The Art of Rhetoric:
Learning How to Use the Three Main Rhetorical Styles
Rhetoric (n) - the art of speaking or writing effectively.
(Webster's Definition)
According to Aristotle, rhetoric is "the ability, in each particular case, to see the
available means of persuasion." He described three main forms of rhetoric:
Ethos, Logos,
and Pathos.
In order to be a more effective writer, you must understand these three terms.
This site will help you to better understand their meanings and show
you how to make your writing more persuasive.
Ethos is appeal based on the character of the speaker. An ethos-driven document relies on
the reputation of the author.
Go to an example of an
ethos-based site, and our explanation of what it is.
Logos is appeal based on logic or reason. Documents distributed by
companies or corporations are logos-driven. Scholarly documents are
also often logos-driven.
Go to an example of an logos-based site,
and our explanation.
Pathos is appeal based on emotion. Advertisements tend to be pathos-driven.
Go to an example of an pathos-based site, and
our explanation.
Rhetorical appeals can be achieved through:
Visual Information Structure; this includes how the text looks on the screen. This
is achieved through the appearance of such things as the titles and the headings.
Color; this includes the color of the text, the background, and the graphics. The
contrast of the colors of each of these items is also important.
Graphic Images; this includes the other information in the document aside from the
text. This is achieved through such things as icons, buttons, and photos.