Unit 1: Logos, Ethos, and Pathos
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Logos (Logical) means persuading by the use of reasoning. This will be the most important technique we will study, and Aristotle's favorite. We'll look at deductive and inductive reasoning, and discuss what makes an effective, persuasive reason to back up your claims. Giving reasons is the heart of argumentation, and cannot be emphasized enough. We'll study the types of support you can use to substantiate your thesis, and look at some of the common logical fallacies, in order to avoid them in your writing.
Ethos (Credibility), or ethical appeal, means convincing by the character of the author. We tend to believe people whom we respect. One of the central problems of argumentation is to project an impression to the reader that you are someone worth listening to, in other words making yourself as author into an authority on the subject of the paper, as well as someone who is likable and worthy of respect.
Pathos (Emotional) means persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions. We can look at texts ranging from classic essays to contemporary advertisements to see how pathos, emotional appeals, are used to persuade. Language choice affects the audience's emotional response, and emotional appeal can effectively be used to enhance an argument.
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Logos (Logical) means persuading by the use of reasoning. This will be the most important technique we will study, and Aristotle's favorite. We'll look at deductive and inductive reasoning, and discuss what makes an effective, persuasive reason to back up your claims. Giving reasons is the heart of argumentation, and cannot be emphasized enough. We'll study the types of support you can use to substantiate your thesis, and look at some of the common logical fallacies, in order to avoid them in your writing.
Ethos (Credibility), or ethical appeal, means convincing by the character of the author. We tend to believe people whom we respect. One of the central problems of argumentation is to project an impression to the reader that you are someone worth listening to, in other words making yourself as author into an authority on the subject of the paper, as well as someone who is likable and worthy of respect.
Pathos (Emotional) means persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions. We can look at texts ranging from classic essays to contemporary advertisements to see how pathos, emotional appeals, are used to persuade. Language choice affects the audience's emotional response, and emotional appeal can effectively be used to enhance an argument.
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More Examples:
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Appeals to Ethos:
"As a doctor, I am qualified to tell you that this course of treatment will likely generate the best results."
"If his years as a Marine taught him anything, it’s that caution is the best policy in this sort of situation."
Appeals to Pathos:
"If we don’t move soon, we’re all going to die! Can’t you see how dangerous it would be to stay?"
"There’s no price that can be placed on peace of mind. Our advanced security systems will protect the well-being of your family so that you can sleep soundly at night."
Appeals to Logos:
"The data is perfectly clear: this investment has consistently turned a profit year-over-year, even in spite of market declines in other areas."
"Research compiled by analysts from NASA, as well as organizations from five other nations with space programs, suggests that a moon colony is viable with international support."
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Appeals to Ethos:
"As a doctor, I am qualified to tell you that this course of treatment will likely generate the best results."
"If his years as a Marine taught him anything, it’s that caution is the best policy in this sort of situation."
Appeals to Pathos:
"If we don’t move soon, we’re all going to die! Can’t you see how dangerous it would be to stay?"
"There’s no price that can be placed on peace of mind. Our advanced security systems will protect the well-being of your family so that you can sleep soundly at night."
Appeals to Logos:
"The data is perfectly clear: this investment has consistently turned a profit year-over-year, even in spite of market declines in other areas."
"Research compiled by analysts from NASA, as well as organizations from five other nations with space programs, suggests that a moon colony is viable with international support."
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For more examples go to the tips and tricks page.