This book emphasizes the role of critical thinking and reading skills in the development of persuasive writing. The book also introduces several different methods to teach argument (for example, those of Aristotle, Stephen Toulmin, and Carl Rogers) as a way of giving students the freedom to find the systems that work best for them and to find ways…

This paper is an analysis of behavioral texts (speech directed obligatorily to a second person in a communication situation) and a discussion of the persuasive devices employed by the speakers in an effort to effect a change in the listener's behavior. This study deals with two Eastern Bontoc behavioral texts. Several nonlinguistic persuasive…

A study investigated the extent to which forensic judges used educational comments when writing ballots. A total of 140 informative speaking ballots were collected from tournaments in Mississippi, Colorado, and Arkansas. After the ballot comments were sorted into five categories (basic comments, educational comments, descriptive comments, personal…

A study analyzed the delivery of dabaters participating in the final rounds of the CEDA (Cross Examination Debate Association) National Tournament from 1989-1991. Transcripts of the final rounds were used to determine the words-per-minute and the number of pieces of evidence read per speech. Three statistical measures were used to analyze the…

There is a growing dichotomy between the educational value of forensics versus the competitive aspects of individual events for both coaches and students. Competitive behavior has both an instinctual and a cognitive source. The instinctual source can be traced to evolution in a fiercely competitive world. Psychoanalytic theory suggests that the…

During the period from 1630 to 1690, the Puritans were not arbitrary oppressors of free speech. They believed that public expression was valuable and necessary. They restricted only ungodly print or speeches by heretics and blasphemers. Within the boundaries of godly expression, Puritans encouraged discussion for the better enlightenment of…

Rhetorical norms of early McCarthyist discourse reveal a reliance upon images of chaos and the body. Through such metaphors, rhetors crafted a model of discussion that feminized "democracy" and "tolerance" to support anti-Communist measures and de-legitimize their opponents. Political variety was coded as deviant to national…

This paper provides a literature review of the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) as applied in persuasion. Specifically, the paper addresses distraction with regard to effects on persuasion. In addition, the application of proxemic violations as peripheral cues in message processing is discussed. Finally, the paper proposes to shed new light on…

If forensic oral interpretation selections are to communicate to audiences, forensics educators must first help their students discover the messages that exist within texts and are communicated through programming and performance. The concepts of relevancy, significance, and depth of insight provide a general background for which aesthetic…

Although slave narratives have enjoyed critical attention as literature and autobiography, when presenting them to undergraduates, there is some confusion--usually centering on the dissimilarities between the narratives and traditional autobiography. The narratives are not as linear, not as focused on personal development; the narrators are not as…

Zitkala-Sa, a 19th century Native American woman who won second place in an 1896 Midwestern oratorical contest, resembles many students who daily cross borders--geographical, economic, linguistic, and cultural--balancing on a tightrope of assured losses and uncertain gains. Known as Gertrude Simmons before and Gertrude Bonnin after her marriage,…

This paper examines the origins of "dissoi logoi" (or twofold arguments) as a sophistic concept and pedagogical practice. A rationale is offered to explain why "dissoi logoi" should be adopted as a conceptual base for teaching invention in contemporary public speaking courses. Aristotelian and Protagorean perspectives on…

At the root of the writing problems of most college students is a lack of critical thinking. Students find analyzing an article or essay, writing a review, or arguing persuasively difficult and unpleasant because they have little practice in identifying and evaluating assumptions and reasoning. One solution to this problem, developed by a college…

A study analyzed quantitatively the effectiveness of public communication as practiced by college students in an introductory speech course. The aim of the study was to test empirically the principles of rhetorical theory on which the teaching of beginning public speaking is commonly based. The study investigated the relationship of mode of…

The Northwest Forensic Conference (NFC) was created in response to decreasing budgets and fewer schools participating in forensics. The basis of the NFC is the designated tournament and yearly divisional sweepstakes awards. Special features of designated tournaments include oral critiques and seminars on forensic issues. Initially, it was assumed…