Inviting Constructive Argument

Abstract

The essay develops a constructive notion of argument informed by Foss and Griffin's invitational rhetoric, responding to invitational rhetoric's critics and illustrating how diverse literatures in communication studies converge to provide a more fruitful notion of argument that values “getting things done” over “being right,” providing a more practical approach to teaching argument. Highlighting how convergence between our discipline's humanistic and social scientific traditions produces practical theory, the essay illustrates the centrality of communication studies.