A paper presented at annual Conference on English Education, National Council of Teachers of English (8th, Des Moines, Iowa, April 1970). (Editor)

Maintains that all rhetoric is "loaded" connotatively, that such loading is neither ethical nor unethical, and that it ought to be used purposefully; revised version of a paper presented at annual convention of National Council of Teachers of English (Atlanta, November 28, 1970). (Editor/RD)

Calls for debaters and judges to understand methodological analysis used in debate rounds. Examines several argumentation and debate texts for approaches to the use of statistical evidence. Offers suggestions for handling methodological challenges and a method for weighing such arguments. (PD)

Assessed the importance of the informational content of letters of recommendation. Personnel directors (N=98) rated sample letters. Results showed that example specificity and favorability increased the positive perceptions of the recommendee. Example specificity also enhanced the perceived credibility of the letter writer. (JAC)

Discusses an introductory lecture that defines the similarities between sales letters and application letters for business communication students. (AEA)

Analyzes Kennedy's speech before an ideologically hostile college audience and, particularly, his use of the question-and-answer session that followed the speech as a means of reinforcing his arguments and promulgating his value hierarchy. (PD)

Includes citations from major speech publications and scholarly publications from other disciplines. (PD)

Identifies and assesses the values displayed in Lyndon Johnson's communication about the riots during his term of office. (PD)

Suggests ways in which principles of courtroom rhetoric can be used to increase students' skills in the invention, organization, and expression of arguments. Explains how fictional legal cases can serve as exercises in argumentation for college composition cases. Additional legal case assignments are appended. (HTH)

Reviews the body of literature on typologies of strategies. Then investigates the effects of situation variables on the likelihood of use of four types of compliance-gaining strategies: justification, exchange, manipulation, and personal rejection. Concludes that both intimacy and relational consequences proved to be significant determinants of…

Discusses ways to establish the credibility of educational studies. Those engaged in educational studies or research should receive interdisciplinary training and should engage in more dialectic than they now do. (RM)

Analyzes a type of conversational exchange where the participants focus on a given subject or theme contributing personal views to the discussion. Characterizes the relationship among the participants as a "cooperative conflict," examining the internal structure of speech acts and their illocutory functions, particularly the initiatory…