Notes from 50th International STC Conference
Dallas, Texas, May 18-21, 2003

Hiding Humanity: Verbal and Visual Ethics in Accident Reports

Sam Dragga, Texas Tech University and
Dan Voss, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control - Orlando

Sam Dragga is English Department Chair at Texas Tech University. Dan Voss is Antiarmor Communications Manager with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, Florida.

Session Description: This workshop, a sequel to Nashville's provocative Cruel Pies, illustrated how visuals can dehumanize victims in accident reports. Participants learned and practiced techniques for creating graphic and textual solutions that reintroduce the human element.

Note: Notes are not available from this session for the obvious reason that the note-taker was one of the presenters! We felt the workshop was very successful. Below are links to the workshop description, the presentation, the article that appeared in the conference Proceedings, the full research article that appeared in February 2003 edition of Technical Communication, the controversial predecessor research article "Cruel Pies," which appeared in the August 2001 edition of Technical Communication, and a bibliography of other publications by the presenters on the subject of ethics.

• "Hiding Humanity: Verbal and Visual Ethics in Accident Reports": Workshop Description.
• "Hiding Humanity: Verbal and Visual Ethics in Accident Reports": Slides from Presentation.
• "Hiding Humanity: Verbal and Visual Ethics in Accident Reports": Distilled Article in Conference Proceedings.
• "Hiding Humanity: Verbal and Visual Ethics in Accident Reports": In-Depth Research Article in February 2003 Edition of Technical Communication with 39 illustrations and 4 tables.
• "Cruel Pies: The Inhumanity of Technical Illustrations": Cover Story in August 2001 Edition of Technical Communication.
• Bibliography of other publications on ethics by the presenters.