Ethos, Pathos, Logos

The Rhetorical Triangle

EthosCharacter or authority appeal

The speaker (or writer) is trustworthy, so you should listen to him or her.

Elements of EthosThe background of the speaker/writer--profession, education, experience, reputation, expertise

Writing style--word choice, sentence complexity

The use of expert opinions--quotes, references

Ethos in Internet memesWhat do you know about the creator of the meme?

Where was the meme posted?

Who is pictured in the meme?

Pathosappeal to emotion

How does the argument make you feel?

Elements of Pathos● Word choice● Examples/Anecdotes● Imagery● Music

Logos

Appeal to logic

Does the appeal make sense? Is it logical?

Elements of Logos● Facts/Statistics/Data● Examples● Logical progression of ideas

Ethos, Pathos, Logos work together.They are effective only if the audience finds them persuasive.

If the speaker/writer can convince the audience that he or she is credible, then ethos is persuasive.

If the speaker/writer can incite emotion in the audience, then pathos is persuasive.

If the speaker/writer can convince the audience that the argument is logical (even if it is actually fallacious), then logos is persuasive.