A Lesson on Rhetorical Devices:
Ethos, Pathos, Logos
What is Rhetoric?
 Rhetoric (n) - the art of speaking or writing
effectively (Webster's Definition).
– According to Aristotle, rhetoric is "the ability, in
each particular case, to see the available
means of persuasion." He described three main
forms of rhetoric: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos.

In order to be a more effective writer, you must understand these three terms.
You will better understand their meanings which will make your writing more
persuasive.
Three Forms of Rhetoric…
 Ethos
 Logos
 Pathos
Ethos (Credibility)
 Ethos: the source's credibility, the
speaker's/author's authority
 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.
Ethos Example:
 Product: George Foreman and his Grilling
Machine
 Repertoire: Boxing Champ and a Preacher
 Why is George Foreman credible?
Logos (Logical)
 Logos: the logic used to support a claim
(induction and deduction); can also be the
facts and statistics used to help support the
argument.
– Persuading by the use of reasoning.
– An effective and persuasive reason that
supports your ideas.
Logos Example:
 Verizon advertises their product by insisting
that their customers have 50% fewer
dropped calls
 Or
 Their 4G network covers 75% more area
than AT&T
Pathos
 This is an appeal to emotion.
– The emotional appeal can be connected to
positive or negative emotions (love, fear, anger,
happiness, grief, etc.)
Logos Example continued…
Few of our children
breathe fresh air in
their schools, which are
being sprayed, inside
and out, with millions of
pounds of deadly,
nervous system
destroying pesticides.
What are the details
provided in this claim?
Pathos (Emotional)
 Pathos: persuading by appealing to the
reader's emotions. 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.
 How? Anecdotal writing or narratives within
persuasive writing
Pathos Example:
 How does this
advertisement appeal
to emotion? Why?
Pathos Example continued…
 Weak America? That’s
awful!
 Look at those sweet,
homeless, little bears!
 Someone ought to be
ashamed of themselves!
Quick Recap
 Ethical. “Because this is correct”.
 Emotional. “Because it’s what your heart
demands”
 Rational. “Because it’s reasonable”
(Logos)- Logical Fallacy
Ad hominem:
 This is an attack on the character of a person rather
than their opinions or arguments. Example:
– Green Peace's strategies aren't effective because they are
all dirty, lazy hippies.
 In this example the author doesn't even name
particular strategies Green Peace has suggested,
much less evaluate those strategies on their merits.
Instead, the author attacks the characters of the
individuals in the group.
There are many types of logical
fallacies:
Slippery Slope: If “a”
happens….”z” happens
Post hoc ergo propter
hoc: if 'A' occurred after
'B' then 'B' must have
caused 'A.‘
Genetic Fallacy: This
conclusion is based on
an argument that the
origins of a person, idea,
institute, or theory
determine its character,
nature, or worth
Loaded Language
 Loaded Language
 The term "loaded language" refers to words,
phrases, and overall verbal and written
communication that is intended to
inspire emotion in the reader or listener.
This usage of language to appeal to emotion
is used in everyday conversation and is
often used by politicians, public figures,
advertisers and corporations.
 Loaded language is considered a persuasive technique
and has also been called emotive language, high-inference
language, or loaded terms. It is often used in order to:
 Gain support
 Sway opinions
 Degrade others (such as in a political campaign)
 Gain a political foothold
 Push an agenda
 Some have even claimed that the use of loaded language
is a brainwashing technique.
– The noted writer George Orwell in discussion of using loaded
language had this to say:
 "The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far
as it signifies 'something not desirable.' The words
democracy, socialism, freedom, patriotic, realistic, justice
have each of them several different meanings which
cannot be reconciled with one another. In the case of a
word like democracy, not only is there no agreed definition,
but the attempt to make one is resisted from all sides. It is
almost universally felt that when we call a country
democratic we are praising it: consequently the defenders
of every kind of regime claim that it is a democracy, and
fear that they might have to stop using that word if it were
tied down to any one meaning."
Often, loaded language exists as a substitute for other words or phrases,
one more negative or positive than the other depending on
circumstance.
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Bureaucrat vs. public servant
Pro-death vs. pro-choice
Regime vs. government
Elitist vs. expert
Infanticide or child murder vs. abortion
Put up with vs. tolerate
Put at a loss vs. bewilder
Loaded language can create an emotional image that is different in each
person, based on their experiences and beliefs.