This paper focuses on a speech by Demosthenes, recognized as the foremost orator of the fourth century B.C., and the speeches of environmentalist David Brower, in a search for parallel use of values and myths in their rhetorical approaches. Myths provided a world view, ordered the world into right and wrong conduct and thinking, and created a…

A study was conducted to (1) describe the male/female participation and success in regional and national forensic individual events tournament competition, and (2) identify areas of gender-based inequity from these data. Letters requesting 1984-85 tournament results were sent to 44 individual events tournament directors, of which 20 were…

Analyzes three trait measures (argumentativeness, verbal aggressiveness, and need for cognition) related to argumentation behavior. Confirms that all three are separate constructs. Finds significant ethnic differences among Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and European Americans for verbal aggressiveness and need for cognition. Discusses…

Compares the persuasiveness of using statistical versus narrative evidence (case studies or examples) across 15 investigations. Indicates that when comparing messages, statistical evidence is more persuasive than narrative evidence. (PA)

To gain insight into whether debate judges actually do treat impromptu speaking as miniextemporaneous speaking, a study compared the comments judges wrote to extemporaneous speakers with those they wrote to impromptu speakers during the first two rounds of a forensic tournament. Approximately 1,000 comments from 152 ballots (102 impromptu and 50…

A rhetorical analysis of the 1984 vice-presidential debate between George Bush and Geraldine Ferraro was conducted to determine argumentation tactics, argumentation flaws, reasoning strategies, and other rhetorical characteristics. The results indicated that the format of the debate allowed for little actual direct confrontation between…

The academic community, news media, and public have expressed interest in debate as a vehicle to facilitate intelligent citizen evaluation of political candidates. This paper focuses on the format, criteria, and survey results of the "Election 80" television debates between congressional candidates from South Dakota, as compared with the…

Finds the rank-ordering of request strategies along five interactive constraint dimensions to be similar between Koreans and Americans except for effectiveness of strategies. Shows the U.S. participants considered the direct statement strategy as the most effective way of making a request, whereas Korean participants rated it as the least…

Both rhetorical theorists and attitude change theorists agree that characteristics of the source of persuasive communication can improve the persuasiveness of that message. Writers from both perspectives have approached this notion from two divergent perspectives. Isocrates was concerned with the speaker's prior reputation, which is quite similar…

A study tested several different cognitive models of the way people use supporting arguments to arrive at belief in a claim. The models tested were (1) the model based on the assumption that human information processing is essentially logical; (2) R. S. Wyer's model; (3) the message-plus-context model; and (4) the weighted average model. One…

A study was conducted to determine if the Japanese use logic and argument in different ways than do Westerners. The study analyzed sample rebuttal speeches (in English) of 14 Japanese debaters using the Toulmin model of argument. In addition, it made comparisons with a sample of speeches made by 5 American high school debaters. Audiotapes of the…

Examines the level of clash in the 1988 presidential debates through use of content analysis. Compares the findings regarding clash in 1988 with those from past decades. Concludes that criticisms of debates are overstated and that clash is a product of format as well as other factors. (SR)

Investigates 14-year-old students' ability to recognize argumentation without having systematic instruction; and whether the identification of argumentation is an independent skill. Finds that after a 20-minute explanation, a large proportion of 14-year-olds could not identify simple argumentation. Concludes that identifying argumentation is a…

To determine if there is a distinction between the forensics community's idea of quality and that of the general population, tournament rankings of forensics judges and those of a lay audience were compared. Undergraduate students enrolled in a variety of speech related courses were asked to attend rounds of competition at a midwest collegiate…

Examines the persuasive message behaviors of truthful and deceptive communicators. Finds significant differences in the types of persuasive messages generated: truthful persuaders compose messages involving positive and negative sanctions; deceptive persuaders compose messages based on rationale or explanation. (KEH)