This book demonstrates how an understanding of the fundamental principles of communication will help in evaluating the effects, effectiveness, truthfulness, and ethics of every kind of communication from traditional "soapbox speeches" to reading a magazine, talking to a friend, watching court proceedings, or television news. Jodi R. Cohen's informally written, critical guide introduces classical theories of rhetoric at the beginning of each chapter, then expands the discussion with contemporary postmodern theories, and concerns such as aesthetics and cultural bias. There are question-and-answer sections in each chapter as well as many examples.