Biography
I am an Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida, where I teach courses in the B.A. in English and M.A. in Technical Communication programs.
At the intersection of technical communication, medical rhetoric, and disability studies, my research addresses a critical problem: the erosion of trust between patients with chronic, contested illnesses and their healthcare providers. While medical research often champions “patient empowerment”—encouraging patients to research and advocate for themselves—my work demonstrates how these strategies can backfire for those with invisible conditions like Chronic Lyme disease and Long COVID. Using a mixed-methods approach, I triangulate rhetorical analyses of medical literature, digital health platforms, and government documentation with patient interviews, narratives, and autoethnography.
This work is exemplified in my book, The Patient Empowerment Paradox: Lyme Disease Rhetoric and Contested Health Literacies (University of South Carolina Press, 2026). Using my own story as a foundation, I argue that when patients with poorly understood conditions engage standard "patient empowerment" practices (doctor shopping for second opinions, developing advanced health literacy, etc.), they inadvertently disrupt patient-provider relationships and migrate toward medical misinformation. Paradoxically, despite their extensive efforts, these patients get sicker rather than healthier. This research offers a new framework for navigating medical uncertainty. By identifying why validated rhetorical moves fail, my work offers scholars and practitioners tools to mitigate conflicts and move toward more collaborative, effective care. This framework is vital for the Lyme community, but it is also scalable to the millions of patients currently navigating complex and infection-associated chronic conditions (IACCs).
I am conducting a new research study to learn about how healthcare providers’ experiences with patients and as patients inform their approach to patient-provider communication (IRB# STUDY00009092/IRB Approval Date: April 7, 2026). I hope that listening to providers’ stories will offer insight into how patients can develop trusting and respectful relationships with their doctors, nurses, and other health professionals.
To participate, you must:
- Be a doctor (MD/DO), NP, PA, specialty nurse, or holistic doctor
- Be age 18+
- Be comfortable speaking in English
The study consists of a 1-hour long interview on Zoom or in person at a location of the participant’s choosing.
If you are interested, please email (sarah.singer@ucf.edu) or text (919-438-3026). I will follow up with further information, including information about informed consent, confidentiality, risks, and benefits to participating in the study.
Education
- Ph.D. in English and Comparative Literature from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- B.A. in English Language and Literature and Women's Studies from University of Maryland
Research Interests
- Technical Communication
- Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
- Health/Medical Humanities
- Disability Studies
- Feminist Theory
- Digital Health
- Pedagogy
Publications
Books
- Forthcoming Singer, Sarah Ann. The Patient Empowerment Paradox: Lyme Disease Rhetoric and Contested Health Literacies. University of South Carolina Press, 2026.
Articles/Essays
- Singer, Sarah Ann. “Embracing Wildcard Sources: Information Literacy in the Age of Internet Health.” College English, vol. 82, no. 2, 2019, pp. 152-172.
- Singer, Sarah Ann. “Women and Their Bodies: A Feminist Rhetorical Approach to User-CenteredTechnology.” Peitho, special issue on “Rhetorical Pasts, Rhetorical Futures: Reflecting on the Legacy of Our Bodies, Ourselves and the Future of Feminist Health Literacy,” vol. 21, no. 3, 2019, pp. 655-675.
- Edwell, Jennifer, Singer, Sarah Ann, and Jordynn Jack. “Healing Arts: Rhetorical Techne as Medical (Humanities) Intervention.” Technical Communication Quarterly, special issue on “Rhetoric of Health and Medicine,” vol. 27, no. 1, 2018, pp. 50-63.
Awards
2019 | Judy Segal Top Paper Award, Rhetoric of Health and Medicine Symposium
2019 | Article of the Year Award (with Jennifer Edwell and Jordynn Jack), Association for Rhetoric, Science, Technology, and Medicine
Courses
| Course # | Course | Title | Mode | Days/Times | Syllabus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83430 | ENC4280 | Technical Writing Style | Web-Based (W) | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM | Unavailable | |
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Technical writing style refers to a range of techniques for making writing accessible and effective in situations related to technology, business, science, and other fields. In this class, students will learn to identify elements of effective writing style, practice writing for various technical and professional situations, and edit writing to enhance style and readability. Assignments may include exercises, analyses, discussions, peer reviews, and a major editing project that focuses on style at the word, sentence, and paragraph levels. To succeed in this course, you need access to the Microsoft Office Suite and Zoom (available for free to UCF students - https://it.ucf.edu/ucf-apps/), as well as a device that allows you to run Zoom audio and video. Please check UCF Libraries and your local library for copies of the assigned text before purchasing it. |
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| 83691 | ENC6261 | Tech Writing Theory & Practice | Web-Based (W) | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM | Unavailable | |
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This course covers major issues and trends in technical communication theory and the relevance of current theory to practitioners. You will read and discuss essays by leading technical communication theorists on the history of the discipline, rhetorical perspectives, philosophies and theories, and the impacts of digital tools and technologies. Key topics will include design, user-experience/UX, ethics, and collaboration. To succeed in this course, you need access to the Microsoft Office Suite and Zoom (available for free to UCF students - https://it.ucf.edu/ucf-apps/), as well as a device that allows you to run and record Zoom audio and video. Please check UCF Libraries and your local library for copies of the assigned text before purchasing it. |
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| Course # | Course | Title | Mode | Days/Times | Syllabus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11556 | ENC4280 | Technical Writing Style | Web-Based (W) | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM | Unavailable | |
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Technical writing style refers to a range of techniques for making writing accessible and effective in situations related to technology, business, science, and other fields. In this class, students will learn to identify elements of effective writing style, practice writing for various technical and professional situations, and edit writing to enhance style and readability. Assignments may include exercises, analyses, discussions, peer reviews, and a major editing project that focuses on style at the word, sentence, and paragraph levels. To succeed in this course, you need access to the Microsoft Office Suite and Zoom (available for free to UCF students - https://it.ucf.edu/ucf-apps/), as well as a device that allows you to run Zoom audio and video. Please check UCF Libraries and your local library for copies of the assigned text before purchasing it. |
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| 19808 | ENC4298 | Tech Com for Virtual Workplace | Web-Based (W) | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM | Unavailable | |
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What roles do technical communicators play in remote work environments? What strategies are most effective for working collaboratively on a remote team? How will remote work change in the coming years? These are just a few of the questions that we will investigate in ENC 4298. Major assignments may include a scholarly book review, discussion posts, interview with a remote employee, video presentation, research report, and virtual team project, which will require *synchronous* online meetings. To succeed in this course, you need access to the Microsoft Office Suite and Zoom (available for free to UCF students - https://it.ucf.edu/ucf-apps/), as well as a device that allows you to run Zoom audio and video. Please check UCF Libraries and your local library for copies of the assigned texts before purchasing them. |
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| 12892 | ENC6951 | Tech Comm Capstone | Web-Based (W) | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM | Unavailable | |
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In this course, you will develop a professional portfolio the aligns with your individual career objectives and demonstrates competency in the theoretical and applied content taught in the M.A. in Technical Communication program. Throughout the course, you will revise artifacts from prior courses for your portfolio and create an updated resume or CV that reflects your evolving skills and competencies. To succeed in this course, you need access to the Microsoft Office Suite and Zoom (available for free to UCF students - https://it.ucf.edu/ucf-apps/), as well as a device that can run Zoom audio and video. Although this is an asynchronous online course, you will be required to attend three (3) synchronous collaborative revision sessions on Zoom. |
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| Course # | Course | Title | Session | Mode | Days/Times | Syllabus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59469 | ENC3241 | Writing for Technical Prof | A | Web-Based (W) | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM | Unavailable | |
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Students will take on the role of professional technical communicators as they explore the purpose, audience, and genre conventions of technical documents across disciplines. Students will learn about the use of style, content organization, standard document formats, rhetoric, and ethics when preparing technical communication. Assignments may include writing effective correspondence, formal and informal reports, job application materials, and proposals. To succeed in this course, you need access to the Microsoft Office Suite and Zoom (available for free to UCF students - https://it.ucf.edu/ucf-apps/), as well as a device that allows you to run and record Zoom audio and video. Please check UCF Libraries and your local library for copies of the assigned text before purchasing it. |
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