Persuasion

1. Persuasion Rhetoric: The art of persuasion. Greek philosopher Aristotle divided the means of persuasion into three primary categories or appeals

2. Ethos (Credibility): • Greek for “character” • Based on an ethical appeal • Convincing your audience by the character of the speaker (or author). • Goal is to project an impression to your audience that you are someone worth listening to. • You should make it clear that you are an authority on the subject, as well as likable and worthy of respect. • Often conveyed through tone, style of message, word choice, and dress. • May be impacted by the speaker’s outside reputation. • Exs:

3. Pathos (Emotional appeal) •  Greek for “'suffering” or “experience” •  Persuading by appealing to the listeners’ emotions. •  An appeal to pathos causes an audience to respond emotionally, but also to identify with the speaker's point of view-to feel what the speaker feels. •  Often seen in narrative stories or examples in speeches. • Exs:

4. Logos (Logical appeal) • Greek for “word” •  An appeal based on logic or reason. •  Having strong arguments (points) that clearly support your ideas in order to persuade your position. •  The clarity of the claim, the logic of its reasons, and the effectiveness of its supporting evidence are key factors. •  A clear structure of points and ideas may also play a role in projecting logos as you speak. •  Avoid logical fallacies (everyone is doing it, because A is true B must be true too!) • Exs: