Jakobs E.-M., Perrin D. (eds.) Handbook of Writing and Text Production

Berlin, Boston: de Gruyter Mouton, Walter de Gruyter GmbH, 2014. — XX, 416 p. — (Handbooks of Applied Linguistics Series, Volume 10).This handbook explains state-of-the-art research on writing and text production, focusing on theory and methodology, authors, modes/media, genres, and domains. Exemplary research projects illustrate the theoretical perspectives from globally relevant research spaces and traditions. Both established and future scholars can benefit from the handbook's fresh approach to real-life writing in a globally connected, multi-semiotic, and mediatized world.Writing matters, and so does research into real-life writing. The shift from an industrial to an information society has increased the importance of writing and text production in education, in everyday life and in more and more professions in the fields of economics and politics, science and technology, culture and media. Through writing, we build up organizations and social networks, develop projects, inform colleagues and customers, and generate the basis for decisions. The quality of writing is decisive for social resonance and professional success. This ubiquitous real-life writing is what the present handbook is about.The de Gruyter Handbook of Writing and Text Production brings together and systematizes state-of-the-art research. The volume contains five sections, focussing on (I) the theory and methodology of writing and text production research, as well as on problem-oriented and problem-solving approaches related to (II) authors, (III) modes and media, (IV) genres, and (V) domains of writing and text production. Throughout the 21 chapters, exemplary research projects illustrate the theoretical perspectives from globally relevant research spaces and traditions.Both established and future scholars can benefit from the handbook’s fresh approach to writing in the context of multimodal, multi-semiotic text production.The shift from an industrial to an information society has increased the importance of writing and text production in education, in everyday life, and in more and more professions related to fields such as economics and politics, science and technology, culture and media. Through writing, we create, store, and communicate knowledge, build up social networks, develop projects, inform colleagues and customers, and generate the basis for decisions. The quality of the products of all these processes is often decisive for social participation and resonance, opportunities in the labor market, and professional success.Nevertheless, many people experience writing and text production as a painful duty or a tedious routine. Beginners as well as experienced writing professionals have to fight in order to find the right words and sentences, they struggle to find the most convincing form and content, and they complain of writing problems or even blocks. Obviously text production places demands on semiotic and linguistic, intellectual and motivational capacities in quite different ways from speaking, which usually seems much more manageable. This gap between the importance of writing and people’s competence raises the questions of how text production can be conceptualized, taught, and learned – and, above all, what writing and text production are in terms of human activities.This is what the present handbook is about: It brings together and systematizes state-of-the-art research into writing and text production as key human activities and as socially decisive forms of language use.Introduction and research roadmap: Writing and text productionTheory and methodology in text production research
Introduction: Theory and methodology in text production research
Research paradigms: Beyond product, process, and social activity
Models of writing and text production
Methodology: From speaking about writing to tracking text productionAuthor perspectives
Introduction: Author perspectives in text production research
Authorship and context: Writing and text production as situated activities
Author profiles: Awareness, competence, and skills
Beyond single authors: Organizational text production as collaborative writingMode and media perspectives
Introduction: Mode and media perspectives in text production research
Production modes: Writing as materializing and stimulating thoughts
Production media: Writing as using tools in media convergent environments
Beyond single modes and media: Writing as an ongoing multimodal text productionGenre perspectives
Introduction: Genre perspectives in text production research
Reproducing genres: Pattern-related writing
Producing genres: Pattern variation and genre development
Beyond single genres: Pattern mapping in global communicationDomain perspectives
Introduction: Domain perspectives in text production research
Learning domains: Writing as lifelong learning
Professional domains: Writing as creation of economic value
Beyond single domains: Writing in boundary crossingSubject index