Collins Memorial Library: COMM 344: Rhetorical Theory: Definitional Essay

Assignment

Develop a definition of rhetoric demonstrating your understanding of the concept of rhetoric, its history, and usage. It must be a definition that reflects rhetorical scholarship both ancient and contemporary.

Requirements:

Minimum of five sources, all academic
Choose one of the following style manuals and use it consistently: MLA, Chicago, or APA

Search Primo

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Try these subject search terms in Primo:

Rhetoric

Rhetoric, Ancient

Rhetoric -- Philosophy

Rhetoric -- Political Aspects

Rhetoric -- Religious Aspects

Narration (Rhetoric)

Persuasion (Rhetoric)

E-Journal Collections

These e-journal collections provide access to many journals in the field of Communications Studies, but they are limited in scope and coverage compared to subject databases. In most cases, it's better to search subject databases to identify articles, and then use the Primo Search to access the materials in these e-journal collections.

JSTOR This link opens in a new window
An interdisciplinary journal archive. It includes archives of over one thousand leading academic journals across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, as well as select monographs and other materials valuable for academic work. Includes the Artstor image collections.
Project MUSE This link opens in a new window
Interdisciplinary database includes books and articles from scholarly publishers with focus on humanities and social science.

Subject Databases

Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window
Provides access to research in areas related to communication and mass media.
MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window
The key database for identifying scholarly books, essays, articles, and dissertations on modern literature in all languages. Also covers cultural studies, folklore, film studies, and linguistics.
Philosophers Index This link opens in a new window
Covers scholarly research in all major fields of philosophy. It contains research published since 1940 including journals from many countries with content representing a variety of languages.

Examples of eBooks

Ancient Non-Greek Rhetorics by Carol S. Lipson; Roberta A. Binkley
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2009
African American Rhetoric(s) by Elaine B. Richardson; Ronald L. Jackson
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2007
African American Rhetoric(s): Interdisciplinary Perspectives is an introduction to fundamental concepts and a systematic integration of historical and contemporary lines of inquiry in the study of African American rhetorics.
Encyclopedia of Rhetoric by Thomas O. Sloane (Editor)
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2006
The Encyclopedia of Rhetoric is a comprehensive survey of the latest research--as well as the foundational teachings--in this broad field. Featuring 150 original, signed articles by leading scholars from many different fields of study it brings together knowledge from classics, philosophy, literature, literary theory, cultural studies, speech and communications.
Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition by Theresa Enos (Editor)
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2010
This reference guide surveys the field, covering rhetoric's principles, concepts, applications, practical tools, and major thinkers. Drawing on the scholarship and expertise of 288 contributors, the Encyclopedia presents a long-needed overview of rhetoric and its role in contemporary education and communications.
The SAGE Handbook of Rhetorical Studies by Andrea A. Lunsford (Editor); Kirt H. Wilson (Editor); Rosa A. Eberly (Editor)
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2008
This handbook brings together top scholars and researchers from across the disciplines who are doing work in rhetorical studies. The Handbook addresses and explores fundamental issues and pivotal questions about the role of rhetoric in history and in today's society. The international list of contributors contains scholars from composition, speech communication, English, philosophy, education, sociology, African-American studies, and so forth. The Handbook is divided into six sections: History; Theory/Concepts; Pedagogy; Dimensions of Rhetoric Practice; Analysis of Criticism; New Directions.
Trust in Texts by Susan Miller
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9780809327881
Publication Date: 2007-11-20
Trust in Texts: A Different History of Rhetoric challenges the accepted idea of a singular rhetorical tradition poorly maintained from the Athenian Golden Age until the present. Author Susan Miller argues that oratorical rhetoric is but one among many codes that guide the production of texts and proposes that emotion and trust are central to the motives and effects of rhetoric. This groundbreaking volume makes a case for historical rhetoric as disbursed, formal and informal lessons in persuasion that are codified as crafts that mediate between what is known and unknown in particular rhetorical situations.
Sourcebook on Rhetoric by James Jasinski
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9780761905042
Publication Date: 2001-07-19
This book is designed to introduce readers to the language of contemporary rhetorical studies. The book format is an alphabetized glossary (with appropriate cross listings) of key terms and concepts in contemporary rhetorical studies. An introductory chapter outlines the definitional ambiguities of the central concept of rhetoric itself. The primary emphasis is on the contemporary tradition of rhetorical studies as it has emerged in the discipline of speech communication. Each entry in the glossary ranges in length from a few paragraphs to a short essay of a few pages. Where appropriate, examples are provided to further illustrate the term or concept. Each entry will be accompanied by a list of references and additional readings to direct the reader to other materials of possible interest.
What Is the New Rhetoric? by Susan E. Thomas
Call Number: ebook
Publication Date: 2007
The Age of Information has spawned a critical focus on human communication in a multimedia world, particularly on theories and practices of writing. With the worldwide web impacting increasingly on academic and business communication, the need has never been greater for advanced study in writing, communication, and critical thinking across all genres, sectors, and cultures.In recent decades, the definitions of 'new rhetoric' have expanded to encompass a variety of theories and movements, raising the question of how rhetoric is understood and employed in the twenty-first century.