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22 Ethos, Pathos, & Logos
Using Rhetorical Appeals to Support Your Argument
In addition to choosing an effective rhetorical mode (see Rhetorical Modes for Paragraphs & Essays for details) for an essay, you need to think about the most effective rhetorical appeal, or way of persuading your audience.
Writers are generally most successful with their audiences when they can skillfully and appropriately balance the three core types of rhetorical appeals. These appeals are referred to by their Greek names: ethos,pathos, and logos.
Authoritative Appeals = Ethos
Authors using authority to support their claims can use a variety of techniques. These include the following:
personal anecdotes
proof of deep knowledge on the issue
citation of recognized experts on the issue
testimony of those involved first-hand on the issue
Emotional Appeals = Pathos
Authors using emotion to support their claims also have many options to do so. These include the following:
personal anecdotes
narratives
impact studies
testimony of those involved first-hand on the issue
Logical Appeals = Logos
Authors using logic to support their claims can incorporate a combination of different types of evidence. These include the following:
established facts
case studies
statistics
experiments
analogies and logical reasoning
citation of recognized experts on the issue
As you can see, there is some overlap on these lists. One type of support may work in two or three different ways.
Many authors rely on one of the three as the primary method of support, but they may also draw upon one or two others at the same time. Consider your audience, purpose, and context to determine the best appeal(s) to use in your writing.
Activity A ~ Recognizing Rhetorical Appeals
Examine an article that you are reading for your research. Can you find examples of ethos, pathos, and/or logos? Discuss with a partner.
Watch “Nissan LeafTM: Polar Bear” by clicking below (also found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdYWSsUarOg#action=share)
What appeal(s) did the authors of this video use?
Can you find other short videos which show rhetorical appeals?
Activity B ~ Choosing Rhetorical Appeals
A. Check in with your partners: What’s the difference between rhetorical modes and rhetorical appeals?
B. Discuss the following topics with your partners, as we did in our chapter on rhetorical modes (patterns of organization). This time, think about which appeal(s) would be most effective for an essay about each topic. Why?
Gender roles
Race in America
The value of art in society
Travel as part of a well-rounded education
Drugs and alcohol
Advice to new parents
Advice to teachers
The value of making mistakes
How you’d spend a million dollars
What a tough day at work taught you about yourself or others
C. Consider the essay you are working on now. What rhetorical appeals would be most effective for your audience? Why? Discuss with your writing partners.
