Бакалавриат
2025/2026
Риторика и эффективная коммуникация в цифровом сообществе
Статус:
Курс обязательный (Тексты, языки и цифровые инструменты)
Кто читает:
Департамент иностранных языков
Где читается:
Санкт-Петербургская школа гуманитарных наук и искусств
Когда читается:
1-й курс, 3, 4 модуль
Охват аудитории:
для всех кампусов НИУ ВШЭ
Преподаватели:
Тулякова Наталья Александровна
Язык:
английский
Кредиты:
4
Контактные часы:
76
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The course offers students a comprehensive understanding of persuasive communication in the digital age. Students are introduced to classical and contemporary theories of rhetoric, learning how to craft and deliver compelling messages tailored to various digital platforms. The curriculum emphasizes the development of effective public speaking skills, critical analysis of persuasive techniques, and strategies for engaging with audiences across different digital mediums. Furthermore, students explore the impact of digital technologies on communication practices, including social media, online presentations, and digital storytelling. The course prepares students for careers in fields such as digital marketing, public relations, content creation, and social advocacy, where advanced communication skills in the digital realm are essential.
The course objectives are to give an idea of the subject, basic categories and concepts of rhetoric, its cultural and historical genesis and place in the system of forms of verbal culture, as well as to consider the factors that determine the success of speech interaction with the audience in situations of business communication.
Learning Objectives
- To become familiar with history of rhetoric and the changes rhetoric has undergone.
- To develop understanding of the principles of rhetoric in written and oral communication.
- To develop offline and digital rhetorical competence.
- To raise awareness of rhetorical devices and persuasive techniques employed in communication.
- To enable identification of unlawful techniques and respond to them.
- To raise awareness of rhetorical differences across cultures and epochs.
- To broaden the terminological repertoire related to rhetoric.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- The students will recognize the rhetorical tradition followed in a text.
- The students will identify the principles of rhetoric in written and oral communication.
- The students will account for rhetorical differences by addressing to norms of cultures and epochs.
- The students will identify rhetorical devices and persuasive techniques employed in communication.
- The students will demonstrate rhetorical competence in speech, writing in the digital and multimodal surroundings.
- The students will identify unlawful techniques and respond to them in the context of face-to-face, distant and digital communication.
- The students will be using terms related to rhetoric accurately and consistently.
Course Contents
- 1. Rhetoric as art and science. Orator and eloquence
- 2. History of rhetoric
- 3. The Five canons of rhetoric
- 4. Logos and argumentation
- 5. Rhetorical devices
- 6. Genres of public speech
- 7. Proxemics. Public discussion
- 8. Basics of persuasion
- 9. Speech aggression offline and online
- 10. Communicative etiquette & netiquette
- 11. Digital rhetoric
- 12. Contrastive rhetoric and AI
- 13. Course Revision and testing
Assessment Elements
- TestIn two lectures or seminars, students are given a test based on lectures by the course instructor and/or the seminars. The number and form of questions may vary within the same test and from test to test: open-ended, multiple-choice, matching, etc. The test is conducted at an advance notice. There are 2 tests per module. The tests can be retaken with the consent of the course instructor at a time allocated by the course instructor if a student has a valid reason for missing the test. Otherwise, the result for the missed test is marked 0 (zero). The mark for this course component is the average of the marks for all the tests offered throughout the course.
- Classroom participationThe students are expected to attend all lectures and seminars, complete homework and contribute to discussions. They need to be prepared for class by having read the assigned text(s) or watching the assigned video(s). They contribute to seminar discussions by answering and asking questions relevant to the corresponding class section.
- Pre- and post-seminar assignmentsThroughout the course, the students submit assignments that check their command of the theory and history of rhetoric and ability to apply the studied material.
- Course essayThe course essay is submitted in May or June. Each student is assigned with two texts (written and/or oral), where the first text represents English discourse and the second represents Russian discourse. The texts are selected by the course instructor.
- ExamThe oral exam takes place during the exam session period scheduled by study offices and is conducted as presenting team projects. It is conducted in English and assessed by the course instructor(s) or by the course commission board (see below). The students work on the project in teams throughout the course. Before the exam, they submit a written analysis, and immediately after the exam, a written self-reflection. The aim of the project is to compile a speech portrait of a real or fictional person (Russian- or English-speaking). The person is chosen by the students. While presenting the project, the students are supposed to demonstrate command of persuasive techniques and digital rhetoric.
Interim Assessment
- 2025/2026 4th module0.2 * Classroom participation + 0.15 * Course essay + 0.3 * Exam + 0.2 * Pre- and post-seminar assignments + 0.15 * Test
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Aristotle, Yunis, H., Waterfield, R., & Aristotle. (2018). The Art of Rhetoric. Oxford, United Kingdom: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2096818
- Edelman, M. (1998). Language, Myths and Rhetoric. Society, 35(2), 131–139. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02838136
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Rhetoric in European Culture and Beyond, Karolinum Press, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2057512.
- Worthington, I. (1994). Persuasion: Greek Rhetoric in Action. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=80147