Essay Topic Hub

Rhetoric
Essays

1,249+ paper examples, study guides & outlines

1,249 papers
UG & Grad levels
Free to browse
What is Rhetoric?

Rhetoric is the study of how language is used to persuade, inform, and influence audiences, and it sits at the center of communications, English, political science, and philosophy curricula. Its academic interest lies in the tension between language and reality, form and meaning, power and reason. Students engage with foundational questions about what makes an argument effective and how speech shapes public life. Core thinkers and frameworks that appear across coursework include Aristotle's definition of rhetoric, Plato's critique of false rhetoric as it relates to democracy, Foucault's contributions to rhetoric and ideology, and the competing positions of Bitzer and Vatz on how rhetorical situations are constructed.

Papers on this topic take several distinct approaches. Some are historically oriented, tracing classical and modern rhetorical theory to compare how ideas about persuasion have evolved. Others focus on close analysis of specific texts or speeches, such as Carmichael's Black Power speech or George Orwell's political writing, using rhetorical frameworks to examine how language and power operate together. Additional papers explore rhetoric within specific domains — religion, education, and political ideology — while others work through theoretical debates about the relationship between knowledge and rhetoric or the role of rhetorical education in shaping civic life.

A strong essay on rhetoric grounds its thesis in a clear claim about how a specific use of language achieves — or fails to achieve — a persuasive effect. Evidence drawn from the text, speech, or theoretical framework under analysis carries the most weight. The most common pitfall is treating rhetoric as merely a list of devices; effective essays instead connect those devices to broader questions of audience, power, and meaning.

1,249 papers
Sort by:
Paper Undergraduate
Strategic management and leadership in the globalized business environment
The objective of this study is to examine scholarship, practice and leadership in the global business and academic environment in terms of various communication strategies, leadership theory and practice, critical and creative thinking and financial measures of value added. This work will further examine 21st Century issues in organizational behavior and fundamental principles of sound research as well as strategic opportunities in an internet-based global economy. This work additionally examine marketing and management of the customer relationship ethical leadership and the legal environment, optimization of operations, management of risk, collaborative case study, 21st century issues in organizational behavior, and contemporary issues in leadership. Finally, this work will examine transformation of the business. The success of an organization arises from various factors including material, financial and technological resources, and human capital all of which together assist the corporation in achieving its stated mission.
Paper Doctorate
Racial bias in Stephanie Greco Larson's Media & Minorities
This paper is a book report about the intricacies of race as it relates to the media. The structure is an examination of whether the author does a good job of presenting the topic or, according to the paper writer's opinion, something was left wanting. The findings are that there are inherent flaws in the message mainly because the writer seems to be too close to the topic.
Research Paper Doctorate
Hitler's charisma and consolidation of power in Nazi Germany
How and why was Adolph Hitler able to take control over Germany and assume such frightening, uniform authority over the state's entire power structure in such a relatively short period of historical time?
Research Paper Doctorate
Counter culture and social upheaval in the 1960s
The 1960's refers to the years between 1960 and 1969, however over the last two decades, the term, the Sixties, has come to refer to the complex of inter-related cultural and political events that occurred in roughly…
Research Paper Doctorate
Thomas Paine and Peter Oliver on the American Revolution's legitimacy
Criticisms against and praise for colonialism in America: A comparative analysis of "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine and "Origin and Progress of the American Rebellion" by Peter Oliver
Paper Doctorate
Self-concept, self-awareness, and the acting self in social psychology
This paper examines the meaning of the Self from the perspective of social psychology. It defines terms such as self-concept, self-awareness, and self-efficacy, while also looking into the reasons individuals tend to be prejudice, obedient and conformist, and the reasons individuals adopt prosocial behavior--all in conjunction with developing the identity of Self
Research Paper Doctorate
Divine conflict and human desire in Euripides and Racine
Phaedra" and "Hippolytus": A tragedy of desire or disrespect for the gods?
Research Paper Doctorate
Conrad's depiction of human corruption and moral degradation in Nostromo
Within the pages of Nostromo, Joseph Conrad attempts to reveal the human condition at its most fundamental state: a state of corruption, depravity, and moral degradation. It is with a unique level of unabashed daring…
Paper Masters
CEO accountability and the on-Time Airlines customer service crisis
¶ … ethical decision in the context of the proposed firing of the CEO of on-Time Airlines centers on the moral issue of whether one individual should be held accountable for the poor performance of the entire airline.
Thesis High School
Julius Caesar's rise to power and influence in Rome
This paper is on Julius Caesar. The paper contains detail regarding the life events of Julius Caesar. It describes in detail the early years, childhood, personality, educational life, military and political career and assassination of Julius Caesar. It also puts light on the major events that took place in the political life of Julius Caesar.