Proposes satire as a form of argumentative practice. Examines eighteenth-century satirical attacks upon London's ubiquitous debating societies (formed among tradesmen, craftsmen, professionals, and small businessmen to "improve" themselves) as evidence of satire's public role in which the ideological struggle between social classes was…

Uses the results of meta-analyses examining the effects of various message design strategies to evaluate public speaking and persuasion textbooks. Compares the conclusions of the meta-analyses to the conclusions and advice offered by textbooks that rely on social scientific studies. (MG)

Contrasts the content of media narratives with the stories presented in actual trials. Describes media narrative as a type of montage, illustrating this with the "Washington Post's" stories about the Jean Harris case. Suggests ways that "narrative about narrative" can present stronger arguments that increase audiences'…

Outlines two assignments: (1) analyzing an article from the popular press for its use of slanting and propaganda devices; and (2) writing an article that incorporates various techniques of slanting and propagandizing. Includes two "slanted" articles about Walter Mondale's presidential campaign to use in this exercise. (MM)

Academic humanists have been hearing that too much of their research and teaching was politicized, trivialized by a fascination with popular culture, and preoccupied with questions of race, gender, and class. The most frequent target of critics are literary theorists and others farthest from traditional subjects and approaches. (MLW)

Analysis of the communicative setting of televised electoral debates in Israel focused on the stylistic features of the political candidates' discourse. The analysis identified and described such rhetorical strategies as figurative expressions and intensifiers, irony and rhetorical questions, repetition and parallelism, and meta-discoursive…

An effective camp marketing strategy should address both parents' and children's concerns that influence decisions about camp. Includes strategies for developing a targeted message through print media or video that addresses these concerns and persuades families to choose camp. Stresses the importance of following up with parents and children. (LP)

Describes how one elementary educator teaches her social studies students to express ideas with clarity and speak persuasively by completing a critical thinking and speaking activity that requires them to draw on the knowledge they just acquired and resolve an issue. Activities include simulating a Senate hearing and creating a talk show. (SM)

A foundation official offers practical advice for making a grant application more appealing. Pointers are given for the preparatory stage (planning a precise request, setting priorities, selecting proposal writers), making the presentation (precision, punctuality, polish), and preventing awkwardness in style and tone of writing. (MSE)

This study investigated four- and six-year-olds' support pursuing the role of positive evidence in the acquisition of the knowledge of lexical features such as the control status of individual verbs. Findings seem to be compatible with a claim that grammatical knowledge is instantaneous. (Contains 24 references.) (Author/LB)

Describes two practices that make the writing of a persuasive essay more manageable for writing students: (1) a game in which students attempt to match a list of logical fallacies with an instance in Max Shulman's "Love Is a Fallacy"; and (2) a graphic arrangement that students can use to organize their ideas on one page before writing.…

Overviews efforts to obtain permission to duplicate or digitize multimedia materials for educational use and lists points useful in the process of permission seeking. These include identifying needs and materials, explaining the extent of distribution, asking for what is needed, establishing a rapport with a content proprietor, and using online…

Discusses the identity-forming power of translation in advertising copy. In the marketing of goods and services across cultural boundaries, an understanding of culture and semiotics that goes well beyond both language and design is involved. Translators must understand marketing, the legal jurisdictions of their market, how cultural differences…

Investigates whether National Debate Tournament debaters are evaluated differently because of gender. Shows that male speakers received more points than females; the effect was more pronounced in the negative when female judges heard female/female teams; and male judges gave higher points to same-sex teams. Encourages all participants to be…

Analyzes the quasi-logical argumentative framework of George Bush's address in which he endeavored to gain compliance and justify his actions at the beginning of the Persian Gulf War. Identifies arguments of comparison and sacrifice within that framework and examines the role of justice in the speech. (TB)