Technical and Professional Communication

Gender-Fair Language

Because the way that we write and speak influences the way we think, you are required to use gender-fair language in this course. Early in the term we will discuss what this means and why it is important; we will likely have a guest speaker either in class, or joining us via MOOspace in an interactive chat.

Especially at an institution like RPI, where the "ratio" is strongly unbalanced toward one gender, considering issues like this is a key part of learning proper professional communication skills. Most workplaces have strict guidelines regarding gender use in language. It is not  simply a matter of political correctness; it is a matter of consistency, audience awareness, and effectively thinking about how we are presenting our ideas to a wide variety of readers.

Never  hesitate to raise a question about these issues in class or on the class discussion list.

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