Invention in Rhetoric and Composition: A Reference Guide

by Janice M. Lauer

In the first broad treatment of rhetorical invention, Lauer examines the issues that have surrounded historical and contemporary theories and pedagogies, citing a wide array of positions in primary rhetorical texts and secondary interpretations of these texts. She presents theoretical disagreements over the nature, purposes, and epistemology of invention and the pedagogical debates over the relative importance of art, talent, imitation, and practice in teaching discourse as well as over pedagogy as social, and hermeneutic or heuristic. This unique volume also provides an account of multidisciplinary theories and discussions in English Studies that preceded and stimulated the awakening of interest in invention through the emerging field of Rhetoric and Composition during the 1960s. Teachers, scholars, and students alike will benefit from the overview and analysis Lauer has compiled on this important and timely topic.

Genres: Writing

Hardcover

First published September 30, 2003