Curriculum Vitae
Gerald J. Alred, Professor
Department of English
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Addresses
Education and Honors
Employment
Publications
Conferences, Papers, and Invited Lectures
Professional Reviews and Consultancies
Teaching and UWM Service
Professional Memberships
Addresses
Department of English
P.O. Box 413
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
Curtin Hall 566
Office Phone ~ 414-229-4569 (or 4511)
Email ~ alred@uwm.edu
Web Page ~ www.uwm.edu/~alred
Home Phone (voice and fax) ~ 212-512-3639
Education and Honors
Academic Work
Honors and Awards
Associate Editor, Journal of Business Communication, 2005-Present (qualitative, historical, theoretical submissions).Jay R. Gould Award for Excellence in Teaching Technical Communication (STC): 2004.
Associate Fellow, Society for Technical Communication: Elected, 1997.
Founding Member, Editorial Board: Journal of Business and Technical Communication.
Book-of-the-Month and Fortune Book Club selections for The Business Writer's Handbook.
Award of Merit, The Professional Writer. Chicago Chapter of STC: 1992.
UWM Outstanding Teaching Award Recipient: 1991.
Nominated to Board of Directors of the Association for Business Communication: 1977, 1990.
Nominated for Amoco Distinguished Teaching Award: 1987.
Profiled in Marquis' Who's Who in America, 2008, 2009.
Employment
Academic
2009-Present ~ Professor Emeritus, Department of English, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.1993-2009 ~ Full Professor, Department of English, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
1980-93 ~ Associate Professor with tenure, UWM Department of English.
1974-80 ~ Assistant Professor, UWM Department of English.
1968-71 ~ Instructor and Chair, Technical Writing Advisory Committee, Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio.
Academic (Visiting)
Summer Semester: 1994, 1998, 2004 ~ Guest Professor, Department of English and LanguageNon-Academic
1972-74 ~ Legislative Aide, Dayton City Commissioner Charles J. Curran.1965-68 ~ Manager, Wells Television, Inc., New York (Hospital TV Facilities).
1961-63 ~ Engineering Aide, University of Dayton Research Institute.
Publications
Alred, Gerald J. "Bridging Cultures: The Academy and the Workplace." Journal of Business Communication 43.2 (April 2006): 79-88.
Alred, Gerald J. "Academic and Practitioner Perspectives on Essential Works in Technical Communication." ATTW Bulletin 15.1 (Spring 2005): 11-13.
Alred, Gerald J. "Letter to the Editor." Across the Board (July/August 2004): 4.
Alred, Gerald J. "Essential Works on Technical Communication." Technical Communication 50.4 (November 2003): 585-616. [50th Anniversary Edition]
Alred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. The Business Writer's Handbook. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. [1st edition, 1976; 2nd edition, 1982; 3rd edition, 1987; 4th edition, 1992; 5th edition, 1997; 6th edition, 2000; 7th edition, 2003; 8th edition, 2006]
Alred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Handbook of Technical Writing. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. [1st edition, 1976; 2nd edition, 1982; 3rd edition, 1987; 4th edition, 1992; 5th edition, 1997; 6th edition, 2000; 7th edition 2003; 8th edition, 2006]
Alred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. The Business Writer's Companion. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. [1st edition, 1996; 2nd edition, 1999; 3rd edition, 2002; 4th edition, 2005]
Alred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. The Technical Writer's Companion. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002. [1st edition, 1996; 2nd edition, 1999]
Alred, Gerald J. "A Review of Technical Communication Programs outside the United States." Journal of Business and Technical Communication 15.1 (January 2001): 111-121.
Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing That Works: Communicating Effectively on the Job. 9th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2007. [1st edition, 1980; 2nd edition, 1984; Canadian edition, 1985; 3rd edition, 1988; 2nd Canadian edition, 1994; 4th edition, 1992; 5th edition, 1995; 6th edition, 1998; 7th edition, 2001; 8th edition, 2004]
Alred, Gerald J. "Teaching in Germany and the Rhetoric and Culture." Journal of Business and Technical Communication 11.3 (July 1997): 353-378.
Alred, Gerald J. The St. Martin's Bibliography of Business and Technical Communication. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.
Ebest, Sally Barr, Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw and Walter E. Oliu. Writing from A to Z. 4th ed. New York: WCB/McGraw-Hill, 2003. [1st edition, 1994; 2nd edition, 1997; 3rd edition, 2000]
Alred, Gerald J. "'We Regret to Inform You': Toward a New Theory of Negative Messages." Studies in Technical Communication. Ed. Brenda R. Sims. Denton, TX: U of North Texas and NCTE, 1993. 17-36.
Alred, Gerald J. and Erik A. Thelen. "Are Textbooks Contributions to Scholarship?" College Composition and Communication 44.4 (December 1993): 466-477.
Alred, Gerald J., Walter E. Oliu, and Charles T. Brusaw. The Professional Writer: A Guide for Advanced Technical Writing. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1991.
Brusaw, Charles T., Gerald J. Alred, and Walter E. Oliu. "Drawings, Graphs, Illustrations, and Tables." Strategies for Business and Technical Writing, 3rd ed. Ed. Kevin Harty. New York: Harcourt, 1989: 186-206.
Alred, Gerald J. Review of Technically--Write! 2nd ed. by R.S. Blicq. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication PC-26.1 (1983): 42-43.
Alred, Gerald J. Reviews of College Business English, 3rd ed. by J.S. Romine, L. Hanson and T. Holdridge and Effective Graphic and Tabular Communication by N.L. Enrick. The Journal of Business Communication 18.3 (1981): 64-66.
Alred, Gerald J., Diana C. Reep, and Mohan R. Limaye. Business and Technical Writing: An Annotated Bibliography of Books, 1880-1980. Metuchen, NJ and London: Scarecrow Press, 1981.
Alred, Gerald J. "Developing a Technical Writing Theory and Pedagogy Course in an English Department." Journal of Technical Writing and Communication 10 (1980): 337-345.
Alred, Gerald J. Review of "Methodology: Again and Again--But Better" by Thomas J. Inman. ABCA Bulletin (March 1978): 42-43.
Brusaw, Charles T., Gerald J. Alred, and Walter E. Oliu. NCR Self Study Course for Effective Writing. Dayton, Ohio: NCR Corporation, 1977 and 1979.
Brusaw, Charles T., Gerald J. Alred, and Walter E. Oliu. NCR Handbook for Effective Writing. Dayton, Ohio: NCR Corporation, 1974 and 1979.
Brusaw, Charles T., and Gerald J. Alred. Practical Writing: Composition for the Business and Technical World. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1973.
Work in Progress
We Regret to Inform You: An Examination of Negative Messages Across Three Cultures. Book employing pertinent cultural themes in Germany, the Philippines and the United States to assess the rhetorical choices that writers in the workplace make as they situate negative information within a message.
Conferences, Papers, and Invited Lectures (selected)
"The Business Writing Award: Bridging the Academic and Professional Worlds for Student Success," Panel Presentation, Association for Business Communication Annual Convention, Incline Village, Nevada. October 31, 2008.
"Essential Works on Technical Communication: Academic and Practitioner Perspectives in the U.S.," Invited Lecture, University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Hannover, Germany and Niedersachsen Tekom. June 17, 2004.
"Perceptions of American Culture and Cross-Cultural Business Communication" and "Developing International Alliances: Rewards and Challenges," Invited Lectures, Boise State University, College of Business and Economics. December 1, 2000.
"Creating International University-Business Alliances," Forum 2000. London, England. June 13, 2000.
"Developing Certificate Programs in International Technical Communication," ATTW/CPTSC Roundtable. London, England. June 10, 2000.
"German Student Descriptions of American Culture and Their Implications for Business Communication," Invited Paper, Wisconsin's 2nd Annual Conference on the Business of Communication. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. March 26, 1999.
"The Communication Skills Necessary to Get and Keep a Job," Invited Panel Participant, Wisconsin's 2nd Annual Conference on the Business of Communication. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. March 25, 1999.
"German Student Descriptions of American Culture and Notes on Their Implications for Business Communication," University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Linguistics Symposium. Milwaukee. September 11, 1998.
"Diagnosing Writing Problems and the Writing Process," Invited Lecture, SAP AG World Headquarters, Walldorf, Germany. June 22, 1998.
"The Academy, the Workplace, and the Future of Technical Communication," Invited Lecture, University of Applied Sciences. Hannover, Germany. June 8, 1998.
"Association for Business Communication: Beyond the English Department," Session Chair, College Composition and Communication. Milwaukee, WI. March 1996.
"Teaching Teachers of Technical and Business Writing," Session Chair, Conference on College Composition and Communication. Milwaukee, WI. March 1996.
"Teaching and Workplace Needs," Session Chair, Conference on College Composition and Communication. Washington, DC. March 1995.
"Refining a New Theory of Negative Messages," Association for Business Communication. New New Orleans, Louisiana. November, 1992.
"'We Regret to Inform You': Toward a New Theory of Negative Messages," Conference on College Composition and Communication. Cincinnati, Ohio. March 1992.
"Are Textbooks Contributions to Scholarship?" Major Address, Midwest Regional Conference, Association for Business Communication. Akron, Ohio. April 1991.
"Document Design: Toward an Integrated Approach." Western Regional Conference, Association for Business Communication. Denver, Colorado. April 1990.
Respondent to David Dobrin, UWM Business and Technical Writing Lecture. March 1990.
"Jargon: How Much Do We Need?" Wisconsin Organization of Documentation Specialists. Milwaukee. December 1984.
Respondent: "Writing in the Workplace," College Conference on Composition and Communication. Detroit, Michigan. March 1984.
"Ethics in Business Writing," National Conference of the American Business Communication Association. New Orleans, Louisiana. October 1982.
"Principles of Technical and Grant Writing," UWM Department of Zoology/Microbiology Faculty. October 1981. "Translating Complex Information," Wisconsin Patent Lawyers Association. June 1981.
"Early Works and Their Implications for Research," National Conference of the American Business Communication Association. Washington, D.C. December 1980.
"Little Known Bibliographic Resources for Scholars and Teachers," Midwest Regional Conference, American Business Communication Association. Valparaiso University. April 1980.
"Training the New Teacher," Midwest Regional Conference, American Business Communication Association. Kalamazoo, Michigan. April 1979.
"How Technical Writers Can Help Solve the 'Writing Crisis,'" Wisconsin Chapter, Society for Technical Communication. Madison. October 1978.
Professional Reviews and Consultancies (selected)
Tenure and Promotion Reviews
Auburn University ~ University of North TexasBentley College ~ University of South Carolina
Cornell University ~ University of Texas at Austin
University of Missouri-St. Louis
Solicited Publisher Book Reviews
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich ~ Macmillan Publishing CompanyHarperCollins ~ Mayfield Publishing Company
Holt, Rinehart and Winston ~ Oxford University Press
Houghton Mifflin ~ Scott, Foresman and Company
Kent Publishing Company ~ Charles Scribners's Sons
Little, Brown and Company ~ John Wiley and Sons
Consultancies and Professional Service
Workplace Training ~ Abbott Laboratories; J. I. Case Company (Racine, Wausau, and Wichita); City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau; General Motors Corp.; Hal Leonard Music Corp.; Price Waterhouse; Robert Baird Accountants; Scribner Cohen Accounts; U.S. Office of Housing and Urban Development; and others.Member ~ JBTC Editorial Review Board, 2002-present.
Chair ~ ABC-CCCC Liaison Committee, 1995-97.
External Evaluator ~ Bentley College Graduate Professional Writing Program. Waltham, Massachusetts. 1989.
Chair ~ 50th Anniversary Midwest Regional Conference of the Association for Business Communication. Milwaukee. Spring 1985.
Consultant ~ University of Dubuque for developing its "Management Communications" course within the Graduate Business Program. 1983.
Evaluator ~ Harnischfeger Corporation technical publications. January 1979.
Referee ~ National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship: "Humanistic Concerns in the Business Community," by L.W. Denton. Auburn University. July 1979.
Chair ~ Midwest Regional Conference of the American Business Communication Association. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. April 1977.
Teaching and UWM Administrative Service (selected)
Undergraduate
Business Writing (UWM and at JLU Giessen)Technical Writing
Freshman Seminar: Voyages in Cyberspace
Advanced Technical Writing
Writing for Economic Analysis [Team taught course with Economics Professor]
"Committee Majors" in Technical Writing (40)
Graduate
Advanced Professional and Technical WritingResearch and Methodology in Rhetoric and Composition
Professional Writing Theory and Pedagogy
Writing for Business Management (UWM and at JLU Giessen)
Theory, Practice, and Pedagogy of Business and Technical Writing (JLU Giessen)
Executive MBA Seminars (UWM School of Business Administration)
Independent Reading Courses
M.A. Committees (total 20; chair 6)
Ph.D. Committees (total 6; director 3)
Dissertations Directed
Erik A. Thelen, Ph.D. (1998)Dissertation: "The Evolution of the Application Letter in America: 1880-1960"
Kim Ilene Van Alkemade, Ph.D. (1997)
Dissertation: "The Problem of Knowledge in Computers and Composition"
UWM Service and Administration (selected)
Member:
Sponsor:
Founder:
Professional Memberships
Association for Business Communication
Association of Teachers of Technical Writing
Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication
National Council of Teachers of English
Society for Technical Communication (Associate Fellow)
Last update ~ August 2008
