Writing is communication. The author wants to show you something, help you understand something, convince
you of something. He has tools at his disposal (a painter's palette, if you will).
He has words (diction).
He has choices (selection of detail).
He has comparisons (figurative language).
He has sentences (syntax).
And that's not all.
Syntax = syn (together) + tax (arrangement), or the arrangement of words in a sentence
Syntax (noun), Syntactical (adjective)
In writing, our thoughts are expressed through words. First, we choose what words to use. This word choice, or
selection, is called diction. Syntax refers to how we arrange the chosen words to express thoughts. Note that a
writer can choose innumerable ways to express the same thought via diction, detail, and arrangement:
I went to the store in the morning.
In the morning, I went to the store.
I drove to the store this morning.
After sunrise, I went to the store.
To the store I went in the morning.
In the morning to the store I went.
In the morning to the store went I.
This morning I awoke and dressed and hustled to the store.
And so on.
As writers, we tend to use certain patterns to arrange our words into sentences. Being unique, we have our own
“favorite” sentence patterns; such distinctive choices contribute to our style.
From an AP standpoint, we want to pay careful attention to a writer’s syntax. A writer’s choice of word
arrangement may contribute to the meaning. Consider three of the above examples:
I went to the store in the morning.
To the store I went in the morning.
In the morning to the store went I.
Observe the three positions of the subject “I.” The emphasis in each sentence shifts. The first emphasizes “I,”
the second “store,” and the third “morning.” In other words, the focus shifts from person to place to time. A
writer can choose what element to emphasize by its placement in the sentence. The information is the same, but
the emphasis differs—thereby potentially affecting the meaning in the context of the larger passage.
On the AP test, you cannot analyze every sentence. Instead, look for patterns that appear throughout the
selection. Ask yourself: Might this pattern in some way contribute to the point the author makes? Also, look for
“standout sentences”—that is, a sentence whose pattern or arrangement stands in marked contrast to the
surrounding ones.
Syntactical analysis is difficult and takes much practice. Remember, you are looking for choices made by the
author that contribute to the meaning/understanding of the text.
The following terms and concepts pertaining to sentence structure are essential in preparing for the Advanced
Placement English exams:
Antithesis
Balanced Sentence
Ellipsis
Inversion (or inverted sentence)
Juxtaposition
Loose/Cumulative Sentence
Natural Order Sentence
Parallelism
Periodic Sentence
Repetition (using repetitive sentence structures or elements for effect)
Rhetorical Question
Rhetorical Fragment
Definitions and examples for most of the above terms follow below:
Stylistic Analysis I: Syntax
Ellipsis: Omission of a word or short phrase easily understood in context.
"The average person thinks he isn't." –Father Larry Lorenzoni
The term "average" is omitted but understood after "isn't."
John forgives Mary and Mary, John.
Note that the comma signals what has been elided, "forgives"
WHY MIGHT A WRITER USE THIS SYNTACTICAL STRUCTURE?
Parallelism: Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses.
parallelism of words:
She tried to make her pastry fluffy, sweet, and delicate.
parallelism of phrases:
Singing a song or writing a poem is joyous.
parallelism of clauses:
Perch are inexpensive; cod are cheap; trout are abundant; but salmon are best.
WHY MIGHT A WRITER USE THIS SYNTACTICAL STRUCTURE?
And Down the Stretch They Come!
AP English Language Test,Friday , May 10.
Please congregate in the Panther Den no later than 7:30 A.M. Testing will begin promptly at 8
A.M.
To bring:
Picture ID
Premium, high quality eraser
Time-keeping device
Well-sharpened pencils (perhaps 4-5) and a few high-quality pens [a true warrior only uses
tools of exceptional quality]
5. Kleenex
6. Multiple layers (the room can range from hot to cold; you can always take a layer off)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Beginning at 7:15: Your current and former English teachers will have specially prepared
smoothies and high-energy snacks to give you for that little extra edge. The nutrients that you put
into your body WILL affect your performance. Eat a well-balanced breakfast that morning!
What are "rhetorical strategies"?
Consider the following:
1. Figurative language (e.g., metaphors, similes)
2. Analogies (or comparisons in general)
3. Emotional Appeals (how does the writer target the audience's emotions?)
4. Logical Appeals (how does the writer target the audience's intelligence?)
5. Attempts to establish credibility
6. Use of repetition (if they repeat it often enough, people tend to believe it)
7. Diction (note patterns of words)
8. Standout sentences (that is, sentences designed to grab your attention)
9. Tone (consider how effective sarcasm can be)
10. Cause-effect argumentation (if this happens, then....)
11. Addressing the opposition
12. Use of historical precedents (this falls under analogies but is worth noting separately)
13. Contrast (sometimes a writer best shows his position by contrasting it to another, weaker view)
14. Selection of Detail (remember, the person making the argument chooses what you see and don't
see)
IMPORTANT:
For those who tend to score 4's and 5's on their essays, perhaps the key to last minute improvement is
commentary. In commentary, the writer explains HOW or WHY the given evidence supports or proves his or
her point. Commentary explains WHY the analyzed writer chose to use certain rhetorical strategies.
Simply having extended commentary improves most papers. The absence or limitedness of commentary
results in low scores, as the writer never bothers to explain his or her thinking.
To better your commentary, consider using the following phrases after your examples:
From this example, one can.....
This shows that....
By this, the author.....
The intended effect of this.....
The reader (or audience) would.....
Whatever follows such phrases is analysis that explains HOW or WHY the state evidence proves the author's
point, or supports the writer's ideas.
Papers scoring a 4 or less do not show adequate understanding. In other words, the commentary in 4's (or
less) is nonexistant, not fully explained, or flat out wrong.
Key Terms:
The following essential terms have been taken from an Official AP Prep guide. The test writers expect
you to know them. Use the links in the Literary Terms Section of this website to compile definitions.
UPDATE: Use the Quizlet class "Colleyville Heritage AP English Language Terms." Focus on the CHHS
Rhetorical Terms Master List and AP English Language Terms (set of 100) within that class. If you know all of
those terms, then there should not be a term on our test that you don't know.
Ad hominem argument
allegory
alliteration
allusion
ambiguity
analogy
antecedent
aphorism
apostrophe
atmosphere
clause
colloqualism
conceit
connotation
denotation
diction
didactic
euphemism
extended metaphor
figurative language
figure of speech
generic conventions
genre
homily
hyperbole
imagery
inference
invective
irony (including verbal irony, situational irony, dramatic irony)
loose sentence
metaphor
metonomy
mood
narrative
onomatopoeia
oxymoron
paradox
parallelism
parody
pedantic
periodic sentence
personification
point of view (first person, third person, omniscient narrator, limited-third person)
predicate adjectives
predicate nominative
prose
repetition
rhetoric
rhetorical modes (exposition, argumentation, description, narration)
rhetorical question
sarcasm
satire
simile
style
subject complement
subordinate clause
syllogism
symbolism
syntax
theme
thesis
tone
transition
understatement
wit
Also know the following terms that appear on the essay section:
attitude (or tone)
concrete detail
descriptive detail
devices
language
narrative devices
narrative technique
persuasive devices
persuasive essay
resources of language
rhetorical features
sentence structure
stylistic devices
Syntax = syn (together) + tax (arrangement), or the arrangement of words in a sentence
Syntax (noun), Syntactical (adjective)
In writing, our thoughts are expressed through words. First, we choose what words to use. This word choice, or
selection, is called diction. Syntax refers to how we arrange the chosen words to express thoughts. Note that a
writer can choose innumerable ways to express the same thought via diction, detail, and arrangement:
I went to the store in the morning.
In the morning, I went to the store.
I drove to the store this morning.
After sunrise, I went to the store.
To the store I went in the morning.
In the morning to the store I went.
In the morning to the store went I.
This morning I awoke and dressed and hustled to the store.
And so on.
As writers, we tend to use certain patterns to arrange our words into sentences. Being unique, we have our own
“favorite” sentence patterns; such distinctive choices contribute to our style.
From an AP standpoint, we want to pay careful attention to a writer’s syntax. A writer’s choice of word
arrangement may contribute to the meaning. Consider three of the above examples:
I went to the store in the morning.
To the store I went in the morning.
In the morning to the store went I.
Observe the three positions of the subject “I.” The emphasis in each sentence shifts. The first emphasizes “I,”
the second “store,” and the third “morning.” In other words, the focus shifts from person to place to time. A
writer can choose what element to emphasize by its placement in the sentence. The information is the same, but
the emphasis differs—thereby potentially affecting the meaning in the context of the larger passage.
On the AP test, you cannot analyze every sentence. Instead, look for patterns that appear throughout the
selection. Ask yourself: Might this pattern in some way contribute to the point the author makes? Also, look for
“standout sentences”—that is, a sentence whose pattern or arrangement stands in marked contrast to the
surrounding ones.
Syntactical analysis is difficult and takes much practice. Remember, you are looking for choices made by the
author that contribute to the meaning/understanding of the text.
The following terms and concepts pertaining to sentence structure are essential in preparing for the Advanced
Placement English exams:
Antithesis
Balanced Sentence
Ellipsis
Inversion (or inverted sentence)
Juxtaposition
Loose/Cumulative Sentence
Natural Order Sentence
Parallelism
Periodic Sentence
Repetition (using repetitive sentence structures or elements for effect)
Rhetorical Question
Rhetorical Fragment
Definitions and examples for most of the above terms follow below:
Stylistic Analysis I: Syntax
Ellipsis: Omission of a word or short phrase easily understood in context.
"The average person thinks he isn't." –Father Larry Lorenzoni
The term "average" is omitted but understood after "isn't."
John forgives Mary and Mary, John.
Note that the comma signals what has been elided, "forgives"
WHY MIGHT A WRITER USE THIS SYNTACTICAL STRUCTURE?
Parallelism: Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses.
parallelism of words:
She tried to make her pastry fluffy, sweet, and delicate.
parallelism of phrases:
Singing a song or writing a poem is joyous.
parallelism of clauses:
Perch are inexpensive; cod are cheap; trout are abundant; but salmon are best.
WHY MIGHT A WRITER USE THIS SYNTACTICAL STRUCTURE?
Vocabulary
Link - description
Freerice.com
Practice your vocabulary skills while at the same time fighting world hunger.
Word Games
Like crossword puzzles? Word searches?
Wordinfo.info
Exceptional site for all word lovers. Contains pages for all Latin and Greek root words with tons of examples, including word definitions. My
favorite vocabulary site.
Findtheword.info
Wordinfo.info's poor sister--but still not too shabby.
Quizlet.com
This website permits you to enter your school vocabulary lists into a private database, from which you can generate quizzes, practice
materials, etc.
Grammar
Link - description
Punctuation Game
Review the rules of grammar. You may finally learn how to use a comma or apostrophe.
Sentence Diagramming
Reviews basic sentence-related terms via clearly illustrated models. Don't let that bore you--check it out.
Grammar Gorilla
Don't even bother. You can't beat the gorilla.
Grammar Blast
Are you smarter than a fifth grader? How about a third grader?
Test Preparation
Link - description
4tests.com
This free site contains a number of practice sets from various standardized tests, including the SAT.
Number2.com
This free website also contains several SAT practice exams.
Majortests.com
Another test preparation site with free tests and samples. Also includes recommended word lists for study.
GROCKIT.COM
Compete against other people around the world in SAT-type mini-question tests.
COLLEGEBOARD.COM
The official website of the company that creates that PSAT and SAT, not to mention AP tests.
Numerous study suggestions and practice questions are available. For fee services are also
provided.
KAPLAN.COM
This company creates study materials for the SAT; however, its website has free practice tests.
College Board SAT Link Page
The College Board SAT Home Page
Oxford University English Grammar Practice
Warning! This British university website uses English spelling.
American Rhetoric
This website contains terms and definitions plus hundreds of rhetorical speeches, most with an
original audio track.
Logical Fallacies
This website compiles logical fallacies, or errors in reasoning. Visit this site to find flaws in your
parents' arguments.
Changing Minds
This large website attempts to compile and illustrate all forms of persuasion, including body
language and personal appearance. Complex, but much to be learned.
2008 Political Campaign Ads
Stanford University is compiling all television ads used in this year's political campaigns. We will
use this site in class to analyze the rhetorical strategies of recent advertisements.
Digital Ad Collections
Duke University has compiled a large collection of advertising images from the past 50 years. We
will use this site on occasion to examine the rhetorical strategies of various advertisements.
Coca-Cola Television Advertisements
This website compiles all television commercials used by the Coca-Cola company over the past 50
years. We will occasionally analyze the rhetorical strategies of selected ads.
General Summary of Aristotle's Appeals . . .
The goal of argumentative writing is to persuade your audience that your ideas are valid, or more valid than
someone else's. The Greek philosopher Aristotle divided the means of persuasion, appeals, into three
categories--Ethos, Pathos, Logos.
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.
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, Pathos, and Logos.
Logos (Greek for 'word') refers to the internal consistency of the message--the clarity of the claim, the logic of
its reasons, and the effectiveness of its supporting evidence. The impact of logos on an audience is sometimes
called the argument's logical appeal.
Ethos (Greek for 'character') refers to the trustworthiness or credibility of the writer or speaker. Ethos is often
conveyed through tone and style of the message and through the way the writer or speaker refers to differing
views. It can also be affected by the writer's reputation as it exists independently from the message--his or her
expertise in the field, his or her previous record or integrity, and so forth. The impact of ethos is often called the
argument's 'ethical appeal' or the 'appeal from credibility.'
[P]athos (Greek for 'suffering' or 'experience') is often associated with emotional appeal. But a better equivalent
might be 'appeal to the audience's sympathies and imagination.' An appeal to pathos causes an audience not just
to respond emotionally but to identify with the writer's point of view--to feel what the writer feels. In this sense,
pathos evokes a meaning implicit in the verb 'to suffer'--to feel pain imaginatively.... Perhaps the most common
way of conveying a pathetic appeal is through narrative or story, which can turn the abstractions of logic into
something palpable and present. The values, beliefs, and understandings of the writer are implicit in the story
and conveyed imaginatively to the reader. Pathos thus refers to both the emotional and the imaginative impact
of the message on an audience, the power with which the writer's message moves the audience to decision or
action.
[The above text drawn verbatim from Ramage, John D. and John C. Bean. Writing Arguments. 4th Edition.
Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 1998, 81-82.]
http://www.u.arizona.edu/ic/polis/courses021/ENGL_102-78/EthosPathosLogos
Or The Shorthand Version:
Ethos: the source's credibility, the speaker's/author's authority
Logos: the logic used to support a claim (induction and deduction); can also be the facts and statistics used to
help support the argument.
Pathos: the emotional or motivational appeals; vivid language, emotional language and numerous sensory
details.
The Art of Rhetoric: Learning How to Use the Three Main Rhetorical Styles
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. This site will help you understand
their meanings and it will also show you how to make your writing more persuasive.
http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/webclass/web/project1/group4/index.html
It also has some fantastic example web sites that use ethos, logos, and pathos. My ACME and Coyote fans will
love these examples.
The following essay "The Appeals: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos" was written by Professor Jeanne Fahnestock of
the University of Maryland, College Park, and is a very insightful explanation of the three appeals. I highly
recommend reading it at the following web site . . .
http://otal.umd.edu/~mikej/supplements/ethoslogospathos.html
According to Aristotle, our perception of a speaker or writer's character influences how believable or
convincing we find what that person has to say. This projected character is called the speaker or writer's ethos.
We are naturally more likely to be persuaded by a person who, we think, has personal warmth, consideration of
others, a good mind and solid learning. Often we know something of the character of speakers and writers ahead
of time. They come with a reputation or extrinsic ethos. People whose education, experience, and previous
performances qualify them to speak on a certain issue earn the special extrinsic ethos of the authority. But
whether or not we know anything about the speaker or writer ahead of time, the actual text we hear or read, the
way it is written or spoken and what it says, always conveys and impression of the author's character. This
impression created by the text itself is the intrinsic ethos.
Institutions, public roles and publications also project an ethos or credibility. We assume, for example, that The
New York Times is a more credible source than the Weekly World News or the National Inquirer. And we
usually assume that a person selected for a position of responsibility or honor is more credible than someone
without official sanction. These expectations about credibility and ethos are occasionally disappointed.
Pathos
The persuasive appeal of pathos is an appeal to an audience's sense of identity, their self-interest, their emotions.
Many rhetoricians over the centuries have considered pathos the strongest of the appeals, though this view of
persuasion is rarely mentioned without a lament about the power of emotion to sway the mind.
Appeals to our sense of identity and self interest exploit common biases; we naturally bend in the direction of
what is advantageous to us, what serves our interests or the interests of any group we believe ourselves a part of.
Even when advantage is not an issue, writers who belong to groups we identify with, or create groups we can
belong to, often seem more compelling. We also naturally find more persuasive the speaker or writer who
flatters us (especially indirectly) instead of insulting us. Thus skillful writers create a positive image in their
words of the audience they are addressing, an image their actual readers can identify with. Who does not want
to be the “sensible, caring person” the arguer describes? Especially powerful are devices that create an identity
between the writer and reader so that the speaker almost seems to be the audience addressing itself.
The emotions also strongly assist, perhaps sometimes determine, persuasion. If, for example, a writer wants a
reader to evaluate something negatively, she or he may try to arouse the reader's anger. Or to produce action to
someone's benefit (e.q. to persuade us to make a charitable donation), an arguer may work on our pity.
Direct appeals to the reader to feel an emotion (e.q. “You should be crying now”) are rarely effective. Instead,
creating an emotion with words usually requires recreating the scene or event that would in “real”
circumstances arouse the emotion. Thus descriptions of painful or pleasant things work on the emotions. Or the
arguer can work on the natural “trigger” of the emotion. If, for example, we usually feel anger at someone who,
we believe, has received benefits without deserving them, then the arguer who wants to make us angry with
someone will make a case that person was rewarded unfairly.
Logos
Finally, we come to the “argument” itself, the explicit reasons the arguer provides to support a position. There
are many ways to describe the support provided in an argument, but a sample way to begin is to consider all the
premises the author seems to supply. These can be scattered throughout the argument and expressed indirectly,
so identifying premises is a judgment call in itself.
Next ask which of the premises are presented as objects of agreement that the arguer considers as given,
elements of the argument taken for granted. Objects of agreement are basically either facts or values. Of course,
the facts may not be facts and readers may not agree with the values assumed. Some of the premises will be
supported further, but basically every argument has got to come down to certain objects of agreement that it
presents as shared between arguer and audience.
You can also classify premises into the following categories. 1. Are they arguments based on definition? In
other words, does the arguer make claims about the nature of things, about what terms mean, what features
things have? 2. Does the arguer make analogies or comparisons? Does he or she cite parallel cases? 3. Are there
appeals to cause and consequences? Arguing from consequence is especially common when policy issues are
debated. 4. Does the arguer rely on testimony or authority by citing the received opinions of experts? Or does
the author create some kind of authoritative reference group, citing public opinion on what most people think as
support for his or her position?
Rhetoric, Logos, Pathos, and Ethos
THE THREE "ARTISTIC PROOFS."
There are three artistic proofs that we can create: the appeals from ethos, pathos, and logos.
Ethos
Persuasion from ethos establishes the speaker's or writer's good character. As you saw in the opening of Plato's
Phaedrus, the Greeks established a sense of ethos by a family's reputation in the community. Our current culture
in many ways denies us the use of family ethos as sons and daughters must move out of the community to find
jobs or parents feel they must sell the family home to join a retirement community apart from the community of
their lives' works. The appeal from a person's acknowledged life contributions within a community has moved
from the stability of the family hearth to the mobility of the shiny car. Without the ethos of the good name and
handshake, current forms of cultural ethos often fall to puffed-up resumes and other papers. The use of ethos in
the form of earned titles within the community-Coach Albert, Deacon Jones, Professor Miller-are diminishing
as "truthful" signifiers while commercial-name signifiers or icons appear on clothing-Ralph Lauren, Louis
Vuitton, Tommy Hilfiger- disclosing a person's cultural ethos not in terms of a contributor to the community,
but in terms of identity-through purchase. Aristotle warns us away from such decoys, telling us that the appeal
from ethos comes not from appearances, but from a person's use of language. In a culture where outward
appearances have virtually subsumed or taken over the appeal from inner (moral and intellectual) character, the
appeal from ethos becomes both problematic and important. Given our culture's privileges/rights of free speech
and personal equality, however, we have enormous possibilities for the appeal from ethos any writer well versed
in his or her subject and well spoken about it can gain credibility. This kind of persuasion comes from what a
person says and how a person says it, not from any prejudice (pre-judging) of the author.
Aristotle tells us that three things "Inspire confidence in the rhetor's [speaker's/writer's] own character-the three,
namely, that induce us to believe a thing apart from any proof of it: good sense, good moral character, and
goodwill. False statements and bad advice come from the lack of any of these elements. Exhibiting these three
aspects of character in your discourse can play a large part in gaining credibility for your ideas. As regards the
academic essay, be sure to have your writing appear written by a person of good sense by following the format
dictated by the Modern Language Association (M.L.A.) or American Psychological Association (A.P.A.) or
whatever your particular academic community wants. Citing a bunch of sources always adds to your credibility
(sense of good sense) too. Stylistically in your writing, you can show, if not your good moral character, at least
some character identification by sticking some little phrase before using "r' or "we." Like, "As So-in-so's
attorney, I suggest . . . Or "As a dental hygienist, I advise...... Or "As an elderly snowboarder for the past
decade, I see no reason why...... Actually, using "I" or "we" without such identifiers flips the attempt at ethos
into a sense of the generic nobody. Many writing teachers, therefore, just say "don't use I." Aristotle implies,
use "I" or "we" to your advantage with an ethos-appeal sort of phrase out there in front, or else forget it. Despite
warnings against believing discourse 'just because it appears written by someone of good sense or because the
ideas "look good," you should try to create discourse that "looks good." As a reminder from the Plato chapter
(now reinforced by the Aristotelian tip that people judge the credibility of your ideas by your writing skills),
you should run your academic essay through the spell checker and bother numerous guinea-pig readers for
fixing up the organization and Standard English before letting your essay loose on the world to do its work. If,
as Aristotle says, people are going to judge your spoken and/or written ideas by virtue of the appearance of
good sense, you'd best attend to that quality.
Pathos
Persuasion from pathos involves engaging the readers' or listeners' emotions. Appealing to pathos does not
mean that you just emote or "go off' through your writing. Not that simple. Appealing to pathos in your readers
(or listeners), you establish in them a state of reception for your ideas. You can attempt to fill your readers with
pity for somebody or contempt for some wrong. You can create a sense of envy or of indignation. Naturally, in
order for you to establish at will any desired state of emotion in your readers, you will have to know everything
you can about psychology. Maybe that's why Aristotle wrote so many books about the philosophy of human
nature. In the Rhetoric itself, Aristotle advises writers at length how to create anger toward some ideal
circumstance and how also to create a sense of calm in readers. He also explains principles of friendship and
enmity as shared pleasure and pain. He discusses how to create in readers a sense of fear and shame and
shamelessness and kindness and unkindness and pity and indignation and envy and indignation and emulation.
Then he starts all over and shows how to create such feelings toward ideas in various types of human character'
of "people" of virtue and vice; those of youth, prime of life, and old age; and those of good fortune and those of
bad fortune." Aristotle warns us, however: knowing (as a good willed writer) how to get your readers to receive
your ideas by making readers "pleased and friendly" or "pained and hostile" is one thing; playing on readers'
emotions in ways that make them mindless of concepts and consequences can corrupt the judgment of both
individuals and the community.
Logos
Finally, a writer appeals to readers through the appeal to the readers' sense of logos. This is commonly called
the logical appeal, and you can use two different types of logic. You can use inductive logic by giving your
readers a bunch of similar examples and then drawing from them a general proposition. This logic is pretty
simple given this, that, and the other thing-poof, there you go, a conclusion. Or, you can use the deductive
enthymeme by giving your readers a few general propositions and then drawing from them a specific truth.
Like, "because such-'n-such is true and such-'n-such is true and such-'n-such is true and everybody agrees on
this other thing, then-poof, stands to reason, a new truth.
Since the time that a bunch of guys called "The Royal Society" (Hume, Locke, Bacon, etc.) rejected deduction,
our culture has generally favored induction because it's often called the "scientific method" and we like science.
Historically, people have also attributed feminine metaphors to deductive logic and then easily dismissed it or
dismissed the general propositions as "not documented" or "old wives tales."
Source: Henning, Martha L. Friendly Persuasion: Classical Rhetoric--Now! Draft Manuscript. August, 1998.
http://www.millikin.edu/wcenter/workshop7b.html