Contradictions between American ideal and practice are examined in so far as they are reflected in our rhetoric, especially the polarization factor in radical rhetorical terms like racist" and other moralizing usages. (AF)

Reveals that a speaker's "dynamism alone is not apt to change a listener's attitudes toward his subject, though a dynamic presentation does operate "as an additive component of credibility." (Author/RD)

Describes an exercise to help students prepare for emergencies that arise in public speaking situations. (PD)

Describes a speech assignment in which students describe a geometric figure well enough so that listeners can then draw the figure. Exercise is based on philosophy of teaching and learning in W. Timothy Gallwey's "The Inner Game of Tennis." (PD)

Presents evidence of a positive relationship between self-perceived anxiety and hand-arm tremor for both male and female subjects. Results indicate that trembling may be a useful variable for inclusion in multimethod approaches to studying speech anxiety. (JMF)

Investigates the effects of the rhetorical use of deliberate vagueness on the audience's recall and agreement. Results indicate that recall was significantly worse when disagreeable issues were vaguely stated instead of clearly stated, and that vague messages produced more agreement than clearly stated messages. (PD)

Comments on the main features of a course in the history of public address as it has developed; characterizes the outlook toward speeches and speechmaking that has been engendered as a result; and offers a rationale for the continued inclusion of this course in the contemporary speech communication curriculum. (JMF)

Presents an annotated bibliography of 33 items in the ERIC system on the subject of academic debate and forensics. Items surveyed cover the period 1970 to 1979 and reveal content and progression of thought. (JMF)

Compares presidential inaugural addresses before and after 1932 in terms of rhetorical style and substance. Presents the stylistic response of the latter group to a new rhetorical situation characterized by audience heterogeneity and the need for ritualistic unity. (JMF)

Examines the role of parliamentary debate in the demise of the friendship between Fox and Burke over the issue of the French Revolution and English domestic reform. Investigates the drawing out of Fox's position and the polarization of opinion in Commons by Burke's rhetorical destruction of traditional Whig principles. (JMF)

Directed toward those who serve as workshop speakers, leaders, sponsors, or organizers, this article presents seven rules for workshop planning under the headings Defensive Maneuvers against Host Inadequacies, Other Host Errors, and Self-Defensive Maneuvers for Hosts. Twelve additional suggestions cover workshop small group effectiveness and…

Explores the diverse forms and motives of the conversational frame in public address. Argues that, by framing their remarks and transactions with their listeners as conversational, orators may attempt to reconstruct or seem to reconstruct speaker-audience relationships and to position themselves and their audiences within networks of reciprocal…

The use of presentation media with effective design strategies will increase the attention span of the audience and add spice to classroom and business strategies. (Author)