The purpose of this study was to investigate if college students' verbal aggressiveness and argumentativeness traits promote their tendencies to engage in instructional dissent (i.e., expressive, rhetorical, vengeful). Participants were 172 undergraduate students who completed a self-report survey measuring these traits and their dissent practices…

An annotated bibliography of 20 documents from the ERIC database, representing a spectrum of persuaders--men and women who employ strategies to change minds and modify behaviors. (JMF)

Suggests how rhetorical criticism might be most productively focused by concentrating on the message, value premises, and strategies. (PD)

Focuses on the interdependence of rhetoricity and literarity. Reviews some historical, functional, formal, generic, and aesthetic aspects to determine if there is any clear distinction between the rhetorical and the literal. Concludes that no distinction exists and that rhetoricity is ubiquitous: it is present in every communication process. (PD)

This essay examines the recent debate over the politics of American education, particularly the accusation of liberal bias by members of the Right such as David Horowitz and Students for Academic Freedom. It draws parallels between the contemporary movement for an "Academic Bill of Rights" and the historical context of the "Powell…

Suggests that teachers of speech emphasize the primacy of ethical considerations in communication through channels such as textbook selection, student activity planning and student evaluation criteria. (MH)

Describes a sequential model (organized around seven writing assignments that culminate in a substantial essay in rhetorical/critical analysis) for teaching rhetorical criticism as written argument. Asserts that learning to write argumentative prose should be a central concern of undergraduate courses in rhetorical criticism. (MM)

Deliberative civic education is broadly conceived as instruction that utilizes varying forms of classroom deliberation and deliberative exercises to enhance the democratic skills of citizenship and to increase understanding of democratic practice. The purpose of this essay is to explore how the contemporary, critical elements of rhetorical study…

Describes the rationale for teaching the cognitive context of argument and argumentation, presents an example of an approach to value argument, and discusses the role of the unconscious in argument. (PD)

To describe interviewees' discourse and to contrast successful and unsuccessful communicative behaviors, investigated their communication. Behaviors from rhetorical theory were also searched for criteria of effectiveness. Successful candidates displayed more behaviors that identified them with employers, supported arguments, organized thoughts,…

This essay explores the suburban mythos that dominates the pedagogical scene of public-communication instruction. This scene both narrows the civic meaning of citizenship and constructs an unproblematic environment of professional acceptance. In doing so, it removes any serious discussion of the world of conflicted interests. As a remedy, this…