Designed to be useful in the preparation of a research proposal, a culmination report of completed research, a thesis or a dissertation, this paper discusses each chapter of these various reports and offers samples of what is typically included under each subheading. Sections of the paper address the "problem" (including problem…

This book emphasizes the role of critical thinking and reading skills in the development of persuasive writing. The book also introduces several different methods to teach argument (for example, those of Aristotle, Stephen Toulmin, and Carl Rogers) as a way of giving students the freedom to find the systems that work best for them and to find ways…

A study examined the effectiveness of the Children's Television Act of 1990 in altering the marketplace for informational and educational children's programming on commercial broadcast television. Producers and distributors of nationally available series that commercial broadcasters were using in 1993 to meet the requirements of the Act were…

Zitkala-Sa, a 19th century Native American woman who won second place in an 1896 Midwestern oratorical contest, resembles many students who daily cross borders--geographical, economic, linguistic, and cultural--balancing on a tightrope of assured losses and uncertain gains. Known as Gertrude Simmons before and Gertrude Bonnin after her marriage,…

A stylistic device that has been used by many authors over the years is to alternate the point of view between two or more characters. Authors of young adult novels choose this technique of multiple narrative voices for a variety of reasons. Multiple voices offer a challenge to many young adult readers because the point of view is much more…

This paper examines the origins of "dissoi logoi" (or twofold arguments) as a sophistic concept and pedagogical practice. A rationale is offered to explain why "dissoi logoi" should be adopted as a conceptual base for teaching invention in contemporary public speaking courses. Aristotelian and Protagorean perspectives on…

A study examined three eulogies offered by Adlai Stevenson upon the deaths of important public figures (Eleanor Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Sir Winston Churchill), in order to determine how each address fulfilled the purposes of this unique rhetorical genre. Each eulogy was examined with the purposes of eulogistic speaking in mind: (1) to…

This paper provides a selected review of the literature pertaining to corporate advocacy (non-product advertising by corporations, addressing political or social issues). More specifically, the paper examines research from the communication, business, public relations, and advertising literature dealing with justifications for the practice of…

A writing exchange project at Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College in Vermont, funded by Apple Education Foundation and McDonnell Douglas, examined what happened when high school students use word processors and a modem to write to distant audiences. In the first exchange, students interviewed each other in pairs and wrote short…

The desire for consistent judging criteria is essential to the learning process of forensics students. When evaluating the After Dinner Speaking (ADS) judges need to focus on a variety of criteria. Some of these criteria transcend event descriptions while others are indigenous primarily to ADS. The topic chosen for the event should demonstrate…

Suggests that expressive writing is important in the freshman writing course because of the motivation the writer's feelings and memories can offer. Outlines a unit on journal writing, including a cohesive series of both private and shared journal writing activities. (ARH)

This resource book seeks to provide the building blocks needed for public speaking while eliminating the fear factor. The book explains how educators can perfect their oratorical capabilities as well as enjoy the security, confidence, and support needed to create and deliver dynamic speeches. Following an Introduction: A Message for Teachers,…

Individuals mostly write texts which are directed to other persons, the readers. Even though individuals cannot rely on immediate reactions, as in spoken dialogue, they are nevertheless able to communicate successfully with them. A writing experiment focused on the role of the addressee in the writing process. Writers grouped in pairs were asked…

One of the questions an author/illustrator of picture books is often asked is: "Who do you write and illustrate for?" This paper asserts that the most successful creations are those produced without too much concern for how they will be received, or by whom. They do not set out to appeal to a predefined audience, they build one for…

A speech in response to an individual's death is by nature a recurring form of rhetoric. Based on audience expectations and needs, certain generic aspects have emerged to characterize eulogies. The funeral oration has generally been recognized as a form of epideictic rhetoric. Modern scholars have generally broadly defined epideictic rhetoric to…