IdentifyingRhetoricalAppeals:Logos,Pathos,andEthos

Rhetoric:Theartofusinglanguagepersuasivelyandeffectively

Logos=LogicTheuseoflogic,rationality,andcriticalreasoningtopersuade.Logosappealstothemind.Logosseekstopersuadethereaderintellectually.

ExamplesofLogos:! Appealtothemind/intellect! Drawfromphilosophyandlogic! Facts! Statistics! If,then…statements! Definitionsofterms! Explanationofideas! Causeandeffect! Detailsthatcomefromobjectivereporting! Logicalreasonsandexplanations

Pathos=EmotionTheuseofemotionandaffecttopersuade.Pathosappealstotheheartandtoone’semotions.Pathosseekstopersuadethereaderemotionally.

ExamplesofPathos:! Appealtotheheart/emotion! Drawfromspiritualityorreligioustraditions! Storiesortestimonials! Personalanecdotesorstories! Personalconnections! Imageryandfigurativelanguagethat

provokesanemotionalresponse! Visualimagesorwordsthatinspireyouto

empathizeorhavecompassiontowardstheidea/topic

! Powerfulwords,phrases,orimagesthatstirupemotion

! Detailsthatcomefromsubjectivereporting

Ethos=EthicsandCredibilityTheongoingestablishmentofawriter’sorspeaker’sauthority,credibility,andbelievabilityashe/shespeaksorwrites.Ethosappealstoethicsandcharacter.Ethosseekstopersuadethereaderthatthewriter/speakercanbetrustedandbelievedduetohis/hernoblecharacterorethicalwaysinwhichhe/sheispresentingideas.

ExamplesofEthos:! Appealtothewriter’s/speaker’sbelievability,

qualifications,character;relevantbiographicalinformation

! Useofcrediblesources(experts,scholars)! Accuratecitationofsources:givescreditwhere

creditisdue! Experienceandauthority:personknowsthe

issuesandhasexperienceinthefield! Appropriatelanguage:useslanguageofthe

discipline! Appropriatetone:knowstheaudienceand

contextofsituation! Humility:isnotarrogant! Usestentativeyetauthoritativelanguage;avoids

sweepingstatementslike“everyoneisdoingthis,”“thisistheonlyway,”“thiswillalwayswork.”Insteadsays,“theresearchsuggeststhat,”“someexpertsbelieve,”“inmyexperience,”etc.

Chart,withminoredits,courtesyofMountainViewHighSchool(mvhs.clintweb.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=22229787)