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Barbara Konat offers in Emotional Appeals in Argumentation an helpful synthesis of many years of research on emotional appeals in argumentation, notably the project "Computational Pathos", supported by the Polish National Science Centre, of which she was the principal investigator.Although the title unsurprisingly echoes, given the series in which the volume appears, the terminology of argumentation theory and of so-called fallacies of "appeals to emotion", the central concern of this 160-page book, published in 2025 in the Argumentation Library series, is more specifically-and more appropriately-the rhetorical question of pathos.The volume crowns the work carried out by the group behind the "Computational Pathos" project, but it also perfectly illustrates, through its alignment with contemporary research orientations, the renewal of the field that has become visible in recent years and that rests on at least three foundations.First-and this has become self-evident, although it still struggles to penetrate certain mindsemotions should not be reduced to fallacious appeals, but should be regarded as an integral part of the means of persuasion, inseparable from reason and comparable in this respect to the construction of self-image (ethos).Second, especially when a computational dimension is introduced, analyses and models need to be grounded in texts as they actually occur, rather than in fabricated, stylized, or simplified examples.Third, due attention must be paid to the emergence of innovative methods capable of investigating fields that were once largely inaccessible.The book, however, does more than testify to the modernity of its research agenda.Across three parts, it establishes a descriptive model for the analysis of pathos, moving, as the subtitle indicates, from Aristotle to generative artificial

This article investigates how the public circulation of hype functions rhetorically in the context of emerging immersive technologies. Through an analysis of YouTube reviews of Apple’s Vision Pro headset, we examine how rhetorical strategies operate at the intersection of wearable and embodied technology discourse, affect theory, and public circulation. The analysis focuses on four dominant rhetorical strategies that function to intensify anticipation while simultaneously constraining critical evaluation: excitement, exploration, exemplification, and exaggeration. These findings are supplemented with extended-use experiences from multiple sources, illustrating the tension between anticipatory rhetoric and lived experience. By theorizing the embodied and affective dimensions of VR discourse, this article contributes to our understanding of how rhetorical practices in digital environments reshape critical evaluation about technologies.

Abstract This paper addresses the degree to which straw man arguments are perceived as persuasive by their targets. A review of the literature shows that there is a consensus on the topic, stipulating that using a straw man argument is unlikely to change a person’s views. However, the experimental evidence we have so far on the straw man fallacy only covers third-person scenarios, i.e., when participants act as an audience observing an argumentative exchange between others. This study fills this gap by discussing the second-person straw man, i.e., when the audience for the argument is the target of the straw man representation. It shows that (1) the straw man is indeed not a persuasive tactic, and (2) the political orientation of the statements and the participants also plays a role.

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising technology for training oral communication skills (OCS), resulting in a rapidly growing body of research. We conducted a systematic review of 57 studies (2013–2025) mapping OCS types, communication contexts, and key variables, and introduce a conceptual model to guide future research and practice. Findings reveal that current VR-based OCS training captures only a small part of oral communication. Expanding the Cognitive Affective Model of Immersive Learning (CAMIL), we highlight the need for stronger theoretical and pedagogical foundations by exploring cognitive-affective mediators (e.g., cognitive load) and learner-related moderators (e.g., learning styles).

After decades of proliferating digital texts, technical communication scholars and practitioners find themselves with no shortage of documents to examine. These exist in public and private repositories across a gamut of genres and used by varied audiences, communities, and organizations. As Stephen Carradini and Jason Swarts (2023) argue in Text at Scale: Corpus Analysis in Technical Communication , the "immense amount of text created by the various arms of the field of technical communication" (p. 6) makes the field ripe for a method like corpus analysis. Carradini and Swarts's efficient and approachable book acts as a timely primer on corpus analysis—the systematic study of a collection of texts—that illustrates how the method can support, complement, and extend existing research agendas and professional practices in technical communication. Assuming no prior knowledge about corpus linguistics on the part of readers, Carradini and Swarts's highly useable book may well find uptake in adjacent scholarly areas invested in the study of writing, such as composition studies or the rhetoric of science, technology, and medicine. But the chosen examples and suggested applications squarely situate Text at Scale as an indispensable volume for technical communication academics and practitioners alike.

Annually, disasters ranging from wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornadoes to epidemics and even pandemics impact diverse communities globally. The calls for and research into improved disaster preparedness and better surveillance and resistance technologies are valid and necessary. However, it is pertinent that we also research and assess communicative practices of specific disasters, especially the discourse, rhetoric, and praxis that shape disaster response and management before, during, and after crises in vulnerable and marginalized communities. In Transnational Assemblages: Social Justice and Crisis Communication During Disaster , Sweta Baniya argues for the prioritization and inclusion of marginalized voices, centering their grounded knowledge, rhetorical agency, and coalitional networks. This will enhance effective and efficient disaster response as well as provide a more nuanced understanding of disaster rhetoric and praxis.

What happens when the devices we design to assist us begin to think with us, feel with us, and even become part of us? Augmentation Technologies and Artificial Intelligence in Technical Communication: Designing Ethical Futures addresses this question by urging readers to consider not only how technologies shape our capabilities, but also how we can shape them toward more just, ethical, and human-centered futures. Much like boarding a "fast-moving train," as authors Ann Hill Duin and Isabel Pedersen describe, the book is a forward-looking volume that interrogates the technical, rhetorical, and socio-ethical dimensions of emerging human augmentation and AI systems. Duin and Pedersen argue that artificial intelligence (AI), biometrics, and other augmentation systems are not merely technical tools but rhetorical and ethical phenomena that influence, and are influenced by, political, cultural, and economic conditions in ways that reconfigure the roles, literacies, and responsibilities of communication professionals.

Presents reviews for the following list of books, Information Experience: The Strategy and Tactics of Design Thinking.

Presents reviews for the following list of books, Clarity by Design: Comprehensive Checklists in Medical Communication.

Presents reviews for the following list of books, Proofreading and Editing in Student and Research Publication Contexts: International Perspectives.

Presents reviews for the following list of books, Bringers of Order: Wearable Technologies and the Manufacturing of Everyday Life.

Background: Best practices for undergraduate technical and professional communication internships ensure that student experiences align with educational and professional goals. However, it is unclear whether internship programs attempt best practices to fulfill obligations to students, students’ workplaces, and employers. Literature review: Prior work has called on technical and professional communication on (TPC) faculty to lead internship programs in their academic departments. The scholarship imagines faculty who have access to workplace discourse, who are situated in internship courses or professional advising positions, and direct programs to build relationships, assess, and coordinate across academic-industry boundaries. However, it is unclear how these ideals match current institutional practices. Research question: What are the current practices of TPC internship programs? Methodology: A cross-institutional comparative content analysis examined 47 institutions’ TPC internship program and course descriptions and supporting documents that are publicly available on university websites. These were coded for themes related to internship best practices outlined by the literature. Results: The analysis found: 1. Programs give faculty supervisory titles but retain them and orient internships in academic contexts rather than orient practices toward employers, 2. Programs value their responsibility towards students over employers, and 3. The public-facing documentation does not obligate best practices as idealized in the literature. Conclusion: Current TPC internship practices do not fulfill all of the ideals imagined in the literature, but do maintain a humanist student focus.

Presents reviews for the following list of books, Integrating Human and Artificial Intelligence: Software in the Age of AI.

Background: Hospital educators are designated individuals who provide hospitalized K-12 children with their schooling during the time of their stay. They play a vital role in maintaining educational continuity for hospitalized children, yet their professional information and communication practices remain understudied in US settings. Literature review: We build on literature within technical and professional communication (TPC), specifically scholars who have studied technology and health in understanding US hospital educators' unique technological needs and communication practices within highly regulated healthcare environments. Research questions: How do hospital educators navigate professional communication, adapt teaching practices to meet diverse student needs, and utilize technology in hospital settings? What opportunities exist for artificial-intelligence (AI) integration? Research method: We conducted semistructured interviews with four hospital educators across US hospitals, applying reflexive thematic analysis, informed by Participatory Communication Theory, Sociotechnical Systems Perspectives, and Knowledge Justice. Analysis employed iterative open coding followed by theory-informed thematic development, where communication theory guided the identification of dialogical patterns, systems theory directed attention to sociotechnical interactions, and knowledge justice sensitized us to power dynamics affecting professional knowledge access and sharing. Results/discussion: Findings reveal characteristics of US hospital education contexts in our study: short patient stays, strict security requirements, institutional variability across hospital settings, and emphasis on engagement over assessment. Educators demonstrate remarkable adaptability in coordinating among stakeholders while navigating institutional constraints and developing strategies for rapid assessment and flexible instruction. While educational technologies offer benefits, implementation faces significant challenges regarding security, practical limitations, and offline functionality needs. Conclusion: We propose guideline themes for developing information and communication technologies–including some that use AI–that support hospital educators' professional needs while respecting hospital setting constraints. This research contributes to understanding how technologies can enhance hospital education while highlighting the importance of context-specific design that empowers rather than replaces educator expertise.

Background: Both technical professional communication (TPC) and translation training call for a closer academia-industry link to cultivate students’ professional competence and enhance employability. Among the collaborative efforts, the internship serves as a key part in bridging the gap and enhancing students’ work-readiness. Their effectiveness, however, depends on the alignment of expectations among the internship stakeholders. Literature review: While prior studies have examined translation internships, they typically center around either students or language service providers (LSP) in isolation. A significant gap exists in quantitatively comparing the perceptions of these two key stakeholder groups. Research questions: How do students and LSPs differ in their perceptions of internships? What factors contribute to the misalignment in stakeholders’ perceptions from the perspective of university educators and administrators? Methods: This study employed a mixed-methods approach. A survey was administered to translation students and LSP representatives to identify their perception differences across four key dimensions of internships, followed by interviews with university educators and administrators to explore the causes. Results: Quantitative analysis revealed statistically significant discrepancies in 18 of the 44 items. The subsequent qualitative interviews identified four primary factors contributing to these discrepancies: inadequate internship management, curriculum misalignment due to the lack of qualified faculty, emphasis on hard skills over soft skills in evaluation, and pragmatic concerns from both students and employers. Implication: The findings provided recommendations for students, employers, and institutions to improve the effectiveness of internships, which are relevant not only for translation but also for other practice-oriented disciplines like TPC.

Background: With climate change becoming a critical issue, scientists and policymakers are developing solutions to address the risks it poses. One such solution is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), which reduces the amount of CO2 that enters the atmosphere by capturing it and storing it underground. Literature review: Previous research on CCS has focused on the technical interpretation of risk through quantitative risk analyses. Social science research has focused on public acceptance of CCS, and to what extent knowledge about risks plays a role. However, a comparison of risk perceptions from both CCS developers and local community members during a CCS study, and why these perceptions are different is absent. Research questions: This article attempts to fill this gap by asking: 1. How do perceptions of potential CCS risks vary between interested local community members and CCS technical professionals, and how do these perceptions influence the messaging and receiving of risk communication? 2. What personal, institutional, and other factors, such as past experiences with heavy industry, influence how people view CCS and its risks? Methodology: Through 30 interviews and participant observation, this study examines the varied perspectives on the risks of CCS among local community members and CCS professionals analyzed using thematic coding and a quantitative analysis of codes. Results and discussion: Findings suggest that there are clear differences in how local community members and CCS professionals think about the risks of CCS, such as CCS professionals addressing risks to the project rather than risks of the project that community members reference most frequently. Implications: By identifying institutional reasons why these gaps in risk perceptions appear, this article provides insights into what risk communication practices are being used and how they impact project communication.

Typically, one might expect a review to highlight similarities, but here, I choose to place these books side by side for their contrasting perspectives.Before delving into the essence of the comparisons, it is important to recall the mission of the AK Peters Visualization Series.This series aims to capture what visualization is today in all its variety and diversity, giving voice to researchers, practitioners, designers, and enthusiasts.It encompasses books from all subfields of visualization, including visual analytics, information visualization, scientific visualization, data journalism, infographics, and their connection to adjacent areas such as text analysis, digital humanities, data art, or augmented and virtual reality ("AK Peters Visualization Series," n.d.).Both authors are practitioners who bring their expertise in communicating through visualized information and data.Jen Christiansen, who graduated in geology and art, is a senior graphics editor at Scientific American, while Nancy Organ, formally trained in statistics, has experience as a data visualization designer and educator.Each utilizes her unique skills for effective communication.Traditionally, rhetoric is understood as "a discipline concerned with the effective use of language, to persuade, give pleasure, and so on" (Matthews 2007).While this definition seems self-evident, it is essential to note that contemporary rhetoric encompasses all modes of communication.Interestingly, practitioners, educators, and researchers frequently refer to "the language [bold -EM] of data visualization," exploring its grammar, vocabulary, and stylistics (DataVis Lisboa 2020; "Visual Vocabulary," n.d.; Ben-Joseph 2016; Kandogan and Lee 2016).This context invites a closer examination of three key aspects: first, how various authors describe persuasive communication through information and data visualization, or as some call it, data storytelling; second, how to expand our rhetorical framework to include data, numbers, and statistics; and third, a deeper exploration of the audiences-crucial for rhetoricians-of data and information visualizations.As Burns et al. (2020) state.When designers create visualizations for communication, they make choices about encoding and design that they think will accurately and persuasively communicate their interpretation of the data.The ultimate interpretation of a visualization depends on both the designer and the reader. InventioBoth books target distinct audiences, as indicated by their titles.Building Science Graphics serves as both a textbook and a practical reference for anyone looking to convey scientific information through illustrations for articles, poster presentations, and beyond ("AK Peters Visualization Series," n.d.).In contrast, Data Visualization for People of All Ages is more approachable, specifically aimed

[Introduction] Edited by Linda S. Svitak and Christin Jaye Eaton, with Lee Svitak Dean, and published by the University of Minnesota Press, Kitchens of Hope: Immigrants Share Stories of Resilience and Recipes from Home (2025) fits neatly into the popular genre network of cookbooks that blend essay with recipe, mixing memoir with meals perfected over generations. But this book doesn't simply share the legacy of Liberian rice bread or summer beat soup. It explores the migration of these dishes and their cooks, contextualizing stories of displacement and development. Because of the breadth of this book, Mikhail Bakhtin might describe this collection as a chronotope of sorts, a configuration of time and space that "takes on flesh, becomes artistically visible" (qtd. in Bemong & Borghart, 2010, p. 4). Through Omedi Ochieng's lens of chronotopian humanitarianism, this book is a rhetorical tool for feminist scholarship seeking to counter a Eurocentric understanding of how and why people and stories move around and through the world.