Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

Front Matter, Nfa Journal

National Forensic Journal

No abstract provided.

Abuse Of Evidence In Persuasive Speaking: An Un-Conventional Solution, Amy Mendes

National Forensic Journal

Scholars in the forensics community have been lamenting the misuse and abuse of evidence in forensics competition for decades. Beginning with Frank’s 1983 discussion of evidentiary abuse in Persuasive speaking, authors have offered possible solutions to end the problem. However, as the ongoing focus might suggest, these solutions have not had the intended effect. In this paper, we continue the investigation into evidence use in Persuasive speaking by repeating Frank’s original study but offer an unusual solution that may finally effectively address the problem.

“Do You Know Why That’S Funny?” Connecting The Scholarship Of Humor To The Practice Of After-Dinner Speaking, Adam J. Sharples

National Forensic Journal

Forensic educators have a unique opportunity to connect students with centuries of scholarship, yet it remains unclear how coaches utilize communication research to aid students in constructing events. This article questions how studies of humor can enhance connections between the forensic student and the broader field of research. Through applying theories of humor to the practice of After- Dinner Speaking (ADS), this paper indicates studies of humor in classical and contemporary scholarship provide useful frameworks in the construction of ADS, and offers suggestions for making more explicit connections between theory, pedagogy, and practice.

Reimagining Metaphor In Rhetorical Criticism, R. Kyle Kellam

National Forensic Journal

This paper seeks to open a discussion about language use in rhetorical criticism. Analyzing the 2011 final round of rhetorical criticism at the NFA national tournament, the essay argues that competitors should reimagine the social scientific metaphors in contest rhetorical criticism that invite outdated, instrumental models of rhetorical criticism. Instead, an alternative vocabulary that constructs contest rhetorical criticism as a student-centered interpretive performance focused on discursive dynamics is proposed.

Transformative Engagement In Deliberative Democracies: Exploring A Framework For Engagement Using A Creative, Braided Approach, Janell C. Walther

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Policymakers, scientists, academics, and organizational leaders have long been interested in the best way to engage, persuade, and educate stakeholders, no matter the topic (e.g., Mazer, 2013; Bell et al, 2013). While exploration of information dissemination and presentation is growing (Jones, 2013; Gutkind, 2005), particularly within highly mediatized networked societies (Castells, 2008), the necessity for engaging, persuading, and educating citizens in the public sphere through diverse approaches is increasingly obvious. In particular, it is important and relevant to creatively engage stakeholders and decision-makers in an interactive dialogue to allow for fuller understanding about complex topics, especially in the realm of …

A Federalist George W. Bush And An Anti-Federalist Barack Obama? The Irony And Paradoxes Behind Republican And Democratic Administration Drug Policies, José Villalobos

Selected Works Temporary Series

During President George W. Bush’s tenure in the White House, his administration stood clearly against state-level efforts in California and elsewhere to decriminalize soft drugs. Despite his loyalty to smaller government values and state sovereignty on other issues, the prospect of state-level drug decriminalization led Bush to pursue federal means of enforcing anti-drug laws. Years later, President Barack Obama, though known for his reputation as a federalist, shifted power over drug policy enforcement more towards the state level as a means to allow certain states to enact drug decriminalization policies at their will, particularly with respect to medicinal marijuana. The …

Agency Input As A Policy Making Tool: Analyzing The Influence Of Agency Input On Presidential Policy Success In Congress, José Villalobos

Selected Works Temporary Series

This study posits a theoretical framework for understanding the role and value of agency input in presidential legislative policy making. I assert that by employing agency input for policy development, presidents instill their proposals with a degree of bureaucratic objectivity, expertise, process transparency, and agency support, which aids their legislative passage while lowering the extent of changes made to policy substance in the process. To test my hypotheses, I conduct binary and ordered logistic regression analyses using pooled cross-sectional data across twelve administrations from 1949-2010. I find that agency input serves as a key component for increased presidential legislative success.

Agency Input As A Policy Making Tool: Analyzing The Influence Of Agency Input On Presidential Policy Success In Congress, José Villalobos

Departmental Papers (PS)

This study posits a theoretical framework for understanding the role and value of agency input in presidential legislative policy making. I assert that by employing agency input for policy development, presidents instill their proposals with a degree of bureaucratic objectivity, expertise, process transparency, and agency support, which aids their legislative passage while lowering the extent of changes made to policy substance in the process. To test my hypotheses, I conduct binary and ordered logistic regression analyses using pooled cross-sectional data across twelve administrations from 1949-2010. I find that agency input serves as a key component for increased presidential legislative success.

A Federalist George W. Bush And An Anti-Federalist Barack Obama? The Irony And Paradoxes Behind Republican And Democratic Administration Drug Policies, José Villalobos

Departmental Papers (PS)

During President George W. Bush’s tenure in the White House, his administration stood clearly against state-level efforts in California and elsewhere to decriminalize soft drugs. Despite his loyalty to smaller government values and state sovereignty on other issues, the prospect of state-level drug decriminalization led Bush to pursue federal means of enforcing anti-drug laws. Years later, President Barack Obama, though known for his reputation as a federalist, shifted power over drug policy enforcement more towards the state level as a means to allow certain states to enact drug decriminalization policies at their will, particularly with respect to medicinal marijuana. The …

Conversations With Inanimate Objects: A Mortuary Analysis Of Oakland-Fraternal Cemeteries In Little Rock, Arkansas., Jeff L. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

From 2012-2013 a mortuary analysis of Oakland-Fraternal cemeteries in Little Rock, Arkansas was conducted for this thesis. Evidence that this cemetery serves as a cultural database for the city of Little Rock and that resources like this should be preserved as Cultural Resource Management projects are presented in an interdisciplinary approach to mortuary analysis combining the disciplines of Anthropology and Rhetoric. Analysis of iconography found on grave markers was conducted employing Robert E. Horn's visual rhetoric theories and methodologies. Kenneth Burke's Dramatic Pentad was also employed as a tool for measuring the motivations behind the authorship of grave markers. Issues …

Military & Media: A Close Contexual Analysis Of Moveon.Org's Controversial Attack Ad Of General David Petraeus, Joseph Jordan Vignolo

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Amanda Knox And Bella Figura, Denise Scannell Guida

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Elm In The Courtroom: Application To Trial Juries, Natalie Claire Hopkins

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Jackie Robinson: Impact The Game, Evan W. Busby

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

"Bridesmaids": A Modern Response To Patriarchy, Blair Buckley

Communication Studies

This senior project analyzes the rhetorical means by which the movie "Bridesmaids" rejects yet also heeds to patriarchal standards. In this paper I examine the film by performing a feminist critique, also employing elements of ideological criticism.

The Reality Of Fiction: A Textual Analysis Of Verisimilitude In The Appeal, Stephanie M. Taft

Communication Studies

This project assesses the verisimilitude and plausibility of John Grisham's novel, The Appeal. While labeled as a fiction work, I argue that his book should resonate with readers and be taken seriously as it mirrors American culture. It speaks back to America's government, judicial and legal systems. I invoke statistics and a prominent law case that show why Grisham's book is not completely fictitious in any regard. The novel is highly applicable to society today, as corporate scandals and corruption seem to always surface. I also discuss how the book is relatable to the real world by discussing some of …

"Terrorism" In The Age Of Obama: The Rhetorical Evolution Of President Obama’S Discourse On The War On "Terror", Kelly Long

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Since September 11th, 2001, the word “terrorism” has helped to shape and been shaped by the culture of the American people who have come into contact with this concept on a daily basis. The use of “terrorism” and its companion the War on “Terror” carried with it certain ideological baggage that has serve as a prism in which the American people have viewed United States’ foreign affairs over the past decade. The fight against “terrorism” offered a pre-text for the U.S. to engage in two different wars, administrated a policy of hunting and killing “terrorists” across the globe, constructed policies …

The People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (Peta): Creating A Collective Identity, Megan Fletcher

Honors Program Theses and Projects

How different are humans from animals? The animal rights movement has been tackling this question and more on its quest to establish basic human rights for animals. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is one of the most recognizable organizations within the animal rights movement due to their attention grabbing antics and controversial advertisements. Through visual rhetoric PETA attempts to answer the question of human and animal division. In both PETA’s PSA and print advertisements they attempt to create shared physical and mental substance between humans and animals. In creating a shared identity PETA could establish a …

The Risks And Rewards Of Serving As A Department Chair, Jon A. Hess

Communication Faculty Publications

Serving as chair is a significant point in the career of any faculty member who inhabits the office. It is a position with high highs and low lows, significant stressors and some perks, the chance to have a positive impact on a program, and the near certainty that at some point you will generate disagreement with almost everyone in the department. The department chair is a boundary position between the university administration and the faculty; a chair inhabits both worlds, but resides fully in neither. Chairs are charged with numerous responsibilities and often lack full authority needed to accomplish their …

Taking Culture And Philosophy Into Consideration: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Marketing Strategies In China, Yi Huang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Globalization makes the physical boundary between countries almost disappear, while on the other hand, it exacerbates cultural and philosophical differences. The overall aim of this dissertation is to dig into the philosophical values of Western and Chinese cultures to provide some theoretically sound and pragmatically useful guidance for future communication and marketing in China.

While some American corporations have been embraced by the Chinese, many more have not. This research concerns itself with searching what the leading causes are for the above phenomenon, and more specifically, this study explores answers to the following questions:

• What strategies are used for product …