You can trace the practice of rhetoric all the way back to the ancient Greeks. It may seem that some highly persuasive people are just naturally talented or gifted, but the truth is that most are intentionally using particular methods to get their audience on their side. One way to understand the context and impact of these methods is through the use of rhetorical theories, which you can use to dissect, understand, and even criticize the different approaches that one can make to achieve a rhetorical goal. Many of the classes I took at UALR required this kind of analysis. I learned how to use legal, rhetorical, and design lenses to make sense of a particular topic and look at it in greater depth.