Using meta‐analyses to evaluate curriculum: An examination of selected college textbooks

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Abstract
This essay uses the results of meta‐analyses examining the effects of various message design strategies to evaluate public speaking and persuasion textbooks. The conclusions of the meta‐analyses are compared to the conclusions and advice offered by textbooks that rely on social scientific studies. The comparisons using four issues (fear appeals, message sidedness, foot‐in‐the‐door/door‐in‐the‐face, and “sleeper”; effect) show that only for the “sleeper”; effect do more than 50% of the textbooks draw conclusions consistent with the meta‐analyses. Implications of this comparison for the teaching of public speaking and persuasion are considered.