University of Maryland

The Language, Writing and Rhetoric Group combines faculty and students who are interested in the power of language and writing to shape an audience’s view of the world and persuade them to have certain attitudes and to act on those attitudes.

The field of Rhetoric and Composition includes scholars who are interested in the historical tradition of rhetoric, the study of the “available means of persuasion” as Aristotle defined it, from the classical period through the modern era, as well as in persuasive texts and movements analyzed through rhetorical theory. Composition scholars are interested in how writers construct and refine their texts in response to the demands of situations and genres. They also study the teaching of writing, often pursuing student-focused research into best practices for enhancing literacy skills which now include the production of texts requiring visual, audio and video as well as verbal modes of presentation.