Woodward held the position of professor emeritus of rhetorical theory at The College of New Jersey. While there, he taught classes in theories of persuasion, argumentation and debate, and the philosophy of communication. He served as the chairperson of the Department of Communication Studies .[2]
He helped to pioneer the modern definition of political communication and distinguish the field as separate from political science or mass media.[3]
He is the co-author, along with Robert E. Denton, Jr., of two textbooks: Political Communication in America (first edition 1985, third edition 1999) and Persuasion and Influence in American Life (first edition 1988, eighth edition 2019). These books are widely used in communication courses at the undergraduate and graduate level,[4][5] and cited in academic books and journals.[6]
Woodward is also the sole author of several scholarly works on subjects including rhetorical theories, communications philosophy, political media and listening as a means of communication.[7][8]
The Idea of Identification (2003) was reviewed by The Southern Communication Journal.[21]The Perfect Response: Studies of The Rhetorical Personality (2010), was reviewed in Mass Communication and Society.[22]The Rhetoric of Intention in Human Affairs (2013) was reviewed by the Kenneth Burke Society.[23]The Sonic Imperative: Sound in the Age of Screens (2021), was highlighted by a presentation to the Sarnoff Collection, a museum dedicated to RCA chairman David Sarnoff's life.[24][25][26]
^Ryfe, David Michael (2001). "History and Political Communication: An Introduction". Political Communication. 18 (4): 407–420. doi:10.1080/10584600152647119. S2CID144953310.
^Nimmo, Dan; Denton, Robert E. (1986). "Review of Political Communication in America, Robert E. Denton Jr.; When Information Counts: Grading the Media". The American Political Science Review. 80 (4): 1344–1345. doi:10.2307/1960889. JSTOR1960889. S2CID147112137.
^Pfau, Michael; Denton, Robert E. (1989). Woodward, Gary C.; Meyrowitz, Joshua; Orren, Gary R.; Polsby, Nelson W. (eds.). "The Mass Media and American Politics: A Review Essay". The Western Political Quarterly. 42 (1): 173–186. doi:10.2307/448663. JSTOR448663.
^Johannesen, Richard L. (March 1988). Responsibility in Governmental-Political Communication: A Selected, Annotated Bibliography (Report). ERICED299615.
^Allen, Mike; Preiss, Raymond W. (April 1990). "Using meta-analyses to evaluate curriculum: An examination of selected college textbooks". Communication Education. 39 (2): 103–116. doi:10.1080/03634529009378793.
^Allen, Myria Watkins; Strauman, Elena C.; Flannery, Mary Ann; Hup, Chan Sow; Besel, Richard D.; Van Buren, Cassandra; Razee, Alan; Punyanunt-Carter, Narissra; Tindall, Natalie; Plec, Emily (November 2005). "Book reviews". Southern Communication Journal. 70 (4): 346–355. doi:10.1080/10417940509373339.
^Prelli, Lawrence J. (January 2012). "Gary C. Woodward. The Perfect Response: Studies in the Rhetorical Personality: Lanham, MD: Lexington, 2010, xii + 199 pp., ISBN No. 0739140000 (hardcover)". Mass Communication and Society. 15 (1): 165–167. doi:10.1080/15205436.2011.634538. S2CID143135994.