Visual arguments shape your messageImages can appeal to ethos, pathos, or logos

on their own, but are best used in conjunction with strong supporting evidence

Visual arguments

Common images or images around a common theme

Visual arguments that appeal to emotion

Appreciate the power of colorConsider your backgroundUse color to emphasize the most important

part of the image

Visual arguments that appeal to emotion

How do these images enforce/establish credibility?

What do they say about the creator?Are they congruent with the organization’s

mission?

Visual arguments that appeal to character

Using visuals rather than words allows:Easy organization of informationA good way to convey data or complex

informationIncludes:

Pie chartsGraphsDiagrams or drawingsMaps

Visual arguments based on facts and reason

Images should serve a clear purposeNot just for decoration

Know the effect you want the visual to have on the reader/audienceSpend some time analyzing the image yourselfAsk someone who has never seen it to give you

their perceptionsFocus on details

ColorFontBackground

Tips for using visuals

For the three images presented, identify:1) If the image is primarily an appeal to emotion, character, or is based on facts/evidence (hint: there is one of each)2) What about the image makes it heaviest in that appeal type?3) What do you think is the intended effect on the audience?4) What specific design elements/aspects/details about the

visual make it work in the intended way?5) In 2-4 paragraphs, describe a hypothetical persuasive

message in which you could use the visual. Identify the audience, overall goal of the persuasive attempt, and other pieces of supporting evidence for your claim that could coincide with the visual. Then, explain why that visual would work for that audience in that context. What would be the overall impact of the visual, and how would that further your persuasive goal?

Practice using visuals

Example

Example1) This is an appeal based on emotion. 2) It is mostly based on emotion because it is a young, carefree,

vibrant looking girl who is about to hit a mother and child. This gives the impression that her life will no longer be carefree and she is about to make a mistake she can’t take back.

3) It is intended to make the audience realize that texting and driving can not only hurt themselves, but others.

4) It works in the intended way because:-the outside of the car is blurry, and looks far away, while the inside of the car is clear. This gives the accurate impression that the driver is aware is what is going on inside of the car but not outside, as she should be.-the young and happy face is reflected in the mirror, showing that she is happy with herself but we know she won’t be for long

5) This visual could be used in a presentation to high school students designed to decrease texting and driving behavior. The overall goal of the presentation would be to show students that texting and driving can not only be harmful to self, but to others. Additionally, accidents that result from texting and driving can have a long term emotional impact, especially if bystanders are injured in the process.

Other pieces of evidence that could be used with this visual would be rates of texting and driving overall, and rates of accidents in which texting was the cause but the other party was injured. It would be even more impactful if a number of fatalities caused by teens texting and driving could be provided. This visual would work for a high school audience because they are the same age as the person in the visual, they have likely just started driving, and are also likely to text frequently, possibly while driving. The overall impact would be to somber high school students by making them aware of the dangers of their behavior. This would promote the persuasive goal of raising awareness and decreasing texting and driving behavior because it provides a unique angle to the issue. Teens probably hear messages that discuss the injury they could cause themselves, but it might be rare that they consider the harm they could inflict on others with their decisions. The novelty and effective use of visual would result in overall success of the persuasive message.

Example continued

#1

#2 – Kentucky per capita income

#3 – Hint – this is an actual logo