March 23-27 Distance Learning

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8 Grade English: Persuasive Speech

Ethos, Pathos, Logos Resource

and Definition Guide

The goal of argumentative writing is to persuade your audience that your ideas are valid,
or more valid than someone else’s. The Greek philosopher Aristotle divided the
means of persuasion, appeals, into three categories–Ethos, Pathos, Logos.

Ethos (Credibility), or ethical appeal, means convincing by the character of the

author. We tend to believe people whom we respect. One of the central problems of
argumentation is to project an impression to the reader that you are someone worth
listening to, in other words making yourself as author into an authority on the subject of
the paper, as well as someone who is likable and worthy of respect.
Pathos (Emotional) means persuading by appealing to the reader’s emotions. We can
look at texts ranging from classic essays to contemporary advertisements to see how
pathos, emotional appeals, are used to persuade. Language choice affects the audience’s
emotional response, and emotional appeal can effectively be used to enhance an
argument.

Logos (Logical) means persuading by the use of reasoning. This will be the most
important technique we will study, and Aristotle’s favorite. We’ll look at deductive and
inductive reasoning, and discuss what makes an effective, persuasive reason to back up
your claims. Giving reasons is the heart of argumentation, and cannot be emphasized
enough. We’ll study the types of support you can use to substantiate your thesis, and
look at some of the common logical fallacies, in order to avoid them in your writing.

In short, Ethos, Pathos and Logos each have a different meaning:

● Ethos is an appeal to ethics, and it is a means of convincing someone of the character

or credibility of the persuader.
● Pathos is an appeal to emotion, and is a way of convincing an audience of an
argument by creating an emotional response.
● Logos is an appeal to logic, and is a way of persuading an audience by reason.

Ethos: the source’s credibility, the speaker’s/author’s

authority

Logos: the logic used to support a claim (induction and

deduction); can also be the facts and statistics used to
help support the argument.

Pathos: the emotional or motivational appeals; vivid

language, emotional language and numerous sensory
details.
Ethos or the ethical appeal, means to convince an audience of the author’s credibility or
character.
An author would use ethos to show to his audience that he is a credible source and is
worth listening to. Ethos is the Greek word for “character.” The word “ethic” is derived
from ethos.

Ethos can be developed by choosing language that is appropriate for the audience and
topic (also means choosing proper level of vocabulary), making yourself sound fair or
unbiased, introducing your expertise or pedigree, and by using correct grammar and
syntax.

Pathos or the emotional appeal, means to persuade an audience by appealing to their

emotions.

Authors use pathos to invoke sympathy from an audience; to make the audience feel
what the author wants them to feel. A common use of pathos would be to draw pity from
an audience. Another use of pathos would be to inspire anger from an audience; perhaps
in order to prompt action. Pathos is the Greek word for both “suffering” and
“experience.” The words empathy and pathetic are derived from pathos.

Pathos can be developed by using meaningful language, emotional tone, emotion

evoking examples, stories of emotional events, and implied meanings.

Logos or the appeal to logic, means to convince an audience by use of logic or reason.
To use logos would be to cite facts and statistics, historical and literal analogies, and
citing certain authorities on a subject. Logos is the Greek word for “word,” however the
true definition goes beyond that, and can be most closely described as “the word or that
by which the inward thought is expressed, Lat. oratio; and, the inward thought itself,
Lat. Ratio. The word “logic” is derived from logos.

Logos can be developed by using advanced, theoretical or abstract language, citing facts
(very important), using historical and literal analogies, and by constructing logical
arguments.

In order to persuade your audience, proper use of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
is necessary.
 REFERENCE Tools of Persuasion

THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE

Ethos, Pathos, Logos:

What to Know
Ethos, pathos, and logos are different methods for persuading an audience—approaches to convincing people to
adopt a certain point of view or take a particular action. Ethos, pathos, and logos are called appeals. They are used in
speeches, writing, and advertising.

tries to convince you through the trustworthiness and believability of the author. It is an
Ethos appeal to ethics.

Writers and speakers who use ethos . . .

✔ introduce their expertise.
✔ are fair and unbiased.
✔ use reliable sources.
✔ seem like authorities and come across as people worth listening to.

tries to persuade you by creating an emotional connection between you and the topic. It
Pathos is an appeal to your emotions.

Writers and speakers who use pathos . . .

✔ use powerful language to evoke sympathy.
✔ send a message that touches your values or beliefs.
✔ include compelling stories, examples, or visuals that evoke the feelings they want you to feel.

tries to persuade you by using evidence such as facts and figures. It is an appeal to logic
Logos and reason.

Writers and speakers who use logos . . .

✔ rely on facts and information rather than personal opinions.
✔ use data and statistics properly.
✔ construct well-reasoned arguments that make sense.
✔ present relevant claims and evidence.

©2019 BY SCHOLASTIC INC. PERMISSION GRANTED TO TEACHERS AND SUBSCRIBERS TO PROJECT OR MAKE COPIES OF THIS PAGE TO DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS.
  
Persuasive Language
introduction to ethos, pathos & logos
ARISTOTLE was a Greek philosopher who lived in the 4th century BCE. He was an influential
thinker and wrote on many subjects – from logic and ethics, to biology and metaphysics.
One area, in which Aristotle was particularly interested, was rhetoric. That is, the art of
persuasive speaking or writing. He even wrote a whole book entitled ‘On Rhetoric’ in which
he explains his theories of persuasive language and speech. Most significantly, in this work
he expounds on the concepts of ethos, logos and pathos, as tools for persuasive
language. A lot can be learned about the art of persuasion from these three concepts, and
once understood, they can be easily applied to our own persuasive speaking and writing.

ethos
Ethos is a Greek word meaning ‘character’. In terms of persuasive language, it is
an appeal to authority and credibility. Ethos is a means of convincing an
audience of the reliable character or credibility of the speaker/writer, or the
credibility of the argument.
It is an important tool of persuasion because if you can get your audience
to see you (or your argument) as credible and trustworthy, it will be much easier
to persuade them.

pathos
Pathos is a Greek word meaning ‘suffering’ or ‘experience’, and it is used in
persuasive speech as an appeal to the emotions of the audience. Pathos is the
way of creating a persuasive argument by evoking an emotional response in the
audience/reader.
You can use pathos when trying to persuade, by appealing to an
audience’s hopes and dreams, playing on their fears or worries, or appealing to
their particular beliefs or ideals.

logos
Logos is a Greek word meaning ‘a word’ or ‘reason’. In rhetoric, it is an appeal to
logic and reason. It is used to persuade an audience by logical thought, fact
and rationality.
Logos can be a useful tool of persuasion because if you can ‘prove’ an
argument through logical and sound reasoning, your audience is more likely to
be persuaded.

If you can include a combination of these three elements in your persuasive speaking and writing, you
will appeal to your audience’s emotions, sense of reasoning and belief in you, and therefore your
writing will be more convincing. Try to subtly weave ethos, pathos and logos into your persuasive
writing and speaking.

© Stacey Lloyd 2014

 PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE

For each of the following extracts from advertisements, identify how ethos,
in advertising
pathos or logos is being used.
_________________________________________________________________
1 _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

2 MAC _________________________________________________________________
ARONNI CHEESE _________________________________________________________________
Just the way mom makes it _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3 _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4 _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

5 Dynamite _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Security _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6 _________________________________________________________________
SHINEYWHITE MOUTHWASH _________________________________________________________________
Recommended by dentists _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

7
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
© Stacey Lloyd 2014
 Does TikTok Belong in School?
Two students at Elmwood Middle School face off in their school newspaper. Who makes the
stronger argument?

YES
TikTok is a powerful learning tool.
By Michael Johnson

On the surface, TikTok may seem frivolous. Scroll through

your feed and you’ll see a slew of silly videos: a hamster
eating a pancake, a cat falling into a bathtub, your friends
lip-syncing to the latest Shawn Mendes song. But keep
scrolling and you’ll realize that TikTok is about more than
silly videos. It is brimming with beautiful voices, epic
dance moves, and impressive science experiments. It’s a
creative space where kids share their talents without
judgement.

In fact, TikTok is a powerful learning tool. That’s why it

should have a place at Elmwood—just as it does at dozens
of other school around the country. Some teachers are
making TikTok videos to explain complex topics. Other
teachers are letting students submit TikTok videos for extra
credit. A few schools even have TikTok clubs, where
students work together to produce videos. This is a great
way for students to develop important skills like
collaboration and creativity.

Illustrations: Tom Garrett; Shutterstock.com

Just imagine what TikTok could do for Elmwood. With

the app’s easy-to-use editing tools, the drama club could
film skits and share them with the rest of the school. Stud-
ent council members could make campaign videos during
election season. The possibilities are endless.

Yes, there may be challenges. Some of the content is

inappropriate and user comments can get mean and ugly.
But according to a poll I conducted of 75 Elmwood students,
TikTok feels a lot kinder than other social media. “You
don’t have to pretend you’re something you’re not,”
eighth-grader Sam Regan said. “You can just be yourself!”

Besides the app’s community guidelines prohibit any content Shutterstock.com

that could be harmful, dangerous, or lead to bullying.
Elmwood could also come up with its own rules for using the app at school, such as requiring that accounts be
private or that the comments feature be turned off.

So let’s follow the example of the 1 billion people who have downloaded TikTok and start making use of this
powerful learning tool at our school.
NO
TikTok should stay at home.
By Genevieve Walsh

TikTok is an amazing video-making app. Last year, it was

the third-most-downloaded app in the world. And it has a
reputation for being less competitive and stressful than
other than other types of social media, such as YouTube
and Instagram.

But does any of this mean that TikTok belongs at our

schools?

No. And here’s why: For all its benefits, TikTok will create
many problems for Elmwood students.

First of all, TikTok is addicting—so addicting, in fact, that

anti-addiction measures had to be added to the app in
China, where TikTok was created, because kids were
spending so much time on it. (These measures have not
been added to the U.S. version.) If we had TikTok at
Elmwood, students could easily spend a whole class period
scrolling through their #foryou pages instead of doing their
actual work. What’s more, countless studies have shown that excessive time on social media can be harmful,
leading to anxiety and depression.

Why would we want to bring that into our school today?

It’s true that TikTok has a less judgmental vibe than other
social media, but bullying still goes on. What happens if a
student posts a video that they made in school and gets
bullied for it?

Another concern? TikTok says the app is best-suited for

teenagers and adults. In a high school, this would not be an
issue, but Elmwood has many students younger than 13.

But the biggest concern, in my opinion? The app is currently

under investigation by the U.S. government. They are
looking into how TikTok collects and stores our personal
data. We should wait to see what the investigation reveals
before our school starts using it.

Finally, consider this: Do we even want to associate TikTok with school?

Right now, TikTok is a fun, carefree playground where we can unwind and express ourselves. If it’s part of our
school day, will it lose its specialness?

In my opinion, the answer is yes.

So let’s leave TikTok at home, where it belongs.

 ANALYZING ARGUMENTS Tools of Persuasion

THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE

®

Pick an article:
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ________________________ Yes or No

Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Directions: Use the graphic organizer below to take notes on an author’s use of ethos, pathos, and logos. (See Scope’s
“Ethos, Pathos, Logos: What to Know” to learn more about these three appeals.) Focus on only one article.

Write one sentence that states the author’s argument: _____________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Ethos

Does the author

come off as
trustworthy and
believable? Why
or why not?

Does the author try

Does the author to convince you with
create an emotional reason and logic?
connection between With evidence such
readers and the as facts and figures?
topic? If so, how? Give examples.

Pathos Logos

PAGE 1 OF 2
 ANALYZING ARGUMENTS Tools of Persuasion

THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE

Directions: Answer the questions below. Use the notes you took on page 1 to help you.

1. Which appeals did the author use? If the author used more than one appeal, did he or she
use them equally? Explain.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Which part of the author’s argument did you find most persuasive? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Which part of the author’s argument did you find least persuasive? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Place a star on the line below to indicate how persuasive you found the author’s argument
overall.

not very persuasive |--------------------------------------------------| very persuasive

_ Sum up your reasoning in one or two sentences.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

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 Argument Writing
DEBATE: “Does TikTok Belong in School?” pages 28-29
February 2020
®

THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE

Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ________________________

Write an Argument Essay

Directions: Read “Does TikTok Belong in School?” Then follow the steps below.

STEP 1: DECIDE WHAT YOU THINK

Does TikTok belong in school?
Consider what you read in the article, as well as your own viewpoints.
Check the box next to the point of view you will argue in your essay.
Or write your own opinion in the space provided.

Yes! TikTok is a powerful learning tool. No! TikTok should stay at home.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

STEP 2: GATHER SUPPORT FOR YOUR OPINION

Which details from the letters support your opinion? What other information supports your opinion?
List at least three supporting details on the lines below.

Here’s an example: If you think TikTok doesn’t belong in school, one of your supporting details
might be that the U.S. government is investigating how the app collects and stores personal data.

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Argument Writing
DEBATE: “Does TikTok Belong in School?” pages 28-29
February 2020
®

THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE

STEP 3: ACKNOWLEDGE THE OTHER SIDE

If you think TikTok DOES belong in school, summarize the strongest arguments against allowing TikTok in
school that Genevieve presents in her letter. If you think TikTok DOES NOT belong in school, summarize
the strongest arguments in favor of allowing TikTok in school that Michael presents in his letter.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

STEP 4: CRAFT YOUR THESIS (CENTRAL CLAIM)

The thesis is where you tell readers what your essay is going to be about. The thesis should be a clear,
strong statement of the opinion you gave in Step 1. The rest of your essay will support this thesis.

Your thesis: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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