In a group forum, you will hold an asynchronous discussion of the Criticism of Criticism speeches. Getting to know your audience will help you prepare your speeches. And, different insights into the principles and practice of criticism will expand your grasp of critical methods. The reading will also help as you make continued preparation for the Rhetorical Situation speech assignment.

Instructions

Although you will not be delivering your speeches in this course in a physical classroom with a live audience, you should prepare your speeches so that they are targeted and adapted to your fellow World Campus CAS 100C classmates. View your classmates’ Criticism of Criticism videos and use your critical listening and thinking skills to analyze your audience and get to know the people who will listen to your speeches.

Edwin Black, the author of the landmark book, Rhetorical Criticism: A Study in Method, reportedly observed that all a critic needs is “an orientation and taste.” What critical orientations do your colleagues bring to their work? How would you describe their “taste” (the ability to distinguish the good from the bad)? Make note of these as you watch the videos and bring your answers to these questions to a group discussion.

Your instructor will assign you to one discussion group. You will write a post, considering the below bulleted list of questions, providing a specific brief example here or there from a video(s) to help illustrate your point(s). This post should be about 100–150 words. Then, respond thoughtfully to at least two members of your group. A meaningful response to a post contributes something to the conversation, going beyond a simple agreement, for example. Be sure to respond to someone who has not received any comments yet.

• What are the demographic characteristics of your future audience?
• What are the critical orientations shown in the videos? How do the speakers make judgments?
• What are the principles that underwrite the criticism in the videos?
• Given what you now know of your future audience, what plans do you already have to adapt your Rhetorical Situation speech to the audience?