The most common criticism of CEDA (Cross Examination Debate Association) debate tournaments voiced by coaches and students alike centers on the quality of judging. If the debater is completely unaware of the qualifications or credentials of the critic, he or she will be unable to fulfill the judge's expectations. Debates are then lost not on…

Rhetorical movement theory suggests two portrayals of social movements: the establishment conflict, or radical innovational portrayal, and the innovational, in which the movement is seen as upholding traditional values while suggesting institutional modifications or additions. A third portrayal, the competitive, lies on the midpoint on a continuum…

An examination of Albert Camus' definition of the actor in "The Myth on Sisyphus" helps to illuminate the character and role of The Player in Tom Stoppard's play and, hence, to bring light to an understanding of the philosophy of the play itself. The actor, for Camus, reveals our mortality in the face of the absurdity of our mortality,…

The premise of this paper is that a rhetorical analysis of Lenny Bruce's invective will help in understanding the cultural impact that he has had on twentieth century America. In evaluating his rhetoric in relationship to the audience to which he was preaching, both his rejection and acceptance are found to flow from the same point--an image of…

The focus of this paper is on Michael Polanyi, a contemporary scientist and philosopher, and on some general features which are embedded in rhetorical theory's traditional bases and contemporary manifestations and which are seen from Polanyi's vantage point. The author discusses the basic features which undergird rhetorical theories and are…

This paper describes Rod McKuen's theories of poetic composition, arguing that McKuen appeals to the anti-intellectual, blindly sentimental capacities of the American public. A comparison of McKuen's work with the work of such poets as James Dickey, Robert Lowell, and Theodore Roethke is outlined in order to demonstrate to students the superficial…

For at least three reasons, university English faculties should reassess their attitudes toward children's literature, a field of vital importance in children's education. First, specialists in children's literature are sorely needed in English departments, where courses on the subject properly belong (rather than in colleges of education).…

Qualitative studies can be approached through a method analogous to semiotic analysis. In order to avoid arbitrary assessments, news reportage should be subjected to an analysis that will reveal the various logical and technological, mythic and modal structures reflected in the message system. Humanistic inquiry can borrow from structural models…

The rhetorical technique of Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second Sex" is discussed and analyzed as one source of its impact on the women's movement. De Beauvoir's existentialist philosophy is seen as the most significant factor both in her perception of the world and in the rhetorical style adopted in the book. This includes both a…

This essay identifies and illustrates a number of significant features that, in combination, make literary biography a distinct and recognizable genre. Among these are considerations of the various aspects of the composition of literary works, such as sources of inspiration, authors' motives and methods in transforming life into art, and…

Contends that contemporary reading of "topos" is inherently metaphorical, having at its root a "place" metaphor with important ontological overtones. Indicates an imbalance by comparing two ways of interpreting the "place" metaphor, and the consequences for critics. (JK)

Describes experiences as a children's book critic and as editor of the annual "Children's Books of the Year" for the National Book League. (FL)

This study investigated the effectiveness of an approach to teaching an advanced research class by comparing students' test scores on a test of research fundamentals before and after the course. The classes that were the focus of the study were offered in 2001 and 2002 by the same instructor. Both sections incorporated article critiques (based on…

The project of which this paper is a part consists of three steps. The first step (an American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference 2000 paper subtitled "Clearing the Terrain") provided a critical overview of current debates on moral development and education, focusing on the relationship between empirical and theoretical…

Originally delivered as a speech to the American Educational Research Association, this article continues the debate over whether the field of curriculum is first, dead, and second, actually a field. (MLF)