Is there a gender-neutral way to teach technical writing, so that all students are motivated to try it?
Yes. Technical writing is not limited to descriptions of engines or instructions for auto repair. Analyzing kitchen recipes, for example, is an excellent gender-neutral way to explore all the features that instructions should have or avoid, and to practice all the techniques for designing effective instructions on the job. Boys and girls both find this engaging: everyone eats. Public health messages (e.g., about E. coli transmission in fast food and at day-care centers) and the technology found in every home or classroom (CDs, fluorescent lights, paper clips, sticky notes) offer similar, broadly interesting ways to practice genuine technical writing techniques without intimidation.
