Presents the text of the final debate of the thirty-fourth National Debate Tournament between Northwestern University and Harvard. Includes the judges' critiques and editorial analysis. (JMF)

Discusses the effective rhetoric of Dr. King's "Letter" in terms of his use of refutative logic to address two audiences simultaneously, using one to provide a focus through which the other could be addressed. The "Letter" is adapted to both audiences on structural, logical, and stylistic levels. (JMF)

Discusses how proverbs provide insight into the nature of socio-logic as a body of principles to guide practical reasoning. English language proverbs reflect many of the rational principles found in argumentation textbooks, including: 1) a typology of arguments, 2) rules of correct inference, and 3) cautions about potential fallacies. (JMF)

Presents evidence supporting the prediction that violations of induced receiver expectations and the intensity of a persuasive message are mediators of resistance to persuasion. Positive and negative violations of expectations are examined in terms of counterarguing. (JMF)

Differences among impartiality, objectivity, partisanship, fanaticism, and skepticism are viewed as relevant to the role of the evaluator. The desirability of establishing a community of minds committed to argumentation before beginning an evaluation is suggested. (Author/CTM)

Suggests using Kenneth Burke's pentad format to analyze the structure and intent of persuasive discourse and notes that students may apply it in the prewriting stage. (MKM)

Distinguishes between naturalistic and existential themes in modern psychology and outlines the empirical criteria that identify a naturalistic or Piagetian sequence. Argues that the first four stages of Kohlberg's typology meet the criteria for a naturalistic developmental sequence but the higher stages instead appear to be existential or…

Examines the record of independent Africa regarding human rights. (Editor/RK)

Believes that comparative studies of ethno-educational phenomena promise to advance efforts to develop educational change and socialization theory, and to better inform teaching. Also states that the Comparative and International Education Society can gain greater coherence and perceived usefulness if its members make contributions to this problem…

The job of a college or university planned-giving officer is to seek gifts that the college will receive after the donor's death. It requires substantial interpersonal skills, legal and financial knowledge, and understanding of donor attitudes. While dealing with potential donors requires great tact, the gifts are often substantial. (MSE)

Reviews linguistic structures in the annual reports of a machine tool manufacturer. Concludes that, as profits decreased and the news became more negative, linguistic structures (including verb structures, thematic structures, context and cohesion, and condensations) suggested a factual, "objective" situation caused by circumstances not…

Uses a specific poetics of collage to explore the parallels between artistic and written discourse to show that composing a persuasive collage or hypertext requires rhetorical skill. Shows also how this kind of skill is modeled in the work of the American collage artist Joseph Cornell (1903-72). Discusses intertextuality and postmodern…

Examined children's naturally occurring arguments sampled from transcripts of discussions in fourth-grade classrooms. Found that children's arguments had vague referring expressions, sometimes did not contain explicit conclusions, and seemed to lack explicit warrants to authorize conclusions. Missing or oblique information was usually given in the…

College students (n=349) completed an argument evaluation test in which they evaluated arguments about real-life situations. Argument quality and strength of prior beliefs were used to create an index of differences that were reliably linked to differences in cognitive ability and actively open-minded thinking. (SLD)

Shows that an increased level of humor in commercials was beneficial to recall and purchase intention; increased humor in the television program was detrimental to recall of products advertised; and gender interacted with program humor levels, such that products were viewed less negatively by men when they were exposed to commercials in a more…