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Let Dr. Mike Zizzi teach you to uplift your world via truly *authentic* writing (and speaking! and listening!) We need more of YOUR voice (not AI's).

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Tag: rhetoric

Why study driving as “rhetoric” (like a speech)?

As for my interest in driving (aka motorists in traffic), I did focus on this topic for the first three semesters of my doctoral study of communication at the University of Colorado. I took some heat from my faculty for this choice (it’s not what they studied, and, yes, that matters) and was “encouraged” (more…

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Controversy Corner

Words Matter

“Words Matter,” so get them right! I’ve dedicated my academic and professional life, along with much of my personal life, to studying, teaching, theorizing, and writing about the endless meanings, implications, and applications of the brief, common, and commonly mis-used expression, “words matter.” How? Why? To what effect? Making what possible? Causing what limitations? Overcoming…

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foundational issues

Defining “Authenticity”

Again and again on the Up-Wordz.com website/blog, you’ll find me urging you to “say it with authenticity.” We often take that word for granted, not even stopping to wonder or even ask, “What do you mean by authenticity“? Good question! Do you have authenticity in you? The founding principle of this whole site centers on…

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authenticity

Get ready for some great tips in speech (public speaking)

Yes, I’ve taught a lot of writing classes and, since trained as a communication theorist, I’ve developed my own method (my “Activated Writing” system) of re-thinking how you (or any writer) approaches writing sentences (and whole messages). I consider this system the “heart” of the Up-Wordz.com website/blog, because it’s the most powerful — and original…

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MZ-general

Research while you write

As the need arises, look it up Certainly, I, like most people, can easily conjure up quick and semi-informed (if informed at all) opinions on just about any topic. But on this site, you will find only things I’ve given much thought to and, in most cases, have studied formally and quite likely taught, written,…

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Essential Additions

Let’s get political — NOT!

Don’t let that knee jerk! I want to get an early start on demonstrating the lack of political side taking that I will demonstrate and also hope you will be able to emulate, when that would help you, which is often, in our present times of unprecedented (at least in the past century) divisiveness. For…

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authenticity

Writing Lesson 1: Not “all in one chunk”

Writing Lesson #1: Not “all in one chunk” Okay, Reader-student (my pet name for you, FYI), roll up your mental sleeves and brace yourself for your first step upon the path of transforming – not just improving, but transforming – how you express yourself in writing. I have promised to lead you to both greater precision,…

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"The Method" in three stages

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