Persuasion

Arguments 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, or appeals, into three categories--Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Ethos an appeal to credibility or character. An argument using ethos will try to convince you that the company or person is more reliable, honest, and credible. Ethos often involves statistics from reliable experts, such as nine out of ten dentists agree that Crest is the better than any other brand. Often, a celebrity endorses a product or cause to lend it more credibility: Catherine Zeta- Jones makes us want to switch to T-Mobile.

Pathos an appeal to emotion. An argument using pathos will attempt to evoke an emotional response in the viewer. Sometimes, it is a positive emotion such as happiness: an image of people enjoying themselves while drinking Pepsi. Other times, it is a negative emotion such as pain: a person having back problems after buying the “wrong” mattress. Pathos can also include emotions such as fear and guilt: images of a starving child persuade you to send money.

Logos An appeal to logic or reason An argument using logos will give you the evidence and statistics you need to fully understand the person, product, or issue. The logos of an advertisement will be the "straight facts" about the product: One glass of Florida orange juice contains 75% of your daily Vitamin C needs.

Identify if the following examples are Ethos, Pathos, or Logos appeals A child is shown covered in bug bites after using an inferior bug spray. Tiger Woods endorses Nike. Sprite Zero is 100% sugar-free. A 32-oz. bottle of Tide holds enough to wash 32 loads. A commercial shows an image of a happy couple riding in a Corvette. Cardiologists recommend Ecotrin more than any other brand of aspirin. Advil Liqui-Gels provide up to 8 hours of continuous pain relief. Miley Cyrus appears in Oreo advertisements. People who need more energy drink Red Bull Energy Drink. A magazine ad shows people smiling while smoking cigarettes.

What are rhetorical devices? A rhetorical device is the use of language that is intended to have an effect on its audience. Figurative language can be used as rhetorical devices. Ex: similes, metaphors, and personification

Anaphora Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of the successive phrases, clauses, or lines Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” – A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Antithesis Contrast of ideas or words in parallel structure Example: Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee. Contrast of ideas or words in parallel structure Example: “What he yearned for was his old life. What he got was me and America.” –The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Assonance Repetition of vowel sounds in non-rhyming words Example: “And stepping softly with her air of blooded ruin about the glade in a frail agony of grace she trailed her rags through dust and ashes…” –Outer Dark by Cormac McCarthy

Consonance Repetition of consonant sounds within words or ending words Example: She ate seven sandwiches on a sunny Sunday last week.

Parallelism The arrangement of words, phrases, clauses, or larger structures placed side by side, making them similar in form Example: I am drinking Coke, eating pizza, and watching a movie.

Repetition A word or phrase used two or more times in close proximity

Emotion-Arousing Words Use of specific words or phrases to create specific emotions in the audience. These emotions can be positive or negative, such as: shock, patriotisms, sadness, and happiness.

Using Fear Use of specific words, phrases, or ideas to create fear in the audience. Example: If you drink you will die early.

References to the Past Use of ideas or images that reference the past— usually to evoke a memory or feeling Example: “Faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents” – Barack Obama