Rhetorical Device Cheat Sheet, Summaries of Literature

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Rhetorical Devices Cheat Sheet

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos

Ethos Logos Pathos

character, ethics logic, reasoning emotion,pity, selfishness

how a party builds his/her credibility

and trustworthiness

the claim itself; the reasoning the

author uses; logical evidence

words or passages used to activate

emotions

Types of Ethos Appeals Types of Logos Appeals Types of Pathos Appeals

• (^) popular celebrity or spokesperson to represent the product or idea
• (^) the use of a credible looking actor (Ex: someone in a lab coat)
• (^) mentioning a respected business or publication
• (^) author’s professional background
• (^) appearing sincere or morally/ethically likable
• (^) conceding to the opposition where appropriate
• (^) appropriate use of language and grammar - (^) hard data - (^) theories/scientific facts - (^) definitions - (^) factual data and statistics - (^) citations from experts and authorities - (^) sharing of informed opinions - (^) real-life examples - (^) emotionally loaded language - (^) vivid descriptions or images - (^) emotional examples - (^) anecdotes, testimonies, or narratives about emotional experiences or events - (^) emotional tone (humor, sarcasm, disappointment, excitement, etc.)

Effect on Audience Effect on Audience Effect on Audience

helps the audience to see the author/

company as reliable, trustworthy,

competent, and credible

if done properly, the audience gets a

sense of, “Oh, that makes sense.”

if not used properly, the audience gets

a sense of “Hmmm, that really doesn’t

prove anything.”

persuaded by evoking an emotional

response such as fear, sympathy,

empathy, and/or anger