Among the rhetorical terms we’ll work with this semester are three central “artistic” appeals or “proofs” from rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos. (Also covered in the video “How to Use Rhetoric to Get What You Want.”)

Appeals are rhetorical devices that, when successful, move the audience to respond in a particular way.

• ETHOS: This is the rhetorical appeal to authority or character; the rhetor seeks to persuade others by demonstrating expertise. A writer or speaker using ethos will usually seek to build a trustworthy, sincere, and credible persona.

• PATHOS: This is the appeal to emotion, also called “pathetic proof.” Pathos does not mean that the rhetor is “emotional,” but that he or she is using emotion to persuade the audience (perhaps through compassion, sadness, desire, happiness—or even fear or sexual excitement). Pathos evokes an emotion in the audience.

• LOGOS: This is the appeal to reason or logic, which hinges on a rhetor making strong and convincing connections and explanations. While some of us might argue that “facts” and “information” are inherently logical, these are not necessarily logos: logic depends on the reasoning we use in connecting ideas (and yes, information). In fact, a rhetor who spouts a lot of “facts” may actually be using ethos more than logos.

• also: KAIROS is sometimes included as a fourth kind of appeal, an appeal to the right time and place.