Rhetoric 101 Rhetoric has been defined as the art of using words to persuade in writing or speaking.

When a writer attempts to persuade, he or she uses certain kinds of appeals in order to make a case and persuade the reader or listener. These appeals can generally fall into one of three broad categories. Aristotle first identified these categories of appeals and called them appeals of pathos, ethos, and logos. Today, they are also referred to as emotional, ethical, and logical appeals. Writers and speakers choose the kinds of appeals to use in their arguments based on their intended audience, purpose, and the nature of the argument itself. Pathos (emotional appeal): This type of appeal attempts to persuade the reader or listener by appealing to the senses and emotions. Political ads that show politicians kissing babies or shaking hands with the elderly often appeal to the emotions. Also, these appeals usually include statements with vivid sensory details, which are used to awaken the senses and perhaps manipulate the emotions of the audience. Ethos (ethical appeal): This type of appeal attempts to persuade the reader or listener by focusing on the qualifications of the speaker. The speakers credibility is paramount in an ethical appeal. Ethical appeals focus on the speaker even more than the situation. Examples of ethical appeals in advertising are expert or celebrity endorsements of products. Other examples of ethical appeals are a teens argument that he or she should be allowed to do something because he or she has never been in trouble, or because his or her friend is a perfect citizen, and so on. Logos (logical appeal): This type of appeal attempts to persuade the reader or listener by leading him down the road of logic and causing him to come to his own conclusion. Logical appeals state the facts and show how the facts are interrelated. If/then statements are examples of logical

appeals. Logical appeals are often used in courtroom situations.

These Questions Arent Rhetorical . . . Or Are They? Identify the type of appeal used in each of the following statements: 1. If Mr. Nabors says that he was home by 10 p.m., yet Mr. Naborss neighbor claims he saw him arriving home at 2 a.m., doesnt that lead you to believe that Mr. Nabors might be lying?

2. I deserve the position because I have worked faithfully for the past 30 years. I always try to go above and beyond what is required. I was even selected to be the Employee of the Month.

3. The animal shelter desperately needs your support. It is overflowing with lonely little kittens who spend their days mewing and whimpering and staring forlornly out of their tiny little crates.

Write your thoughts in response to the following questions: Under which circumstances might emotional appeals be most effective?

What about ethical appeals?

 Logical appeals?