The author discusses the shift from criticism-as-explanation to criticism-as-performance that has taken place in literary criticism over the past five decades, and the resultant surge in published offerings to what has become a diminishing audience. The question of supersaturation applies to the institutions that demand and reward humanities…

In 1898, students at the University of Toronto founded "Torontonensis", the university's first yearbook. Fashioned as a remembrance of university, from its inception the yearbook was fraught with conflict and contestation particularly around how male students were represented and how their college experiences were made, and not made,…

Unlike students in traditional classrooms, the interpretive visitor has voluntarily approached the site and is usually looking for interesting entertainment. Meeting the challenge of satisfying both the visitor and the sponsoring agency requires an understanding of the audience and its interests and motivations. A social-marketing approach to…

Contends that Martin Allor ("Relocating the Site of the Audience," same issue) ignores, misunderstands, or misrepresents the "dominant" social science tradition in audience studies. Focuses on the contributions of critical approaches to the study of media audiences. (MS)

Responds to Martin Allor's "Relocating the Site of the Audience" (same issue). Suggests that the audience precedes the text. (MS)

All of the admissions research says that prospective students and their parents want to know something about the mysterious people who do the professing. They want to ask questions in a public forum; they want to visit classes; they want private meetings with department chairs; and they want admissions people to call them on the phone to explain…

Examines self-portrayal in fictional and nonfictional written discourse. Argues that two common terms for describing self-representation--ethos and persona--are often conflated but that there are good historical and conceptual grounds for maintaining a distinction between them. (MS)

Examines Chaim Perelman's new rhetoric, concluding that Perelman believes a rhetor linguistically creates a presence by first analyzing how the audience thinks and acts, referring to what the audience holds to be true, and then entering into communion with the audience by expressing the thoughts of the audience. (RAE)

Points out that Martin Allor ("Relocating the Site of the Audience," same issue) sets aside three relevant interdisciplinary matters: (1) the historical development of certain of the areas of theoretical work examined; (2) the choice of theoretical terms; and (3) the ongoing discursive/nondiscursive debate with respect to the material…

Replies to Martin Allor's article, "Relocating the Site of the Audience" (same issue). Discerns in it a struggle between textualism and realism. (MS)

States that promotional writing for industrial/high-tech products, or technical copywriting, is gaining more attention in technical communication, although it is neglected in higher education. Testifies to the significance of technical copywriting. Suggests that dialogical audience analysis and an emphasis on rational appeal will contribute to…

Argues that, before accepting the "reading as resistance" approach of contemporary cultural studies, "resistance" should be clearly articulated and coherently theorized. Asserts that doing so will avoid banal and repetitive analyses. Considers problems with audience-centered cultural studies and attempts to retheorize the…

Claims that the narrative paradigm recently proposed as a model for rhetorical criticism is problematic because of internal contradictions and inconsistencies. Argues that independent sources are lacking for judging the adequacy of a critic's claims about a text. (JD)

Zenker offers 10 tips for keeping TV-era audiences interested in presentations. Chapman gives advice for trainers on coaching outside speakers for effective training presentations. (SK)

Replies to responses (same issue) to the author's "Relocating the Site of the Audience." (MS)