Week 3 - Logos, Ethos, Pathos
Overview
Last week we talked about 3 tenses for persuasion--past, present, and future--and the three genres of persuasion--forensic, demonstrative, and deliberative. This week we are going to talk about another set of three: the three types of persuasive appeal: logos, ethos, and pathos. These three appeals relate to the three poles on the rhetorical triangle, and each one suggests a different strategy for persuading the audience.
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These three types of appeal are useful for thinking about how writers persuade their audiences.
Depending on your audience and purpose, you will use more or less of each of these appeals. For example, if you're writing an academic grant proposal you will mostly focus on logos (although you must also establish your credibility or ethos). If you're writing a marriage proposal, you'd probably use emotional (or pathos) appeals, and if you're writing a business proposal, you'd probably focus on establishing your ethos and credibility. Just as there are ideas, writers, and readers in every piece of rhetoric, so too are there appeals to logos, ethos, and pathos in every piece of rhetoric. |
Reading and Videos
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Activities
1. Online only: Participate in a check-in Tuesday discussion in Bb.
2. For both sections: Complete a quiz on Chapter 4 in Thank You. The online section will complete the quiz in Bb by Thursday, February 7, and the on-campus section will complete in class on Wednesday, Feb. 6.
3. For both sections: Analyze an advertisement or public service announcement (PSA) from one of the websites below, discussing the rhetorical situation and the appeals being used. Value: 15 points
On-campus section: Be prepared to share this analysis in class on Wednesday, Feb 6.
Online section: Complete this activity in discussion 3.1 in Blackboard. Start by Thursday, February 7, 11:59 p.m., and complete by Sunday, Feb. 10, 11:59 p.m. |
Here are the particular questions to answer in your analysis:
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Select one ad or PSA from the following lists:
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Here is an example analysis of the Dove Mother's Day ad from last week. In the comments, I have identified the focus of each paragraph.
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