Unit 2: Selecting Evidence and Rhetorical Appeals Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards based on Unit 2 course material covering rhetorical appeals, audience relationship, evidence selection, and argument structure.

Background

The total of one's experiences, knowledge, education, and family life.

Beliefs

Morals, standards, codes of conduct, and religious beliefs.

Emotional Appeal (Pathos)

Attempts by writers to motivate or persuade an audience by evoking their emotions or passions.

Ethical Appeal (Ethos)

Attempts by writers to convey the credibility of their character.

Logical Appeal (Logos)

Appeals that focus on a line of reasoning that is backed by evidence: facts, statistics, data, examples, and expert testimony.

Modes of Persuasion

How a writer appeals to the audience.

Needs

Requirements for life and well-being.

Rhetorical Choices

Choices made by the writer (including content, tone, and word choice) to appeal to the audience.

Purpose

What the writer wants the audience to do or think.

Values

Priorities and principles held in high regard.

Amplify

To intensify a writer's point.

Associate

To connect one idea with another.

Clarify

To give definitions of unfamiliar words in simple terms.

Credibility

The quality of being believable and trustworthy.

Exemplify / Illustrate

To provide a thorough example to support an argument.

Mood

The emotional atmosphere created by the writer.

Quality (of Evidence)

Evidence that is appropriate, valid, relevant, timely, and from authoritative sources.

Quantity (of Evidence)

The amount of evidence provided, which depends on purpose and audience.

Validity

The state of being logically and factually sound.

Argument Structure

The organizational pattern used to defend a thesis.

Claim

A statement or assertion made in an argument.

Thesis

The writer's overarching claim.

Thesis Statement

A single explicit statement that often includes claims and other elements important to the argument.

Implied Thesis

A thesis that is not directly stated in a single sentence, requiring the reader to infer the central claim from the text.

Rhetorical Triangle

A framework showing the relationship between Speaker (Ethos), Audience (Pathos), and Message (Logos) centered on Purpose.