Analyzes the discourse contexts of children's justifications in verbal disputes during pretend play and object construction activities. Finds that justifications underwent little development in disputes about the physical world or the truth of assertions, but that significant developments in their use, content, and discourse context occurred in…

Conversations of British 7-year olds and Canadian 11-year olds were analyzed to establish 3 criteria for assessing oracy in classroom situations: ideation (quality of information and its validation); interpersonal (sensitivity of relationships with listeners); and textual (choice and organization of words). Differences between the two groups point…

Argues that for public relations to achieve professional status it should (1) be a communication discipline; (2) avoid artificial distinctions between information and persuasion; (3) encompass a wide array of auxiliary disciplines; (4) advance core research and theory by isolating and empirically testing a limited number of functions; and (5)…

Describes an assignment for a business writing course which helps students learn to focus on the reader in persuasive writing. (SR)

Analyzes Herbert C. Hoover's translation of the "De Re Metallica" in the context of the 1922 Mine Strikes. Claims Hoover's interest in Agricola's "intellectual achievements" may have been more than technical. Demonstrates how technical documents reflect political ideologies. (NH)

Applies theoretical principles of risk perception and communication (from various psychological, social, political, and cultural dynamics) to a sample risk communication on nuclear energy to determine realistic expectations for persuasive risk communications. Stresses that rhetorical researchers need to explore and test the extent to which written…

Questions the role of argumentation in the college composition classroom. Studies the responses of a variety of students to three sample arguments that address the same topic. Shows that most students can correctly rank arguments, suggesting that students have a tacit knowledge of argument prior to instruction. (HB)

Surveys the interrelationship between language and politics. Touches on the context of political discourse, or political culture and ideology in new and old democracies and the reemerging manifestations of totalitarianism, censorship, and linguistic imperialism; then examines selected linguistic features of political discourse and their…

Posits a theoretical process model of group argument. Uses the Group Valence Model and two versions of the Distribution of Valence Model to investigate argument-outcome links. Finds that both frameworks were good predictors of group outcomes, and that all argument acts tested were good predictors of group decision choices except those of…

Discusses research evidence concerning the persuasive effects of three variations in the articulation of an advocate's supporting argumentation. Finds that greater explicitness in identification of the sources of information and in the completeness of an argument significantly enhance persuasive effectiveness and perceived credibility; greater…

Analyzes the structure of argumentative discourse produced when small groups of children discuss issues raised by stories they have read, examining the discourse from story discussions in two fourth-grade classrooms. Compares and contrasts two approaches of representing the structure of classroom arguments (the argument network and the causal…

Investigates profiles of mature adult readers' who are persuaded by what they read, and what role a reader's educational level plays in the persuasion process. Finds that, for the most part, readers with moderate but favorable stances, moderate to high interest in the topic, and at least moderate levels of perceived or demonstrated knowledge were…

Refutes commonly held assumptions forced on the art-education public that characterize Viktor Lowenfeld, a historically well-known art educator, as having a laissez-faire approach to art education and a visual-haptic fixation. Asserts Lowenfeld's beliefs were distorted in later publications of his book, "Creative and Mental Growth." (CMK)

Discusses how prior to the 1932 presidential campaign, Governor Roosevelt sought to dispel suspicion that he was physically unfit to become President; and though he never hid his disability, he minimized his appearance as a disabled person. Describes how Roosevelt arranged for the publication of a medical examination as proof that he was…

Contributes to scholarship on rhetorical theory and political judgment theory by examining how the rhetoric of Reconstruction congressional actors expressed divergent modes of political judgment regarding the civil rights of African Americans. Contends that proponents and opponents enacted adverse norms of discursive practice and competing…