Rhetorical appeals are the different methods used to persuade someone. They are the three ways to classify an authors intellectual, moral, and emotional approaches to getting the audience to react in the manner in which the author may have intended. The three classical rhetorical appeals are ethos, pathos, and logos, which are classical Greek terms dating back to Aristotle, who is traditionally viewed as the creator of rhetoric.
-
Ethos: This refers to the credibility or trustworthiness of the speaker or writer. It is the appeal to the audiences sense of ethics or morals.
-
Pathos: This refers to the emotional appeal of the speaker or writer. It is the appeal to the audiences emotions, such as fear, anger, or sympathy.
-
Logos: This refers to the logical appeal of the speaker or writer. It is the appeal to the audiences sense of reason or logic.
Effective arguments use all three rhetorical appeals to support their point. Understanding rhetorical appeals can help writers build a stronger argument and be more persuasive in their writing. By identifying rhetorical appeals, writers can begin to understand when it is more appropriate to use one method over another.
