Learn essential skills in persuasive writing and public speaking through analysis of influential American rhetoric.
Learn essential skills in persuasive writing and public speaking through analysis of influential American rhetoric.
This comprehensive course explores the art of persuasive communication in both written and spoken forms. Based on Harvard Professor James Engell's "Elements of Rhetoric," the curriculum examines rhetorical structure and style through analysis of significant twentieth-century American speeches. Students learn to construct compelling arguments, identify rhetorical techniques, and develop critical analysis skills. The course emphasizes practical application, teaching students to compose effective opinion pieces and speeches while understanding how to evaluate and respond to others' arguments. Using historical speeches from leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and JFK, students gain insight into powerful persuasion techniques.
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What you'll learn
Master rhetorical devices for persuasive writing and speaking
Learn to construct and defend compelling arguments
Develop skills in analyzing and evaluating arguments
Identify and understand logical fallacies
Create persuasive opinion editorials and speeches
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
PreRecorded video
Graded assignments, exams
Access on Mobile, Tablet, Desktop
Limited Access access
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Module Description
This course teaches the fundamental principles of rhetoric and persuasive communication through analysis of historical speeches and practical application. Students learn to construct effective arguments, analyze rhetorical techniques, and develop both writing and speaking skills. The curriculum explores various rhetorical devices, logical reasoning, and argument evaluation methods. Through examination of influential American speeches, students understand how effective communication can impact social change and personal influence.
Fee Structure
Instructor

3 Courses
Harvard's Distinguished Scholar of Literature and Environmental Studies
James Engell is the Gurney Professor of English and Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard University, where he has been teaching since 1978. His expertise spans a wide range of fields, including Romantic, Eighteenth-Century, and Restoration British Literature, Comparative Romanticism, Criticism and Critical Theory, Rhetoric, Environmental Studies, and the History and Economics of Higher Education. Engell's scholarly contributions are extensive, with notable works such as "The Call of Classical Literature in the Romantic Age" (2017), an edited edition of William Wordsworth's "Prelude" (2016), and "Environment: An Interdisciplinary Anthology" (2008). His book "Saving Higher Education in the Age of Money" (2005) won the Association of American Colleges & Universities Ness Book Award. Engell is also a member of the Committee on the Study of Religion and a faculty associate of the Harvard University Center for the Environment. His interdisciplinary approach is evident in his work, combining literature, environmental studies, and educational policy. Engell has received multiple teaching awards and has been instrumental in shaping environmental education at Harvard and beyond, including teaching seminars at the National Humanities Center and participating in international conferences on environmental issues
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