The ability to communicate effectively is an essential skill for graduates of Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programmes; however, as synchronous hybrid learning becomes more common, business schools may find it challenging to assess students' proficiency in this core area. An additional layer of complexity is added by the burgeoning…

In this article, the author discusses a four-part exercise called "To the Moon!" The exercise encourages students to develop and orally defend their choice of four volunteers who will be part of a team to colonize Earth's moon. This oral exercise prepares them for subsequent written work. As Bean (1996, 7) states, "Good writing...grows out of good…

This article presents a public speaking assignment that takes the study of rhetoric seriously. First, it shifts the approach from the common typology of informative, persuasive, and ceremonial speeches toward forensic, deliberative, and epideictic rhetoric. Second, this assignment takes rhetoric seriously by generating the understanding that all…

The central concepts from two rhetorical systems (the enthymeme in Aristotle's rhetoric and vivacity in George Campbell's) may be understood as the connection between speech act and ascension to belief. A review of the literature indicates a gap in the scholarly works seeking to compare and contrast the periods developed by D. Ehninger's systems…

In his analysis of Cicero's "Philippics," Cecil Wooten (1983) describes the strategy the Roman advocate used in a rhetorical situation of national crisis as a contest of black and white, the struggle of good against evil; at stake is the very existence of the civilization that he is defending. Choices offered in crisis situations can be…

Including speech transcripts and judges' critiques, this book presents the results of the 1986 (1) National Debate Tournament Final Debate, sponsored by the American Forensic Association, including the affirmative and negative presentations; (2) National CEDA Tournament Final Debate, sponsored by the Cross-Examination Debate Association, including…

Examines Henry Johnstone's (a former editor of "Philosophy and Rhetoric") ironic play on the different uses of the terms "rational,""argument," and "explanation," when he discusses two of his favorite philosophical topics, rhetoric and argument. (NKA)

This paper offers instruction for college students on the preparation and presentation of toasts for various social gatherings and occasions--as a "real life" application of public speaking. The paper includes a description of a toast proposal, toast outline, toast speech evaluation form, and two sample toast outlines. It suggests a…

Aristotle rejects a world vision of changing reality as neither useful nor beneficial to human life, and instead he reaffirms both change and eternal reality, fuses motion and rest, and ends up with "well-behaved" changes. This concept of motion is foundational to his world view, and from it emerges his theory of knowledge, philosophy of…

In examining the role of Corax and Tisias in the development of rhetoric should be considered: (1) the recently-discovered transition from orality to literacy in the ancient Greek world, suggesting that rhetoric became a formal discipline at their hands through the medium of writing and that rhetoric existed in some form in the earlier oral…

Although scholars have tried to identify validity as a single characteristic, an alternative path treats validity as a confluence of characteristics, a multifaceted concept that is a product of the function of argument in a given context. From a functional perspective on argumentation, validity criteria change as the speaker's purpose is redefined…

Pursues Kenneth Burke's conceptions of piety and appropriateness. Argues for propriety as the master term of rhetorical completion, assimilating style and argument to a common goal. Suggests in a case study of Voltairine de Cleyre's speech, "The Fruit of Sacrifice," that even radical text might be self-justifying by creating its own…

For many students, public speaking is a communication apprehension inducing event. Others may enter the public speaking classroom as confident speakers but are restrictive in their approach to topic selection and alternative solution development. Both scenarios present a particular challenge for teachers who require students to present a variety…

A course in speech writing (preparing speeches for delivery by another person) is critical to the development of public speaking skills for college students. Unlike the traditional public speaking course, speech writing classes emphasize the preparation of the content of a speech over the delivery of the message. Students develop the ability to…

Recognizes that ghostwriting has long been a subject of controversy within the speech communication field, especially the question of the "ethics" of ghostwriting. Examines ghostwriting as source, process, and relationship, and suggests five specific ways in which the study of ghostwritten texts can enrich rhetorical studies. (NKA)