brightest light in the game theory firmament!

When one is in the market for help in improving communication skills, most of us take the same first step:  a Google search.  This search will turn up some sound, albeit conventional, advice.  Let me suggest instead that you explore a rather unconventional source and take your lessons from the drawing rooms of 19th century England.  Associate professor Michael Chwe (UCLA) presents this argument in his book  “Jane Austen, Game Theorist,” just published by Princeton University Press.

According to Jennifer Schluessler, writing in the New York Times, ”Mr. Chwe argues that Austen isn’t merely fodder for game-theoretical analysis, but an unacknowledged founder of the discipline itself: a kind of Empire-waisted version of the mathematician and cold war thinker John von Neumann, ruthlessly breaking down the stratagems of 18th-century social warfare . . . ‘Anyone interested in human behavior should read Austen because her research program has results,’” Mr Chwe suggests.

Chwe’s example of Austen’s strategic thinking is the battle of wits between Elizabeth Bennet and Lady Catherine de Bourgh near the end of the novel Pride and Prejudice.  I agree that Elizabeth’s control of the situation is masterful, but I would also point to a superior dramatic moment in my favorite Austen novel, her last and, in my opinion, her best:  Persuasion.  In Chapter 23, near the end of the novel, Captain Wentworth directs Anne Elliot’s attention to a hastily written letter he has left for her, a letter in which he expresses his deepest feelings.  In a moment, Austen highlights the forces of miscommunication and misunderstanding that have kept these two people apart for so long.  A moment such as this has implications beyond the romantic sphere.  Consider Jane Austen when your next workplace communication misfires!

Giving a good presentation is key to success as a technical professional.

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society and the IEEE Professional Communication Society are partnering this year to bring communication content to members of both societies.  In case you missed it, the webinar entitled “The Power of Presentations” was presented on Wednesday, April 3.  It attracted a broad and diverse audience, with members of both societies participating during the hour-long session.  As the webinar content expert, I was very happy to hear from so many people, with questions ranging from the right way to display technical data to comments on pet peeves in bad presentations (not speaking clearly, assuming that the audience understands the context of the technical problem, to name just two).  A recording of the webinar is available for free to members of the societies.  If you wish to access the webinar but are not a member of PCS, this is a great time to become a member, since you can enjoy a half-year membership discount rate!

The second webinar in the series will be live on May 30.  The topic for that webinar is effective email practices, so you will want to be sure to tune in!  And if you have ideas and suggestions for future webinar topics, please send them along so PCS can provide communication content that fits your needs.

• Note: To view articles online, visit http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=47  (A subscription is required to view individual articles.   IEEE Professional Communication Society members have access to this journal.)

1. (Research Article) Learning in Color: How Color and Affect Influence Learning Outcomes
by Richard Kumi, Moez Limayem, Christopher M. Conway, and Sandeep Goyal

This article  explores how affective reactions to color impact learning attitudes and outcomes in a computer mediated learning environment. The research study it describes considers how color differences change affective processes and outcomes in computer-mediated communication.

2. (Research Article) Measuring Mobile ICT Literacy: Short Message Performance Assessment in Emergency Response Settings
by Elizabeth Avery Gomez and Norbert Elliot

A construct mediated in digital environments, information communication technology (ICT) literacy is operationally defined as the ability of individuals to participate effectively in transactions that invoke illocutionary action.  This study investigates ICT literacy through a simulation designed to capture that construct, to deploy the construct model to measure participant improvement of ICT literacy under experimental conditions, and to estimate the potential for expanded model development.  

3. (Research Article) In-Group (Us) vs. Out-Group (Them) Dynamics and Effectiveness in Partially Distributed Teams
by Robin Privman, Starr Roxanne Hiltz, and Yiran Wang

In Partially Distributed Teams, where some members are co-located while others are geographically distant, co-located members tend to treat one another as a preferential ‘Us’ vs. treating distant members as the outsiders, ‘Them’. This research article explores this phenomenon, specifically considering (1) To what extent is Us-vs.-Them reported as a problem across a wide number of organizational Partially Distributed Teams, and is it significantly related to team effectiveness?) (2) What do members see as the greatest challenges to Partially Distributed Teams?), and (3) Can Partially Distributed Teams overcome in-group dynamics?  If so, how?

4. (Tutorial) How to Use Search Engine Optimization Techniques to Increase Website Visibility for Search Engine Users
by John Killoran

 As its title suggests, this tutorial explains how to increase website visibility in search engines.  It specifically answers two general questions: (1) What contributes to search engine rankings? (2) What can web content creators and webmasters do to make their content and sites easier to find by audiences using search engines?

5. (Teaching Case) A Model For Understanding Interdisciplinary and Multicultural Communication, for consideration in the IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
by Renato Verdugo, Miguel Nussbaum, Magdalena Claro, Marcos Sepúlveda, Boris Escobar, Ricardo Rendich, Fernando Riveros.

This teaching case of a semester-long course within a computer-science program explores how an undergraduate level course help computer science students better understand the multicultural and interdisciplinary scenarios that compose today’s working environment.

6.     Book Reviews

• Intercultural Communication: A New Approach to International Relations and Global Challenges,  reviewed by
Tytti Suojanen.
• Stalinist Genetics: The Constitutional Rhetoric of T.D. Lysenko, reviewed by April Burt.
• Successful Proposal Strategies for Small Businesses: Using Knowledge Management to Win Government, Private-Sector, and International Contracts. (Sixth Edition), reviewed by Eve A. Baker, M.A.

To see these articles, either:

• View them online at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=47  (Note that a subscription is required to view articles.   IEEE Professional Communication Society members have access to this journal.)
• Wait for the printed issue.

Note: You should have received the issue by mail.

Also note that, although we continue to publish issues quarterly online,  the IEEE Professional Communication Society only prints and mails issues of the Transactions twice a year.  Each mailing includes two issues.   The next mailing is scheduled June 2013 (containing this and June 2013 issues).

This issue features the proceedings of the 2nd Annual Symposium on  Communicating Complex Information (SCCI) of which SIGDOC was a sponsor.

CDQR publishes four issues per year.  It seeks to be the premier   informational source for industry, management, and academia in the  multidisciplinary field of the design and communication of information.  Edited by Michael Albers and Liza Potts, it will contain a mix of peer-reviewed articles, columns, experience reports, and brief summaries of  interesting research results.  For information on submissions:http://sigdoc.acm.org/publications/communication-design-quarterly-review/

The current issue will be available for download.  Past issues will be archived in the ACM Digital Library.

We hope you enjoy.
co-editors
Michael Albers
Liza Potts

The Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication (CPTSC) invites interested members to apply for research grants up to $1,500. CPTSC funds research projects that contribute to our collective knowledge about all aspects of program administration. Proposed research projects should relate to one or more of the following goals:

• To promote programs in technical and scientific communication
• To promote research pertaining to programmatic issues in technical and scientific communication
• To develop opportunities for the exchange of ideas and information concerning programs, research, and career opportunities in technical and scientific communication (broadly construed)

Please see the attached .pdf for details.

By Kim Siow, ON Semiconductor, SCG Industries.

Writing a book or a paper is often associated with scholars’ activities.   After all, scholars leave a legacy of literature to be read by later generations.  This exchange of ideas is best served by the work being made available in the public domain.  This mindset rules in academic circles, where a culture of “publish or perish” has taken hold. On the other hand, engineers working in profit-oriented companies often view publishing in journals as a free-time “nice-to-have”.  Such engineers pride themselves on solving problems to save or earn money for their companies.   Writing papers is “for academicians”.  This mindset presents unique challenges to aspiring writers working in companies.  This paper looks at five questions related to the activity of writing and publishing amongst engineers:  “Why, Where, When, What and Who”.  Answering these five questions will go a long way towards providing a framework for engineers to write in a company environment.  The paper also cites an established protocol – the Vancouver Protocol – used to determine authorship for any publication.

Read More: A Short Guide to Writing Technical Papers – A Company Perspective 

There’s a YouTube video for that.

In a meeting today, several faculty complained that students were spending time in class on their smartphones doing things unrelated to course activities–updating Facebook, sending texts, replying to unimportant email.  My question was, why do you allow them to use their devices in class?  Time in class is precious, and my solution to student distraction is to create an Electronic Etiquette policy for my technical communication course.  On the course syllabus, along with the schedule of readings and assignments and my attendance policy, I include the following statement:

Electronic Etiquette: While you are in class, you must refrain from using your laptop, tablet, smartphone, or other device to engage with social media, such as Facebook or IM.

The purpose of the policy is clear.  Since we are focusing on communication, we need to recognize how electronic devices distract us during face-to-face communication situations, such as the classroom.  I am always surprised how well this policy works, since all I am basically doing is making my expectations clear and asking them to abide by them.  When I do see a student engaging in poor electronic etiquette, I remind him or her of the policy, and I usually receive a quick apology and an end to the offending behavior.

Perhaps the willingness of my students to follow this rule is part of what the New York Times author Alex Williams described in the article “The Emily Posts of the Digital Age.”  There is a hunger out there for guidance and advice for everything from how to behave at a nude beach to the proper way to set a dinner table:

“But perhaps the fastest-growing area of social advice — one that has spawned not just videos but also Web sites, blogs and books — is the Internet itself, and the proper displays of what’s been termed “netiquette.” There are YouTube videos on using emoticons in business e-mails, being discreet when posting on someone’s Facebook wall, limiting baby photos on Instagram, retweeting too many Twitter messages and juggling multiple online chats.”

Your mother told you not to speak with your mouth full.  She also wouldn’t want to you to Tweet during class.

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society extends an invitation to PCS members to attend a webinar on professional communication, presented by Dr. Julia Williams, president of PCS.

Improving Workplace Email Using the STOP Method, Thursday, 30 May 19:00 – 20:00

Past Webinars:

The Power of Presentations: Make Yours Informative, Persuasive, & Memorable, Wednesday, April 10, 17:00-18:00  A recording of this webinar is available here.

More details on each webinar are available here.

A great musical and grammatically correct!

There are two rules of grammar that I won’t ever give up.  The first is the use of a singular pronoun as an antecedent to a singular noun.

For instance, The student handed in their paper late.  The singular subject should have a singular pronoun, either he or she, but time and time again I see written prose using the plural in some vain attempt to be gender neutral.  Someone must stem the tide of subject-antecedent agreement, and that person is I.

The second thing I won’t give up in the subjunctive verb case.

For instance, If I were a rich man, the famous verse from Fiddler on the Roof.  I was reminded of how important the subjunctive is while reading “After the Deadline,”  the New York Time’s compilation of all the grammar errors made in the paper.  I respect the fact that the NYT not only collects its mistakes but also corrects its errors, giving readers a handy grammar lesson in the process.

As Philip B. Corbett writes, “The subjunctive mood is a bit more arcane than other entries on our list of favorite grammar gaffes, like subject-verb agreement. Still, it’s a sign of polish and precision to get this right. The subjunctive is most often used in contrary-to-fact conditions and for wishes and other hypothetical expressions.”  Corbett’s final sentence is the key to Tevye’s lament:  Tevye isn’t rich, not by a long shot, and his wish for an easy life is a great rule of thumb for the subjunctive.

N.W. Coppola and N. Elliot. “Big Science or bricolage: An alternative model for research in Technical Communication.” IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, vol. 48, no. 3, pp.261-268, 2005.

Recommended by past IEEE Professional Communication Society president George Hayhoe.  Here’s why he recommends it:

“This article reviews the two strands of research that have influenced research in technical communication, systematized science and ethnographic inquiry. It then surveys the most significant research in the field since the 1980s, mostly ethnographic in its methodology, and finds significant value in that work, despite the fact that research the field has never accumulated the infrastructure and the funding that has characterized “Big Science.” The article won the Rudy Joenk Award for best Transactions paper for 2005.”

To see the article, click here.  (Note that you will need an IEEExplore userid and password to see the entire article without incurring a fee.)

Do you have an article to recommend from the archives of the IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication?  If so, please send your recommendation along with a paragraph explaining why it’s of value to Transactions Editor Saul Carliner, saulcarliner@hotmail.com