Rhetoric was ‘discovered’ in Ancient Greece as humans needed a way to understand and theorize their ways of communicating. Rhetorical theory offered a way for scholars to name, theorize, and teach effective ways of communicating, in different situations, to different audiences.
Rhetorical Theory Key Concepts was created as an OER place to offer space to students to practice 1) name and theorize key components of rhetorical theory, 2) practice effectively communicating their ideas digitally, 3) practice communicating their research ideas in a digital form that can be shared beyond the classroom, 4) create written work for future student audiences. The entries shared here were created and shared by students completing WRIT 280 at Millersville University.
The students of WRIT 280 Introduction to Rhetoric for Writers invite readers to browse through their key concept entries. We invite you to use and cite this work as you develop your own understanding of the rich and complex field of rhetorical theory.
Questions about this resource should be directed to Dr. A Nicole Pfannenstiel (ambernicole.pfannenstiel@millersville.edu).
Rhetorical Theory Key Concepts © 2025 by Nicole Pfannenstiel and students of WRIT280 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 
