Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

“It’S All Fun And Games Until Someone Loses An Eye (-Test): On The Presence And Consequences Of An Argument Scheme That Re-Works Our Notions Of Evidence And Support”, Matthew P. Brigham

Studies in Debate and Oratory

This essay explores an argument scheme commonly employed in sport communication, the “Eye Test,” which claims that a good faith watching of two teams or athletes, for instance, provides its own evidence as to which is superior. A distinction is drawn between a weak version of the argument, the earned eye test, and the strong version, the universal eye test. Focusing on the latter, which does not rely on expertise but claims that any individual should be able to see the proof of the argument, the essay explores a range of everyday and public sphere arguments that operate …

Truth Will Out: Combating The Rhetoric Of Modern Conspiracy Theory, Seth Kelley

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

This essay explores modern conspiracy theories’ relationship to hatred and ignorance, and how specious ideas do not hold up to classical rhetorical analysis. It posits reasons why power embraces conspiracies that it has traditionally rejected and explains power and conspiracy theory’s symbiotic relationship in the age of misinformation. It champions rhetoric as the best tool to combat conspiracy theories.

Thesis: In order to effectively combat conspiracy theory’s undermining of human progress, we must hold conspiracists accountable for spreading dangerous lies, directly teach formal rhetoric in all public schools (and how to spot specious content), effectively foster multicultural respect and appreciation, …

Verbal Aggressiveness And Argumentativeness In College Forensics Students, Ben Walker

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Roth (2017) found competitive parliamentary debate participants score lower in verbal aggressiveness than those who have not competed in parliamentary debate. While there is some research regarding verbal aggressiveness in academic debate, there is not much in terms of individual events. This study examines verbal aggressiveness and argumentativeness in both debate and individual event college students. Results indicate debate students to have higher levels of verbal aggressiveness than IE students when trying to influence students not in forensics. Male students scored higher on verbal aggressiveness as did seniors. Conclusions about college forensics are drawn and suggestions are made for future …

Communication Monographs Fall 2025 Newsletter, Shannon Burth, Srividya Ramasubramanian

CODE^SHIFT Research

No abstract provided.

Zine Labs As Centers For Public Interest Communication Design, Mina Bikmohammadi, Abigail Boafo, Ryan Cheek, Rachel M. Schneider, Carleigh J. Davis, Erin Clark

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper introduces Zine Labs (ZLabs) as centers for public-interest communication design that treat as practices that foreground making, collaboration, and community knowledge. Launched in 2024 with multi-institutional support, the project established parallel ZLabs that partner with local artists, libraries, and community groups to run pop-up, hands-on events in flexible, welcoming spaces. We show how ZLabs prioritize process over product, negotiate privacy and anonymity alongside inclusion. We also resist top-down branding so community identities can lead. We report classroom applications, courses in AI, information design, and public writing, where students used zines to connect questions of technology, access, and ethics …

Call For Editor, Volumes 39-41 (2027-2029), Angela M. Hosek

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Call For Manuscripts For Volume 38, Angela M. Hosek, Elina Nikolskaya

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Forum Response — Beyond Gatekeeping: Narratives And Infrastructures For Inclusive Foundational Courses, Sergio Fernando Juárez, Ana Isabel Terminel Iberri

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Connection Over Convention: Promoting Collaboration Between Communication Centers And Foundational Communication Courses To Support Student Diversity And Inclusive Practices, Laura Stengrim, Miranda N. Rouse, Elizabeth Reeves O'Connor

Basic Communication Course Annual

Foundational communication courses and communication centers have the opportunity to work in tandem to better help students. Communication centers serve as a hub for students to receive help with their oral communication skills, serving students enrolled in foundational communication courses and across disciplines. As foundational communication course instructors and administrators adjust to changing student demographics and expectations, communication centers can take the lead in promoting inclusive practices by providing resources, professional development, and guidance to instructors, students, and the wider academic community, thus letting go of traditional approaches to promote more innovative practices that stem from collaboration between communication courses …

Using Public Narrative In The Basic Course, Jenifer Goblish, Mark Fokken, Ben Walker

Basic Communication Course Annual

Higher education is rapidly changing and in order to survive instructors need to meet students where they are; this means rethinking and challenging some of the traditional approaches to public speaking in the Basic Communication Course (BCC). This essay outlines how the authors implemented a new assignment in their BCC based on Marshall Ganz’s concept of the Public Narrative. The authors explain their approach and review the benefits and challenges of implementing the Public Narrative into their BCC.

Reimagining The Basic Course: Integrating Asian And African Storytelling Traditions In Public Speaking Pedagogy, Dious Joseph

Basic Communication Course Annual

Public speaking courses often reflect Eurocentric rhetorical traditions, focusing on argumentation, logic, and individual presentation styles. This essay proposes a redesign of public speaking curriculum by incorporating storytelling traditions from Asian and African cultures. These traditions emphasize communal narratives, moral lessons, and audience engagement through relatable stories, offering a richer, more inclusive approach. The essay contrasts the communal and narrative-focused traditions of Asian and African storytelling with Western argumentation and rhetoric. It advocates for integrating these storytelling techniques into public speaking courses to make them more representative of global perspectives, benefiting both international and domestic students. Such integration would prevent …

Is Seeing Believing? Comparing Students’ Mediated Social Learning About Public Speaking Anxiety Using Audio-Only Or Audio-Visual Instruction, Peter B. Gregg

Basic Communication Course Annual

This study examines how mediated instruction affects public speaking anxiety (PSA), self-efficacy, and motivation. Grounded in social cognitive and multimedia learning theories, 137 students viewed or listened to a brief lecture on PSA control. Results showed significant improvements in self-efficacy, reduced PSA, and increased motivation, with no significant differences between audio-only and audio-video formats. These findings suggest that audio-only instruction can be as effective as video-based content, offering an accessible alternative for diverse learners. The study highlights the value of brief, mediated interventions for improving public speaking outcomes in both traditional and online learning environments.

Reimagining "Public Speaking" Projects: A Creative And Inclusive Experience, R. Brandon Anderson, Jennifer A. Butler

Basic Communication Course Annual

This article advocates for an inclusive approach to public speaking instruction by incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL). We describe an alternative assignment—“Telling Your Story”—that emphasizes narrative and multimodal expression through a gallery walk format. Designed to support neurodivergent students while benefiting all learners, the assignment reframes traditional speech models and offers a flexible, creative way to enhance public speaking skills. We argue that inclusive design should be viewed as pedagogical best practice, not merely accommodation.

Basic Course Forum Introduction, Angela M. Hosek

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Feeling At Home In The Basic Communication Course: A Qualitative Case Study Of Faculty And Student Perceptions Of A Connected Classroom Climate At One Midwestern University, Cynthia Grobmeier

Basic Communication Course Annual

The concept of a connected classroom climate considers that peer-to-peer interaction, not just instructor-student interaction, contributes to a sense of community in the classroom that can impact student outcomes. This qualitative case study considers both student and instructor perceptions of what contributes to that sense of connection in the classroom at a mid-size, four-year, Hispanic-serving university. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and member checks with students and instructors who engaged in the first-year basic communication course during the Spring 2022 semester. Four themes emerged in this study: a) the communication classroom is uniquely positioned to create a sense of …

Speech Delivery Versus Speech Content: How Do Non-Expert Audiences Assess Public Speeches?, David G. Levasseur, Elizabeth A. Munz

Basic Communication Course Annual

Public speaking classes should ideally produce students whose speeches are favorably received by an audience. Unfortunately, we actually know very little about how non-expert audiences assess such speeches. Given this information gap, the present study asked untrained public speakers to watch and rate a variety of speeches. Participants were also asked to provide qualitative comments to justify their speech ratings. These qualitative comments were content analyzed, and the content analysis results revealed that participants’ evaluative observations: (1) focused much more on speech delivery than on speech content; (2) referenced specific nonverbal channels (e.g. eye contact) more than combined nonverbal clusters …

“I Did Not Come Back The Same”: Implications Of A Study Abroad Basic Communication Course, Kristen L. Farris, Andrea Avila, Lauren Green, Michael Burns, Marian L. Houser

Basic Communication Course Annual

The goal of this case study was to explore students’ experiences in a study abroad program of the basic communication course. Thirty-six students enrolled in a study abroad program in the summer of 2023 participated in focus groups tasked to understand more about students’ challenges and learning outcomes. Results from our study suggest students’ significant takeaways from the study abroad experience were their personal growth through improved communication skills and cultural appreciation via expanded worldviews. The findings also suggest these students experienced challenges including language barriers and nonverbal behavioral differences as well as initial negative expectations of intercultural interactions. However, …

From Public Speaking To Multimodal Communication: A Reevaluation Of The Basic Communication Course, Stephanie Medden, Brian Myers, Kristin Roberts-Raymond, Maik Stanitzke

Basic Communication Course Annual

This article contributes to ongoing discussions regarding the evolution of the basic communication course. The authors detail the multi-year process of redesigning their institution's basic communication course, now centered on multimodal communication, and share insights from its implementation. Emphasizing the need to respond to increased cultural and linguistic diversity, a high prevalence of speaking anxiety, and the need to development multimodal communication competencies, the course redesign underscores the necessity for communication educators to adapt proactively to changing cultural, educational, and professional landscapes. Drawing from data collected through faculty and student surveys and focus groups, the authors highlight how incorporating linguistic …

Editor's Page, Angela M. Hosek

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Cover And Front Matter, Volume 37

Basic Communication Course Annual

Cover, editorial board, table of contents

"That’S Not A Meal, Bestie”: Humor, Identity, & Feminized Consumption In “Girl Dinner”., Claire Tudor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the viral “Girl Dinner” trend as a case study in how gendered consumption, digital identity, and feminist humor intersect in digital spaces. Using “Girl Dinner” as a rhetorical artifact, this thesis explores how women use gendered trends to navigate visibility, labor, and autonomy in online spaces. Through thematic analysis of TikTok content, media coverage, and branded adaptations, the research traces the evolution of the trend from a lighthearted joke to a site of cultural negotiation. This study reveals that while “Girl Dinner” may appear empowering and relatable on the surface, it often reinforces traditional gender expectations under …

Rhetorical Analysis Of Kristen Bell's Articulation Of Imperfect Motherhood On Armchair Expert., Sarah J. Neff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how Kristen Bell’s articulation of imperfect motherhood, as heard on the popular podcast Armchair Expert, contributes to broader social discourses surrounding motherhood, empowering some mothers while inadvertently constraining others. Using rhetorical analysis grounded in Goffman’s dramaturgical approach, facework theory, and McGee’s theory of fragments, this study explores Bell’s discourse and performance of motherhood within the podcast medium. The podcasting medium provides a rich source for rhetorical analysis due to the long form interview content, and emotionally nuanced content, leading to a stronger connection with the audience. This is evident with the new headlines that follow Bell’s appearance …

Critical Communication Pedagogy At The End Of The World, Tyler S. Rife

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

This essay draws upon my experiences teaching the undergraduate course, “Communication at the End of the World,” to argue for an approach to critical communication pedagogy (CCP) contextualized by and reflexively responsive to planetary-scale ecological crises. I outline how five commitments have come to guide my classroom’s explorations through our topic of “end-times” communication: (1) Anthropocentrism and speciesism participate in the maintenance of social hierarchy; (2) environmental justice and social justice are intimately entangled projects; (3) ecological crisis is (re)made concrete, embodied, proximal, and implicative; (4) critique of language involves critique of humanism and humanist historicization; and, (5) ecologically just …

Persuasion And Critical Art Analysis: A New Approach To Student-Led Collaboration In A Communication Classroom, Melissa Cheng, Emma Mink

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Communication Monographs Spring 2025 Newsletter, Shannon Burth, Srivi Ramasubramanian

CODE^SHIFT Research

No abstract provided.

Analyzing Florida’S Lgbtqia+ Censorship Laws And Their Anti-Democratic Attack On Education, Peyton Sibert

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

The past four years (2021-2024) have seen an increase in academic censorship laws and anti-LGTBQIA+ rhetoric across the United States. Florida, specifically, has established itself as a leader in discriminatory legislation. In this paper, the author analyzes four Florida laws: HB 1557, HB 1069, HB 7, and SB 266, along with the rise in book bans to consider both the pedagogical effects and negative impacts on the LGBTQIA+ community. These analyses will be juxtaposed with extant political rhetoric around these laws to expose a) the intent of the law b) the contradictions within and across laws and thereby c) the …

Representation Of African Countries And Sino-Africa Relations In Chinese Newspapers, Zheng Zhu

Publications and Research

China’s neocolonialist expansion and domination in African continent has been well documented and extensively studied by scholars across various fields and disciplines. But what these studies didn’t pay attention to, or what they failed to pay enough attention to, was the ways this type of neo-colonialist exploitation was legitimated and justified by the powerful media outlets that support the Chinese government and have strong impact on public perceptions of the domestic and global situations. This research project aims to fill that gap by examining three Chinese newspapers’ coverage of African countries and their complex business relations with the Chinese government. …

Becoming A Beloved Community: A Restorative Reckoning For A Radical Conversion To Transform Discourse In Higher Education, Latasha Tomay Varlack-Butler

Dissertations

This dissertation critically examines the misappropriation of Restorative Justice Discourse (RJD) within three predominantly white institutions (PWIs), analyzing 59 institutional documents through Critical Discourse Analysis, Relational Critical Discourse Analysis, and Rhetorical Criticism (Fairclough, 1995; Vaandering, 2021; van Dijk, 2008). Tribal Colleges and Universities and South African institutions have emerged as exemplars of authentic RJD, countering co-optation within PWIs. The findings demonstrate that RJD as applied in PWIs is framed in ways that attenuate its transformative potential, perpetuating color-evasiveness (Bonilla-Silva, 2017) and obscuring the intersectional experiences of Black, Indigenous, and disabled communities (Crenshaw, 1991; Million, 2009).

Grounded in decolonial praxis (Smith, …

Rhetoric Of Soft Power And Public Diplomacy A Case Study Of Saudi Arabia, Sihmy Algamedi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soft power is the capacity to exert influence over the actions of others in order to accomplish one's goals. It refers to the ability to influence others without seeking any tangible benefits. Soft power emanates from a country's cultural, political beliefs, and foreign policies. Soft power refers to the capacity to achieve desired outcomes using methods that involve shaping the agenda, employing persuasion, and generating positive appeal (Alkatheeri, and Khan 26). In order for this endeavor to achieve success, the concept of legitimacy plays a pivotal role in the effectiveness of soft power. Public diplomacy is a component of foreign …

Confronting The Postcolonial Condition: A Study On The Blesser-Blessee Phenomenon In South Africa, Thandwa Maphalala

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Age-disparate relationships are causing a public health threat in South Africa and the region at large. However, these relationships and their effects are not unique to South Africa. There has been substantial research conducted to explore the social, cultural or economic meaning of this relationship type, its causes and effects in sub-Saharan Africa or in the interest of individual countries in the region. However, South Africa presents a special case for further study because the older men that adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) date and have sex with are commonly referred to as blessers.

The purpose of this …