LOGICAL, EMOTIONAL,
AND ETHICAL APPEALS
Logical Appeals
Logical Appeal is the use of logic, claims, and evidence to
convince an audience of an argument.
For example, if I were running for Queen of the English
Language:
I would be a great Queen of the English Language because
I have taught English, I have a love of the subject, and I
have fostered the love of English in 99.999999999
(repeating of course) % of my students.
Emotional Appeals
Emotional appeals persuade audiences by arousing the emotions.
They refer to the speaker or writer’s goal of arousing the emotions of
an audience to move them to act.
For example, if I were running for Queen of the English Language:
The first time I read a book by myself I was almost overwhelmed by it. I
was five and I was reading the Little Princess. I was drawn in to the
characters and their plights. When the main character discovered she
didn’t have to stay in the orphanage’s attic anymore I felt her joy,
happiness, and sense of security. I now witness this daily as I read with
my nieces and these are the same traits you will feel when you vote for
me!
OR (if that didn’t work)
Any ad with me holding a small child reading on my lap.
Ethical Appeals
Ethical appeals are appeals that establish trust
and credibility with an audience. Ethical appeals
often rely on an audience’s sense of right and
wrong
For example, if I were running for Queen of the English
Language:
I’m Ms. Mizerak and I’m a good person. (simple, I know)
OR
I donate my time to help charities and volunteer daily.
How to cite Logical Appeals in a Letter
Here is where things get tricky.
You will not have a work cited page attached to your letter;
HOWEVER, you still need to cite your information!
How do we do this?
Let’s say that you have the following fact:
“100,000 people daily voted for Miz for Queen of the English
Language” and let’s pretend that this fact was from the Census
Bureau.
All I have to do in my letter is say,
According to the Census Bureau, “100,000 people daily voted
for Miz…”
Make sense?