ComS 168 APPROACHES TO RHETORICAL CRITICISM
Mark R. Stoner
Teaching of a Critical Method
Required, 150 points

Objectives:

To provide for your colleagues a rich extension of our knowledge of a specific critical approach

To facilitate engagement of colleagues in an on-going discussion of methodological issues related to the process of rhetorical criticism

To apply your method to a discourse assigned to you

To discover the different outcomes facilitated by use of different methods

To provide practice making public presentations

You will be assigned a mainstream method of rhetorical criticism.You will do research to create a well-developed discussion of significant concept/s of the method and relevant modifications or adaptations to those ideas over time. After you have completed the research and mastered the content of the material retrieved, you will apply the method to the Gospel of John or The Matrix as an example of the method Ain action.@ You will devise a presentation to TEACH the class significant elements, dimensions, uses limitations, etc. of the method; your application of the method will be a part of the presentation. The presentation will be 10 minutes in length followed by a discussion period lasting about 5 minutes.

Use of handouts that summarize key ideas, quotations, and bibliographic material is required of each group. The goal is to provide a user-friendly resource to your colleagues that will facilitate use of the method if your colleagues choose to do so. You are encouraged to use appropriate visual aids as well.



Weighted Grading Criteria (1):

a) Chose and presented significant new concepts, or modifications of concepts or critical responses to theorists ideas. (4)

b) The presenter clearly articulated and illustrated key ideas related to understanding and using the method. (4)

c) The hand-out/s contained useful content that is understandable and accessible to the students. (3)

d) Application of concepts led to interesting insights; application was creative yet logically rigorous. (4)



1. Note that the numbers indicate relative weights of tasks, not points per se.