P ERSUASION

A RGUMENTS 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

E THOS 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.

P ATHOS 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.

L OGOS An appeal to logic or reason An argument using logos will give you the evidence and statistics you need to fully understand the person or product. 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.

I DENTIFY IF THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES ARE E THOS, P ATHOS, OR L OGOS APPEALS 1. A child is shown covered in bug bites after using an inferior bug spray. 2. Tiger Woods endorses Nike. 3. Sprite Zero is 100% sugar-free. 4. A 32-oz. bottle of Tide holds enough to wash 32 loads. 5. A commercial shows an image of a happy couple riding in a Corvette. 6. Cardiologists recommend Ecotrin more than any other brand of aspirin. 7. Advil Liqui-Gels provide up to 8 hours of continuous pain relief. 8. Miley Cyrus appears in Oreo advertisements. 9. People who need more energy drink Red Bull Energy Drink. 10. A magazine ad shows people smiling while smoking cigarettes.

F ALLACIES Persuasive writers try to convince you to think or act in a certain way. Sometimes a writer’s arguments contain fallacies, or mistakes in logical thinking.

H ASTY G ENERALIZATION A broad, general statement or conclusion that is made on the basis of only one or two observations. Example: Because 2 of the girls on the basketball team are tall, you conclude that ALL basketball players are tall.

F ALSE C AUSE AND E FFECT A type of hasty generalization that occurs when one event is said to cause another event just because the two events happened in sequence. Example: As soon as I started jogging, my grades improved. Example: The team stopped winning when I forgot to wear my lucky jersey.

E ITHER -O R Assumes that there are only two possible choices or solutions (usually extremes), even though there may be many. Example: I have to get my driver’s license or I will lose all my friends. Example: I have to ace the test or my parents will ground me.

S TEREOTYPING A type of hasty generalization that gives all members of a group the same, usually undesirable, characteristics. A stereotype assumes that everyone in the group is alike. Example: Teenagers are very self-centered. Example: Old people can’t drive, so elderly should not have licenses.

A D H OMINEM Uses labels to attack a person who holds an opposing view, instead of giving reasons or evidence to attack the argument itself. Example: Computer geeks are out of touch with the real world. Example: Jocks care so much about sports that they don’t do well in school.

P LAIN F OLKS The suggestion that the product is a practical product of good value for ordinary people. Example: A cereal manufacturer shows an ordinary family sitting down to breakfast and enjoying their product.

S NOB A PPEAL The suggestion that the use of the product makes the customer part of an elite group with a luxurious and glamorous lifestyle. Example: A coffee manufacturer shows people dressed in formal gowns and tuxedos drinking their brand at an art gallery.

B ANDWAGON The suggestion that you should join the crowd or be on the winning side by using a product—you don’t want to be the only person without it! Example: I need the newest smart phone because everyone is buying it.

T ESTIMONIAL Uses someone who is famous or well known to endorse a product. Example: A well-known actress in a cosmetics commercial.

E XAMPLES For the following examples, write down which fallacy each advertisement represents.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

A SSIGNMENT Find 4 print ads that represent the rhetorical devices that we have discussed. Cannot be an example that I have used. Must have 1 ad that uses primarily pathos, 1 that uses primarily ethos, 1 that uses primarily logos, and 1 ad that uses one of the fallacies. In 5-7 sentences (for each ad), explain how the ad represents the rhetorical device. Writing Rules: No2Sentences, no contractions, no 1 st or 2 nd person pronouns. Turn in the ads and explanations by the end of class.