UNDERSTANDING THE ELEMENTS OF PERSUASION

Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men. What is rhetoric? Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men. Plato

The Elements of Persuasion The basics of classical argument are the three types of appeals. Aristotle held that there were three ways to go about persuading an audience regarding a point. These three appeals are the appeal to reason (logos), the appeal to the speaker’s character (ethos), and the appeal to the audience’s emotions (pathos).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf81d0YS58E

Ethos, Logos, or Pathos?

Ethos, Logos, or Pathos?

Ethos, Logos, or Pathos?

Loaded Words Tend to make a reader or listener feel either positive or negative toward the subject being discussed

Bandwagon Appeal The reader is urged to “jump on the bandwagon” before is it too late. In other words, everyone else is doing or has already done whatever it is the writer wants the reader to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dQRCOEeHaY

Testimonial Quotation by an expert or authority on the subject being discussed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPI9Jzgdk_g&safe=active https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuWfm1s7aBI

Average looking people using their product and having a wonderful time Plain-Folks Appeal Average looking people using their product and having a wonderful time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE_cVKc_pn4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqCKQoOVUfo

Snob Appeal Glamorous, well-dressed people using products, implying that your life will be more glamorous and exciting if you buy the products that these beautiful people are using

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE&safe=active

Repetition Allows a writer or speaker to hammer home an idea, image, or relationship, to force the reader or listener to pay attention

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cMjLXNTs-0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOGTsKLZofA&list=PLCCBFCEA8309982A8&index=3

Props or Objects Use of a visual aid to evoke strong or subtle emotion to support from the audience

Hyperbole An extreme exaggeration used to make a point. It is like the opposite of “understatement.” It is from a Greek word meaning “excess.”

Hyperbole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUzScx6_lWg&safe=active

Asking a question with no intended answer: Rhetorical Question Asking a question with no intended answer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtp_mq2fO24&safe=active https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdgdVVuHaxI&safe=active

Stereotype A hasty generalization that states all members of a particular group share certain qualities or characteristics

Post Hoc Ergo Proctor Hoc Occurs when one event is said to be the cause of another just because the two events happened in sequence. You cannot assume that an event caused whatever happened afterward.

http://www.mandm.org.nz/2011/03/fallacy-friday-the-fallacy-of-false-cause-post-hoc-ergo-propter-hoc.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRJUvFG8gbE&safe=active

Ad hominem Claim or argument is rejected on the basis of some irrelevant fact about the author of or the person presenting the claim or argument

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD50OTR3arY&safe=active https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVFK8sVdJNg&safe=active

Red herring An irrelevant topic is presented in order to divert attention from the original issue. The basic idea is to “win” an argument by leading attention away from the argument to another topic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo9wqmVlulM

False Authority logical fallacy in which the writer uses the assumption that an expert in one field is also an expert in another

Slippery Slope logical fallacy in which the writer makes the assumption that if one thing is allowed, it will be the first step in a downward spiral

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWcUY9tm01I

Guilt by Association logical fallacy in which the writer uses an unfair attempt to make someone responsible for the beliefs or actions of others

Begging the Question logical fallacy in which the writer presents an assertion that simply restates the point just made

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2wj4Lk07RE