Contrastive rhetoric studies the writing of second language learners to understand how it is affected by their first language and culture. The field of contrastive rhetoric is as multidimensional as second language writing is complex. It draws on the work of contrastive analysis, anthropology, linguistics, pedagogy, culture studies, translation studies, intercultural communication, and, of course, rhetoric and composition studies. Research in the field of contrastive rhetoric began in 1966 when Robert Kaplan, an applied linguist, wrote the seminal article "Cultural Thought Patterns in Intercultural Education." This hands-on article advocates teaching form to English as a Second Language (ESL) students through the use of contrastive rhetoric, demonstrates how students apply L1 and L2 forms, and offers suggestions for the classroom.