General Purpose and Audience
Sustainable Development, according to the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Sustainable Development is an inherently interdisciplinary field and can overlap with biology, chemistry, building science, social science, business, international business, political science, ecology, agriculture, economics, philosophy, the creative arts, and agro-ecology. Students and professionals in this field will likely collaborate and communicate with specialists in a variety of fields as they seek to communicate their message about sustainability to the rest of the world. Writers in Sustainable Development examine environmental, societal, and economic qualities in creating an awareness and development of sustainable societies. Writers also seek to lessen their ecological footprint as they research initiatives that will educate others about natural ecosystems, while embracing principles of health, diversity, tolerance, and human rights. Audiences include lawmakers, government agencies, politicians, business people, environmental scientists, educators, artists, children, and the general public.
Types of Writing
As evidenced from the list above, the type of writing encountered in SD varies widely. Often the focus of the writing has its roots in social justice, both international and domestic environmental law, poetry and other arts, regional studies (such as Appalachian studies), anthropology, and agro-ecology. Writers should remain open to multiple genres and be prepared to collaborate regularly with others from divergent home disciplines.
Types of Evidence
The type of evidence used is dependent on the specialty and focus of individual disciplines. See individual Writing About Guidelines for specifics about various fields on the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) website: https://wac.appstate.edu/writing-disciplines/writing-about-disciplines-guidelines
Primary sources
Secondary sources
Information from research
Quantitative evidence
Qualitative evidence
Facts, statistics
Anecdotes, narratives
Writing Conventions
Given the interdisciplinary nature of the field of sustainable development, writers preparing to enter this academic conversation should maintain a high level of audience awareness. Often writers will act as liaisons between academic disciplines, requiring them to adjust their voice and expectations to fit the needs and knowledge base of a given audience. Writers should also be prepared to translate their work into layman’s terms, define specialized terms, and communicate with ELL and ESL populations. (See WAC’s guidelines above for writing in different fields.)
Terms / Jargon / Acronyms
Sustainability
Carbon neutral
Local to Global
Ecological footprint
ACUPCC
Renewable energy
Agro-ecology
Ecosystem
AASHE
Documentation Style
As sustainable development requires students to interact with a variety of subject areas, students of sustainable development should be familiar with a variety of citation styles and be prepared to read and write in all four of the major citation styles: MLA, APA, Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), and Council of Science Editors (CSE).
Sources Consulted
International Institute for Sustainable Development. “What is Sustainable Development?” iisd.org. 2013. 8 October 2014.
Scottish Qualifications Authority. Introducing Sustainable Development: An Outline for Writing Teams. May 2007, <http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/FF3392_Sustainability_flyer.pdf>
Sustainable Development Bulletin. Colombia College. 3 March 3, 2014, <https://www.college.columbia.edu/bulletin/depts/sustdev.php>