1. Rhetoric & Rhetorical Devices
Argument Writing
Rhetoric & Rhetorical Devices

2. What is an Argument?
Any “claim” or “thesis statement” that is supported with evidence
Often also referred to as PERSUASION
You are trying to persuade or convince your audience that your ideas are interesting, worth paying attention to, and stem from a logical understanding of the topic.
Does NOT mean a fight!
A good argument is not antagonistic but rather based on the sharing of well thought-out and substantiated ideas.

3. An argument is not a fight!

4. What makes a good argument?
Solid, well-defined claim
Your audience should know what you are trying to convince them of.
Supportive evidence such as facts, examples, quotes, etc…
You need to “prove” to your audience that your claim follows from a logical review of the evidence.
Clear explanation of the evidence
You should help your audience understand how your evidence supports your claim.

5. Claims must be supported!
No!
Yes!

6. What are the elements of a good argument?
Ethos
Rhetorical Triangle
Writer’s authority on the subject
Pathos
Emotional appeals
Logos
Argument
Logical appeals

7. What is Ethos? Writer’s authority or credibility
You must establish trust with your audience and make them believe you know what you are talking about
Can be accomplished through relevant personal experience
Can be accomplished through clean writing
Revise and edit so that your writing is clear and free of mistakes

8. Ethos relies on the audience trusting your authority!

9. Example in Advertisements
Advertisements that rely on ETHOS try to sell a product or an idea by making you trust the person selling it.
Can be done through celebrity endorsements and appeals to authority
The following commercial features testimonials from real people as well as an endorsement from someone who appears to be a dentist.

10. What is Pathos? Writer’s appeal to the emotions of the audience
You must make your audience care about your topic and understand why it is important
Can be accomplished through stories and examples, vivid images or loaded language
If your audience doesn’t care, then they will not listen.

11. Pathos is about making your audience care

12. Example in Advertisements
Advertisements that rely on PATHOS try to sell a product or an idea by playing on your emotions
Can be done through either positive or negative emotions
The following commercial features images that are meant to play on your emotions. In addition, the music chosen and the way the message is presented are meant to make you feel sad for the animals and guilty for not helping.

13. What is Logos? Logical basis of the claim or argument
Your argument must be supported by effective details such as facts, statistics, and other forms of data.
Facts must be presented in an organized and methodical way
Facts should be explained
Draw conclusions for your audience and show them how the facts logically support your argument.

14. Logos means you support your argument with facts!

15. Example in Advertisements
Advertisements that rely on LOGOS try to sell a product or an idea by giving logical and factual reasons
Can be done through the use of facts, statistics, or other evidence
The following commercial gives statistics about the product/service as well as facts about cost.

16. Examples in Advertisements: Homework Activity
On the following pages of this PowerPoint, you will see various commercials. For each advertisement, complete the following tasks:
State what rhetorical device is being used (ethos, pathos, or logos). More than one device may be used. If that is the case, choose the device that is most apparent or most effective.
Explain how that rhetorical device is used in the advertisement and whether or not it is used effectively.
At the end of the activity, state which rhetorical device is most effective and explain why. You may choose more than one device as long as you explain how the devices you chose can work together. Your response to this question should be in a full, well- written paragraph.
This activity is to be completed in the homework section of your notebook. Label the ads as shown on the slides.

17. Examples in Advertisements: Homework Activity *alternate assignment
* This alternate assignment is only to be completed if you are unable to view the commercials throughout this presentation.
Instructions: Find seven commercials that utilize different rhetorical devices . Describe each advertisement. Then explain the primary device each one uses. Finally, state how effective that device is in the advertisement and give specific reasons.

18. Commercial 1: BMW

19. Commercial 2: Subaru

20. Commercial 3: Old Spice

21. Commercial 4: Progressive

22. Commercial 5: Doritos

23. Commercial 6: Surface Pro 3

24. Persuasive Techniques
Devices you may use to make your audience see your point of view
“Tricks” to help your audience agree with you
Techniques to help emphasize your ideas

25. There are many tricks to help make your argument stick!

26. Technique 1 – Anecdote Short, interesting personal story
Personal stories and examples (both real and fictional) help build PATHOS.
Help “humanize” your argument
Anecdotes allow people to relate to your ideas through real life examples and experiences.

27. Anecdotes help give your argument a human touch!
You can hear about 6 million Jewish people being killed in the Holocaust…
But the name and face of one girl can really make you understand the devastation!

28. Technique 2 – Appeal to Authority
Properly cited information from experts on your topic
Information from experts helps establish ETHOS.
Helps give your argument credibility
Appeals to authority helps your audience trust that you have based your opinions on research and facts.

29. Appealing to authority makes your argument seem credible!
These people look smart, therefore I can trust what they tell me.

30. Technique 3 – Appeal to Fear
Information that is meant to scare your audience into agreeing with you
This technique helps to establish PATHOS.
Helps the audience understand why your argument is important to them

31. Appealing to people’s fear involves making them afraid of the alternative argument
I am afraid to disagree, or if I choose to do this certain thing, something bad might happen.

32. Technique 4 – Appeal to Patriotism
Information that appeals to the audience’s love of country/home
This technique helps to establish PATHOS.
Makes the audience feel guilty (like traitors) if they do not agree with you

33. Appealing to people’s Sense of Patriotism
A true American would agree.

34. Technique 5 – Appeal to Pride
Information that appeals to the audience’s desire to maintain dignity and self-respect
This technique helps to establish PATHOS.
Encourages your audience to agree by appealing to their vanity

35. Appealing to people’s vanity
The presentation of this argument makes me feel good about myself, therefore I will agree with it.

36. Technique 6 – Anticipation of objections
Planning for and then refuting the other side’s arguments
This is one of the most important techniques you can use because it makes your audience believe that only your opinion is the logical, reasonable one.
This technique also takes away the main arguments from the opposing side
Not about giving fair consideration to both sides of the issue
By anticipating your opponent’s objections and explaining why they are incorrect before they have a chance to share them, you are performing a preemptive strike, taking their argument away from them.

37. Anticipation of objections
The argument already takes into account the other side and explains why it is invalid.
“Before you say anything, that window was cheap glass anyway, and didn’t you always say you wanted to redecorate?”

38. Technique 7 – Bandwagon Appeals to your audience’s desire to fit in.
This technique appeals to people’s desire to be on the “winning” or popular side.
The “everyone feels this way, so you should too” technique

39. Appealing to people’s Desire to fit in with the group
I’m not sure if I agree with this viewpoint, but if everyone else does, then there must be something to it.

40. Technique 8 – Emotional Words
Connotative Language
Words that have an emotional connection to them or conjure up emotions for the audience
Also called “loaded language”
Words that convey a strong emotion can help establish PATHOS.

41. Your use of Language can influence people tremendously.
Comfort
Warmth
Home
Family
Safety
Love
A simple word like “home” can make people feel so many deep emotions.

42. Technique 9 – Logical Reasoning
Use facts to support your arguments
Facts should be relevant and well-researched
Organize facts and explain them to build a clear, logical argument
We will discuss logic in more depth later.

43. Use logic to build a strong argument
Presentation of facts in the right way can really help strengthen your argument.

44. Technique 10 – Repetition
Using the same words and/or phrases can help them stick in your audience’s mind
Use repetition for emphasis, but do not repeat so much that your audience tunes you out.

45. Use repetition for emphasis
Repetition can make ideas stick.
Repetition can make ideas stick.
Repetition can make ideas stick.
Repetition can make ideas stick.
Repetition can make ideas stick.
Repetition can make ideas stick.

46. Technique 8 – rhetorical questions
Questions that are not meant to be answered
Purpose is to get the audience engaged and thinking
Be careful when using rhetorical questions! You want to make sure your audience will come up with the answer you want them to.

47. Use rhetorical questions to make your audience agree with your point before you make it.

48. Examples in Persuasive techniques: Homework Activity
Review the commercials previously shown throughout this presentation. Then choose three and complete the following for each of those.
State what persuasive techniques are used in each advertisement
Explain how those persuasive techniques are used in the advertisement and whether or not they are used effectively.
At the end of the activity, state which persuasive technique is most effective and explain why. You may choose more than one technique as long as you explain your reasons. Your response to this question should be in a full, well- written paragraph.
This activity is to be completed in the homework section of your notebook. Label the ads as shown on the slides.

49. Examples in Persuasive techniques: Homework Activity
Examples in Persuasive techniques: Homework Activity *Alternate Assignment
* This alternate assignment is only to be completed if you were unable to view the commercials throughout this presentation.
Instructions: Find five commercials that utilize different persuasive techniques. Describe each advertisement. Then explain what technique(s) each one uses. Finally, state how effective each technique is in the advertisement and give specific reasons.