Rhetorical Criticism - 3rd Edition by Jim A Kuypers (Paperback)

About the Book

Helping students learn how to perform rhetorical criticism, this book stresses criticism as an art and as a means to engage in critical thinking. The chapters and sample essays are written by noted experts and geared towards student accessibility. The third edition includes ne...

Book Synopsis

Helping students learn how to perform rhetorical criticism, this book stresses criticism as an art and as a means to engage in critical thinking. The chapters and sample essays are written by noted experts and geared towards student accessibility. The third edition includes new chapters on visual rhetoric and digital rhetoric.

Review Quotes

One of the strengths of Kuypers's text is that he recognizes the role of both creativity and limitations in rhetorical criticism. While this can be confusing for students, this book offers more applications and translations of theory than most other textbooks. The example essays, top picks, and glossary from the previous edition were helpful. New additions in the form of discussion questions and activities for students are welcome and will help student further their understanding of rhetorical theory.

The third edition of Rhetorical Criticism: Perspectives in Action includes new chapters on visual and digital rhetoric while retaining its broad coverage of more traditional perspectives. Sophisticated yet accessible, it remains the best textbook for advanced undergraduate courses in the field and should be required reading for new graduate students.

This book will not only enhance students' understanding of rhetoric and improve their skills in analytical writing, but it also -- and perhaps most importantly -- will foster their creativity. New sections on visual and digital rhetoric encourage students to explore further dimensions of the personal, political, and humanizing art of rhetorical criticism.

About the Author

Jim A. Kuypers is professor of communication at Virginia Tech. His many publications include Twentieth Century Roots of Rhetorical Studies, Bush's War, and Partisan Journalism (a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title). He has been honored with the American Communication Association's Outstanding Contribution to Communication Scholarship Award, the Southern States Communication Association's Janice Hocker Rushing Early Career Research Award, and Dartmouth College's Distinguished Lecturer Award.