This article examines the communication barriers and relationships between hearing and non-hearing college students in a classroom setting. Twelve college students, six female and six males, between 18 and 22 years of age took part in this ethnographic study during a sixteen week course in public speaking, conducted at the University of Colorado,…

This research project examines students' reactions to in-class discussion as an instructional technique by investigating the effect of participation practices on communication-based skill development. The findings provide evidence that active preparation and participation in class discussion can be linked to students' reports of improved oral and…

Understanding communication (of which individual events is a part) requires a triangle among theory-practice-criticism, and any missing component dramatically hinders understanding and ability. Students compete in, and judges judge, forensics to better enhance communication understanding and abilities. The process of oral interpretation requires a…

Designed for educators interested in resources on theory and practice in public speaking, this annotated bibliography presents only comprehensive treatments of the art and its background. The majority of the 40 items in the annotated bibliography are textbooks that have gone through more than one edition, attesting to their value as teaching aids…

The use of questions in oral interpretation may offer a number of opportunities for moving forensics away from the performance paradigm. As competition in all interpretation events begins to sound the same, judges are left with only one criteria for judging--performance. While this may be considered an important criteria, it limits the educational…

The topic of mentoring is one which has drawn renewed interest in the forensic community. Mentoring does exist in forensic coaching. A mentor can be seen both as one who makes a map for the protege and as a guide more interested in developing the traveler than fixing the road. Experienced coaches tend to see themselves and their mentors as trusted…

Speech communication instructors must think through the consequences of adopting a pedagogy of empowerment before they leap into the classroom with a handy packet of reading and pre-packaged activities. Schools are contested spheres and the struggle over what forms of authority and types of knowledge should be legitimated and transmitted to…

Noting that the skill of debate is essential in a free democratic society, this paper presents a rationale for the use of judging philosophy statements at all intercollegiate debate tournaments. The paper considers: the role of the debate critic; discussion of judging philosophy statements; and advantages to be gained through the use of…

Noting that the use and utility of judging philosophy statements have long been a contested issue in intercollegiate debate, this paper examines the rationale for using philosophy statements, discusses the effectiveness of philosophy statements, and advocates the use of such statements at Pi Kappa Delta's National Tournament. The paper notes that…

Many of the American Debate Association (ADA) rules merely codify conventions which are almost universally practiced in ADA tournaments. Among them are such standards as who is eligible to debate and judge, what shall be debated and for how long, and restrictions on ballot submissions. Other rules come under the general heading of "which…

Focusing on oral communication and presentational speaking, this 34-item annotated bibliography contains sources of information that are primarily concerned with communicating in contemporary business and professional settings. The bibliography is divided into four sections: presentational, general, organizational communication, and miscellaneous.…

A study investigated whether positive response to humor in a speech would enhance audience evaluation of the speech/speaker. A short informative speech on "listening" which included nine relevant jokes was audio tape-recorded in two versions, one in which each joke was punctuated by laughter, and one in which a stony silence greeted each…

A study explored the applicability of emotion theory as a paradigm for explaining the effect of speaker delivery upon credibility and listener comprehension. Subjects were 60 undergraduate students from a large southeastern university. One group of subjects heard a speaker deliver an informative speech with varied delivery. A second group of…

From their inception in 1856, the ultimate purpose of national political conventions and also the speechmaking at the conventions, have undergone significant changes. The role of the keynoter is gradually becoming more clearly defined by the dictates of tradition and precedent. Whereas the earliest keynoters were relatively free to discuss…

Aristotle's "Rhetoric" is divided into three books which describe the stages of preparing a public address. Book One establishes the philosophical position of rhetoric to logic. It also establishes four purposes of rhetoric and discusses three types of proof. Aristotle defines rhetoric as a faculty for providing two modes of…