Theory Toolbox
INTRODUCTION
When studying rhetorical theories, it sometimes becomes overwhelming trying to keep track of all the theories and theorists you are expected to be familiar with. There have been many situations where I was trying to write a paper or complete an assignment in class and struggled to remember what author wrote a certain theory that related perfectly to the topic I was discussing. Because I couldn't remember the author, I had to do a lot of internet sleuthing to find out what theory I was thinking of and who had written it. During times like this, I wished I had a resource I could turn to that listed out prominent theorists and their main arguments. This type of website would also be a great way to look at connections between theorists. If all of the main concepts and key terms were together in one place, it would make it much simpler to connect concepts across theorists and see how they build on each others ideas. Instead of continuing to wish that this website was out there in the world, I decided to build it myself.
The purpose of this website is to serve as a resource for students studying rhetoric and composition. The theorists page contains a collection of prominent authors, their main ideas (i.e. their most well-known and relevant theories), and the key terms associated with them. Each image on this page links to biographical information so that you can learn more about each of the theorists. Additionally, under some of the theorists, there is a section titled "Theory in Action" that provides a practical example to illustrate how that theorists ideas are working in the world or how they might be applied. On the "isms" page, you can find broad theoretical categories, connections to scholars and other theories, and a few of the major terms/ideas associated with that branch of theory.
This website is a work in progress that will be expanded as I continue my studies. It is my hope that this website will not only help me as I move forward in my educational career, but will also help others who have encountered some of the same problems as I have in their own studies.