Revaluing Women's Work: Report Writing in the North Carolina Canning Clubs, 1912-1916

Abstract

This article explores how an understanding of the nature and purposes of reports may help women gain recognition for their accomplishments, both in conventional business settings and within feminized professions and spheres of activity. A case study of report writing in the North Carolina Canning Clubs (1912-1916) illustrates how reports of work can provide a vehicle for elevating the perceived value of women's work. Since reports also inscribe authorial identity, however, women—indeed all report writers—must consider the ethical implications of their reports.