Rhetoric
MIT OpenCourseWare's Rhetoric course uses classical and modern rhetorical theory as a vehicle for teaching critical thinking. Students analyze texts across genres, from speeches to essays to visual media, examining how arguments are built and how language persuades. Extensive writing and speaking assignments push students to generate original analysis rather than summary, with class time split between studying assigned texts and workshopping student work. Materials include the syllabus, assignment sequences, and grading criteria used by MIT's Comparative Media Studies/Writing program. The course does not center on a single author or period but treats rhetoric as a set of transferable analytical tools, useful for anyone who wants sharper argumentation in their own writing and speech. Free to audit through MIT OpenCourseWare, with no certificate offered.