ethos logos pathos

Expert Opinion:

Ethos: Using the opinion of an expert to give credence to an argument

Quotations:

Ethos: Using quotes from experts or famous figures to provide “moral backing” or “expert approval” to an argument

Personal Experience:

Ethos: using a personal experience to help establish credibility (ethos) or garner sympathy (pathos) 

Call to Action:

Ethos: A phrase or sentence in a speech or text that asks the audience to take specific action “Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy” (MLK).

Ethical Duty:

Ethos: A reminder to the audience of their “moral” or “ethical” duty. Equates morality with the given argument.

Anecdote:

Pathos: a story that appeals to an audience’s emotions

Charged Language/ Loaded Language:

Pathos: Language that appeals to emotions. Sometimes called loaded language. Example: A thirst for freedom

Rhetorical Question:

Pathos: A question asked to create a dramatic effect or make a point NOT to get an answer. Do you want to live in a world like that?

Anaphora/Repetition:

Pathos: The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses : "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Parallelism:

Pathos: repeating a grammatical structure or an arrangement of words to create rhythm and momentum. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Analogy:

Logos: Drawing a comparison that shows a similarity between two seemingly unlike things to give emphasis to an argument. 

• In “I Have a Dream,” King compares the fact that African-Americans do not have the same freedoms and rights as white citizens to a bad check or promissory note.

Facts and Figures:

Logos: Use of facts and statistics to give credibility to an argument

Juxtaposition:

Logos: placement of two or more things side by side to show their contrast

Counter arguments/rebuttal:

Logos: a response to an argument with the sole purpose of disproving it.

Logical Fallacies:

Logos:  Deceptive or false arguments that may seem stronger than they actually are and are used to persuade. It’s important to watch out for these fallacies that may seem logical, but are not.

• Red Herring: Attempting to shift focus away from a point by introducing an irrelevant point