Part I is intended to provide an introduction to the field of rhetoric and public speaking. The

first chapter is an overview of the tradition of classical rhetoric, tracing the development of the

art of rhetoric from its beginnings in Classical Greece through the Roman period, the Middle

Ages, and down to the present day. Many of the basic concepts that underlie the principles and

techniques for effective speaking are derived from this tradition. For example, the five canons of

classical rhetoric provide the organizing principle for most of this book.

The second chapter shifts attention to the contemporary development of an interest in com-

munication. Our purpose is to make you aware of the complex nature of speech communication

and of the factors that influence the process of communication. As the first chapter draws upon

the classical tradition, this chapter draws upon social scientific theories.

In Chapter Three we look at the process of communicaton, or the rhetorical situation, from

the point of view of the listener. Rhetoric is a study intended to make you a more critical listener,

and a study of communication should make you aware of the important role of the listener in that

process. We focus particularly upon comprehensive listening and critical listening in this chapter.