Persuasive + Rhetorical Appeals

Rhetorical Question

A question posed to an audience to engage them without expecting a response.

Parallelism

Using the same part of speech or syntactic structure in each element of a series.

Personification

Treating an animal or nonhuman object as if it were a person by giving it human qualities.

Parenthesis

A word, phrase, or whole sentence inserted as an aside in the middle of another sentence.

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but is actually true.

Metonymy

Using the name of one thing for that of another associated with it.

Oxymoron

Combining two apparently contradictory elements.

Name-Calling

Use of disparaging or abusive names to attack those who oppose the speaker.

Invective

Using angry or insulting language.

Hypophora

Raising one or more questions and then proceeding to answer them.

Irony

An expression in which the intended meaning of the words is the opposite of their usual meaning.

Appeal to Thrift

Targeting the need of the audience to be economical.

Appeal to Authority

Targeting the respect and admiration an audience has for famous figures.

Flattery

Using praise to ingratiate oneself with the audience.

Imagery

Vivid descriptions that evoke sensory experiences.

Euphemism

Substitution of a milder or less direct expression for one that is harsh or blunt.

Appeal to Self-Indulgence

Targeting the audience's desire for personal pleasure.

Appeal to Conformity

Targeting the need of the audience to conform to main trends.

Contrast

Establishing a clear, contrasting relationship between two ideas.

Extended Metaphor

A protracted metaphor making a series of parallel comparisons.

Antithesis

Establishing a contrasting relationship between two ideas.

Hyperbole

Extravagant exaggeration of fact for comic or serious effect.

Appeal to Science

Using scientific elements to establish the validity of an argument.

Appeal to Desire for Acceptance

Targeting the need of the audience to be accepted by others.

Anaphora

Regular repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases or clauses.

Emotive Diction

Use of words likely to elicit strong emotions in the audience.

Denotation

The dictionary definition of a word.

Connotation

What is implied by a word; the non-literal meaning.

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words.

Appeal to Patriotism

Targeting the patriotic values of an audience.

Appeal to Duty

Targeting the sense of duty of the audience.

Amplification

Repeating a word or expression while adding detail to emphasize its importance.

Aphorism

A concise statement of principle or a precept.

Situational Irony

An event that mocks the circumstances, often humorous or sarcastic.

Anecdote

A short, entertaining account of some happening, usually personal or biographical.

Analogy

Comparison of two things to point out similarities.

Allusion

Brief reference to a person, place, event, or passage in literature.

Simile

Compares two things using 'like' or 'as' to highlight similarities.

Dramatic Irony

A situation where the audience knows something that the characters do not.

Visual Imagery

Descriptions that appeal to the sense of sight.

Tactile Imagery

Descriptions that appeal to the sense of touch.

Olfactory Imagery

Descriptions that appeal to the sense of smell.

Gustatory Imagery

Descriptions that appeal to the sense of taste.

Auditory Imagery

Descriptions that appeal to the sense of sound.

Organic Imagery

Descriptions that express internal sensations or emotions.

Kinesthetic Imagery

Descriptions that express movement.

Modern Appeals

Persuasive techniques targeting contemporary values and beliefs.

Logos

Appeal to logic in an argument.

Pathos

Appeal to emotion in an argument.

Ethos

Appeal of one's character or credibility.

Aristotelian Appeals

Foundational persuasive strategies established by Aristotle.

Rhetorical Appeals

Techniques used to persuade an audience.

Persuasive Appeals

Methods aimed at convincing an audience.