What Are “Rhetorical Appeals”?

1. What Are “Rhetorical Appeals”? • Rhetorical Appeals: Persuasive strategies used in arguments to support claims and respond to counterarguments • Comes from Aristotle’s On Rhetoric (2000 years old) and is still used in all modern rhetorics. • There are three main types of rhetorical appeals: logos, ethos, and pathos • Effective arguments generally use a combination of all three appeals Martin Luther King, Jr. at the March on Washington (1963)

2. Logos • Logos: Appeal to reason • Greek for “word”—English “logic” • Logos refers to the internal consistency of the message: • The clarity of the claim • The logic of the reasons • The reliability and effectiveness of the evidence • The impact of logos on an audience is sometimes called the argument’s “logical appeal” • Ask these questions: • Does your message make sense? Are you understandable? • Is your message based on facts, statistics, and evidence? • Is your argument structure transparent? • Will your call-to-action (if you have one) lead to the desired outcome that you promise? The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David (1787)

3. Ethos • Ethos: Appeal to character • Aristotle first defined as a speaker’s “trustworthiness” • Ethos refers to the credibility of the writer • Ways to build your ethos: • Use evidence from credible sources • Acknowledge and respect opposing views • Keep an open mind • Proofread! • The impact of ethos on an audience is sometimes called the argument’s “ethical appeal”

4. Pathos • Pathos: Appeal to emotion • Greek for “suffering” or “experience” • Pathos appeals to the audience’s needs, values, and emotional sensibilities • An appeal to pathos causes an audience to identify with the writer’s point of view • Often relies on narrative, which can turn abstractions of logic into something palpable and present

5. Ad 1: Coca-Cola Who is the audience? What is the purpose? What appeals are being made ? How are these appeals being made? Why are these appeals being used?

6. Ad 2: Camel Cigarettes Who is the audience? What is the purpose? What appeals are being made ? How are these appeals being made? Why are these appeals being used?

7. TV Ads: Apple, Clorox, and Chrysler Who is the audience? What is the purpose? What appeals are being made ? How are these appeals being made? Why are these appeals being used? http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=_5i1Dyj5k1A http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=YoMdHLGHnZg http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SKL254Y_jtc