Communication Patterns of Engineers

Carol Tenopir, Donald W. King9780471484929, 0-471-48492-X

Tenopir (information sciences, U. of Tennessee and Knoxville) and statistician King survey the research related to how engineers gather information and how they communicate the output of their work to their colleagues. They further use the research to analyze the motivations engineers have for the selection of communication channels. They look at traditional interpersonal and written communication and explore the impact of newer electronic forms of communication. After analyzing the changing patterns of communication among engineers, they offer recommendations on how engineers can effectively improve their professional communication techniques.

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Table of contents :
TeamLiB……Page 1
Cover……Page 2
CONTENTS……Page 7
Preface……Page 11
1.1 Focus of the Book……Page 13
1.2 Structure of the Book……Page 18
2.1 Introduction……Page 23
2.2 Models of Communication Systems……Page 24
2.3 Models of Scholarly Journals……Page 26
2.4 Models of Information Seeking……Page 34
3.1 Introduction……Page 39
3.2 Time Engineers Spend Communicating……Page 41
3.3 Engineers’ Communication Channels……Page 43
3.4 Factors Affecting Engineers’ Communication Choices……Page 47
4.1 The Engineering Profession……Page 49
4.3 The Importance of Information Resources to Engineers’ Work……Page 50
4.4 The Value of Reading……Page 53
4.5 The Impact of Information on Innovation……Page 56
4.6 Organizing Information for Better Use in the Workplace……Page 58
4.7 Engineers’ Adaptation to Information Innovations……Page 64
5.1 Introduction……Page 69
5.2 Engineers’ Channels for Information Seeking and Use……Page 70
5.3 Resources Used by Engineers for Information Seeking……Page 75
6.1 Introduction……Page 83
6.2 Effects of Geographic and Cultural Differences on Information Seeking and Use……Page 84
6.3 Effects of the Nature of Work on Information Seeking and Use……Page 86
6.4 Effects of Organization Policies on Information Seeking and Use……Page 96
6.5 Effects of Personal Characteristics on Information Seeking and Use……Page 97
7.1 Introduction……Page 101
7.2 Channels Engineers Use to Communicate Information Output……Page 103
7.3 Resources and Tools Engineers Use for Communicating Information Output……Page 106
7.4 Communicating the Written Word……Page 107
8.1 Introduction……Page 111
8.2 Improving Engineers’ Communication Skills……Page 112
8.3 Improving the Use of Communication Channels and Sources……Page 120
9.1 Introduction……Page 125
9.2 Engineering and Science Journal Characteristics: 1977, 1995, and 2001……Page 126
9.3 Engineers’ and Scientists’ Authorship and Reading of Scholarly Journals……Page 129
9.4 Changes in Information-Seeking and Reading Patterns Following Electronic Journals……Page 138
10.1 Introduction……Page 145
10.2 Use, Usefulness, and Value of Articles to Engineers……Page 147
10.3 Where Engineers Get the Articles They Read……Page 151
10.4 Format of Articles Read……Page 152
10.5 How Engineers Learn About the Articles They Read……Page 153
10.6 Age of Articles Read……Page 155
10.7 Factors That Affect Use……Page 156
11.1 Introduction……Page 161
11.2 Professions of Engineering, Science, and Medicine……Page 163
11.3 Communication Channels Used by Engineers, Scientists, and Medical Professionals……Page 167
11.4 Resources and Tools Used by Engineers, Scientists, and MedicalProfessionals……Page 170
12.1 Introduction……Page 175
12.2 Focus on Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing in the United States……Page 176
12.3 Communication by U.S. Aerospace Engineers and Scientists……Page 178
12.4 Other Related Work……Page 187
12.5 Summary……Page 191
13 Summary……Page 193
Bibliography……Page 199
Index……Page 265
About the Authors……Page 277