Uncertainty in Social Structure and Organization

As researchers in the sociology of science (SSK) have argued, written documents conceal the compromises, negotiations, and alternative representa- 

The authors provide a list of words to fill in gaps in the sentence. The authors note As you can see, what is filled in the blanks can be as logical or illogical as one wishes to make it. The choice of one inappropriate word can turn the otherwise meaningful statement into sheer nonsense (p. 61). Using the mad model, inspectors can create a problem list or summary that they can use to make recommendations to the mine operator. 

se ir is so explicit, this model demonstrates the effects of classification systems on future mine safety and health as well as the ideological bias in the process. The writers conclude (The process] permits us to isolate the causes of problems and accidents. so that the operator can better utilize efforts to eliminate causes having the greatest impact (p. 87). If these recommendations arc followed, they claim, our recommendations will not only be more likely to eliminate the cause of the problems, but applying the correct solutions will be much less costly for the operator (p. 65). 

A boNer at limes will position a drill steel and keep a hand on the steel either when starting to drill a hole or when removing the rotating steel from the hole. 

roofbolterswilllaythelrfieearmand hand (the one not used to operate the controls) across the drill head as It is being raised to the top during drilling. 

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This chapter provides a brief overview of the most important sources of rhetorical uncertainty in technical documentation in the workplace the dynamic uncertainty of hazardous environments the variability and unreliability of human performance the uncertainty of what one agency calls premium data uncertainty in social structures and organizations and the rhetorical incompleteness of any single viewpoint. As the examples in this chapter demonstrate, the material and institutional uncertainty of hazardous environments affects documentation practices at all levels. But documentation practices can also contribute to uncertainty, particularly when writers depend too heavily on agency conventions to structure recommendations and conclusions. 

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