The technique or study of communication and persuasion The art of creating a text using the most appropriate language to help you achieve your desired result.

In the fourth century BCE, a Greek scholar and philosopher, Aristotle, wrote a famous essay called “Art of Rhetoric.” In it he explained that there were three elements involved in creating an effective argument. Argument (Logos) information, argument, reasons, evidence, data, structure Rhetorical Triangle Audience (Pathos) Speaker (Ethos) beliefs, values, knowledge, experience authority, correctness, appearance eloquence

Speaker: The individual who is delivering the message, whether in writing, speech, or another medium (i.e., the writer, orator, or presenter) Audience: The person or people who receive the message (i.e., the readers, listeners, or observers) Argument: The information the speaker wishes to convey (i.e. the point, or thesis)

Ethos: The voice or persona of the speaker (i.e., appeals to the positive characteristics of the speaker). Logos: Appeals to the rational mind (i.e., presenting the argument with little or no reference to the speaker or audience’s emotions) Pathos: Appeals to the audience’s emotions

Who would you trust?

Ethos comes from the Greek word ethikos, meaning moral or showing moral character. Aristotle contends: a speaker must establish moral credibility in the minds of the audience at the beginning of his or her speech the speaker must show that he or she has expertise in the subject matter of the speech and that he or she is disconnected from topic For example, when a trusted doctor gives us advice, we may not understand all of the medical reasoning behind the advice, but we nonetheless follow the directions because we believe that the doctor knows what s/he is talking about.

Ethos: Ethos is related to the English word ethics and refers to the trustworthiness of the speaker/writer. Ethos is an effective persuasive strategy because when we believe that the speaker does not intend to do us harm, we are more willing to listen to what s/he has to say. Likewise, when a judge comments on legal precedent audiences tend to listen because it is the job of a judge to know the nature of past legal cases. For example, singers and musicians have already established a specific image and, more importantly, a dedicated fan base. If Beyoncé endorses a product, people are more likely to purchase it, thinking that if she can maintain her amazing appearance and figure using the product, maybe she knows something we don’t, or maybe we can look that good too.

Logos refers to any attempt to appeal to the intellect. Logos appeals to the left side of the audience's brain. The audience finds certain patterns, conventions and modes of reasoning to be convincing and persuasive. The audience relies on reasoning and facts to make its decision. Numbers, polls, data, facts, and statistics are also examples of the persuasive use of logic.

Pathos: Pathos is related to the words pathetic, sympathy and empathy. Whenever you accept a claim based on how it makes you feel without fully analyzing the rationale behind the claim, you are acting on pathos. Those who wish to persuade you will play with your emotions. They may persuade you with fear, love, patriotism, guilt, hate or joy. A majority of arguments in the popular press are heavily dependent on appealing to your emotions. We, as a society, should not react to emotional arguments without fully considering all of the facts. Although the use of pathos can be manipulative, it is the cornerstone of moving people to action and it will continue to be used again and again. Appeals to pathos touch a nerve and compel people to not only listen, but to also take the next step and act in the world.

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Tone: Speaker’s attitude towards the audience Mood: Speaker’s attitude towards the topic Rhetorical Question: A question to which no answer is expected because the answer is obvious; it’s used to emphasize a point or create an emotional impact Repetition: Repeated words, phrases, and sentence patterns in order to emphasize a point or create an emotional impact

Climax: Emotional high point; call to action Diction: The word choice and phrasing in a literary text. Diction may be described in terms of various qualities, such as the degree to which it is formal or colloquial, abstract or concrete, and literal or figurative Denotation: Basic dictionary definition of words or phrase Connotation: The emotional impact of the word. Some words have a positive connotation, evoking positive emotional responses from the reader. Others have a negative connotation, evoking negative emotional responses from the reader.