Ronald Reagan's rhetorical presidency can be summarized as a leader attempting, at virtually every occasion, to stem the dissolution of the American spirit by celebrating the country's mythic past. Such attempts were Reagan's celebration of nationalism through a particular discussion of the interrelationships between liberty, freedom, democracy,…

About 350,000 freelance magazine articles were purchased by magazine editors last year from the 22,000 freelancers and 225,000 would-be freelancers in the United States. A study examined the factors editors judge most important in selecting freelance magazine article proposals, using factor analysis and qualitative examination of persuasive…

Noting a dearth of research on the ethical use of evidence in forensic competitions, a case analysis details a speech delivered by a contestant who apparently borrowed both ideas and writing from another source. In a prize-winning speech, the contestant used source deception, plagiarism, and "pseudo" sources (attribution to sources…

A study examined some of the questions that have been raised regarding D. A. Infante and A. S. Rancer's (1982) Argumentativeness Scale. Specifically, the wording of the scale was examined. Operating under the principle that the use of the process word "arguing" and the product word "argument," as well as mention of issues or…

To develop a taxonomy of Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) critics, a study associated professed judging philosophy and responses to survey questions with ballot behavior and elaborated judging profiles. Subjects were debate critics who judged rounds at CEDA tournaments in the Northeast during the Spring 1989 season. In all, 13 critics…

In response to tighter school budgets and improved technology, a two-way interactive video was successfully used to provide an alternative "delivery system" for forensic competition. Two university sites were selected to organize and host an interactive video speech and debate tournament for area high school students. The program was…

Speech writing can be an excellent vehicle for helping students develop writing skills. The course described in this paper blends rhetorical principles and practices from public speaking, speech composition, persuasion and public relations with "real world applications." Students work on developing purposeful communication, a consistent…

This handbook offers practical suggestions for advocates of individuals with developmental disabilities on how to: acquire basic training, recruit volunteers, influence decision makers, lend reinforcement to state and national initiatives, make and keep important contacts, and enlist new allies. Chapter titles include: "Why…

A study examined how beliefs about arguing are related to the general motivation to argue. Subjects, 505 undergraduate students, were administered the Argumentativeness Scale and a beliefs-about-arguing measure. The scale contained 10 items for measuring the general tendency to approach arguments and 10 items for measuring the general tendency to…

News reports regarding the relationship between Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank and a male prostitute reflect a growing willingness to hold public officials responsible for private acts. The incident triggered a classic example of apologia--a speech of self-defense. As critics have long suggested, the intangible nature of the…

In 1974, 1976, and 1980 three best-selling books were published by Prentice Hall authored by Wilson Bryan Key. Key adopted the viewpoint that subliminal perception was a new phenomenon and that advertisers and advertising agencies were involved in manipulation of the public with the cooperation of the mass media. This study asks whether professors…

This paper addresses the question: What is proper conduct for an internal evaluator? Selected ethical issues are examined, and strategies for responding effectively are proposed. Issues examined are: (1) pressure to downplay negative and emphasize positive findings; (2) reinforcement for nonthreatening evaluation activities; (3) greater interest…

Autobiographical writing can, by its nature as expressive discourse, connect to the residual orality and literacy that students possess before they enter college writing classes, because it crosses more easily between the spoken word and the written word than other forms of writing. Adapting the Ong-Havelock orality-literacy thesis to writing…

Forensic coaches can follow certain strategies to best instruct new recruits. The novice should be encouraged: (1) to check the particular rules for each tournament; (2) to stick with traditional oratory forms--innovation can come later; (3) to watch "60 Minutes" or the evening news--excellent sources of timely topics; (4) to avoid…

A study examined the effect of communication style on use of different persuasive strategies. Subjects responded to a rhetorical sensitivity scale (RHETSEN) to determine their communication style: noble self, rhetorically sensitive, and rhetorical reflector. The persuasive style of the noble self can be characterized as straightforward and direct;…