College Composition and Communication Feb 2010

Rhetorical Numbers: A Case for Quantitative Writing in the Composition Classroom

Joanna Wolfe

Abstract

Contemporary argument increasingly relies on quantitative information and reasoning, yet our profession neglects to view these means of persuasion as central to rhetorical arts. Such omission ironically serves to privilege quantitative arguments as above “mere rhetoric.” Changes are needed to our textbooks, writing assignments, and instructor development programs to broaden how both we and our students perceive rhetoric.

Journal
College Composition and Communication
Published
2010-02-01
DOI
10.58680/ccc20109956
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy argument
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (13)

  1. Libertz et al. (2026)
    Speeding Up and Slowing Down Public Quantitative Writing
    Written Communication
  2. Zerbe et al. (2025)
    The Rhetoric of Science in (Times of) Crisis
    Rhetoric Society Quarterly
  3. DeJeu (2024)
    Using Generative AI to Facilitate Data Analysis and Visualization: A Case Study…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  4. Laudenbach et al. (2024)
    Visualizing formative feedback in statistics writing: An exploratory study of s…
    Assessing Writing
  5. Gallagher et al. (2023)
    Analyses of seven writing studies journals, 2000–2019, Part I: Statistical tren…
    Computers and Composition
Show all 13 →
  1. Hanson (2022)
    Performing Data and Visualizing Difference: Developing a Performative Rhetoric …
    College Composition and Communication
  2. Libertz (2021)
    Amplification by Counterstory in the Quantitative Rhetoric of Ida B. Wells
    Rhetoric Society Quarterly
  3. Gold et al. (2020)
    Who’s Afraid of Facebook? A Survey of Students’ Online Writing Practices
    College Composition and Communication
  4. Danner (2020)
    Story/Telling with Data as Distributed Activity
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Zerbe (2019)
    Paging Paul Krugman: Toward a Topoi of an Exemplar Public Intellectual in the N…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  6. Colombini et al. (2017)
    Integrating Quantitative Literacy into Technical Writing Instruction
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  7. Walker et al. (2014)
    A Choreography of Living Texts: Selections from the ARST Oral History Project
    Rhetoric Review
  8. Vee (2013)
    Understanding Computer Programming as a Literacy
    Literacy in Composition Studies

References (0)

No references on file for this article.

CrossRef global citation count: 17 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Res Rhetorica Jan 2026
    With the kindergarten teacher in explorative processes ↗
    Ove Bergersen; Heidi Olsen-Hagen
    rhetorical criticism feminist rhetorics writing pedagogy teacher development argument
  2. College Composition and Communication Sep 2025
    From Cheating to Cheat Codes: Integrating Generative AI Ethics into Collaborative Learning ↗
    Kristi Girdharry
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy argument collaborative writing writing centers artificial intelligence literacy studies
  3. Communication Design Quarterly Sep 2025
    Gratitude, Care, and Resilience: An Introductory Editorial ↗
    Timothy R. Amidon
    rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy argument professional writing
  4. Rhetoric & Public Affairs Mar 2025
    Sensitive Rhetorics: Academic Freedom and Campus Activism ↗
    Caddie Alford
    rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy teacher development argument race and writing affect and writing editorial matter
  5. Literacy in Composition Studies Dec 2024
    Review: Eli Golblatt, Alone with Each Other: Literature and Literacy Intertwined ↗
    Elizabeth Kimball
    rhetorical criticism composition theory genre theory first-year composition writing pedagogy argument writing program administration literacy studies community literacy literary studies book reviews