BENOIT, William L. 1953-

PERSONAL: Born March 17, 1953, in New Castle, IN; son of Garvey J. (an office professional) and Berneice Benoit; married May 18, 1974; wife's name Pamela Jean (a professor); children: Jennifer M. Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Ball State University, B.S., 1975; Central Michigan University, M.A., 1976; Wayne State University, Ph.D., 1979. Hobbies and other interests: Astronomy, blues and rock-and-roll music.

ADDRESSES: Home—Columbia, MO. Office—Department of Communication, 115 Switzler Hall, University of Missouri—Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Miami University of Ohio, Oxford, visiting assistant professor of communication, 1979-80; Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, assistant professor, 1980-84; University of Missouri—Columbia, began as assistant professor, became professor of communication, 1984—.

MEMBER: International Communication Association, National Communication Association, Central States Communication Association.

AWARDS, HONORS: Choice Award for outstanding scholarly book; Rohrer Award for research in argument; Phillips Mentoring Award.

WRITINGS:

(Editor) Readings in Argumentation, Mouton Publishers (Hawthorne, NY), 1992.

Accounts, Excuses, Apologies, State University of New York Press (Albany, NY), 1995.

Candidates in Conflict, University of Alabama Press (Tuscaloosa, AL), 1996.

Campaign '96, Praeger (New York, NY), 1998.

Seeing Spots: A Functional Analysis of Presidential Television Advertisements, 1952-1996, Praeger (Westport, CN), 1999.

(With Joseph R. Blaney) The Clinton Scandals and the Politics of Image Restoration, Praeger (West-port, CT), 2001.

(With P. M. Pier, LeAnn M. Brazeal, John R. McHale, and others) The Primary Decision: A Functional Analysis of Debates in Presidential Primaries, Praeger (Westport, CT), 2001.

SIDELIGHTS: William L. Benoit once told CA: "I enjoy doing research to understand how and why communication works—or fails to work. I am motivated primarily by curiosity. I find image repair and politics fascinating."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

periodicals

Choice, December, 2001, T. M. Jackson, review of The Clinton Scandals and the Politics of Image Restoration, p. 759; September, 2002, S. E. Schier, review of The Primary Decision: A Functional Analysis of Debates in Presidential Primaries, p. 186.

Presidential Studies Quarterly, March, 2000, Glenn W. Richardson, Jr., review of Seeing Spots: A Functional Analysis of Presidential Television Advertisements, p. 197; March, 2002, Henry C. Kenski, review of The Clinton Scandals and the Politics of Image Restoration, p. 217.