As I mentioned above, this was a challenging course. I understand that a foundational knowledge of the practices and theory of rhetoric are important as a writer. To be the best writer, I need to understand the rhetorical theories that begin with Aristotle and the philosophers that follow. This course provided an overview of theories historically. Through the readings and important class discussions via video conference, the covered rhetoric from a historical view cover Aristotle's classical rhetoric, Medieval, Renaissance, and Enlightenment rhetoric, and 19th and 20th Century rhetoric. 

​

Each student chose a historical rhetorician and then led a week of discussion both on the class blog and during our  virtual meeting. I chose 20th Century philosopher, Stephen Toulmin. In addition to his argument structure method, we discussed his move from "formal logic" and his efforts to seek a "middle ground" somewhere between absolutism and relativism. 

​

One seminar paper was required. The essay I completed, Blogs, Digital Rhetoric, and the Five Canons, reviewed the history of blogging,  applied digital rhetoric theory and a contemporary view of the five rhetorical canons to two vastly different blogs. The final essay test also shows comprehension of rhetorical theory and is included here.