TC-PUBS: a new tool for reflecting on research in technical communication

A growing body of research on technical and scientific communication promises to inform workplace communication problems and improve practices. Yet working professionals seldom have the resources to subscribe to all potentially helpful journals or to regularly scan the contents of those journals for relevant articles. To improve access to current research, the Miami University student chapter of the Society for Technical Communication (MU-STC) launched in January 2002 a pilot project for an email list to distribute information about current research in the profession. This list began with the cooperation of the editors of three key journals: IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, the Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, and Technical Communication. Within the first two months, over 160 individuals from the US, Canada, and Europe had subscribed to the list. The paper describes the purpose and status of this resource and provides information on how to subscribe to TC-PUBS.