The current study examined the influence of rhetorical analysis instruction on critical thinking (CT) in an EFL PPT presentation class. The study utilized an experimental design to implement rhetorical analysis with 26 participants in a control group and 28 participants in an experimental group. The two groups were equivalent in terms of their English proficiency level as well as their critical thinking ability as measured by the Critical Thinking Test (CTT, available online) before the experiment. The participants in the experimental group were instructed to utilize rhetorical devices in their presentation scripts and rhetorical analysis in their presentations. In group discussions, participants in the experimental group explored the use of rhetorical devices in other students’ presentations in terms of how and for what purpose they were used and whether they were well applied. The results of a post-test (CTT) demonstrated that teaching rhetorical devices had a positive and promising influence on CT. Exploring rhetorical devices and analysis was also found to have a great impact on three components of CT: noticing arguments, recognizing the way an assumption is rhetorically manipulated, and interpreting conclusions. The study reinforced other earlier research findings, which support the use of rhetorical analysis to enhance EFL learners’ CT. |