The educational and methodological manual offered to your attention is the result of generalization of more than ten years of experience of teachers of the Department of World History of SPbU ITMO on the lecture and practical course "Rhetoric". Over time, both the content and the form of the educational process have undergone certain changes. The study of humanitarian disciplines in our university involves constant intensive independent work of students, especially this applies to students of evening and correspondence forms of education .. This manual contains the list of references recommended for independent work and a set of reference materials necessary for performing control works and passing a test on rhetoric