Imagine you’re entering into a new job and it’s your first day of work. The Human Resources Rep. hands you a hefty employee handbook, a list of so many dos and don’ts. The obvious ones to you, could be oblivious to others. The hidden arguments within the company book will only be implied to actual employees that are unnamed because this guide is only a framework, not an omniscient crystal ball. The book is supposed to cover enough general policies and procedures that it can free the company of any misunderstood interpretations that materialize into business killing lawsuits. There can’t be ultra-specifics in the book, otherwise it would be too big and no one would even skim it. Also no one even really reads these handbooks until a problem occurs. I’ve held many jobs (too many according to my grandmother). Is there something special about me? Aside from my impaired vision and a Web MD confirmed hypochondriac, I am a pretty normal person. One thing I wish I knew before starting any of my jobs: the hidden arguments with an organization. There is no job training for dealing with the manager who crumbles under pressure and lashes out emotionally. I wish there was, because I would love to have been a successful pharmacy cashier at 16. Can this field of unknowns be examined? Good news, it already has!

A Study in Hidden Arguments

In Hidden Arguments: Rhetoric and Persuasion in Diverse Forms of Technical Communication by Jessica McCaughey and Brian Fitzpatrick, the technical communicator is shown the world of 3 different careers.  By taking a survey of a physician assistant, a CPA and a delivery/labor nurse the authors intend to explore what situations arise and how they are dealt with. The unexpected situations that arise in the workplace may require persuasive arguments in order to best serve the subject. Without accounting for these factors, graduates may fail to see the bigger picture of how to make an impact in the workplace. 

What can we do as educators teaching the future technical communicators? Modeling, and no cat walks necessary! McCaughey and Fitzpatrick point to a simple and effective technique for the classroom to prepare students for these hidden arguments:

 “We must find inventive ways to effectively capture complex rhetorical situations and have students interrogate and work through them. This can be achieved through guest speakers, case studies, or other points of access to the truly specific and complex ways in which workplace writers are asked to write.” (317).

The more students can be given access to real-world problems, the better they can be prepared for life after school. One technique I utilized for my students was first looking at the audience and determining their needs. 

Application within the Classroom

The class I currently teach is a general education requirement which often gets the stare of death from students. How can you jazz up the class on professional identity? The answer was to talk with them about what they found frustrating in the workplaces they’ve had. Suddenly the hands shot up from students I rarely heard from. The feeding frenzy we had about horrible bosses, poor employment practices and the unforeseen problems that were thrown at them constantly. What was heartening and especially positive was the problem solving and analytical abilities of students who had little to no work experience. They were working collectively to pool ideas for a better workplace in fields they barely knew. These weren’t idealized and unrealistic visions of flying cars and hologram coworkers (much to my dismay). These were practical solutions provided by a group mind that had a similar and simple goal, how can we approach the problem with a solution for success. 

Although the covid-19 limitations of the 2022 year still exist, making guest speakers a difficult and dicey task, I was able to interview friends who possessed desired student careers. The majority of the class connected to mechanical engineering. Luckily my uncle is a 40+ year Umass Amherst alumni and current mechanical engineer. I asked him about the hidden arguments he fell into, and the persuasion he utilized to succeed. The scenario he almost always encountered was having to adapt to new personalities within a team project. With each project came a new staff. He had to quickly learn to navigate a new work culture in order to get his ideas forward and successful on a project. He recommended embracing the unexpected, remaining open to suggestions with clear and outlined expectations. If a Boss wants to change the project, repeat the desired changes back within your writing (email, proposal, memo) to ensure that no misunderstandings can occur. If a miscommunication occurs, then you at least have a written document to point to in reference to changes. This example had students excited to approach the workplace as a dynamic and creative place for problem solving strategies. 

Rhetorical Awareness

What can be done to prepare the students for the hidden arguments that they will inevitably face? The classroom can prepare the students by creating a rhetorical awareness, 

“In discipline-specific writing situations particularly, we do our students a disservice by not acknowledging and teaching towards the persuasive and rhetorical writing they can expect to encounter within technical forms (307).” In other words, persuasion and rhetorical awareness can at least give the students a lens to approach a hidden argument. Without understanding of the technical writing strategies for problem solving, the students’ future in the workplace will be difficult and unprepared. By allowing a persuasion focus, the students at least have a rough template to reference for whatever unforeseen problems they may face. McCaughey and Fitzpatrick introduce the problem that education in technical communication created which is not accounting for problems and persuasive strategies for solutions within the field. Technical communicators must adjust to this reality for the sake of the students.