persuasivpersuasivee

Approximately 2300 years ago, Approximately 2300 years ago, Aristotle wrote down the secret Aristotle wrote down the secret to being a persuasive speaker to being a persuasive speaker or writer, the secret which or writer, the secret which forms the basis for nearly every forms the basis for nearly every public speaking and book / public speaking and book / speech written since then.speech written since then.

384-322 384-322 BCEBCE..

What is What is Rhetoric?Rhetoric?

Rhetoric - the art of persuasion.Rhetoric - the art of persuasion.

According to Aristotle rhetoric is “the According to Aristotle rhetoric is “the ability, in each particular case, to see ability, in each particular case, to see

the available means of persuasion.” He the available means of persuasion.” He described three forms of rhetoric: described three forms of rhetoric:

Ethos, Pathos and LogosEthos, Pathos and Logos..

Ethos(speaker)

Logos(message)

Pathos(audience)

The Rhetorical Triangle

EthosEthos

The source’s credibility, the The source’s credibility, the

speaker’s/author’s authorityspeaker’s/author’s authority

•Ethos is a Greek word which is related to the English word Ethos is a Greek word which is related to the English word ethics and refers to the character and trustworthiness of the ethics and refers to the character and trustworthiness of the speaker/writer. speaker/writer.

Different aspects to Different aspects to credibilitycredibility

• Author's profession/ backgroundAuthor's profession/ background• RespectRespect• Good characterGood character• ReputationReputation• TrustworthyTrustworthy• Authority on the topicAuthority on the topic

Methods for EthosMethods for Ethos

• Language appropriate to audienceLanguage appropriate to audience

• Appropriate level of vocabulary Appropriate level of vocabulary

• Correct grammar Correct grammar

• Demonstrate an expertise about the topic/ Demonstrate an expertise about the topic/ establish your credibility about the subjectestablish your credibility about the subject

ExamplesExamples • When Michael Jordan became the spokesperson for Nike, it was an When Michael Jordan became the spokesperson for Nike, it was an

ethical appeal because it implied that if a person wore that sneaker, ethical appeal because it implied that if a person wore that sneaker, they could be as good an athlete as Michael Jordan. they could be as good an athlete as Michael Jordan.

• Use of the "seals of approval" like when cars are endorsed by JD Use of the "seals of approval" like when cars are endorsed by JD Powers and Associates.Powers and Associates.

• When a trusted doctor gives you advice, you may not understand When a trusted doctor gives you advice, you may not understand all of the medical reasoning behind the advice, but you nonetheless all of the medical reasoning behind the advice, but you nonetheless follow the directions because you believe that the doctor knows follow the directions because you believe that the doctor knows what s/he is talking about.what s/he is talking about.

PathosPathos Emotional connection to the audienceEmotional connection to the audience

• Pathos is related to the words suffering and Pathos is related to the words suffering and experience.experience. • Sympathy and empathy. Sympathy and empathy.

• Appeals to the reader or listener’s emotionsAppeals to the reader or listener’s emotions

Pathos is the quality of a Pathos is the quality of a persuasive presentation which persuasive presentation which appeals to the emotions of the appeals to the emotions of the

audience/ readers.audience/ readers.

• Do the words evoke feeling Do the words evoke feeling of ...love?...sympathy?...fear?of ...love?...sympathy?...fear?

• Do visuals evoke feelings of Do visuals evoke feelings of compassion? ...envy?compassion? ...envy?

• Does the characterization of the competition Does the characterization of the competition evoke feelings of hate?... contempt?evoke feelings of hate?... contempt?

Methods of PathosMethods of Pathos• Anecdote: Anecdote: personal examples/ storiespersonal examples/ stories or telling a short story that will make or telling a short story that will make

the reader connect to the subject. the reader connect to the subject.

• Parallelism: the repetition of words, phrases, or sentences that have the Parallelism: the repetition of words, phrases, or sentences that have the same structure or a similar idea-it makes lines rhythmic, memorable, and same structure or a similar idea-it makes lines rhythmic, memorable, and heightens the emotional effect. heightens the emotional effect.

• Rhetorical question: Rhetorical question: Asking the reader a question,Asking the reader a question, without expecting them to without expecting them to answer you back. It is simply made to get the reader/ listener to think or answer you back. It is simply made to get the reader/ listener to think or evoke an emotion. evoke an emotion.

• Figurative Language: Figurative Language: Descriptive, Descriptive, paints a picture in the reader’s mind paints a picture in the reader’s mind (simile, metaphor, personification, assonance, and alliteration)(simile, metaphor, personification, assonance, and alliteration)

• Emotional Emotional tonetone: The speaker uses words and pronounces them with the : The speaker uses words and pronounces them with the correct emotion e.g. humorcorrect emotion e.g. humor

• Creating unity among an audience: To make the audience feel like they are Creating unity among an audience: To make the audience feel like they are united and have a united and have a common cause or beliefcommon cause or belief

• Making the problem current and relevant: Even if something occurred in the Making the problem current and relevant: Even if something occurred in the past, the writer/speaker is able to make the audience feel as if that past, the writer/speaker is able to make the audience feel as if that problem is problem is important today.important today.

ExamplesExamples• "I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and "I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and

tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed." of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed." I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. August 28th, I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. August 28th, 1963.1963.

• If you speak about gang violence, you might plainly state that “If you speak about gang violence, you might plainly state that “We have a We have a problemproblem in in our city…our city…” On the other hand, you might say “” On the other hand, you might say “We have a We have a cancercancer in our city… in our city…” The ” The latter analogy draws on your audience’s pre-existing feelings about cancer, and makes latter analogy draws on your audience’s pre-existing feelings about cancer, and makes them want to eradicate the cause!them want to eradicate the cause!

• Buy a Mac : Buy a Mac : I was having a conversation with someone who is about to buy a Mac. I was having a conversation with someone who is about to buy a Mac. I was against it and an argument started. I was against it and an argument started. I said,” there were few people supporting the Mac.” I said,” there were few people supporting the Mac.” He responded, "When was the last time you heard of a virus on a Mac?"He responded, "When was the last time you heard of a virus on a Mac?"And I said "See, even people who write viruses don't support Mac’s."And I said "See, even people who write viruses don't support Mac’s."

LogosLogos Logical argumentLogical argument

• The Greek word logos is the basis for the The Greek word logos is the basis for the English word logic. English word logic.

• Logos refers to any attempt to appeal to Logos refers to any attempt to appeal to the intellect, the general meaning of "logical the intellect, the general meaning of "logical argument." argument."

• Appeals to common sense.Appeals to common sense.

Logical argumentLogical argument

• Based on facts and evidenceBased on facts and evidence

• StatisticsStatistics

• Persuading by the use of reasoning. Persuading by the use of reasoning.

• An effective and persuasive reason An effective and persuasive reason that supports your ideas that supports your ideas

Methods of LogosMethods of Logos• Case StudiesCase Studies: Examples from research -Government studies show that : Examples from research -Government studies show that

collecting and using recycled materials saves energy. collecting and using recycled materials saves energy.

• Examples: Examples: Specific information about a general idea -For example, Specific information about a general idea -For example, recycling could help save some of the fifty thousand trees that are recycling could help save some of the fifty thousand trees that are sacrificed every week to produce Sunday newspapers in the U.S. sacrificed every week to produce Sunday newspapers in the U.S.

• Expert opinions: Expert opinions: Statements made by a specific authority on a subject -Statements made by a specific authority on a subject -Platt of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance states, “Studies have Platt of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance states, “Studies have concluded that recycling costs less than traditional trash collection and concluded that recycling costs less than traditional trash collection and disposal.”disposal.”

• FactsFacts: Statements that can be proven true; such as, statistics or : Statements that can be proven true; such as, statistics or numerical information -Garbage usually goes into landfills. Of the garbage numerical information -Garbage usually goes into landfills. Of the garbage produced every year in the U.S., 42% is paper. produced every year in the U.S., 42% is paper.

• Counterargument: Counterargument: to prove something false or someone to be in error to prove something false or someone to be in error through logical argument or by providing evidence to prove it wrong.through logical argument or by providing evidence to prove it wrong.

ExamplesExamples• An everyday example of an appeal to logos is the argument that An everyday example of an appeal to logos is the argument that

Lady Gaga was more popular than Justin Bieber in 2011 because Lady Gaga was more popular than Justin Bieber in 2011 because Gaga's fan pages collected ten million more Facebook fans than Gaga's fan pages collected ten million more Facebook fans than Bieber's.Bieber's.

• One of the example of an argument that relies on logos is the One of the example of an argument that relies on logos is the argument that smoking is harmful based on the evidence that argument that smoking is harmful based on the evidence that "Cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are "Cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer."known to cause cancer."

• Garbage usually goes into landfills. Of the garbage produced each Garbage usually goes into landfills. Of the garbage produced each year in the U.S., 42% is paper.year in the U.S., 42% is paper.