what is logos in persuasive speech

• Ask LitCharts AI
• Discussion Question Generator
• Essay Prompt Generator
• Quiz Question Generator

• Literature Guides
• Poetry Guides
• Shakespeare Translations
• Literary Terms

Logos Definition

What is logos? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Logos , along with ethos and pathos , is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Logos is an argument that appeals to an audience's sense of logic or reason. For example, when a speaker cites scientific data, methodically walks through the line of reasoning behind their argument, or precisely recounts historical events relevant to their argument, he or she is using logos.

Some additional key details about logos:

• Aristotle defined logos as the "proof, or apparent proof, provided by the words of the speech itself." In other words, logos rests in the actual written content of an argument.
• The three "modes of persuasion"— pathos , logos , and ethos —were originally defined by Aristotle.
• In contrast to logos's appeal to reason, ethos is an appeal to the audience based on the speaker's authority, while pathos is an appeal to the audience 's emotions.
• Data, facts, statistics, test results, and surveys can all strengthen the logos of a presentation.

How to Pronounce Logos

Here's how to pronounce logos: loh -gos

Logos and Different Types of Proof

While it's easy to spot a speaker using logos when he or she presents statistics or research results, numerical data is only one form that logos can take. Logos is any statement, sentence, or argument that attempts to persuade using facts, and these facts need not be the result of long research. "The facts" of an argument can also be drawn from the speaker's own life or from the world at large, and presenting these examples to support one's view is also a form of logos. Take this example from Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman?" speech in support of women's rights:

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman?

Truth points to her own strength, as well as to the fact that she can perform physically tiring tasks just as well as a man, as proof of equality between the sexes: she's still appealing to the audience's reason, but instead of presenting abstract truths about reality or numerical evidence, she's presenting the facts of her own experience as evidence. In this case, the logic of the argument is anecdotal (meaning it's derived from a handful of personal experiences) rather than purely theoretical, but it goes to show that logos doesn't have to be dry and clinical just because it's concerned with proving something logically.

Logos: Proof vs. Apparent Proof

Not all speakers who use logos can be blindly trusted. As Aristotle specifies in his definition of the term, logos can be "proof, or apparent proof." A speaker may present facts, figures, and research data simply to show that he or she has "done their homework," in an effort to attain the degree of credibility that is often automatically attributed to scientific studies and evidence-driven arguments. Or a speaker might present facts in a way that is wholly or partially misrepresentative, using those facts (and, by extension, logos ) to make a claim that feels credible while actually arguing something that is untrue. Yet another factor that can cause a speech or text to have the appearance of providing proof is the use of overlong words and technical language—but just because someone sounds smart doesn't mean their argument stands to reason.

Even if the facts have been manipulated, any argument that relies on or even just claims to rely on "facts" to appeal to a listener's reason is still an example of logos. Put another way: logos is not about using facts correctly or accurately , it's about using facts in any way to influence an audience.

Logos Examples

Examples of logos in literature.

While Aristotle defined the term logos with public speaking in mind, there are many examples of logos in literature. Generally, logos appears in literature when characters argue or attempt to convince one another that something is true. The degree to which characters use logos -driven arguments can also provide important insight into their personalities and motives.

Logos in Shakespeare's Othello

In Othello , Iago plots to bring about the downfall of his captain, Othello. Iago engineers a series of events that makes it look like Othello’s wife, Desdemona, is cheating on him. Suspicion of his wife’s infidelity tortures Othello, who only recently eloped with Desdemona against her father’s wishes. In this passage from Act 3, Scene 3, Iago manipulates Othello by means of logos . Iago "warns" Othello not to succumb to paranoia even as he fans the flames of that paranoia:

Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on….. Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger, But, oh, what damnèd minutes tells he o’er Who dotes, yet doubts— suspects, yet soundly loves… She did deceive her father, marrying you… She loved them most…. I humbly do beseech you of your pardon For too much loving you….

Iago here lectures Othello on the abstract dangers of jealousy, but then goes on to use reason and deduction to suggest that, because Desdemona deceived her beloved father by marrying Othello, she'd probably be willing to deceive Othello, too.

Logos in Don DeLillo's White Noise

In this passage from Part 2 of Don Delillo’s novel White Noise, Jack Gladney and his son Heinrich gaze through binoculars at an Airborne Toxic Event—or cloud of poison gas—that has just hit their town. Jack , in denial, tries to reassure his son that the cloud won’t blow in their direction and that there’s no cause for alarm. Heinrich disagrees:

"What do you think?" he said. "It's still hanging there. Looks rooted to the spot." "So you're saying you don't think it'll come this way." "I can tell by your voice that you know something I don't know." "Do you think it'll come this way or not?" "You want me to say it won't come this way in a million years. Then you'll attack with your little fistful of data. Come on, tell me what they said on the radio while I was out there." "It doesn't cause nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, like they said before." "What does it cause?" "Heart palpitations and a sense of deja vu." "Deja vu?" "It affects the false part of the human memory or whatever. That's not all. They're not calling it the black billowing cloud anymore." "What are they calling it?" He looked at me carefully. "The airborne toxic event." ... "These things are not important. The important thing is location. It's there, we're here." "A large air mass is moving down from Canada," he said evenly. "I already knew that." "That doesn't mean it's not important." "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Depends."

Jack tries to reassure himself and his family that the situation isn’t serious. Heinrich tries to counter his father’s irrational, fear-driven response to the catastrophe with his "fistful of data": information he's learned in school from a science video on toxic waste, as well as reports about the disaster that he heard on the radio. He presents the facts so that his father can’t ignore them, thereby strengthening the logos of his argument that the situation is serious and the cloud will come their way. In this particular example, the lack of logos in Jack's argument reveals a lot about his character—even though Jack is a tenured college professor, strong emotions and fear for his own mortality often drive his behavior and speech.

Logos in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird

In this example from To Kill a Mockingbird , lawyer Atticus Finch uses logos to argue on behalf of a black defendant, Tom Robinson, who stands accused of raping a white woman.

"The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is."

The logos in this case lies in Atticus' emphasis on the facts of the case, or rather, the fact that there are no facts in the case against Tom. He temporarily ignores questions of racial justice and emotional trauma so that the jury can look clearly at the body of evidence available to them. In short, he appeals to the jury's reason .

Logos in Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance , the narrator takes a cross-country motorcycle trip with his son Chris, and their two friends John and Sylvia. When Chris tells the group in Chapter 3 that his friend Tom White Bear believes in ghosts, the narrator tries to explain that scientific principles only exist in our heads, and therefore are actually modern man's equivalent of ghosts:

"Modern man has his ghosts and spirits too, you know." "What?" "Oh, the laws of physics and of logic...the number system...the principle of algebraic substitution. These are ghosts. We just believe in them so thoroughly they seem real." "They seem real to me," John says. "I don't get it," says Chris. So I go on. "For example, it seems completely natural to presume that gravitation and the law of gravitation existed before Isaac Newton. It would sound nutty to think that until the seventeenth century there was no gravity." "Of course" "So when did this law start? Has it always existed?...What I'm driving at is the notion that before the beginning of the earth, before the sun and the stars were formed, before the primal generation of anything, the law of gravity existed." "Sure." "Sitting there, having no mass of its own, no energy of its own, not in anyone's mind because there wasn't anyone, not in space because there was no space either, not anywhere—this law of gravity still existed?" Now John seems not so sure. "If the law of gravity existed," I say, "I honestly don't know what a thing has to do to be non existent. It seems to me that law of gravity has passed every test of nonexistence there is...And yet it is still 'common sense' to believe that it existed." "I guess I'd have to think about it." "Well, I predict that if you think about it long enough you will find yourself going round and round and round and round until you finally reach only one possible, rational, intelligent conclusion. The law of gravity and gravity itself did not exist before Isaac Newton. No other conclusion makes sense. And what that means... is that that law of gravity exists nowhere except in people's heads! It's a ghost!"

The narrator uses logos in his discourse on scientific concepts by presenting his audience with an example—gravity—and asking them to consider their own experience of gravity as empirical evidence in support of his argument. He urges his friends to come to a "rational, intelligent conclusion" about the concept of gravity, instead of relying on conventional wisdom and unexamined assumptions.

Logos in Political Speeches

Politicians frequently use logos, often by citing statistics or examples, to persuade their listeners of the success or failure of policies, politicians, and ideologies.

Logos in Barack Obama's 2015 State of the Union Address

In this example, Obama cites historical precedent and economic data from past years to strengthen his argument that recent progress has been substantial and that the nation's economy is in good health:

But tonight, we turn the page. Tonight, after a breakthrough year for America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999. Our unemployment rate is now lower than it was before the financial crisis. More of our kids are graduating than ever before. More of our people are insured than ever before. And we are as free from the grip of foreign oil as we’ve been in almost 30 years.

Logos in Ronald Reagan's 1987 "Tear Down this Wall" Speech

In this speech, Reagan intends for his comparison between the poverty of East Berlin—controlled by the Communists—and the prosperity of Democratic West Berlin to serve as hard evidence supporting the economic superiority of Western capitalism. The way he uses specific details about the physical landscape of West Berlin as proof of Western capitalist economic superiority is a form of logos:

Where four decades ago there was rubble, today in West Berlin there is the greatest industrial output of any city in Germany--busy office blocks, fine homes and apartments, proud avenues, and the spreading lawns of parkland. Where a city's culture seemed to have been destroyed, today there are two great universities, orchestras and an opera, countless theaters, and museums. Where there was want, today there's abundance--food, clothing, automobiles--the wonderful goods of the Ku'damm. From devastation, from utter ruin, you Berliners have, in freedom, rebuilt a city that once again ranks as one of the greatest on earth...In the 1950s, Khrushchev [leader of the communist Soviet Union] predicted: "We will bury you." But in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history. In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind—too little food. Even today, the Soviet Union still cannot feed itself. After these four decades, then, there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.

Why Do Writers Use Logos?

It's important to note that the three modes of persuasion often mutually reinforce one another. They don't have to be used in isolation from one other, and the same sentence may even include examples of all three. While logos is different from both ethos (an appeal to the audience based on the speaker's authority) and pathos (an appeal to the audience's emotions), the use of logos can serve as a strong complement to the use of ethos and/or pathos —and vice versa.

For instance, if a politician lists the number of casualties in a war, or rattles off statistics relating to a national issue, these facts may well appeal to the audience's emotions as well as their intellect, thereby strengthening pathos as well as logos as elements in the speech. Consider this passage from Michelle Obama's 2015 speech at The Partnership for a Healthier America Summit, in which she updates listeners on the success of her Let's Move! project for improving children's nutrition:

I mean, just think about what our work together means for a child born today. Maybe that child will be one of the 1.6 million kids attending healthier daycare centers where fruits and vegetables have replaced cookies and juice. And when that child starts school, maybe she’ll be one of the over 30 million kids eating the healthier school lunches that we fought for. Maybe she’ll be one of the 2 million kids with a Let’s Move! salad bar in her school, or one of the nearly 9 million kids in Let’s Move! Active Schools who are getting 60 minutes of physical activity a day, or one of the 5 million kids soon attending healthier after-school programs.

While Obama includes statistics to persuade her audience that Let's Move! has been a success ( logos) , she's also using those facts and figures to stir up enthusiasm for her cause ( pathos).

Other Helpful Logos Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Logos: A detailed explanation and history of the term.
• The Dictionary Definition of Logos: A definition encompassing the different meanings of the word logos.
• Logos on Youtube: A video from TED-Ed about the three modes of persuasion.

• Protagonist
• Juxtaposition
• Understatement
• Climax (Figure of Speech)
• Dynamic Character
• External Conflict
• Rising Action

• Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.

Understand The Difference Between Ethos, Pathos, And Logos To Make Your Point

• What Is Ethos?
• What Is Pathos?
• What Is Logos?
• Examples Of Each
• What Are Mythos And Kairos?

During an argument, people will often say whatever is necessary to win. If that is the case, they would certainly need to understand the three modes of persuasion, also commonly known as the three rhetorical appeals: ethos , pathos , and logos . In short, these three words refer to three main methods that a person can use to speak or write persuasively. As you’re about to find out, the modes of persuasion are important because a speaker who knows how to effectively use them will have a significant advantage over someone who doesn’t.

The terms ethos , pathos , and logos and the theory of their use can be traced back to ancient Greece to the philosophy of Aristotle . Aristotle used these three concepts in his explanations of rhetoric , or the art of influencing the thought and conduct of an audience. For Aristotle, the three modes of persuasion specifically referred to the three major parts of an argument: the speaker ( ethos ), the argument itself ( logos ), and the audience ( pathos ). In particular, Aristotle focused on the speaker’s character, the logic and reason presented by an argument, and the emotional impact the argument had on an audience.

While they have ancient roots, these modes of persuasion are alive and well today. Put simply, ethos refers to persuasion based on the credibility or authority of the speaker, pathos refers to persuasion based on emotion, and logos refers to persuasion based on logic or reason.

By effectively using the three modes of persuasion with a large supply of rhetorical devices, a speaker or writer can become a master of rhetoric and win nearly any argument or win over any audience. Before they can do that, though, they must know exactly what ethos , pathos , and logos mean. Fortunately, we are going to look closely at each of these three ideas and see if they are really as effective as they are said to be.

⚡️ Quick summary

Ethos , pathos , and logos are the three classical modes of persuasion that a person can use to speak or write persuasively. Specifically:

• ethos (character): known as “the appeal to authority” or “the appeal to credibility.” This is the method in which a person relies on their credibility or character when making an appeal or an argument.
• pathos (emotions): known as “the appeal to emotion.” Pathos refers to the method of trying to persuade an audience by eliciting some kind of emotional reaction.
• logos (logic): known as “the appeal to reason.” This method involves using facts and logical reasoning to support an argument and persuade an audience.

What is ethos ?

The word ethos comes straight from Greek. In Greek, ethos literally translates to “habit,” “custom,” or “character.” Ethos is related to the words ethic and ethical , which are typically used to refer to behavior that is or isn’t acceptable for a particular person.

In rhetoric, the word ethos is used to refer to the character or reputation of the speaker. As a rhetorical appeal, ethos is known as “the appeal to authority” or “the appeal to credibility.” When it comes to ethos , one important consideration is how the speaker carries themself and how they present themselves to the audience: Does it seem like they know what they are talking about? Do they even believe the words they are saying? Are they an expert? Do they have some experience or skills that tell us we should listen to them?

Ethos is important in rhetoric because it often influences the opinion or mood of the audience. If a speaker seems unenthusiastic, unprepared, or inexperienced, the audience is more likely to discount the speaker’s argument regardless of what it even is. On the other hand, a knowledgeable, authoritative, confident speaker is much more likely to win an audience over.

Ethos often depends on more than just the argument itself. For example, a speaker’s word choice, grammar, and diction also contribute to ethos ; an audience may react more favorably toward a professional speaker who has a good grasp of industry jargon and enunciates clearly versus a speaker who lacks the necessary vocabulary and fails to enunciate. Ethos can also be influenced by nonverbal factors as well, such as posture, body language, eye contact, and even the speaker’s choice of clothing. For example, a military officer proudly wearing their uniform bedecked with medals will go a long way to establishing ethos without them saying a single word.

Here as a simple example of ethos :

• “As a former mayor of this city, I believe we can solve this crisis if we band together.”

The speaker uses ethos by alerting the audience of their credentials and experience. By doing so, they rely on their reputation to be more persuasive. This “as a…” method of establishing ethos is common, and you have probably seen it used in many persuasive advertisements and speeches.

What are open-ended questions and how can you use them effectively? Find out here.

What is pathos ?

In Greek, pathos literally translates to “suffering, experience, or sensation.” The word pathos is related to the words pathetic , sympathy , and empathy , which all have to do with emotions or emotional connections. Aristotle used the word pathos to refer to the emotional impact that an argument had on an audience; this usage is still mainly how pathos is used in rhetoric today.

As a rhetorical appeal, pathos is referred to as “the appeal to emotion.” Generally speaking, an author or speaker is using pathos when they are trying to persuade an audience by causing some kind of emotional reaction. When it comes to pathos , any and all emotions are on the table: sadness, fear, hope, joy, anger, lust, pity, etc.

As you probably know from your own life, emotions are a powerful motivating factor. For this reason, relying on pathos is often a smart and effective strategy for persuading an audience. Both positive and negative emotions can heavily influence an audience: for example, an audience will want to support a speaker whose position will make them happy, a speaker who wants to end their sadness, or a speaker who is opposed to something that makes them angry.

Here is a simple example of pathos :

• “Every day, the rainforests shrink and innocent animals are killed. We must do something about this calamitous trend before the planet we call our home is damaged beyond repair.”

Here, the author is trying to win over an audience by making them feel sad, concerned, or afraid. The author’s choice of words like “innocent” and “calamitous” enforce the fact that they are trying to rely on pathos .

What is logos ?

In Greek, the word logos literally translates to “word, reason, or discourse.” The word logos is related to many different words that have to do with reason, discourse, or knowledge, such as logic , logical , and any words that end in the suffixes -logy or -logue .

As a mode of persuasion and rhetorical appeal, logos is often referred to as “the appeal to reason.” If a speaker or author is relying on logos , they are typically reciting facts or providing data and statistics that support their argument. In a manner of speaking, logos does away with all of the bells and whistles of ethos and pathos and cuts to the chase by trying to present a rational argument.

Logos can be effective in arguments because, in theory, it is impossible to argue against truth and facts. An audience is more likely to agree with a speaker who can provide strong, factual evidence that shows their position is correct. On the flip side, an audience is less likely to support an argument that is flawed or entirely wrong. Going further, a speaker that presents a lot of supporting evidence and data to the audience is likely to come across as knowledgeable and someone to be listened to, which earns bonus points in ethos as well.

While Aristotle clearly valued an argument based on reason very highly, we know that logos alone doesn’t always effectively persuade an audience. In your own life, you have likely seen a rational, correct speaker lose an argument to a charismatic, authoritative speaker who may not have the facts right.

Here is a simple example of logos :

• “According to market research, sales of computer chips have increased by 300% in the last five years. Analysis of the industry tells us that the market share of computer chips is dominated by Asian manufacturers. It is clear that the Asian technology sector will continue to experience rapid growth for the foreseeable future.”

In this paragraph, the author is using data, statistics, and logical reasoning to make their argument. They clearly hope to use logos to try to convince an audience to agree with them.

Do you need persuading to take this quiz on identifying ethos, pathos, and logos? We think you’ll be a champion at it.

Examples of ethos , pathos , and logos

Ethos , pathos , and logos can all be employed to deliver compelling and persuasive arguments or to win over an audience. Let’s look at a variety of examples to see how different speakers and authors have turned to these modes of persuasion over the years.

“Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me […] You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?” —Marc Antony, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

In this scene, Marc Antony is trying to win over the Roman people, so Shakespeare has Antony rely on ethos . Antony is establishing himself as both a person of authority in Rome (having the power to offer Caesar a crown) and an expert on Caesar’s true character (Antony was Caesar’s close friend and advisor).

“During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the world’s first computer animated feature film, Toy Story , and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance.” —Steve Jobs, 2005

Here, Steve Jobs is providing his background–via humblebrag – of being a major figure in several different highly successful tech companies. Jobs is using ethos to provide substance to his words and make it clear to the audience that he knows what he is talking about and they should listen to him.

Make Your Writing Shine!

• By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy policies.
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“Moreover, though you hate both him and his gifts with all your heart, yet pity the rest of the Achaeans who are being harassed in all their host; they will honour you as a god, and you will earn great glory at their hands. You might even kill Hector; he will come within your reach, for he is infatuated, and declares that not a Danaan whom the ships have brought can hold his own against him.” —Ulysses to Achilles, The Iliad by Homer

In this plea, Ulysses is doing his best to pile on the pathos . In one paragraph, Ulysses is attempting to appeal to several of Achilles’s emotions: his hatred of Hector, his infamous stubborn pride, his sympathy for civilians, and his desire for vengeance.

“I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest—quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality.” —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1963

In this excerpt from his “I Have A Dream” speech, King is using pathos to accomplish two goals at once. First, he is connecting with his audience by making it clear is aware of their plight and suffering. Second, he is citing these examples to cause sadness or outrage in the audience. Both of these effects will make an audience interested in what he has to say and more likely to support his position.

Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech is recognizable and noteworthy for many reasons, including the rhetorical device he employs. Learn about it here.

“Let it be remembered how powerful the influence of a single introduced tree or mammal has been shown to be. But in the case of an island, or of a country partly surrounded by barriers, into which new and better adapted forms could not freely enter, we should then have places in the economy of nature which would assuredly be better filled up if some of the original inhabitants were in some manner modified; for, had the area been open to immigration, these same places would have been seized on by intruders. In such case, every slight modification, which in the course of ages chanced to arise, and which in any way favoured the individuals of any of the species, by better adapting them to their altered conditions, would tend to be preserved; and natural selection would have free scope for the work of improvement.” —Charles Darwin, On the Origin of the Species , 1859

In this passage, Darwin is using logos by presenting a rational argument in support of natural selection. Darwin connects natural selection to established scientific knowledge to argue that it makes logical sense that animals would adapt to better survive in their environment.

“I often echo the point made by the climate scientist James Hansen: The accumulation of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases—some of which will envelop the planet for hundreds and possibly thousands of years—is now trapping as much extra energy daily as 500,000 Hiroshima-class atomic bombs would release every 24 hours. This is the crisis we face.” —Al Gore, “The Climate Crisis Is the Battle of Our Time, and We Can Win,” 2019

In this call to action, Al Gore uses logos to attempt to convince his audience of the significance of climate change. In order to do this, Gore both cites an expert in the field and provides a scientifically accurate simile to explain the scale of the effect that greenhouse gases have on Earth’s atmosphere.

What are mythos and kairos ?

Some modern scholars may also use terms mythos and kairos when discussing modes of persuasion or rhetoric in general.

Aristotle used the term mythos to refer to the plot or story structure of Greek tragedies, i.e., how a playwright ordered the events of the story to affect the audience. Today, mythos is most often discussed as a literary or poetic term rather than a rhetorical one. However, mythos may rarely be referred to as the “appeal to culture” or the “appeal to myth” if it is treated as an additional mode of persuasion. According to this viewpoint, a speaker/writer is using mythos if they try to persuade an audience using shared cultural customs or societal values.

A commonly cited example of mythos is King’s “I Have a Dream” speech quoted earlier. King says:

“When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men—yes, black men as well as white men—would be guaranteed the ‘unalienable rights’ of ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ ”

Throughout the speech, King repeatedly uses American symbols and American history ( mythos ) to argue that all Americans should be outraged that Black Americans have been denied freedom and civil rights.

Some modern scholars may also consider kairos as an additional mode of persuasion. Kairos is usually defined as referring to the specific time and place that a speaker chooses to deliver their speech. For written rhetoric, the “place” instead refers to the specific medium or publication in which a piece of writing appears.

Unlike the other modes of persuasion, kairos relates to the context of a speech and how the appropriateness (or not) of a setting affects how effective a speaker is. Once again, King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is a great example of the use of kairos . This speech was delivered at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation at the end of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Clearly, King intended to use kairos to enhance the importance and timeliness of this landmark speech.

Make your communication as smooth as can be by learning about filler words and when you should, and shouldn't, use them.

Ways To Say

Synonym of the day

• Home →
• Speech Crafting →

Examples of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Persuasive Speeches

Ever fumbled for words while convincing someone to sign up for your club or buy something you're promoting on stage?

It happens. For this reason, Aristotle came up with three essential tools you can use in your everyday speech to persuade people for almost anything: ethos, pathos, and logos.

Here are some vivid examples of ethos, pathos, and logos to help you understand what they are and how to use them in your arguments.

The Three Tools That Guide Your Speech

Ethos, pathos, and logos are Greek words that make up the rhetorical triangle. Aristotle was the first to come up with them and wrote these concepts in his book, Rhetoric .

You can use them in any argument if you want to drive your point across or sell something: an idea, a product, or a brand.

Whether it is a sales pitch, a compelling argument, or a speech, these three modes of persuasion can sway your audience's perspective. Their presence since ancient times depicts their strength and significance.

Ethos is Greek for “character,” "credibility," or "authority." It refers to a person's character when they are presenting an argument.

The stronger the character or, the more influential the speaker is, the more they can change someone’s point of view regarding a particular subject.

You wouldn’t be enraptured, hanging on to her every word when J.K Rowling was giving a TED talk if she wasn’t a famous author, right?

Therefore, many brands and companies try to get celebrities to advertise for them. When people become fans, they religiously love what the celebrity loves and hates what the celebrity doesn't like.

This is the power of ethos. Here is how to establish ethos in a speech .

There are tons of examples of ethos in advertisements, movies, speeches, and daily life. Highlighted below are some of them.

Albus Dumbledor used ethos in the movie The Goblet of Fire when he went against the Ministry of Magic to tell his students how Cedric Diggory died. He knew they would believe him because he was Headmaster. He said:

"I think, therefore, you have the right to know exactly how he died. You see, Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort. The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. But I think to do so would be an insult to his memory."

In a commercial, you’d see 4 out of 5 dentists recommending a particular toothpaste. That's how brands convince viewers to buy their products by backing them up with credible people.

As a physics student, you tune in to a TED talk by Brian Greene and believe everything he says because he’s a theoretical physicist and a string theorist.

Pathos is Greek for “emotion,” “suffering,” or “experience.” This rhetorical strategy appeals to people's feelings when used in an argument.

It invokes people’s senses, nostalgia, memory, and experiences. It is used in ads and videos to persuade people to follow a call to action.

When pathos is embedded in a message, it moves people, driving them to take action. Pathos can trigger any intended emotion in people, such as sympathy, pity, and empathy.

Why do you think romance sells so much, be it novels, movies, or stories? It pulls at the reader’s heartstrings, connects them to the characters, and makes them want something similar.

Below are some examples of pathos in everyday life, movies, and ads.

An excellent way to convince people to donate to a puppy shelter is to show them how brutally they'll die if they don't donate.

The Evian commercial in which adults look like toddlers when they look at their reflections depicts the "bandwagon effect." Light-heartedly, it uses feel-good emotion to convince people to buy their water.

In their ad, IKEA convinces people to opt for home delivery for £3.95 by showing a person stuck in traffic after buying from the brand. This appeals to people because we like comfort, right?

Unlike ethos and pathos, logos rely on logic. It is a Greek word that means “logic” or “reason.” It uses logical reasons to convince people about something.

When you use logos in your everyday speech or arguments, you try to mention facts or data to support your idea.

While ethos uses the speaker's credibility to persuade people about something, pathos uses emotion to trigger people. Logos simply relies on logic and cuts to the chase.

You can easily persuade an audience using reason and logic in your argument; however, emotions do get the best of us as humans. For this reason, there are three modes of persuasion.

The following are a few examples of Logos.

Al Gore, a renowned environmentalist, used logos in his speech “The Climate Crisis Is the Battle of Our Time, and We Can Win,” in 2019. He tells people what exactly is happening that is causing climate change and cites scientific research and experts in his speech as well:

"I often echo the point made by the climate scientist James Hansen: The accumulation of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases—some of which will envelop the planet for hundreds and possibly thousands of years—is now trapping as much extra energy daily as 500,000 Hiroshima-class atomic bombs would release every 24 hours. This is the crisis we face."

In the Versatile Stain Remover ad by OxiClean, you see Billy Mays use the stain remover to clean different products to showcase the product's ability as a stain remover.

An iPhone commercial shows the smartphone's different features that make it stand out from the rest.

Some More Examples of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Almost everyone uses these three modes of persuasion in one form or the other in their arguments. Let’s see how famous people have used them through time.

"During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife.

Pixar went on to create the world's first computer-animated feature film, Toy Story and is now the most successful animation studio in the world.

In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance."

—Steve Jobs, 2005

Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, relies heavily on ethos here. He uses his authority as a founder of successful tech companies to show people why they should listen to him.

"I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations.

Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality."

—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1963

Martin Luther King Jr. was famous for fighting for civil rights. In the above excerpt from his speech “I Have a Dream,” he uses pathos to empathize with his audience.

He informs them that he understands they have suffered a lot and have come out of a painful time. This evokes emotion in the audience, and they can connect with King easily.

"Let it be remembered how powerful the influence of a single introduced tree or mammal has been shown to be.

But in the case of an island, or of a country partly surrounded by barriers, into which new and better-adapted forms could not freely enter, we should then have places in the economy of nature that would assuredly be better filled up if some of the original inhabitants were in some manner modified; for, had the area been open to immigration, these same places would have been seized on by intruders.

In such a case, every slight modification, which in the course of ages chanced to arise, and which in any way favored the individuals of any of the species by better adapting them to their altered conditions, would tend to be preserved; and natural selection would have free scope for the work of improvement."

—Charles Darwin, On the Origin of the Species, 1859

Charles Darwin appeals to logic or logos in his book Origin of the Species by talking about the rationale of natural selection.

He talks about how species have evolved with time to better adapt to their environment, a.k.a survival of the fittest. You can see how he uses a logical argument to talk about natural selection.

Conclusion: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Ethos, pathos, and logos have survived the test of time and are used almost everywhere today. You can find them embedded in commercials, movies, speeches, TED talks, and day-to-day arguments.

These three tools of persuasion appeal to different aspects of humanity: authority, emotion, and logic. When used together, they form a solid argument that can convince anyone of its gist.

Ethos uses the speaker’s authority or credibility to persuade the audience. Pathos uses emotion to trigger people to take action. On the other hand, logos rely on facts and logic to drive a point across.

All three are very important to use in any argument.

Improve your practice.

Enhance your soft skills with a range of award-winning courses.

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking and Persuasion

April 11, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

Persuasive speaking is a skill that you can apply regularly throughout your life, whether you are selling a product or being interviewed. 2,300 years ago,  Aristotle  determined the components needed for persuasive speaking. They are referred to as the three pillars of persuasion – ethos, pathos and logos. In this article, we discuss how to use the three pillars for public speaking.

What are ethos, pathos and logos?

Ethos, pathos and logos are modes of persuasion used to convince and appeal to an audience. You need these qualities for your audience to accept your messages.

• Ethos : your credibility and character
• Pathos : emotional bond with your listeners
• Logos : logical and rational argument

Ethos – The Ethical Appeal

Ethos is Greek for “character” and “ethic” is derived from ethos.

Ethos consists of convincing your audience that you have good character and you are credible therefore your words can be trusted. Ethos must be established from the  start of your talk  or the audience will not accept what you say.

In fact, ethos is often established before your presentation, for example, you may be the CEO of the company you’re presenting to so you’re already perceived as a specialist.

Why is ethos important?

Characteristics of ethos

There are four main characteristics of ethos:

• Trustworthiness and respect
• Similarity to the audience
• Expertise and reputation/history

1. Trustworthiness and respect

The audience are more likely to be respect you and think that what you’re saying is true if they  perceive you as trustworthy . This judgement is formed using factors such as:

• Ethics and values
• Generosity and sharing
• If you’re part of a group that stands for the above values, such as an NSPCC worker

2. Similarity to the audience

Listeners are more likely to be convinced by someone they can relate to. For example, you may share:

• Age and gender
• Race and culture
• Personality etc

If you do not share traits with your audience you can choose to adjust your:

• Mannerisms and gestures
• Visual aids

But don’t do too much as your listeners will seen you as not being genuine.

Tony Robbins, a well known authority in the life coaching space, giving a TED Talk on ‘Why we do what we do’.

3. Authority

If the audience perceive that you are an expert they are more likely to be persuaded by what you say. Remember that every presenter has authority because they are the speaker.

For example:

• Political authority e.g. a prime minister
• Educational authority e.g. teacher

4. Expertise and reputation

Expertise is your knowledge of the subject.

Reputation is what your audience knows about your knowledge of the subject.

Reputation depends on:

• Achievements or acknowledgments from others in the area, such as, awards and testimonials.
• Your experience and the amount of years you have worked in this area.
• How involved you were with this topic – are you a key character?
• Your expertise should be verified, for example, you may be talking about different therapy treatments and your expertise is shown by you being a successful Clinical Psychologist.
• Your contribution to the area , perhaps through blogs, books, papers and products.
• Your authority

Merging the four characteristics of ethos

Not all of characteristics have to be present to develop high ethos, for example, a university lecturer speaking to her students is most likely perceived as trustworthy as the lecturer is known to provide correct information, she has authority over the 18-21 year olds due to her job title and her age.

But she’s not similar to her students because of this. She has been working in this area for 30 years and at the university for 5 years (expertise) and has contributed largely to the area through a number of studies and subsequent papers (reputation). This is enough ethos for the audience to be persuaded by what she says.

Another person, such as a manager addressing her employees may have a different combination of these traits but still have enough ethos. It’s hard to achieve complete ethos, especially considering that having authority often reduces similarity.

Improve ethos

Authority and reputation are usually predetermined before your presentation so it’s difficult to change the audience’s mind about this. But it’s easier to change people’s perception about how trustworthy and how alike you are during the presentation.

Improve ethos day to day:

• Become an expert in the topics you present on because people are more likely to want to listen to someone who has researched a topic for 10 years rather than 2 years.
• Ensure that people know about your expertise by promoting yourself, for example, ensure that people can easily access testimonials, reviews, papers etc.
• Treat the trustworthy characteristics as your values, so practice being honest, ethical, compassionate etc.

Improve ethos before a speech:

• Research your audience , especially concentrating on the traits you share, so you know how to appeal to them.
• Show up early to the presentation venue to show the audience that you want to be there.
• If, for example, you are speaking at a wider event, such as a conference, try to attend as much of it as possible. This means that you and the audience are sharing an experience so they are more likely to perceive you as similar to them.
• If the venue requires information to advertise your presentation, emphasise your ethos in this material so people will know why they should come and see your talk.

Telling personal stories during a presentation is a great way to increase ethos.

Increase ethos during a speech:

• In your introduction draw attention to your ethos because this is the best way to demonstrate your credentials to that particular audience on that particular day. Highlight vital facts that demonstrate the main four traits of ethos but which are relevant to the topic and the audience. Don’t make the introduction long and irrelevant.
• Tell personal stories  that show the audience that you follow your own recommendations because they are more likely to believe you on other points that cannot easily be confirmed.
• Facts, stats and quotes  should be up-to-date and from reputable sources, for example, between choosing from social media or Mind’s website to quote a statistic about anxiety, you would choose Mind’s website as this has high ethos which in turn increases your ethos.
• Reference people in the audience or previous speakers or events earlier that day. This forms connections with the audience.
• Be unbiased by admitting that you and your opposition’s side agree on at least one matter. This highlights that you are credible because you are treating the topic with consideration and fairness.

Improve ethos after the presentation

• Always stay for as long as you can after your speech in case audience members want to speak with you. This will also help with future presentations as it’s likely that this will become part of your reputation.
• Stick to your promises, for example, during the  questions and answers session  you may have agreed to find out an answer to a question and tell everyone – ensure that you do this to be seen as honest.

Pathos – The Emotional Appeal

Pathos is Greek for suffering and experience. Empathy, sympathy and pathetic are derived from pathos.

Pathos is to persuade by appealing to the audience’s emotions. As the speaker, you want the audience to feel the same emotions you feel about something, you want to emotionally connect with them and influence them. If you have low pathos the audience is likely to try to find flaws in your arguments.

Why is pathos important?

Emotions are motivators so the audience is more  likely to be persuaded  and act on your requests by using pathos. Pathos is more likely to increase the chances of your audience:

• Understanding your point of view.
• Accepting your arguments.
• Acting on your requests.

Example of pathos during a speech

Girls Who Code Founder Reshma Saujani explains how one of her students created an algorithm to detect false positives in breast cancer testing after her dad was diagnosed with cancer.

Watch the full video here:  Why We Need Women in Tech

Improving pathos

• Choose  emotional points and topics , for example “Beat your social anxiety” would trigger more powerful emotions than “Learn how to speak in a group.”
• Use  analogies and metaphors  – linking your ideas with something your listeners already know about and feel strongly about can trigger emotional responses. For example, “They are awful” compared to “They are poisonous.” This will use the audience’s knowledge that poison is bad and therefore this issue needs to be dealt with.
• Use  emotionally charged words , for example, say “This kitchen roll is a life-saver” rather than “This kitchen roll is great”. Another way to make a statement more emotional is to use  vivid and sensory words  which allow the audience to experience the emotion. For instance, “The smell of your grandparents’ house” will increase the recollection of hopefully warm memories, and therefore will trigger certain emotions.
• Positive emotions, such as joy, should be linked with your claims.
• Negative emotions, such as anger, should be linked to your rival’s claims.
• Using  humour  increases the likelihood that the audience are enjoying themselves and so they are more likely to like you and listen to you.
• Visual aids  can sometimes be more powerful than words, for example, showing an image of a scared small child will have more impact than saying that children are often victims of domestic violence.
• Research your audience  and find out what their shared values are. Target these values and beliefs because they are strongly associated to emotions.
• Storytelling  is a quick way to form an emotional connection. It’s often used to link a part of a key message with an emotional response – you’ll be familiar with seeing this in adverts asking for charity donations.
• Match what you’re saying with your body language , face and eyes. People often mirror emotions so by matching your body language with your words you increase the chances of triggering the desired emotions.
• Also  match your voice to your words , for example, if you want to show sadness  speak in a soft voice , if you want to show excitement then increase your pace etc.
• Stand as close as you can to the audience  so the speech feels more personal – don’t hide behind the computer screen.
• Use words that carry suitable connotations , for example, if you asked a group of men whether they would like to be called “tall”, “lanky” or “big”. Even though the words have essentially the same meaning, the men are more likely to choose the word that has the most positive connotation, in this case the word “tall”.
• If you have accidentally  caused a negative emotion find out why and apologise . For example, perhaps there have been severe interpersonal conflicts that you were unaware of and a joke you made upset audience members.

Logos – The Logical Appeal

The word “logic” is derived from logos.

Logos is to appeal to logic by relying on the audience’s intelligence and offering evidence in support of your argument. Logos also develops ethos because the information makes you look knowledgeable. Ask the following questions to decide if you have achieved logos:

• Are my messages coherent?
• Does the evidence support my claims?
• Will the audience’s actions lead to my desired outcome?

Why is logos important?

Essentially, logical arguments that make sense are not easily dismissed.

Improving logos

• Be comprehensive : Make sure your points and arguments can be understood
• Be logical : Ensure that your arguments make sense and that your claims and evidence are not implausible. Have a plan for dealing with opposing viewpoints that your listeners may already believe.
• Be specific : Base your claims on facts and examples as your arguments will be accepted quicker than something nonspecific and non-concrete. The more easily the evidence is accepted, the more easily the conclusions will be accepted.

Be comprehensive

• Use language that your audience will understand. Avoid jargon and technical terminology.
• Use simple figures and charts to make the presentations more understandable.
• Make the relationship between your evidence and conclusions clear.
• Analogies and metaphors  are helpful especially when explaining new ideas and theories.

Engage the audience by asking them questions during your speech to increase logos.

• Ensure that the  audience is involved  by asking them engaging questions. This will make them active listeners so they may even come to your conclusion themselves.
• Talk about opposing views as this allows you to explain why your logical arguments are more reasonable.
• Deductive reasoning  is looking at the evidence and  coming to a conclusion . For example. “I don’t like loud places. That restaurant is really loud. So I won’t like that restaurant.”
• Inductive reasoning  is when you add rational pieces, perhaps beliefs, to the evidence and come to a conclusion. The evidence is used to infer a conclusion but the conclusion is not guaranteed. For example: “All the vegan restaurants I have eaten in have been good. This is a vegan restaurant. So it must be good.”

The audience are using both types of reasoning as you speak, so their beliefs may interfere with them accepting your conclusions. Overcome these by building your argument on the audience’s widely held beliefs – commonplaces. For example, a company’s main value and therefore commonplace may be “Compassion makes us the best company”.

Use the audience’s commonplace like a fact and apply it to a new situation. So if you want to encourage your staff to join a committee, use their commonplace, for example, rather than your belief say: “This committee needs considerate and kind-hearted people.”

Be specific

• Facts and stats cannot be debated and they signify the truth.
• Visual evidence, such as, objects and  videos  are hard to challenge.
• Citing specialists and authorities on a topic increases the quality of your evidence and therefore your claims.
• Tell stories, such as, case studies or personal experiences. The audience would like to hear your own stories if you’re a specialist, for example, “When I was excavating in Nottingham…”

There is uncertainty over which pillar is the most important – Aristotle thought that logos was vital but when used by itself it lacks impact. So ensure that you treat all three pillars with equal importance to succeed in persuading your audience.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to header right navigation
• Skip to site footer

Farnam Street

Mastering the best of what other people have already figured out

Ethos, Logos and Pathos: The Structure of a Great Speech

“A speech is like a love affair. Any fool can start it, but to end it requires considerable skill.” — Lord Mancroft

The structure of a great oral argument has been passed down through the ages, starting with Aristotle. Not only is it an incredibly valuable skill to have, it’s important to know  how you’re being persuaded  when you’re a part of the audience. So using Sam Leith’s Words Like Loaded Pistols as our guide, let’s discuss Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos.

But before we get into the specifics of the three modes, we need to decide on the structure of our argument itself. How? By doing the work required to have an opinion .

This phase is referred to as invention , but it’s not about making something up, it’s more about the information gathering or research phase of your work.

Invention is doing your homework: thinking up in advance exactly what arguments can be made both for and against a given proposition, selecting the best on your own side, and finding counterarguments to those on the other.

This research phase should not be limited to the subject matter, it should also include your audience. If there is one theme that resonates throughout Leith’s book, it’s that you must know your audience; their interests, prejudices and expectations. Without that grounding, you’re already setting yourself up for failure. (In other words, your moving speech on why we all need to take a social media holiday may not resonate at the Twitter shareholder meeting.)

Ethos is about establishing your authority to speak on the subject, logos is your logical argument for your point and pathos is your attempt to sway an audience emotionally. Leith has a great example for summarizing what the three look like.

Ethos: ‘Buy my old car because I’m Tom Magliozzi.’ Logos: ‘Buy my old car because yours is broken and mine is the only one on sale.’ Pathos: ‘Buy my old car or this cute little kitten, afflicted with a rare degenerative disease, will expire in agony, for my car is the last asset I have in the world, and I am selling it to pay for kitty’s medical treatment.’

The first part of ethos is establishing your credentials to be speaking to the audience on the specific subject matter. It’s the verbal equivalent of all those degrees hanging up in your doctor’s office. And once you’ve established why you are an authority on the subject, you need to build rapport. Ethos, when everything is stripped away, is about trust.

Your audience needs to know (or to believe, which in rhetoric adds up to the same thing) that you are trustworthy, that you have a locus standi to talk on the subject, and that you speak in good faith. You need your audience to believe that you are, in the well-known words, ‘A pretty straight kind of guy.’

So if you’re a politician and you’re speaking about reforming the legal system, it’s great to be a lawyer or a judge, but it’s even better to be a lawyer or a judge who comes from the same community as your audience. Between two speakers with identical credentials, the more closely relatable one will win the audience.

You’ll even see a reverse ethos appeal at times, an attack on an opponent which questions their credentials and trustworthiness and serves to alienate them from the audience. To head that off, it’s best to establish your ethos early on, both to give your attackers more of a challenge and to create a hook for your logos to hang on.

Here’s how Leith describes logos , the next link in the chain:

If ethos is the ground on which your argument stands, logos is what drives it forward: it is the stuff of your arguments, the way one point proceeds to another, as if to show that the conclusion to which you are aiming is not only the right one, but so necessary and reasonable as to be more or less the only one.

Think of this as the logic behind your argument. You want your points to seem so straightforward and commanding that your audience can’t conceive of an alternative.

Aristotle had a tip here: He found that the most effective use of logos is to encourage your audience to reach the conclusion to your argument on their own, just moments before your big reveal. They will relish in the fact that they were clever enough to figure it out, and the reveal will be that much more satisfying.

Another logos trick used often is the much abused syllogism.

The syllogism is a way of combining two premises and drawing a fresh conclusion that follows logically from them. The classic instance you always hear quoted is the following: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

While you need to take care with the syllogisms you use — false syllogisms can lead to obvious logical fallacies — they can be a powerful tool for helping your audience draw certain conclusions.

Aristotle also advocated the use ‘commonplaces’, or   accepted premises shared with the audience. The best arguments are soaked in them.

Associated with these general topics are ‘commonplaces’ (topos is Greek for a ‘place’). Any form of reasoning has to start from a set of premises, and in rhetoric those premises are very often commonplaces. A commonplace is a piece of shared wisdom: a tribal assumption. In the use of commonplaces, you can see where logos and ethos intersect. Commonplaces are culturally specific, but they will tend to be so deep-rooted in their appeal that they pass for universal truths. They are, in digested form, the appeal to ‘common sense.’ You get nowhere appealing to commonplaces alien to your audience. The wise persuader starts from one or two commonplaces he knows he has in common with his audience – and, where possible, arrives at one too.

Your use of commonplaces is also a good point to interject pathos , as many of these common beliefs can illicit an emotional response. Let’s dig into pathos .

Your logical argument will be that much more persuasive if it’s wrapped up with a good dose of emotion. Because of the way we use the word pathos in the modern world, you may be thinking of something dramatic and sad. But pathos is more nuanced than that; it can be humor, love, patriotism, or any emotional response.

The key here once again is to know your audience . If you are trying to evoke a sense of anger or sadness regarding mankind’s role in the decline of the honeybee, you might not get the response you want from the bee allergy support group.

You can even invoke pathos by admitting a wrong. ( We all make mistakes …) This can be a clever way to put your opponent off balance.

This is the figure, called paromologia in the Greek, where you concede, or appear to concede, part of your opponent’s point. It turns what is often necessity to advantage, because it makes you look honest and scrupulous, takes the wind out of your opponent’s sails, and allows you to shift the emphasis of the argument in a way finally favorable to you. It’s the equivalent of a tactical retreat, or of the judo fighter using an opponent’s momentum against him.

Another tool you can use with pathos is something the ancients called aposiopesis.

Aposiopesis – a sudden breaking off as if at a loss for words – can be intended to stir pathos. And even where something appears merely decorative – a run of alliteration or a mellifluously turned sentence – it serves to commend the speech more easily to memory, and to give pleasure to the audience. Delight is an end, as well as a means.

And we can’t forget joy and laughter. A well received joke can help you both connect with the audience (ethos) and bring home the pathos appeal.

… the joke can do more than just perk up a drowsing audience. It can be a powerful rhetorical tool. It participates in the pathos appeal inasmuch as it stirs an audience’s emotions to laughter – but more importantly, it participates in the ethos appeal, inasmuch as laughter is based on a set of common assumptions. As Edwin Rabbie argues in ‘Wit and Humour in Roman Rhetoric,’ ‘Jokes usually presuppose (even rest on) a significant amount of shared knowledge.

Ultimately, the three modes of persuasion are interconnected. It’s helpful not to think of them in a linear way but more like three overlapping circles. If you can create something with ethos, logos, and pathos peppered throughout, and tie it all into your audience’s belief system, you will have a very strong argument.

While Aristotle’s three persuasive appeals make appearances throughout the book, there is so much more to Words Like Loaded Pistols . Leith goes into depth regarding the five parts of rhetoric and the three branches of oratory. He also spend considerable time explaining the different figures, also known as the ‘flowers of rhetoric, which can be thought of as the literary weapons you can use in your war of words. If you have an interest in making your own presentations or speeches better, or in understanding the techniques a speaker is using when you are in the audience then this book is definitely worth the read. In the meantime check out our post on Wartime Rhetoric for some inspiration.

What Are Logos, Pathos & Ethos?

A straight-forward explainer (with examples)

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewer: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | June 2023

If you spend any amount of time exploring the wonderful world of philosophy, you’re bound to run into the dynamic trio of rhetorical appeals: logos , ethos and pathos . But, what exactly do they mean and how can you use them in your writing or speaking? In this post, we’ll unpack the rhetorical love triangle in simple terms, using loads of practical examples along the way.

Overview: The Rhetorical Triangle

• What are logos , pathos and ethos ?
• Logos unpacked (+ examples)
• Pathos unpacked (+ examples)
• Ethos unpacked (+ examples)
• The rhetorical triangle

What are logos, ethos and pathos?

Simply put, logos, ethos and pathos are three powerful tools that you can use to persuade an audience of your argument . At the most basic level, logos appeals to logic and reason, while pathos appeals to emotions and ethos emphasises credibility or authority.

Naturally, a combination of all three rhetorical appeals packs the biggest punch, but it’s important to consider a few different factors to determine the best mix for any given context. Let’s look at each rhetorical appeal in a little more detail to understand how best to use them to your advantage.

Logos appeals to the logical, reason-driven side of our minds. Using logos in an argument typically means presenting a strong body of evidence and   facts to support your position. This evidence should then be accompanied by sound logic and well-articulated reasoning .

Let’s look at some examples of logos in action:

• A friend trying to persuade you to eat healthier might present scientific studies that show the benefits of a balanced diet and explain how certain nutrients contribute to overall health and longevity.
• A scientist giving a presentation on climate change might use data from reputable studies, along with well-presented graphs and statistical analyses to demonstrate the rising global temperatures and their impact on the environment.
• An advertisement for a new smartphone might highlight its technological features, such as a faster processor, longer battery life, and a high-resolution camera. This could also be accompanied by technical specifications and comparisons with competitors’ models.

In short, logos is all about using evidence , logic and reason to build a strong argument that will win over an audience on the basis of its objective merit . This contrasts quite sharply against pathos, which we’ll look at next.

Contrasted to logos, pathos appeals to the softer side of us mushy humans. Specifically, it focuses on evoking feelings and emotions in the audience. When utilising pathos in an argument, the aim is to cultivate some feeling of connection in the audience toward either yourself or the point that you’re trying to make.

In practical terms, pathos often uses storytelling , vivid language and personal anecdotes to tap into the audience’s emotions. Unlike logos, the focus here is not on facts and figures, but rather on psychological affect . Simply put, pathos utilises our shared humanness to foster agreement.

Let’s look at some examples of pathos in action:

• An advertisement for a charity might incorporate images of starving children and highlight their desperate living conditions to evoke sympathy, compassion and, ultimately, donations.
• A politician on the campaign trail might appeal to feelings of hope, unity, and patriotism to rally supporters and motivate them to vote for his or her party.
• A fundraising event may include a heartfelt personal story shared by a cancer survivor, with the aim of evoking empathy and encouraging donations to support cancer research.

As you can see, pathos is all about appealing to the human side of us – playing on our emotions to create buy-in and agreement.

Last but not least, we’ve got ethos. Ethos is all about emphasising the credibility and authority of the person making the argument, or leveraging off of someone else’s credibility to support your own argument.

The ethos card can be played by highlighting expertise, achievements, qualifications and accreditations , or even personal and professional associations and connections. Ultimately, the aim here is to foster some level of trust within the audience by demonstrating your competence, as this will make them more likely to take your word as fact.

Let’s look at some examples of ethos in action:

• A fitness equipment brand might hire a well-known athlete to endorse their product.
• A toothpaste brand might make claims highlighting that a large percentage of dentists recommend their product.
• A financial advisor might present their qualifications, certifications and professional memberships when meeting with a prospective client.

As you can see, using ethos in an argument is largely about emphasising the credibility of the person rather than the logical soundness of the argument itself (which would reflect a logos-based approach). This is particularly helpful when there isn’t a large body of evidence to support the argument.

Ethos can also overlap somewhat with pathos in that positive emotions and feelings toward a specific person can oftentimes be extended to someone else’s argument. For example, a brand that has nothing to do with sports could still benefit from the endorsement of a well-loved athlete, just because people feel positive feelings about the athlete – not because of that athlete’s expertise  in the product they’re endorsing.

How to use logos, pathos and ethos

Logos, pathos and ethos combine to form the rhetorical triangle , also known as the Aristotelian triangle. As you’d expect, the three sides (or corners) of the triangle reflect the three appeals, but there’s also another layer of meaning. Specifically, the three sides symbolise the relationship between the speaker , the audience and the message .

Without getting too philosophical, the key takeaway here is that logos, pathos and ethos are all tools that you can use to present a persuasive argument . However, how much you use each tool needs to be informed by careful consideration of who your audience is and what message you’re trying to convey to them.

For example, if you’re writing a research paper for a largely scientific audience, you’ll likely lean more heavily on the logos . Conversely, if you’re presenting a speech in which you argue for greater social justice, you may lean more heavily on the pathos to win over the hearts and minds of your audience.

Simply put, by understanding the relationship between yourself (as the person making the argument), your audience , and your message , you can strategically employ the three rhetorical appeals to persuade, engage, and connect with your audience more effectively in any context. Use these tools wisely and you’ll quickly notice what a difference they can make to your ability to communicate and more importantly, to persuade .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Print Friendly

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

 Ethos, Logos, and Pathos – A Simple Guide

4-minute read

• 12th April 2023

Ethos, logos, and pathos are three essential components of persuasive communication . They’ve been used for centuries by great communicators to influence the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of their audiences. In this simple guide, we’ll take a closer look at these three components using examples from famous writing and speeches.

What Is Ethos?

Ethos is a persuasive appeal based on the credibility or character of the speaker or writer. It refers to the trustworthiness, expertise, or authority that they bring to the argument. It’s crucial in establishing the credibility of the speaker or writer and can be built in through a variety of means, such as reputation and sources, or language and tone.

How To Use Ethos

Ethos can be established through the speaker or writer’s reputation: if they are known for being knowledgeable, honest, and trustworthy, this can lend credibility to their argument. For example, in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King Jr. established his ethos by highlighting his role as a civil rights leader and his personal experience with racial injustice.

Another way you can achieve ethos in speech or writing is through the use of credible sources. For example, Rachel Carson established ethos in her book Silent Spring by providing extensive scientific evidence to support her argument that pesticides were harming the environment.

Finally, ethos can be accomplished through the use of language and tone . Using a professional and respectful tone can create the impression of credibility and authority. For instance, in his second inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln employed ethos by using a solemn, reflective tone to convey the gravity of the situation.

What Is Logos?

Logos is a persuasive appeal based on logic and reasoning. It refers to the use of evidence and logical arguments to support the speaker or writer’s position.

How To Use Logos

One way you can implement logos in your speech or writing is through the use of statistics and data. When writing, or constructing a speech, try to incorporate reliable and credible stats or figures to strengthen your claims or argument and persuade your audience.

You can also employ examples and analogies to achieve logos. These can make your argument more accessible and understandable to a wider audience. For example, in his book The Tipping Point , Malcolm Gladwell uses the example of “the broken windows” theory to illustrate his argument that small changes can have a big impact on social behavior.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

Finally, logos can be established through the use of logical arguments . To ensure you have a logical argument, you should have a clear statement with definitions, examples, and evidence to support it. For instance, in his essay “Civil Disobedience,” Henry David Thoreau made a logical argument that individuals have a moral obligation to resist unjust laws.

What Is Pathos?

Pathos is a persuasive appeal based on emotion. It refers to the use of language and imagery that elicits an emotional response. Pathos can be used to create a sense of urgency, inspire empathy, or evoke a particular mood.

How To Use Pathos

Vivid imagery is a great way in which a writer or speaker can implement pathos. Using descriptive language to paint a picture in your audience’s mind is a powerful and persuasive skill. For example, in his poem “Dulce et Decorum Est,” Wilfred Owen used vivid imagery to describe the horrors of war and elicit an emotional response in his readers.

Pathos can also be accomplished by using personal anecdotes. The power of storytelling is an invaluable skill for any writer or speaker because it creates rapport and an emotional connection with your audience. For example, in her TED talk “The Power of Vulnerability,” Brene Brown shares personal stories about her struggles with shame and vulnerability to inspire empathy and connection with her audience.

Finally, pathos can be established through the use of rhetorical questions and appeals to shared values. A good example can be heard in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. He poses his biggest question to his audience (and the world): “Now, what does all of this mean in this great period of history?” In response to this rhetorical question, he beautifully tries to persuade the audience to work together toward a common goal, stating, “It means that we’ve got to stay together. We’ve got to stay together and maintain unity.”

Ethos, logos, and pathos are powerful tools for persuasive speech and writing. By establishing credibility, using logical arguments, and appealing to emotion, speakers and writers can influence the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of their audiences. When used effectively, these elements can help to create meaningful and lasting change in the world.

Interested in learning how to elevate your writing with more literary devices? Check our other articles .

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

5-minute read

Free Email Newsletter Template

Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...

6-minute read

How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal

If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...

9-minute read

How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation

Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...

8-minute read

Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement

Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...

7-minute read

Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...

Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio

Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

Logos Explained: Examples of Logical Appeal in Effective Speaking

• Carolyn Manion Kinnie
• March 2, 2024

Table of Contents

Welcome to the final installment in our series on public speaking examples of pathos, ethos, and logos. We’ve regaled you with moving pathos examples from speakers skilled in wrenching the hearts of the audience. And we’ve presented examples of ethos where experts rely on their unique qualifications or perspective to make their point. Finally w e’re doing a deep dive into examples of logos in persuasive rhetoric, so you can apply the same strategies to your own signature talk. 

In these speeches, speakers appeal to reason, logic, and truth. You’re probably thinking: shouldn’t every speaker do that? You’re right! Using logos  is a non-negotiable for every speaker. Logos is paramount in every industry, for every type of talk, to any size of audience. After all, the goal of speaking persuasively is, at its core,  communicating some truth to your audience that they don’t already know (or don’t fully understand). That means mastering the proper way to leverage facts, data, and evidence to make an argument. Otherwise, your audience will be left skeptical, ignorant, or misled. It’s easy to get carried away by other secondary goals when you’re preparing your talk, but making a clear argument should always come first. 

Today we’re looking at a variety of logos examples from bygone heroes, public figures, and industry experts. As you soak in their words and their arguments, look for patterns that you can apply to your own signature talk.

Logos: an Appeal to Reason 

Before we dive in, it’s only reasonable (hah!) to review the basics. So what exactly is logos in the context of public speaking? In Ancient Greek, logos refers to reason. Yes, this where we get the word “logic” (as well as any word that ends -logy). When you appeal to  logos  as a public speaker, it means you prove that something is true with evidence and a sound argument. 

In any great talk, pathos, ethos, and logos will all work together to persuade the audience. But if you have to pick one, logos is the most important. If you use bad data, steal someone else’s story, or commit logical fallacies during your talk, it can undermine your ethos and ruin whatever good impression your pathos and ethos made on your audience. On the other hand, if you are a first-time speaker with low emotional appeal, your audience can still learn from your content if it is backed up with data and well-argued. If you are relying on one pillar of your talk, it should always be logos. 

Leveraging  logos  by avoiding fallacies

Avoiding the pitfalls of logical fallacies is a great way to start getting better at this type of rhetoric. Many well-meaning speakers undermine their message by committing logical fallacies. You’ve probably started nodding off while a speaker makes a long-winded circular argument that restates the claim over and over without providing real evidence. Or perhaps you’ve heard an enthusiastic presenter encourage the audience to make a change purely because others are doing it–a classic bandwagon fallacy. While slipping into a fallacy once or twice while you’re on the hot seat during a Q&A is forgivable and human, don’t let it become part of your personal brand.

Logical fallacies aren’t always easy to identify in real time, and audiences can and do fall for them. So speakers keep getting away with them while relying on other appeals to make a good impression. Don’t be one of those speakers! If you want to build your credibility and create an impact through a sustainable speaking platform, you have to strive to do better. Becoming a great speaker means going the extra mile to set yourself apart. And long term, that’s what gets you booked and paid to speak.

Without further ado, let’s look at some examples of logos from speakers who set themselves apart with persuasive arguments that get to the truth. 

Find Out Exactly How Much You Could Make As a Paid Speaker

Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person! 

Frederick Douglass: “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” 

Even though it’s long, it’s worth setting aside some time to read the entirety of “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” This magnificent and moving talk demonstrates pathos, ethos, and logos throughout. Douglass was a true master of rhetoric who educated himself on the topic of oratory as an enslaved youth. His knowledge of rhetoric and his knowledge of the constitution shine through in this logos example. We highly recommend reading the corpus of his oratory if you’re ever on a history kick or need some inspiration for speaking on social justice topics. 

Douglass appeals to reason by examining the documents of the American Founding. Using the source evidence, he points out the hypocrisy with which their words have been twisted to defend slavery. Hence his stirring words: “Take the constitution according to its plain reading, and I defy the presentation of a single proslavery clause in it. On the other hand it will be found to contain principles and purposes, entirely hostile to the existence of slavery.” While to some of his audience members these might have seemed like like bold claims, he backs them up. 

Douglass presents ample facts and data to support his argument. The text of the constitution is easy to fact check and he follows clear, concise logical structure throughout his arguments. He does not get carried away by pathos despite the emotional weight the topic carries for him. Rather, he lets pathos merely accentuate the powerful argumentation. Logos carries the crux of the argument; his logic is sound and his point is made. 

Susan B. Anthony: “Is it a crime for women to vote?” 

Susan B. Anthony is one of the most famous female public speakers in American History. A social reformer, anti-slavery advocate, and suffragette, she never hesitated to speak her mind. In 1972, she was arrested for “illegally” voting in the federal election. On a speaking tour before her trial, she delivered the speech “Is it a crime for women to vote?”  Her speech , much like that of Douglass, uses citations from the U.S. constitution and laws to overturn a deeply entrenched public opinion.

One of her most persuasive methods is using logical extrapolation to show the absurdity of her opponent’s view. She argues that if the use of “he” in the constitution and other such documents signifies men to the exclusion of women, then women should be likewise excluded from taxation or criminal prosecution. “There is no she, or her, or hers, in the tax laws,” she observes. While amusing, this detail emphasizes a stark reality: those who forbid women to vote fail to follow their argument to its logical conclusion. 

It might not be immediately obvious, but with some softening of rhetoric, this tactic can be applicable to many situations in many different industries. For example, if you are trying to dissuade your audience from an unwise business strategy, you can extrapolate where that trend will lead them in one, five, or ten years. Or if you’re delivering a motivational speech that urges your audience to take a risk, you can present common hesitations and outline why they don’t hold up. While Susan B. Anthony’s suffragette activism was not effective in her lifetime, her rhetoric is without a doubt one of the best logos examples from the annals of American History. 

John F. Kennedy: “We Choose to Go to the Moon.”

While it’s hard to believe nowadays, the idea of going to the moon was a very unpopular one among many Americans. The 1960s were a time of massive social tension, as movements like the Civil Rights Movement transpired domestically while the Cold War loomed globally. People saw the space race as wasting loads of money on a petty battle for Moon real estate that ignored the needs of Americans. You can read more about opposition to the space race here . 

In this context, John F. Kennedy was hard pressed to rally the American people behind the banner of the moon. His address at Rice University in 1962 aims to quell their fears. He demonstrates with logos that going to the moon is not only in keeping with the American project, but also an important endeavor toward maintaining space as a terrain of “peaceful cooperation.” Going to the moon was not just a feather in the cap of American achievement. Rather it was  a statement to the world that the ideals of America and her allies, as opposed to those of the Soviet Union, should govern the “Great Unknown.”

To support his argument, JFK outlines the various feats that the U.S. has already accomplished in Space. He outlines the grim realities of the budget–but also the positive economic impact the program will have, especially in the town where he is speaking, Houston. By acknowledging truths both uncomfortable and exciting, he makes his case out in the open. JFK is a great example of a motivational speaker who uses logos while maintaining a stirring and heartening tone throughout. We recommend Kennedy’s inaugural address if you want to learn more from his great rhetoric!

Erin Baumgartner: “Big Data, Small Farms and a Tale of Two Tomatoes” 

Logos is incredibly important when you are distilling a unique topic for an audience who aren’t experts. If you cite complex data and statistics to listeners who aren’t data scientists and statisticians, you’ll lose them. Just as you can undermine logos by not including enough evidence, the same can happen by relying too much on numbers and not enough on clarifying them. Explaining the evidence and showing its application to the topic at hand is a difficult, but important skill. 

In her TEDx talk about data, farming, and food sourcing, Erin Baumgartner explains clearly and succinctly what data tells us about the failures of our modern food industry. To simplify her point, she focuses on two tomatoes. Data, she argues, helps us understand the difference between a tomato that has traveled 1600 miles to get to your plate and one that has only traveled 70. And data holds the answer to closing that gap and making it easier to access local, nutritious food. 

Since Baumgartner has a quantitative data perspective, she interweaves storytelling and humor as well as slides to help her audience keep up with her argument. Using slides with effective illustrations of data can be a great way to visually bolster the logos of your argument. We have several podcast episodes on how to use slides effectively–check out our favorites here , here , and here . 

Get The #1 Marketing Tool To Book More Paid Speaking Gigs

This FREE tool helped one speaker book $36,000+ in speaking gigs before he had a website! Learn how you can use this tool to Get Booked & Paid to Speak™ on a consistent basis.

Niall Ferguson: “The Six Killer Apps of Prosperity”  

Niall Ferguson is a historian who has made a career of making complex historic and economic processes easier for the general public. In his TED talk, much like Baumgartner, Ferguson speaks about his niche expertise to non-experts. Unlike Baumgartner, Ferguson’s message is less about numbers and more about humanistic interpretive lens.

In his TEDx talk “ The 6 Killer Apps of Prosperity ”, he reviews six “apps” or institutions that have historically helped determine which nations or empires become prosperous. He discusses various well-known political theories and whether history has proven them right or wrong. He offers examples of how various nations have illustrated his own theory. And by using statistical graphs sparingly, he illustrates his points without overwhelming his listeners with data. Ferguson uses well-known historical events illuminated by his unique academic perspective to help his audience connect the dots of his argument 

Many speakers, regardless of their industry, are in a similar position to Ferguson and Baumgartner. At some point in your talk, you probably have to translate niche jargon into language the rest of us can understand. Whether you’re working with oodles of numbers or cerebral theories, a combination of simple examples and step-by-step argumentation will take you a long way toward mastering logos. 

This piece rounds out our discussion of Aristotle’s three rhetorical appeals with accompanying examples. As you can see, logos can be leveraged for a variety of causes. It requires both citing evidence and making that evidence easy to understand.That way, your audience can follow your argument to its logical conclusion. 

If you struggle with making your speeches truly persuasive, a good dose of logos might be all you need. Remember, we intend these examples to inspire you, not to make you worry about whether you measure up to the likes of JFK. Only you know how to tailor your specific message for your particular niche. With the inspiration of these logos  examples from some of the greatest speakers of the past and present, you can start integrating more persuasive rhetoric into your own content and delivery. 

• Last Updated: March 2, 2024

Explore Related Resources

Learn How You Could Get Your First (Or Next) Paid Speaking Gig In 90 Days or Less

We receive thousands of applications every day, but we only work with the top 5% of speakers .

Book a call with our team to get started — you’ll learn why the vast majority of our students get a paid speaking gig within 90 days of finishing our program .

If you’re ready to control your schedule, grow your income, and make an impact in the world – it’s time to take the first step. Book a FREE consulting call and let’s get you Booked and Paid to Speak ® .

About The Speaker Lab

We teach speakers how to consistently get booked and paid to speak.  Since 2015, we’ve helped thousands of speakers find clarity, confidence, and a clear path to make an impact.

Get Started

Let's connect.

[email protected]

Copyright ©2023 The Speaker Lab. All rights reserved.

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

Ethos, Pathos, Logos, Kairos: The Modes of Persuasion and How to Use Them

General Education

Ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos all stem from rhetoric—that is, speaking and writing effectively. You might find the concepts in courses on rhetoric, psychology, English, or in just about any other field!

The concepts of ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos are also called the modes of persuasion, ethical strategies, or rhetorical appeals. They have a lot of different applications ranging from everyday interactions with others to big political speeches to effective advertising.

Read on to learn about what the modes of persuasion are, how they’re used, and how to identify them!

What Are the Modes of Persuasion?

As you might have guessed from the sound of the words, ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos go all the way back to ancient Greece. The concepts were introduced in Aristotle’s Rhetoric , a treatise on persuasion that approached rhetoric as an art, in the fourth century BCE.

Rhetoric was primarily concerned with ethos, pathos, and logos, but kairos, or the idea of using your words at the right time, was also an important feature of Aristotle’s teachings.

However, kairos was particularly interesting to the Sophists, a group of intellectuals who made their living teaching a variety of subjects. The Sophists stressed the importance of structuring rhetoric around the ideal time and place.

Together, all four concepts have become the modes of persuasion, though we typically focus on ethos, pathos, and logos.

What Is Ethos?

Though you may not have heard the term before, ‘ethos’ is a common concept. You can think of it as an appeal to authority or character—persuasive techniques using ethos will attempt to persuade you based on the speaker’s social standing or knowledge. The word ethos even comes from the Greek word for character.

An ethos-based argument will include a statement that makes use of the speaker or writer’s position and knowledge. For example, hearing the phrase, “As a doctor, I believe,” before an argument about physical health is more likely to sway you than hearing, “As a second-grade teacher, I believe.”

Likewise, celebrity endorsements can be incredibly effective in persuading people to do things . Many viewers aspire to be like their favorite celebrities, so when they appear in advertisements, they're more likely to buy whatever they're selling to be more like them. The same is true of social media influencers, whose partnerships with brands can have huge financial benefits for marketers .

In addition to authority figures and celebrities, according to Aristotle, we’re more likely to trust people who we perceive as having good sense, good morals, and goodwill —in other words, we trust people who are rational, fair, and kind. You don’t have to be famous to use ethos effectively; you just need whoever you’re persuading to perceive you as rational, moral, and kind.

What Is Pathos?

Pathos, which comes from the Greek word for suffering or experience, is rhetoric that appeals to emotion. The emotion appealed to can be a positive or negative one, but whatever it is, it should make people feel strongly as a means of getting them to agree or disagree.

For example, imagine someone asks you to donate to a cause, such as saving rainforests. If they just ask you to donate, you may or may not want to, depending on your previous views. But if they take the time to tell you a story about how many animals go extinct because of deforestation, or even about how their fundraising efforts have improved conditions in the rainforests, you may be more likely to donate because you’re emotionally involved.

But pathos isn’t just about creating emotion; it can also be about counteracting it. For example, imagine a teacher speaking to a group of angry children. The children are annoyed that they have to do schoolwork when they’d rather be outside. The teacher could admonish them for misbehaving, or, with rhetoric, he could change their minds.

Suppose that, instead of punishing them, the teacher instead tries to inspire calmness in them by putting on some soothing music and speaking in a more hushed voice. He could also try reminding them that if they get to work, the time will pass quicker and they’ll be able to go outside to play.

Aristotle outlines emotional dichotomies in Rhetoric . If an audience is experiencing one emotion and it’s necessary to your argument that they feel another, you can counterbalance the unwanted emotion with the desired one . The dichotomies, expanded upon after Aristotle, are :

• Anger/Calmness
• Friendship/Enmity
• Fear/Confidence
• Shame/Shamelessness
• Kindness/Unkindness
• Pity/Indignation
• Envy/Emulation

Note that these can work in either direction; it’s not just about swaying an audience from a negative emotion to a positive one. 

However, changing an audience's emotion based on false or misleading information is often seen as manipulation rather than persuasion. Getting into the hows and whys requires a dive into the ethics of rhetoric , but suffice to say that when you attempt to deceive an audience, that is manipulation.

If you really want to get an audience fired up about something, you can inspire righteous anger, which may or may not be manipulation. If somebody is offended that you’ve asked them for something, you can try making them feel sorry for you by turning indignation into pity— that’s manipulation.

What Is Logos?

Logos comes from a Greek word of multiple meanings, including “ground,” “speech,” and “reason.” In rhetoric, it specifically refers to having a sense of logic to your persuasion; logos-based rhetoric is founded in logic and reason rather than emotion, authority, or personality.

A logic-based argument appeals to a person’s sense of reason— good logos-based rhetoric will persuade people because the argument is well-reasoned and based in fact. There are two common approaches to logos: deductive and inductive arguments.

Deductive arguments build on statements to reach a conclusion —in effect, the conclusion is reached in reverse. A common method is to propose multiple true statements which are combined to reach a conclusion, such as the classic method of proving that Socrates is mortal.

All men are mortal, and Socrates is a man, therefore Socrates must be mortal.

That’s not really a case that needs to be argued, but we can apply the same framework to other arguments as well. For example, we need energy to live. Food gives the body energy. Therefore, we need food to live.  

All of this is based on things we can prove, and results in a conclusion that is true , not just theorized. Deductive reasoning works on the assumption that A = B, B = C, so therefore A = C. But this also supposes that all the information is true, which is not always the case.

Sometimes the conclusions you reach with deductive reasoning can be valid, as in the reasoning makes sense, but the conclusion may not be necessarily true. If we return to the Socrates argument, we could propose that:

All men eat apples. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates must eat apples.

The problem is that we can’t prove that all men eat apples —some do, some don’t. Some might eat an apple once but never again. But based on our arguments, the conclusion that Socrates must eat apples is valid.

A strong deductive argument for logos-based reasoning will be composed of provable facts that can reach a provable conclusion. However, a valid but not entirely sound argument can also be effective—but be wary of shifting from persuasion to manipulation!

Another approach to logos-based rhetoric is inductive reasoning, which, unlike deductive reasoning, results in a probable argument rather than a definite one. That doesn’t mean that it is less effective—many scientific concepts we accept as truth are inductive theories simply because we cannot travel back in time and prove them— but rather that inductive reasoning is based on eliminating the impossible and ending in an argument that is based in sound logic and fact, but that may not necessarily be provable.

For example, all people with a cough have a cold. Kelly has a cough. Therefore, Kelly likely has a cold.

Our conclusion is likely , but not absolute. It’s possible that Kelly doesn’t have a cold—not because she doesn't have a cough, but because there are other possible causes, such as having allergies or having just breathed in some dust. The conclusion that she has a cold is likely based on data, but not absolute.

Another example would be that Kelly picks her nose. Kelly is a woman, therefore all women must pick their nose.

Inductive reasoning is based on generalizations. The first example, in which Kelly likely has a cold, makes sense because it’s based on something provable—that a sampling of people who have a cough have colds—and followed up with a likely conclusion. In the second example, this is a less sensible conclusion because it’s based on extrapolation from a single reference point.

If we reverse the claim and say that all women pick their noses, and Kelly is a woman, therefore Kelly must pick her nose, that would be more sound logic. Still not necessarily true—not all women pick their noses—but a more sound example of inductive reasoning.

Inductive reasoning can still be incredibly effective in persuasion, provided that your information is well-reasoned. Inductive reasoning creates a hypothesis that can be tested; its conclusion is not necessarily true, but can be examined.

As always, be wary of venturing into manipulation, which is more likely to be based on erroneous or misleading facts.

What Is Kairos?

Kairos is the Greek word for the opportune moment, which is precisely what it means in rhetoric. According to this principle, the time in which an argument is deployed is as important as the argument itself. An argument at the wrong time or to the wrong audience will be wasted; to be effective, you must also consider when you are speaking and to whom.

In effect, kairos means choosing the correct rhetorical device to match the audience and space in which you’re attempting to persuade. If you wanted to persuade people to go vegetarian, the middle of a hot dog-eating contest is probably not the right time. Likewise, you’re probably not going to persuade a room of data-driven scientists of something by appealing to pathos or ethos; logos is probably your best bet.

In essence, kairos asks you to consider the context and atmosphere of the argument you’re making. How can you deploy your argument better considering time and space? Should you wait, or is time of the essence?

As Aristotle famously said, “Anybody can become angry—that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way—that is not within everybody's power and is not easy.”

The goal of kairos is to achieve exactly that. Effective use of kairos strengthens your persuasion ability by considering how people are already feeling based on context. How can you influence or counteract that? Or maybe pathos isn’t the right approach—maybe cold hard facts, using logos, is more suited. Kairos works in conjunction with the other modes of persuasion to strengthen your argument, so as you’re putting a persuasive piece together, consider how and when it’ll be deployed!

How to Identify Ethos, Pathos, Logos, and Kairos

Understanding how the modes of persuasion work can make you better at identifying and picking them out. Not only is a better understanding of them useful for composing your own arguments, but it’s also beneficial when seeing other people’s arguments. When you understand how ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos work, you’re less susceptible to them.

Advertising is one of the places we see the modes of persuasion most often. Looking at each of these advertisements, you can see how they use each mode of persuasion to convince audiences to convince an audience of something.

Using celebrities is a classic example of ethos, which uses authority or recognition to convince an audience of something. In this case, celebrities like Michelle Obama, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Janelle Monáe discuss the importance of voting.

It doesn’t matter that they’re not politicians or political scientists; audiences find them appealing and genuine. When they speak of the importance of voting, audiences listen because they like what these figures have to say . If talented, famous people like this are taking the time to vote, it must be important!

Historians or those well-versed in politics might make different arguments about why audiences should vote, but in this case, the goal is to inspire people. When we see people we admire doing things, we want to do them too; hence the reason that ethos works so well.

ASPCA’s commercials are some of the most infamous examples of pathos in advertising. Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” plays over footage of abused animals in shelters, encouraging viewers to donate money to support the organization.

It’s not hard to understand why it works; both the song and the imagery are heartbreaking! You can’t help but feel sad when you see it, and that sadness, when followed up by a prompt to donate, encourages you to take immediate action.  And these ads are effective— the campaign raised millions of dollars for ASPCA .

By appealing to our emotions and making us feel sad, this advertisement encourages us to act. That’s a classic use of ethos—it influences our feelings through the one-two punch of sad music and imagery, encouraging us to perform the desired action.

In some cases, emotion and authority aren’t the right tactic. Logos often appears in tech advertisements, such as this one for the iPhone XS and XR.

Notice how the advertisement focuses on product shots and technological terms. Most audiences won’t know what an A12 bionic neural engine is, but it sounds impressive. Likewise, that “12 MPf/1.8 wide-angle lens, with larger, deeper 1.4 micron pixels” is pretty meaningless to most people, but the numbers suggest that this phone is something special because it uses scientific-sounding language.

It doesn’t matter whether audiences really understand what’s being said or not. What matters is that they feel confident that the ad is selling them something they need —in this case, impressive technological specifications that make this phone an improvement over others.

Kairos should ideally factor into all uses of the modes of persuasion, but timeliness can also be a big selling point. In this Christmas-themed M&Ms advertisement, the company uses timely humor to forge a connection between the holidays and M&Ms.

Because these commercials have been running for such a long time, there’s also a nostalgic attachment to them. Just as people look forward to new Budweiser advertisements during the Super Bowl, others look forward to seeing M&Ms or the Coca-Cola polar bear during the holidays.

Though this commercial doesn’t go out of its way to tell you the benefits of M&Ms, it does forge a connection between M&Ms and Christmas, encouraging people to purchase them around the holidays.

Examples of the Modes of Persuasion

Now that you’ve had some exposure to how ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos function and what they can do, you can test your ability to recognize them using the images below!

There are a few things to notice about this image:

• The anonymous figure
• The language
• The use of a statistic

Can you figure out which mode of persuasion this represents?

The fact that the figure is anonymous tells us it’s probably not ethos. While we might be influenced by a person who’s in shape, there’s not really an appeal here based on the person—they’re just an image to support the ad.

“DOMINATE” is a pretty loaded word, suggesting that this may have elements of pathos.

However, take a look at that statistic. Whether it’s true or not, a hard statistic like that suggests that this ad is using logos to appeal to viewers. You can draw out an argument from there—75% of users lose weight within weeks. You’re a user. Therefore, you will likely lose weight within weeks.

What do you notice about this image?

• The way the text frames the woman’s body
• The name of the perfume
• The color choice

What mode of persuasion is this?

Again, we don’t know who the model is, and perfume isn’t going to make us look like her, so we can count ethos out.

The ad seems pretty intent on making us look at certain things—the woman’s lips and chest in particular. What is it trying to make us feel?

“FORBIDDEN FRUIT” has a connotation of sensuality.

Red is a color commonly associated with passion.

When you combine the photo, the framing, the perfume name, and the color, you get a strong sense of sex appeal from the advertisement. This makes it an example of pathos—the ad is trying to make us feel a certain way . If we buy this perfume, maybe we would feel attractive, too.

How about this advertisement?

• A serious-looking photo
• Text promising “no more back pain”
• “Doctor recommended.”

Seeing a doctor might make you tempted to think the answer is logos, but there’s no appeal to logic here.

“No more back pain,” is a nice promise, but there’s no attempt to appeal to emotions, so it can’t be pathos.

What’s important in this image is the combination of the doctor in the image and the line “doctor recommended.” This doctor might not be famous, but he does have authority, making this an example of ethos.

Our confidence in this treatment grows because we trust that a doctor understands how to address back pain.

What mode of persuasion is this?  Think about:

• The framing

She does look fashionable and the ad mentions stylists, so it’s possible that this is ethos.

There are no statistics or arguments being made, so the answer probably isn’t logos.

Pathos is possible, but despite having a heavily made-up model, this ad is far less about sex appeal than the previous one.

But the text mentions a specific holiday—New Year’s—suggesting that this is kairos. Kairos can, and often should, be combined with all the modes of persuasion to be even more effective. In this case, the model’s appearance could suggest either ethos or pathos in addition to kairos. The message here is that you should act now, at the beginning of the year, to take advantage of the deal and to start the year off with a new style, much like the one the model is sporting.

Key Tips for Identifying Ethos, Pathos, Logos, and Kairos

Now that you know the difference between all the modes of persuasion, you’ll have a much easier time identifying them. If you run into trouble, you can always ask questions about what you’re seeing, hearing, or reading to understand what mode of persuasion it’s using.

#1: Is It Related to a Specific Time?

If the argument is based on a specific day or context, such as Valentine’s Day or appealing only to a select group of people, such as people with dogs, it’s more likely to be kairos.

#2: Does It Involve a Celebrity or Authority Figure?

Celebrities are often a dead giveaway that an argument is using ethos. But authority figures, such as doctors, dentists, or politicians, can also be used to appeal to ethos. Even regular, everyday people can work, particularly when combined with pathos, to appeal to you based on a mutual connection you have.

#3: Does It Involve Statistics?

Statistics are a huge clue that an argument is using logos. But logos can also just be a logical argument, such as that if plants need water, and it’s hard to remember to water them, you should buy an automatic plant waterer. It makes perfect sense, making you more likely to buy it, rather than changing your habits to remember to water your plants more frequently.

#4: Does It Influence Your Emotions?

If an argument tries to change your emotions, whether by making you sad, happy, angry, or something else entirely, it’s a good indicator that it’s using pathos. Sex appeal is one of the biggest examples of pathos in advertising, appearing everywhere from makeup ads to car commercials to hamburger advertisements.

What’s Next?

Need help understanding the historical context for The Great Gatsby to perfect your kairos-based argument?

You can always combine the modes of persuasion with literary devices to make your arguments even stronger!

Learn how to say "good morning" in Japanese ! Even if it's not a mode of persuasion, it's just good manners.

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Module 10: Persuasive Speaking

Persuasive strategies using logos, learning objectives.

Define persuasive strategies using logos.

Recall that logos refers to the use of logical reasoning in an argument.

Using ideas of philosopher Stephen Toulmin, who studied how arguments work in everyday communication, we can break up an argument into different parts to help understand how they are structured

There are six elements for analyzing or presenting arguments that are important to the Toulmin method. When you’re preparing a speech, you can include these elements to ensure your audience will see the validity of your claims. [1]

These are the six parts of an argument in Toulmin’s model:

• Claim : conclusions whose merit must be established. For example, if a person tries to convince a listener that he is a British citizen, the claim would be “I am a British citizen.”
• Data : the facts appealed to as a foundation for the claim. For example, the person introduced in Part 1 can support his claim with the supporting data “I was born in Bermuda.” The data is your evidence or proof supporting the claim.
• Warrant : the reasoning that connects the data to the claim. In order to move from the data established in Part 2, “I was born in Bermuda,” to the claim in Part 1, “I am a British citizen,” the person must supply a warrant to bridge the gap between Parts 1 and 2 with the statement, “A man born in Bermuda will legally be a British citizen.” Toulmin stated that an argument is only as strong as its weakest warrant and if a warrant isn’t valid, then the whole argument collapses. Therefore, it is important to have strong, valid warrants.
• Backing : facts that give credibility to the statement expressed in the warrant; backing must be introduced when the warrant itself is not convincing enough to the readers or the listeners. For example, if the listener does not deem the warrant as credible, the speaker would supply legal documents as backing statement to show that it is true that “A man born in Bermuda will legally be a British citizen.”
• Rebuttal : statements recognizing the restrictions to which the claim may legitimately be applied. The rebuttal is exemplified as follows: “A man born in Bermuda will legally be a British citizen, unless he has betrayed Britain and become a spy of another country.”
• Qualifier : words or phrases expressing how certain the author/speaker is concerning the claim. Such words or phrases include possible , probably , impossible , certainly , presumably , as far as the evidence goes , or necessarily . The claim “I am definitely a British citizen” has a greater degree of force than the claim “I am a British citizen, presumably.”

The first three elements (claim, data, and warrant) are considered as the essential components of practical arguments, while the final three elements (backing, rebuttal, and qualifier) may not be needed in all arguments.

Toulmin’s model of argumentation

A Deeper Dive

The following video introduces the components of the Toulmin model.

You can view the  transcript for “The Toulmin Model of Argumentation” here (opens in new window) .

To Watch: President Obama, “Address to the Nation on Syria”

In this video, Steven Klien, associate teaching professor of communication at the University of Missouri, uses the Toulmin model to analyze President Obama’s 2013 speech announcing air strikes against Syrian government forces. Klien’s explanation of Toulmin’s model is very clear and thorough, so you may want to watch it in its entirety, but for our purposes, the relevant section is 11:47 through 21:00.

You can view the transcript for “The Toulmin Model of Argument” here (opens in new window) .

Toulmin’s Method Examples

Suppose you watch a commercial for a product that promises to give you whiter teeth. Here are the basic parts of the argument behind the commercial:

• Claim : You should buy our tooth-whitening product.
• Data : Studies show that teeth are 50% whiter after using the product for a specified time.
• Warrant : People want whiter teeth.
• Backing : Celebrities want whiter teeth.
• Rebuttal : Commercial says, “unless you don’t want to show your real smile.”
• Qualifier : Fine print says, “product must be used six weeks for results.”

Notice that those commercials don’t usually bother trying to convince you that you want whiter teeth; instead, they assume that you have bought into the value our culture places on whiter teeth. When an assumption—a warrant in Toulmin’s terms—is unstated, it’s called an implicit warrant. Sometimes, however, the warrant may need to be stated because it is a powerful part of the argument. When the warrant is stated, it’s called an explicit warrant.

• Claim : People should probably own a gun.
• Data : Studies show that people who own a gun are less likely to be mugged.
• Warrant : People want to be safe.
• Backing : May not be necessary. In this case, it is common sense that people want to be safe.
• Rebuttal : Not everyone should own a gun. Children and those will mental disorders/problems should not own a gun.
• Qualifier : The word “probably” in the claim.

How would you assess the strength of the warrant in this argument?

• Claim : Flag burning should be unconstitutional in most cases.
• Data : A national poll says that 60% of Americans want flag burning to be unconstitutional.
• Warrant : People want to respect the flag.
• Backing : Official government procedures for the disposal of flags.
• Rebuttal : Not everyone in the U.S. respects the flag.
• Qualifier : The phrase “in most cases.”

How would you assess the strength of the data in this argument?

• Toulmin, Stephen. The Uses of Argument. Cambridge University Press, 1958. ↵
• Organizing an Argument. Provided by : Utah State University. Located at : http://ocw.usu.edu/English/intermediate-writing/english-2010/-2010/toulmins-schema.html . Project : Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Toulmin Argument and Types of Argument. Provided by : Excelsior College OW. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/argument-and-critical-thinking/organizing-your-argument/organizing-your-argument-toulmin/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• The Toulmin Model of Argumentation. Authored by : David Wright. Located at : https://youtu.be/D-YPPQztuOY . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Image of example about Rick. Authored by : Chiswick Chap. Located at : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toulmin_Argumentation_Example.gif . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• The Toulmin Model of Argumentation. Authored by : David Wright. Located at : https://youtu.be/D-YPPQztuOY . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• The Toulmin Model of Argument. Authored by : Stephen Klien. Located at : https://youtu.be/Ifc3FQ0WccU . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Persuasive Strategies Using Logos. Authored by : Mike Randolph with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

• Speech Writing
• Delivery Techniques
• PowerPoint & Visuals
• Speaker Habits
• Speaker Resources

Speech Critiques

• Book Reviews
• Browse Articles
• ALL Articles
• Learn About Us
• About Six Minutes
• Meet Our Authors
• Write for Us
• Advertise With Us

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking

2300 years ago, Aristotle wrote down the secret to being a persuasive speaker , the secret which forms the basis for nearly every public speaking book written since then.

Do you know the secret?

If you don’t, you might be wondering what a 2300-year-old theory has to do with public speaking in the year 2010.

In a word — everything!

In this article , you’ll learn what ethos, pathos, and logos are (the secret!), and what every speaker needs to understand about these three pillars of public speaking.

What are Ethos, Pathos, and Logos?

So, what are ethos, pathos, and logos?

In simplest terms, they correspond to:

• Ethos : credibility (or character) of the speaker
• Pathos : emotional connection to the audience
• Logos : logical argument

Together, they are the three persuasive appeals . In other words, these are the three essential qualities that your speech or presentation must have before your audience will accept your message.

Origins of Ethos, Pathos, Logos — On Rhetoric by Aristotle

• Ethos, Pathos, Logos - Introduction
• What is Ethos?
• How to Establish Ethos
• What is Pathos?
• How to Develop Pathos
• What is Logos?
• How to Convey Logos

Written in the 4th century B.C.E., the Greek philosopher Aristotle compiled his thoughts on the art of rhetoric into On Rhetoric , including his theory on the three persuasive appeals.

Many teachers of communication, speech, and rhetoric consider Aristotle’s On Rhetoric to be a seminal work in the field. Indeed, the editors of The Rhetoric of Western Thought: From the Mediterranean World to the Global Setting call it “the most important single work on persuasion ever written.” It is hard to argue this claim; most advice from modern books can be traced back to Aristotle’s foundations.

Before you can convince an audience to accept anything you say, they have to accept you as credible .

There are many aspects to building your credibility:

• Does the audience respect you?
• Does the audience believe you are of good character?
• Does the audience believe you are generally trustworthy?
• Does the audience believe you are an authority on this speech topic?

Keep in mind that it isn’t enough for you to know that you are a credible source. (This isn’t about your confidence, experience, or expertise.) Your audience must know this. Ethos is your level of credibility as perceived by your audience.

We will define ethos in greater detail , and we will study examples of how to establish and build ethos .

Pathos is the quality of a persuasive presentation which appeals to the emotions of the audience.

• Do your words evoke feelings of … love? … sympathy? … fear?
• Do your visuals evoke feelings of compassion? … envy?
• Does your characterization of the competition evoke feelings of hate? contempt?

Emotional connection can be created in many ways by a speaker, perhaps most notably by stories . The goal of a story, anecdote, analogy, simile, and metaphor is often to link an aspect of our primary message with a triggered emotional response from the audience.

We will study pathos in greater detail , and look at how to build pathos by tapping into different audience emotions.

Logos is synonymous with a logical argument.

• Does your message make sense?
• Is your message based on facts, statistics, and evidence?
• Will your call-to-action lead to the desired outcome that you promise?

We will see why logos is critical to your success , and examine ways to construct a logical, reasoned argument .

Which is most important? Ethos? Pathos? or Logos?

Suppose two speakers give speeches about a new corporate restructuring strategy.

• The first speaker — a grade nine student — gives a flawless speech pitching strategy A which is both logically sound and stirs emotions.
• The second speaker — a Fortune 500 CEO — gives a boring speech pitching strategy B.

Which speech is more persuasive? Is the CEO’s speech more persuasive, simply because she has much more credibility (ethos)?

Some suggest that pathos is the most critical of the three. In You’ve Got to Be Believed to Be Heard , Bert Decker says that people buy on emotion (pathos) and justify with fact (logos). True? You decide.

Aristotle believed that logos should be the most important of the three persuasive appeals. As a philosopher and a master of logical reasoning, he believed that logos should be the only required persuasive appeal. That is, if you demonstrated logos, you should not need either ethos or pathos.

However, Aristotle stated that logos alone is not sufficient. Not only is it not sufficient on its own, but it is no more important than either of the two other pillars. He argued that all three persuasive appeals are necessary.

Is he right? What do you think?

Next in this Series…

In the next article of this series, we examine ethos in greater detail .

Please share this...

This is one of many public speaking articles featured on Six Minutes . Subscribe to Six Minutes for free to receive future articles.

Image credit: Temple of Castor and Pollux by Brian Jeffery Beggerly ( CC BY 2.0 )

Add a Comment Cancel reply

E-Mail (hidden)

Subscribe - It's Free!

Similar Articles You May Like...

• Presentation Power: Four Ways to Persuade
• Book Review: Thank You For Arguing (Jay Heinrichs)
• What is Logos and Why is it Critical for Speakers?
• 17 Easy Ways to Be a More Persuasive Speaker
• What is Pathos and Why is it Critical for Speakers?
• What is Ethos and Why is it Critical for Speakers?

Find More Articles Tagged:

66 comments.

I once heard these three terms applied to the writings of the apostle Paul and they made good sense then too. You’ve done a tremendous job of introducing these pillars – can’t wait to see what the next few posts hold!

Indeed! Ethos, pathos, and logos apply to all forms of persuasive communication

Great thought-provoking post.

I think the strength of each point relies on your audience, and what you are trying to persuade them of. For example, a sales presentation may use pathos as its main strength, while a financial presentation may use logos.

Ultimately though, I’d agree with Aristotle and say that all three are necessary in order for the speaker to truly get his message across.

Yes, you’re right. It depends on your audience, your message, and the context. In certain situations, one of the three may be more important. The danger, however, is to assume that the other two are of no importance at all, and this is rarely the case.

Excellent article Andrew. Waiting to read more in the following posts.

About the importance of Ethos, Pathos and Logos, I have something to add.

Assume you are going to listen to a talk by a stranger. What comes to mind first (may not be more important)? Ethos. We ask ourselves, who is this person? We try to find more about the person.

You may choose to listen to him or you may choose to ignore.

Once you start listening to him, you are exposed to emotions (in his speech) and the logic in his speech. You can be convinced by either of these. But you will act ONLY if you are emotionally moved. Logic alone is not enough. We all know what is right but how often do we do what is right?

To summarise, I feel Ethos Pathos Logos come in a sequence. Ethos comes first. Hence, we should not compare it to the other two. Between Pathos and Logos I feel humans act on emotions and not on logic. Hence, Pathos scores over Logos (though all of us want to believe that we are more logical and less emotional).

This is my honest take on the subject. Thanks for bringing it up.

Great look at a classic resource, Andrew. The Greeks had mastered the art of persuasive speaking long before PowerPoint!

I tend to agree with Jessica. You decide on the mix of ethos, pathos and logos in your speech after you analyse the audience. An academic audience might judge on ethos, a political rally on pathos, and a finance committee on logos. But in the end, a great speech has a mix of all three.

An interesting and important introduction to making persuasive presentations. Thanks. U L Mehta

Free version online: http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/rhetoric.html

Well written, enjoyed very much. Thanks!

I really liked the article.If i have to describe in one word”eyeopener” for an aspiring Speaker.

This is a very interesting article. I really agree with those three points. I use a website called Present.Me to help me with those qualities when public speaking. It allows you to attach a video of yourself presenting to your Powerpoint slides. Not only does it mean you can send a present.me in your place if you cannot attend a presentation, but you can also work on your performance by watching it and hearing yourself. Hope this helps.

I am a CST 100-002 student at Northern Virginia Community College: Annandale Campus.

I think, that all 3 rubrics are very important. Ethos is very improtant, because if you cant trust the speeker or cant find a connection with, you probably will not give enough attention to the whole speech. Next; Pathos. What is a part of Ethos to give your speech more expression. Last but not least; Logos. To deliver a speech that makes sense and everyone can understand.

Student at NVCC public speaking. I personally think a speech that has a logical base with an emotional appeal. An audience can connect better with someones emotions but it must have logic behind it so it can be a good argument or speech. If the audience just hears a speech with ethos it can become boring and hard to connect to.

I am learning about this in My CST 100-02 class from NVCC Annadale campus. I had very little knowledge of ethos, pathos, and logos prior to taking this class. I believe that is it very importan to have all three ethos, pathos, and logos while giving a speech on pursuasion. I also think that pathos is the most important because many people go on an emotional stand. To persude someone, it is necessary to have all three present. It is absolutely amazing that this theroy came in ancient greek from Aristotle. It is the basis to writing a persuasion speech.

As a student in CST 100-02: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College I should say that as Aristotle said Ethos Pathos and Logos should appeals in one’s speech together. In fact, they complete each other so if a speaker doesn’t have any of these in his speech it looks like a defective speech. Also, about the question that you had that which one is important I can tell that Logos is the answer as Aristotle said. I think Logic can be understood very early by the audience. The best way to prove logic to the audience can be giving some examples to clear everything for them. Although,Pathos is the one that I think should be the second important one after Logos because by the emotion that speaker gives to the audience he can be much effective on them.

I am a CST 100-002 student at Northern Virginia Community College and I have to say this article gives the “secret” to a successful persuasive speech. From my prior knowledge, I know that Aristotle taught the youth to do public speaking which was looked at as a threat to society because persuasive speakers were able to sway people from distancing themselves from their beliefs. With this in mind, I think pathos is the most powerful component of the three pillars because if you connect with the audience, they will engage in what you have to say and it is a lot more memorable with the support of logos.

Hello, my name is Bahaa student in CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. After reading this article it opened my eyes to the true factors to presenting a great speech. Ethos, is what can define as reputation. Too be credible you need to be known as a person with good character as well as other things listed. Whatever the speech is about the emotion, the look as well as the tone need to represent it so the audience can feel it.

Great Article. All 3 should always be in a speech if you want to make it good. I think that Pathos is first of all because we all have emotions and is a way we all connect to each other and express what we do and what we say. If you have a connection with Pathos then the other 2 are easily going to follow.

Ethos, Pathos, and logos This article clearly explains the pillars of public speaking, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. I really enjoyed reading it. In my opinion, all three are essential elements in public speaking; however, depending on different situations, they might differently take part. The best way to determine which one of these factors outweighs the others is by analyzing the audience and kind of speech that is being delivered. For example, if the audience is composed of well educated and high ranked people, maybe ethos and logo come before the pathos; however, in other situations, for example talking for younger audience, the pathos outweigh the other two. Thanks, Jhabiz Nourmohammadi Student in CST 100-02: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community

I am a CTS 100-02 student at NVCC Annandale campus. It could be true that Logos is the most important one. If we deliver message that makes sense and base on facts, automatically people will respect and believe us.

I am a student at the NOVA Annandale Campus CST 100-02. We’ve been learning about this in class and I really think that all three are essential in speech. If you don’t have ethos, you’ve lost your audience before you’ve even finished your speech. If you don’t have pathos, your audience cannot connect on an emotional level, which is important and effective. Logos is also important on a logical basis, you want your speech to have factual evidence and for it to make sense. All three together are a recipe for a great speech.

I am a student at the NOVA Annandale Campus CST 100-02. We’ve been learning about this in class and I really think that all three are essential in speech. If you don’t have ethos, you’ve lost your audience before you’ve even finished your speech. If you don’t have pathos, your audience cannot connect on an emotional level, which is important and effective. Logos is also important on a logical basis, you want your speech to have factual evidence and for it to make sense. All three together are a recipe for a great speech..

I am student in CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. By reading this article, I have understood the importance of these three pillars of public speaking. Now I understood that why our professor focused on to know everyone in the class from day one. He was trying to increase Ethos of each student. I also understood that we can improve Pathos and Logos individually but not Ethos. I believe that these three pillars of public speaking played a huge role in first presidential debate.

I am a student in CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College

Depending on the speech pathos could be the most important pilliar of speech. Motivational speeches or speeches for entertainment certanly draw more from pathos. I agree that logos should be the most important of the three but its clear that popularity is more important, especially for the masses. Looking at the presidential election that it going on, credibility and facts are sidelined to everything else during their campaigns.

I am a student at the NOVA Annandale Campus CST 100-02. I think that a speech should have ethos and pathos to it. Without ethos or pathos there would be a harder time to connect to the speaker. Yes logos is important as well because the speech must make sense but I dont think that it is quite the important

I am from the class Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College.

I remember in my junior year of high school, we spent the whole year learning about incorporating ethos, logos and pathos into all of my English writing. Now I am in college, and learning about it in public speaking. I believe that a speech without ethos, logos and pathos, is not whatsoever an effective speech.

Hi I am a student in CST 100-02 at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College.

After reading the article I believe that all are a great way to get your point across and a great way to be heard. But like the scenario above with the 9th grader versus the CEO you do not necessarily have to have all three to be a reliable source.

There is a certain way to hold your self and a certain way of delivery that implies Ethos, If you can come out there with the kind of, lets call it swagger for want of a better term, if you come out there with the kind of swagger that makes you not arrogant but believable and put the force of your confidence behind that act, that is a truly powerful move and that will build your Ethos.

Logos, while important no doubt, I feel is less something to strive for and more of something that should be there before you speak publicly period. If you don’t make sense, how will you be understood? and if you are not understood, your Ethos will go out the window, and if you are not supported by your audience logically by Logos and credibly by Ethos, then you will have Pathos, but it will be negative.

So all three pillars are connected and share the rewards and consequences. Now if you have one you do not necessarily have them all but if you have one in one direction, negative or positive, it is much easier to continue to head in that direction with your audience, and if its negative, its much harder to dig your self out of that hole because we as audience members and listeners do not easily forgive or forget when it comes to rough speech making.

Good article, thought provoking. Makes you think about what you say and why you say it.

William Zach Roberts

Nhat Doan from CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. This is a useful article for our persuasive speech later on in the course. Now I know which part I need to focus on in order to deliver a good persuasive speech. Even though I don’t have that much credibility as a student, I believe my logic will fill right in.

Hi I am a CST 100-036 student at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus. I also think that all are very important. But pathos is more important then the others. By using the element of pathos you connect with your audience, they might even give you credibility. And because they gave you the credit, they believe that you are talking the truth and at the end they even think that your thoughts are logical. That is how religion used as a political power and it is really persuasive for a majority of people.

I am a student at the NOVA Annandale Campus CST 100-02.

It seems to me like these three pillars are like a three legged stool. If you lose one of them it gets incredibly hard not fall down. As a result, a truly great speech will have all three pillars to some degree. However, I notice that in most speeches a speaker will rely on one or two more than the others. Although the others are present in the speech, the take a back seat to one or two of the other pillars.

It is difficult to say which of these pillars is most important. I think it depends on who your audience is to a large degree. However, if I had to pick, I would have to say that pathos seems the most important. Entire countries have been called to war based on emotional appeal. This is a loose argument, though, as all of the pillars are vital to a good speech.

This was a thought provoking article and it will make me think about how I construct my speeches.

I’m a student in CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. I feel that this article is very true. If speeches didn’t have these elements then the speech would be defective. You want people to be entertain and learn something with what you have to say. In my opinion, to have a very good speech, you have to have these three elements. A person should stand out so he or she could be remembered as a person who gave a really good speech. Without one or 2 of the elements then the speech is just a speech. It will be very boring to listen to and I would fall asleep. These points are important and people should put them into there everyday speech.

as a student in CST 100-02: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College i appropriated articles like this it makes me a better speaker. I learned about ethos pathos and logos in history in high school and never thought twice about it but now that i see how it affects a speaker and there audience and the outcome i have a whole new appreciation for them.

I am a cst 100-002 student at nova. Although the 3 persuasive appeals are equally important, i find my self more inclined to use logos but as aristotle said just logos isnt enough, so i think that using a mixture of the three appeals combined with knowledge of the audience, you can create a great speech.

I am a student in this Principles of Public Speaking class at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. I think Ethos, Pathos, Logos are very important in a persuasive speech because we have more opportunities to persuade the audience.

Good evening. I am a student in CST 100-36 at the Annandale campus of NoVa Community College. When in doubt, side with Aristotle. Logos alone is not enough, but having no ethos seems to be a non-starter. Pathos can be incredibly powerful, but cannot stand alone, unless the audience is not paying attention. Obviously having a balance of all three would be best, but if any of them are dispensable, it would be pathos.

Hi, i am student from Nvcc Annandale in Cst 100-036. This article breaks it down easily for me and gives me insight on what a great speech is. The most important to me is definitely Logos(Logic) because even though credibility is important, i think a well put logical speech can cover up for someone who is not as credible as others. If the speech gives good points and evidence, and they can relate it to the audience then ethos might be out shadowed. All 3 of these appeals will make the speech most efficient.

Hello Im CST 100-36 Student from northern virginia community college in Annandale campus. I really thank you because you posted the article that will really help me with the speech. I also believe that the audience can be connect with the speaker who is emotional more easily. But the speech should be also logical at the same time. I will try to remember this article for my future speeches.

Hi, I am a CST 100-036 student at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus.

The article is very informative. I personally like this topic, which is about the importance of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. In my perspective, Logos is the most important one among the three. It is the determinant of each and every speech that a person gives. Why? Simply, the content of any speech is most crucial. If a speech delivers truthful contents, includes true facts, gives reasonable examples, audience would love to believe in the speech, as well as the speaker of that speech. Ethos is a factor that help the audience to determine the credibility of the words that the speaker speaks. Pathos is the way to deliver the content of the speech toward the audience. Although each of them contributes to the success of a speech, the content/info from the speech is the most important thing. Audience who wants just the most insight info from the speech, will care only to what the speech mainly concentrates in. Thank you for the article.

Long term (assuming one does not go back over and over again to the audience I think Logos is more important. But if one is trying to persuade in the short term (say a few days) Pathos is stronger. Just my view.

I’m a sixth grade teacher getting ready to prepare students to do a persuasive essay and oral report. Most of the examples they will be seeing prior to this are from the civil rights and abolitionists movement. I understand that most of the examples in logos are “concrete” in nature, and most in pathos are emotional. Where does something like morality and ethics(a large part of the argument against slavery and racism)fit in which has components of both?

Alice, I think you’ve answered your own question. Speakers can use both pathos and logos when making morality and ethical arguments. For example, consider a speech about slavery.

Pathos appeals include things like photographs of slaves being mistreated; descriptions of the horrible conditions on ships bringing slaves across the Atlantic; stories about slaves being ripped from their families and sold at auctions. All of these can invoke very strong emotional responses.

Logos appeals include things like a discussion of basic human rights and freedoms; a step-by-step argument about how slaves were not “better off” in the “care” of their owners; historical traces of slavery in other civilizations. All of these could make use of careful, reasoned logical arguments.

I really am excited to find such a rewarding group ofworthwhile articles on my favorite topic: persuasive speaking!!! Thank you.

This is excellent. As an educator, I refer to your website to teach my students the fundamentals of speech writing. It is succinct and encapsulates the key points in a well-considered manner.

Renee Durieux from CST 100-037N. I think this article made a really good point. It is easy to overlook pathos and ethos and focus only on logos (logic) when writing a speech. Throwing out a bunch of facts on the topic might seem like the best strategy to convince others, but if they don’t trust you, or they are bored they won’t listen. I think each of the three are necessary for a good convincing speech, and therefore none of the three are more important than the others, they must come together.

I’m a student of NOVA and currently taking CST-100 (036N). I agree with the three pillars of public speaking. Being credible is one of the most important thing on a speech and its better to be known as someone that is reliable. The emotional factor has to be the connection with the audience. Lastly the logical argument should make the prefect ending for the speech.

I remember learning this in high school. Very important during an essay. Didn’t think so much about using it towards a speech. Its a refresh and a great way to help with a persuasive speech. I think all are importance, one cant be one without the other. CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annadale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College

I’m a student at NOVA and I’m currently taking CST-100 (036N) with Professor Tirpak. I’ve used Logos, Ethos and Pathos before when writing essays for English but I never thought that they could be used for speeches as well. I also think that the most important of these three pillars would probably be Pathos, simply because connecting with the audience is the most important part of any speech. Ethos is definitely important, because the more credibility you have the more willing people will be to listen to you, but even someone with no credibility can give a fantastic speech by using the power of Pathos.

I am a student in Professor Tirpak’s CST 100-036 class.

These three pillars are what define your speech. While I wouldn’t say that one is inherently more important than the other, I would argue that ethos, pathos, and logos can vary in importance for different types of speeches. A technical report before colleagues will require strict attention to logical argument, while a speech designed to rally a crowd will be more intently focused on pathos. In all speeches though, each of the three aspects should be present.

So glad I came across your article, and have enjoyed following the comments (mostly of students) at the end. I’m signing up for more content loaded six minutes…and for the interaction it stimulates. Lots going on. Thanks!

Thank you so much, this has really been an eye opener.

These three pillars I learnt while at Junior College. Entering the work force and business world has proven how important that lesson was. Great explanations. Thanks.

Just referred to this article to complete an essay! In my essay, we were required to analyze an article and point out where and how the author uses all of the different appeals. It was kinda tricky because I had a news article, and in news articles, the authors “try” to publish “unbiased” pieces, but of course there’s always some bias in their writings to give their newspublisher some leverage. So for me, finding pathos arguments in the news article was pretty tricky. The author mainly relied on ethos and some logos to prove his claims, but thanks to the stuff you posted about pathos, I was able to find one pathos appeal in his article (seriously, there was only one!). Thanks so much for this post!

I think that all three Ethos, Pathos and Logos are essential to master the art of persuasive communication, to not have creditability, or logic then Pathos in my view is useless. Where will you emotions be when you know that the speaker is not credible and have no logics behind his/her speeches?

Nice job Andrew

These articles are truly beneficial to my studies in Criminal Justice

That was a great post Andrew. Being a toastmaster myself and watching the speech again I would say your analysis is very insightful and provides actionable steps to be used in a speech or even meetings and other speaking engagements. I’ve recently wrote a post about Life Lessons that you can derive from his speech and did mentioned your analysis of the speech. You can read it on my blog http://sumo.ly/afaP

Thanks Andrew for introducing such important pillars to learn, can’t wait to read more of your articles for better understanding to exercise.

The most important one is ETHOS because,if you can not display your talent or deliver your message in such a way that your audiences are convinced;you can not gain any respect or high esteem from them.This means you have to show your credibility in your speech through references and quotes of other scholars to effect behavioral change.I AM A PG STUDENT OF SBCC UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR NIGERIA.

Thanks. This site has really helped as i prepared for my CC2

Monica Mombasa, kenya

Watt is the three aspects of credibility? and watt is artistic proof ? I can not understand it!

I think that these are excellent tips because I have to give a speech and make a poster in ELA about a group that is being oppressed (my topic is LGBTQA).You have done a great job on descibing these three topics!

I think Pathos being that connection from sender to receiver or rather speaker to audience is sustained by Logos that logical argument and then gives way to Ethos credibility. That’s just my take on it.

very interesting I like the article he is very emotional and well put together nice.

I think it depends on your audience as well, and your message. I agree that all three are necessary at some point in the presentation to capture your audience attention and keep it throughout the entire presentation.

I believe that pathos is the most important. For example, the Gettysburg Address. There was so much emotion because many soldiers had just died. Ethos would be completely unhelpful in this speech, and logic doesn’t really work in the scenario either. No one wants to hear logic when their friends and family were just killed.

This article has all the required information, which i required for my persuasive presentation. In short it is an eye-opener. Thanks to the author of this article as well as my professor who recommends this article to me.

Recent Tweets

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking https://t.co/uAammoIYxr — @JastrzebskiJ Sep 27th, 2016

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking https://t.co/WpXWFuLRrz — @Rjones5236 Jan 29th, 2017

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking https://t.co/63xD1loFL4 by @6minutes — @MatteoCone Feb 23rd, 2017

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking https://t.co/zJv9Kj2slk by @6minutes — @ae_bellamaven May 22nd, 2017

Improve on your persuasion skills! Its an amazing concept #ethos #logos #pathos #DESMDM https://t.co/CxTLwTVZUE — @hvgalla Sep 19th, 2017

@VenkatSundar77 Not ethos, rather, pathos tends to move the needle. Here’s a quick link: https://t.co/g7IwbwGaEe — @sreedhari_desai Sep 26th, 2017

What I’m studying I my Principles of Public Speaking Class! https://t.co/FKDMx9rYEL — @Laedee Oct 18th, 2017

Absolutely essential in modern publics peaking: Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking… https://t.co/Rtx6v81Kbv — @LucilleOssai Jul 1st, 2018

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking – https://t.co/YlOvKaWHOL — @hperezsegnini Aug 24th, 2018

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking https://t.co/EhEKCIL9St by @6minutes — @ChambeshiS Sep 21st, 2018

33 Blog Links

What is Ethos and Why is it Critical for Speakers? « Pillowtalk Toastmasters — Feb 1st, 2010

Persuasion a La Aristotle | Speaking Freely — Mar 13th, 2010

And politicians get it wrong… regularly… « Reinhardt’s Ramblings — Apr 12th, 2010

Content is king, but watch the queen… « Reinhardt’s Ramblings — May 4th, 2010

A Public Speaking Alphabet | Manner of Speaking — Sep 4th, 2010

Do your slides help? « Reinhardt’s Ramblings — Oct 25th, 2011

3 Rules of Public Speaking | jameskennedybeijing — Nov 3rd, 2011

11 Presentation Tips on 11/11/11 « Alex Rister — Nov 11th, 2011

Modes of Persuasion: Introduction to Ethos « Alex Rister — Dec 14th, 2011

Ethos, pathos, logos « RCM 401: Oral Rhetoric — Jan 4th, 2012

Let the Numbers Tell the Story | Geronimo Coaching Now — Jan 17th, 2012

Presentation Basics « Alex Rister — Feb 5th, 2012

3 Ways Writers can Persuade a Reader | STAGE WRITE with Lynne Gentry, Author — Feb 10th, 2012

Public speaking resources | RCM 300: Effective Professional Communication — Mar 13th, 2012

When Promoting Your Business, Are You Stretch Armstrong? - Simpson Speaks | Simpson Speaks — May 5th, 2012

Nationally Rhetorical | Agent3155 — May 12th, 2012

A Presentation’s Goal Is Not To Entertain « Creating Communication — May 27th, 2012

6 ways to make your messages “sticky” | Leanne W Smith — Aug 5th, 2012

Why don’t we think about non-verbal communication when we’re singing in church? | St. Eutychus — Aug 7th, 2012

Ethos, pathos, logos « convincingly — Aug 21st, 2012

Presentation in the workplace: Delivery | Leanne W Smith — Aug 23rd, 2012

Dumas pathos | Johnbyk — Sep 3rd, 2012

‘Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking’ by Andrew Dlugan | Communication Weekly Newsletter — Sep 5th, 2012

3 Secrets to Influencing People [video] | Engaging Leader — Oct 12th, 2012

CON SỐ 3 HUYỀN DIỆU « Phung Huy EDU — Oct 21st, 2012

B2B STORYTELLING — Dec 12th, 2012

Best of 2012: My Favorite Things « Creating Communication — Dec 29th, 2012

Six Minutes to the Rescue: Audience Analysis 101 | Tweak Your Slides — Jan 26th, 2013

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week 19 2013: Public Speaking — Feb 5th, 2013

What Is Your Ethos Building Story? : Spectacular Speaking Antwerp — Feb 25th, 2013

Logos, Pathos, Ethos – What is More Important? Why? | zachtok — Mar 7th, 2013

The rhetorical triangle updated | Speak for Yourself — May 5th, 2013

Teaching and Learning Persuasion | Creating Communication — May 22nd, 2013

Featured Articles

• Majora Carter (TED, 2006) Energy, Passion, Speaking Rate
• Hans Rosling (TED, 2006) 6 Techniques to Present Data
• J.A. Gamache (Toastmasters, 2007) Gestures, Prop, Writing
• Steve Jobs (Stanford, 2005) Figures of speech, rule of three
• Al Gore (TED, 2006) Humor, audience interaction
• Dick Hardt (OSCON, 2005) Lessig Method of Presentation

Books We Recommend

Six Minutes Copyright © 2007-2019 All Rights Reserved.

Read our permissions policy , privacy policy , or disclosure policy .

Comments? Questions? Contact us .

• Scriptwriting

Ethos, Pathos & Logos — Definition and Examples of Persuasive Advertising Techniques

• Ethos, Pathos & Logos Explained
• What is Pathos
• What is Logos
• What is Telos
• What is Kairos
• What is Ethos
• How to Pitch a TV Show Like a Pro
• How to Make a Movie Poster
• How to Make a Commercial
• How to Develop Your Brand
• What is a Creative Brief
• What is Branded Content
• Most Inspiring Ads
• Best Movie Taglines
• Best Marketing and Advertising Campaigns
• Best Creative Brief Template
• Best Explainer Video Trends for Your Brand

E thos, pathos and logos are techniques of persuasion that form the rhetorical triangle. A compelling argument, sales pitch, speech, or commercial ideally uses elements of all three strategies. We’ll show you how to employ each of the techniques and present some awesome examples along the way.

VIDEO: Ethos, Pathos and Logos Explained

Ethos, Pathos, Logos, Definition

The rhetorical triangle.

Rhetoric is a type of communication a writer or speaker uses to persuade, inform or motivate. We can see rhetoric everywhere — politics, law, advertising, creative writing, and even our everyday conversations.

Rhetorical devices include irony , metaphor , hyperbole and many other techniques writers and speakers employ to great effect.

A subset of these devices are known as rhetorical appeals , often attributed to Aristotle, and include: ethos , pathos and logos .

This is also known as the Rhetorical Triangle and we still depend on it today.

Ethos, pathos and logos are the three categories of persuasive advertising techniques

Each category invokes a different appeal between speaker and audience.

Ethos calls upon the ethics, or what we'd call the values, of the speaker. Pathos elicits emotions in the audience. Finally, logos puts logic into play by using evidence and facts.

Good persuasive advertising technique is when you balance all three.

But using ethos, pathos and logos in commercials sometimes means featuring one advertising technique prominently.

Learn More Logos Ethos and Pathos

Comparing other techniques.

There are many types of rhetorical strategies. To get a full picure on how they work together, or when to use which rhetorical strategies, explore the full guide below.

Everything About Rhetorical Appeals

Basics & terminology, appeal to credibility , appeal to emotion, appeal to logic, appeal to purpose, appeal to timeliness.

Each of these rhetorical strategies can be effective in its own way. When combined, their potential effects grow exponentially. To fully understand the power of persusaion, these are the tools you need.

ETHOS DEFINITION

What is ethos.

Ethos is the persuasive technique that appeals to an audience by highlighting credibility. Ethos advertisement techniques invoke the superior “character” of a speaker, presenter, writer, or brand.

Ethos examples aim to convince the audience that the advertiser is reliable and ethical. It’s easier to make a decision when someone you respect signs off on it, right? This is broadly the function of ethos in commercials.

When an esteemed public figure endorses a product, it validates it to the end consumer. An ethos advertisement plays off the consumer’s respect for a given spokesperson.

Through that respect, the spokesperson appears convincing, authoritative and trustworthy enough to listen to. Of the types of persuasive techniques in advertising, ethos is best used to unlock trust.

USE OF ETHOS IN ADVERTISING

How is ethos used in advertising.

So what does ethos mean?

It’s all about credibility. Famous people enjoy a high status in our society. So they’re the ones selling products to us — whether or not they have product-specific expertise.

Example of ethos in advertising: Jennifer Aniston in a campaign for Glaceau Smart Water

For example, an Infiniti commercial featured Steph Curry. Even though he’s not known for his taste in vehicles, his stature validates the product.

This is ethos in commercials at work.

Example of ethos in commercials: Steph Curry in a recent spot for Infiniti

Ethos rhetoric is also invoked to tie a brand to fundamental rights.

Brands build trust with their audience when they stand with an important cause. Anheuser-Busch illustrated this in their “Born the Hard Way” ad.

Ethos examples: This ethos advertisement by Anheuser-Busch underscores the value of multiculturalism

This spot focuses on the origin story of Anheuser-Busch’s founders.

It shows Busch’s turbulent immigration from Germany to St. Louis, and speaks to the importance of immigration and multiculturalism.

This is how ethos rhetoric is used in advertising.

Of the many types of persuasive advertising techniques in advertising, ethos is best for playing up the strength of a brand or spokesperson’s character.

ETHOS EXAMPLE IN COMMERCIALS

Ethos advert case study.

If you want a really strong example of ethos that also has a pretty funny meta quality to it, check out the shot list for this Heineken spot. See how many times they use foreground elements and OTS shots in this spot:

Ethos Examples • Shot Listed in StudioBinder

This Heineken commercial shows famous actor Benicio Del Toro at the bar enjoying a Heineken. Benicio chats about how both he, and Heineken, are world famous and instantly recognizable.

Then, a pair of goofy tourists spot him in the bar, and they call out for him to pose for a photo, but... they actually think he's Antonio Banderas.

Ethos Example in Heineken Commercial

This commercial not only uses ethos as a way to tie the celebrity of Benicio to the celebrity of Heineken, but it uses humor and the bold faced usage of ethos to make fun of the brand, people, and fame. 

THE "PLAIN FOLKS" PERSUASIVE ADVERTISING TECHNIQUE

How is "plain folks" used in ads.

Ethos rhetoric often employs imagery of everyday, ordinary people.

Known as the  Plain Folks persuasive advertising technique,  in this approach a spokesperson or brand appears as an Average Joe to feel common and sensible. In doing so, they appear concerned and cut from the same cloth as you.

This approach is very common in political ads. Consider the “Family Strong” ad from Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Ethos Examples: Hillary Clinton underscores the “Plain Folks” definition in her campaign videos.

Despite her status and wealth, Clinton draws on imagery of her family and upbringing to make her feel more relatable. In this way, “Plain” folks is propaganda and also a logical fallacy.

But it’s also an effective and persuasive advertising technique.

Of the types of persuasive techniques in advertising, Plain Folks aligns your brand with the values of the everyday consumer.

Related Posts

• Creative Digital Advertising Trends →
• Steps to Make a Persuasive Commercial →
• Learn: How to Make a Storyboard in 9 Steps →

Pathos DEFINITION

What is pathos.

Pathos is persuasive technique that try to convince an audience through emotions. Pathos advertisement techniques appeal to the senses, memory, nostalgia, or shared experience. Pathos examples pull at the heartstrings and make the audience feel.

A quick way to appeal to a viewer’s emotions? A cute animal. A devastated family. A love story. Overcoming great odds. An inspirational song and imagery. A good zinger. 

Emotions create responses and, in our increasingly consumer-driven culture, the response is to buy something. Pathos appeals to an audience’s basic emotions like joy, fear, and envy. All are easily triggered in many ways.

So what is pathos?

Well, it's a model enjoying a refreshing Coke. Or a frustrated infomercial character desperate for a better remedy. And "tired" of the "same old blah-blah-blah."

The many different pathos advertisement examples not only evoke your feelings but anticipate your responses too. If you want to explore pathos in advertising, language is the best place to start.

Because the words we hear and read trigger specific feelings. Positive words conjure feelings of love, excitement and wonder.

What is pathos? Cutting to the emotional core, really

Look at how General Mills and Cheerios achieved this in their “Good Goes Round” campaign.

Example of pathos: This Cheerios pathos advertisement injects good vibes with positive words

We see sunshine, smiles and bright colors while we hear the words “good goes around.” It invites positivity and encourages us to associate Cheerios accordingly.

On the other hand, pathos advertisements can also employ unpleasant emotions like fear and worry just as effectively.

Pathos examples: this somber pathos advertisement says don’t let heart disease happen to you

This ad by the British Heart Foundation underscores the dangers of heart disease. As the spot unfolds, you start to realize that the narrator suddenly died at her sister’s wedding.

Her tragic story encourages you to not let it happen to you.

Pathos examples: BMW warns against drinking and driving in this pathos advertisement example

Pathos example in commercials, pathos advert case study.

If you want a really strong example of pathos is an advertisement, check out this shot list from a particularly emotional Zillow spot. Notice how the shots on the son are often singles and medium close-ups :

Pathos Examples  • Shot Listed in StudioBinder

This Zillow commercial shows a father and son who have just suffered the terrible loss of their wife/mother. The father tries to cheer his son up by finding a new home, one preferably near the boy's grandparents. 

The son seems disinterested, but then the father finds his son and the family dog looking up at the stars, one of which is particularly bright. The son decides that the star is his mother, looking down on him.

That gives the father an idea:

Pathos example in Zillow Commercial

The father searches on Zillow, finds a home, and buys it. We then learn that the home is not only close to the grandparents, but it also has a skylight in the son's room, allowing him to see his Mother's star at night.

This commercial uses the emotions of the father, the son, the grandparents, and of course the viewer to suggest that Zillow is the type of website that can balm grief through its functionality.

USE OF PATHOS IN ADVERTISING

The appeal of pathos in advertising.

Sex appeal is of course also hugely successful among the pathos advertising techniques. Open any  Cosmopolitan  magazine and you’ll find scantily clad models, muscular men and sexual innuendo.

Although the common expression “sex sells” has been debated, sexually provocative ads do leave a lasting impression. Mr. Clean , for example, spiced up their eponymous mascot for comedic effect.

Pathos Examples: This Mr. Clean pathos advertisement gave their mascot a sexy upgrade

Their brawny Mr. Clean upgrade wears tight clothes and turns mopping the floor into something more... sensual?

Humor, patriotism and snob appeal are also all common in pathos advertisement examples. The pathos definition even extends to nostalgia and the strategic use of music in ads.

Pathos Examples: The pathos definition extends to evoking emotions with music ... even *NSYNC

The bandwagon advertising technique, what is the "bandwagon advertising".

“Bandwagon advertising” is commonly categorized under pathos advertisement examples. While it may sound unfamiliar, you're probably pretty familiar with it. It creates that impression that using certain product will put you on the “winning team.” It adheres to the pathos definition because it plays off your fear... of being left out.

Old Spice used this in their “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” spot.

Bandwagon advertising: to be The Man Your Man Could Smell Like, you buy Old Spice

In its comical way, it puts pressure on men to smell as good as the Old Spice Guy. Like the “Plain Folks” technique, Bandwagon advertising is a very popular form of propaganda.

Of the persuasive advertising techniques, “Bandwagon” puts your brand on the right side of popular opinion. Remember the "Be like Mike" Ads?

Pathos example: Talk about putting the consumer on the "winning team"

• Learn from the Best Marketing and Ad Campaigns →
• Stock Video Sites That’ll Make Your Clients Happy →
• Storyboard your video with StudioBinder →

LOGOS DEFINITION

What is logos.

Logos is the persuasive technique that aims to convince an audience by using logic and reason. Also called “the logical appeal,” logos examples in advertisement include the citation of statistics, facts, charts, and graphs.

Logos Examples: This Samsung ad puts the Logos persuasive advertising technique to work

Ever told someone to “listen to reason” during an argument? This is what logos does. The best logos advertisement examples are when a speaker appeals to logic. Statistics, surveys, facts, and historical data can make a product seem like a more reasonable decision. Whether the data is sound or not is another story.

LOGOS EXAMPLE IN COMMERCIALS

Logos advert case study.

If you want a really strong example of logos is an advertisement, check out this shot list from a recent Nissan Commercial. You'll notice how the camera angles and shot size change when the "ProPilot" system clicks on:

Logos Advertisment Examples  • Shot Listed in StudioBinder

This Nissan commercial shows a daughter and father driving on a highway. The daughter is about to drive past some scary construction, but then the father uses his sage like wisdom to instruct her to turn on the "ProPilot" system that Nissan now features in their cars.

Once the daughter does this, we see a Star Wars battle scene playing out in front of out eyes, and she becomes so distracted that she begin to veer off the road... but guess what? The "ProPilot" system saves her by auto-correcting the trajectory of the car based on the sensor system. 

So how is this logos? Well, the commercial places the daughter in a relatively common situation and uses the machine logic behind having a guided system in the car to keep your distracted children safe.

Now... is it logical that this Star Wars homage suggests the daughter reach out to use the force by using a guided machine? Of course not! That's the opposite of what Luke does in the movie. Is it logical for your kid to be scared of driving past construction at 40mph? Of course not!

Is there anything in this spot that is logical? The basic fact that young drivers get distracted, and the Nissan "ProPilot" system might just save their lives one day, well that is how you use logic to sell cars.

• The Most Inspiring Ads That Every Agency Should See →
• Shot list your video with StudioBinder →
• Creative YouTube Video Ideas to Try on Your Channel →

LOGOS TECHNIQUES

How is logos being used in advertising.

Technology advertisements use logos because their goal is to showcase cool new features. Consider the example of logos in Apple’s ad for the iPhone:

A logos advertisement example: In Apple’s iPhone spot, the features pop out at you

In logos rhetoric, you have to the sell best reasons to buy your product..

How does Apple do that?

They have their new innovative features pop out at you. From durable glass to Face ID software. It effectively asks you why you would choose any phone but iPhone. Logos often use buzzwords to sell the product. 

What's a great example of this?

Food companies capitalizing on the rising demand for healthy choices.

Logos Examples: I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter underscore the health benefits

This I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter ad hinges on the health benefits to prove their point. Of the types of persuasive techniques in advertising, logos will build your brand as the most logical, functional and helpful option.

Explore more rhetorical devices

Ethos , pathos , and logos are highly effective rhetorical appeals but there is much more to explore, including kairos and telos . Or dive into more rhetorical devices that help construct and support these appeals, including metaphor , hyperbole , and metonymy . When you've mastered these techniques, your ability to convince and persuade in your writing will be unmatched.

Up Next: Rhetorical Devices Index →

Showcase your vision with elegant shot lists and storyboards..

Create robust and customizable shot lists. Upload images to make storyboards and slideshows.

Learn More ➜

15 comments

The Mr. Clean commercial was so inappropriate! It showed something weird at the end it. Naughty but funny.

Is it an article , or essay or an extract from a book? If it is a book than please share the title of this book and authore name.I want to read this book.

ahhh thats hot thats hot

Very interesting iam very interested

Thanks for a clear understanding

When you are studying for CLEP English Comp 1 final exam – but can't remember anything about pathos, logos, and ethos.

pretty sure most the people that get on this website are here for a school assignment

Whats good my fellow school students

Pretty good commercial.

Thank you for so generously sharing this information. It's fascinating and helpful.

here in 2023 and yet im studying for my exams in year 8

This was a simple and informative read. Thank you

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Pricing & Plans
• Featured On
• StudioBinder Partners
• Ultimate Guide to Call Sheets
• How to Break Down a Script (with FREE Script Breakdown Sheet)
• The Only Shot List Template You Need — with Free Download
• Managing Your Film Budget Cashflow & PO Log (Free Template)
• A Better Film Crew List Template Booking Sheet
• Best Storyboard Softwares (with free Storyboard Templates)
• Movie Magic Scheduling
• Gorilla Software
• Storyboard That

A visual medium requires visual methods. Master the art of visual storytelling with our FREE video series on directing and filmmaking techniques.

We’re in a golden age of TV writing and development. More and more people are flocking to the small screen to find daily entertainment. So how can you break put from the pack and get your idea onto the small screen? We’re here to help.

• Making It: From Pre-Production to Screen
• 50+ Types of Camera Shots, Angles, and Techniques
• How to Plan a Film Shoot in 5 Simple Steps
• What is Foreshadowing — Definition, Examples in Film and Lit.
• What is a Biopic — Definition & Best Examples Explained
• How Many Rocky Movies Are There — All Rocky Movies in Order
• 57.8K Facebook
• 240 Pinterest
• 7.2K LinkedIn

Logos Definition

Classification of logos, examples of logos in literature, example #1: political ideals (by bertrand russell).

“The wage system has made people believe that what a man needs is work. This, of course, is absurd. What he needs is the goods produced by work, and the less work involved in making a given amount of goods, the better … But owing to our economic system …where a better system would produce only an increase of wages or a diminution in the hours of work without any corresponding diminution of wages.”

Example #2: The Art of Rhetoric (By Aristotle)

“All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.”

Example #3: Of Studies (By Francis Bacon)

“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.”

Example #4: Of Studies (By Francis Bacon)

“Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation.”

Example #5: Othello (By William Shakespeare)

“Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on … Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger, But, oh, what damnèd minutes tells he o’er Who dotes, yet doubts — suspects, yet soundly loves … She did deceive her father, marrying you … She loved them most … I humbly do beseech you of your pardon For too much loving you …”

Logos Meaning and Function

Related posts:, post navigation.

Ethos, Logos, Pathos for Persuasion

• Writing Research Papers
• Writing Essays
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

You may be surprised to learn that much of your life consists of constructing arguments. If you ever plead a case to your parents—in order to extend your curfew or to get a new gadget, for example—you are using persuasive strategies. When you discuss music with friends and agree or disagree with them about the merits of one singer compared to another, you are also using strategies for persuasion.

Indeed, when you engage in these "arguments" with your parents and friends, you are instinctively using ancient strategies for persuasion that were identified by the Greek philosopher Aristotle a few thousand years ago. Aristotle called his ingredients for persuasion pathos , logos , and ethos .

Persuasion Tactics and Homework

When you write a research paper , write a speech , or participate in a debate , you also use the persuasion strategies mentioned above. You come up with an idea (a thesis) and then construct an argument to convince readers that your idea is sound.

You should become familiar with pathos, logos, and ethos for two reasons: First, you need to develop your own skills at crafting a good argument so that others will take you seriously. Second, you must develop the ability to identify a really weak argument, stance, claim, or position when you see or hear it.

Logos Defined

Logos refers to an appeal to reason based on logic. Logical conclusions come from assumptions and decisions derived from weighing a collection of solid facts and statistics . Academic arguments (research papers) rely on logos.

An example of an argument that relies on logos is the argument that smoking is harmful based on the evidence that, "When burned, cigarettes create more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are toxic," according to the American Lung Association. Notice that the statement above uses specific numbers. Numbers are sound and logical.

An everyday example of an appeal to logos is the argument that Lady Gaga is more popular than Justin Bieber because Gaga's fan pages collected 10 million more Facebook fans than Bieber's. As a researcher, your job is to find statistics and other facts to back up your claims. When you do this, you are appealing to your audience with logic or logos.

Ethos Defined

Trustworthiness is important in research. You must trust your sources, and your readers must trust you. The example above concerning logos contained two examples that were based on hard facts (numbers). However, one example comes from the American Lung Association. The other comes from Facebook fan pages. You should ask yourself: Which of these sources do you suppose is more credible?

Anyone can start a Facebook page. Lady Gaga may have 50 different fan pages, and each page may contain duplicate "fans." The fan page argument is probably not very sound (even though it seems logical). Ethos refers to the credibility of the person posing the argument or stating the facts.

The facts provided by the American Lung Association are probably more persuasive than those provided by fan pages since the American Lung Association has been around for more than 100 years. At first glance, you might think that your own credibility is out of your control when it comes to posing academic arguments, but that is incorrect.

Even if you write an academic paper on a topic that is outside your area of expertise, you can improve your credibility—using ethos to persuade—by coming across as a professional by citing credible sources and making your writing error-free and concise.

Pathos Defined

Pathos refers to appealing to a person by influencing his emotions. Pathos is involved in the strategy of convincing the audience by invoking feelings through their own imaginations. You appeal through pathos when you try to convince your parents of something. Consider this statement:

"Mom, there is clear evidence that cellphones save lives in emergency situations."

While that statement is true, the real power lies in the emotions that you will likely invoke in your parents. What mother wouldn't envision a broken-down automobile perched by the side of a busy highway upon hearing that statement?

Emotional appeals are extremely effective, but they can be tricky. There may or may not be a place for pathos in your research paper . For example, you may be writing an argumentative essay about the death penalty.

Ideally, your paper should contain a logical argument. You should appeal to logos by including statics to support your view such as data that suggests that the death penalty does/does not cut down on crime (there's plenty of research both ways).

Use Appeals to Emotion Sparingly

You may also use pathos by interviewing someone who witnessed an execution (on the anti-death penalty side) or someone who found closure when a criminal was executed (on the pro-death penalty side). Generally, however, academic papers should employ appeals to emotions sparingly. A long paper that is purely based on emotions is not considered very professional.

Even when you are writing about an emotionally charged, controversial issue like the death penalty, you can't write a paper that is all emotion and opinion. The teacher, in that circumstance, will likely assign a failing grade because you haven't provided a sound (logical) argument.

• “ What's In a Cigarette? ”  American Lung Association,
• Words, Phrases, and Arguments to Use in Persuasive Writing
• Convince Me: A Persuasive Writing Activity
• How to Develop a Research Paper Timeline
• How Can You Stretch a Paper to Make it Longer?
• Research Note Cards
• Finding Sources for Death Penalty Research
• Understanding the Progressive Era
• Finding Statistics and Data for Research Papers
• Tips for Typing an Academic Paper on a Computer
• Strategies for Writing a 20-Page Paper
• How to Find Trustworthy Sources
• How to Narrow the Research Topic for Your Paper
• The Introductory Paragraph: Start Your Paper Off Right
• What Is a Senior Thesis?
• What Is a Bibliography?
• How to Write a News Article That's Effective

15 Logos Examples

Tio Gabunia (B.Arch, M.Arch)

Tio Gabunia is an academic writer and architect based in Tbilisi. He has studied architecture, design, and urban planning at the Georgian Technical University and the University of Lisbon. He has worked in these fields in Georgia, Portugal, and France. Most of Tio’s writings concern philosophy. Other writings include architecture, sociology, urban planning, and economics.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Chris Drew (PhD)

This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU.

Logos is a rhetorical device that uses logic, reasoning, and factual evidence to support an argument or persuade an audience.

Logos refers to one of the three main technical means of persuasion in rhetoric. According to Aristotle, it is the means that has to do with the arguments themselves.

Aristotle claims that there are three technical means of persuasion:

“Now the proofs furnished by the speech are of three kinds. The first depends upon the moral character of the speaker, the second upon putting the hearer into a certain frame of mind, the third upon the speech itself, in so far as it proves or seems to prove” (Aristotle, Rhetoric, ca. 367-322 B.C.E./1926, Book 1, Chapter 2, Section 3).

Each of these corresponds to the three means of persuasion: 

• Ethos (Appeal to credibility) : Persuasion through establishing the character of the speaker.
• Pathos (Appeal to emotion) : Persuasion through putting the hearer into a certain frame of mind.
• Logos (Appeal to logic): Persuasion through proof or seeming proof.

For Aristotle, speech consists of three things: the speaker, the hearer, and the speech. These correspond to ethos, pathos, and logos , respectively. The latter is the subject of this article.

Definition of Logos

At its core, logos refers to the use of logic (or perceived logic) to persuade.

However, logos may be the most confusing of the three means of persuasion because the word has been used by different philosophers to mean different but related things.

• Heraclitus of Ephesus used the word logos to refer to something like the message that the world gives us (Graham, 2021).
• The sophists used the term to refer to discourse in general.
• Pyrrhonist skeptics used the term to refer to dogmatic accounts of debatable matters.
• The Stoics meant by it the generative principle of the universe.

I could list further examples, but for this article, Aristotle’s definition will suffice. 

Logos, in rhetoric, refers to persuasion through logical argumentation or its simulation (Keith & Lundberg, 2017).

As Aristotle writes,

“… persuasion is produced by the speech itself, when we establish the true or apparently true from the means of persuasion applicable to each individual subject.” (Aristotle, Rhetoric, ca. 367-322 B.C.E./1926, Book 1, Chapter 2, Section 6). 

Syllogisms, enthymemes, examples, and other arguments use logos to influence people’s thinking . Due to the structure of this persuasion tool, it is the only one that can directly argue for the speaker’s point of view. What Aristotle stresses over and over again is that deceptive or fallacious arguments can have a persuasive effect if the fallacy is concealed well enough.

Persuasion through logos requires only that the hearers think that something has been proven, whether it actually has been is a different matter. 

Logos Examples

• Scientific Research: Any form of scientific research is fundamentally grounded in logos, as it relies on empirical data, statistical analysis, and logical reasoning to draw conclusions. For example, if you were to present the scientific evidence to a consumer about why your product is the best, it may convince them to switch brand loyalty over to you.
• Legal Arguments: In court, attorneys use logos extensively when presenting evidence, citing precedents, or constructing logical arguments to persuade the judge or jury. Generally, it is expected that the jury be presented the best objective evidence in order for them to make an objective decision. However, at times, they will rely on pathos, and the judge’s job is often to curtail this if needed.
• Newspaper Editorials: Newspaper editorials often use logos to make a persuasive point, presenting facts, statistics, and logical analysis to support the writer’s viewpoint. Without facts and data, the readers my close the newspaper and dismiss the writer as simply engaging in hearsay.
• Referencing in Essays: In essays, we are often required to cite our sources. This is, in part, relying on ethos (appeal to credibility), but at the same time, it’s also allowing the reader to go ahead and check the primary data to ensure it’s correct.
• Financial Reports: Financial analysts use logos when they analyze data, financial statements, and market trends to provide investment advice. They know an investor wants to make the most evidence-based decision as possible with the data, so they need to present this evidence as clearly as possible.
• Medical Diagnosis: Doctors use logos when they diagnose patients by interpreting symptoms, medical histories, and test results to arrive at a logical conclusion. Without evidence, customers may distrust the doctor and refuse to follow the doctor’s advice.
• Speeches and Presentations: Speakers and debaters often use logos in their speeches or presentations to make their points more persuasive, providing evidence, statistics, and logical analysis to back up their arguments, with the intent of convincing the audience and winning the debate over the competitors (although, pathos is highly convincing in speeches as well).
• Instruction Manuals: Logos is used in instruction manuals for constructing furniture where a logical sequence of steps is provided to guide users in assembling a product or operating a piece of software. An instruction manual won’t say “if you feel like it,…” because this won’t get the job done – constructing the item!
• Funding Proposals: In making a funding pitch, proposals are often supported by logos in the form of cost-benefit analyses, case studies, and logical reasoning to convince others that their money will be in good hands.
• Problem-Solving: In a group’s blue skies brainstorming session or a problem-solving meeting, logos is used when the participants identify the problem, analyze the factors contributing to the problem, and propose logical solutions based on evidence and reasoning.
• Technological Innovations: When developing a new product or technology, engineers and designers use logos to analyze the needs of the market, create a logical design to meet those needs, and justify their decisions with reasoning and evidence. In fact, engineers need strong analytical skills and have to rely extensively on logos (rather than pathos or ethos) in their daily job roles.

Logos as Perceived Logic

Aristotle writes that even fallacious arguments are examples of logos, because they seem to prove something. In other words, logos isn’t just being logical , rather it’s attempting to appear logical .

Here are some examples:

• Straw Man Fallacy : This happens when an individual distorts, exaggerates, or misrepresents someone’s argument in order to make it easier to attack. For example, “My opponent believes in healthcare reform, he must want to give free healthcare to everyone.” Here, they are attempting to construct some logic that isn’t really there – they’re actually creating false facts to put forward a point of view!
• Slippery Slope Fallacy : This is an argument that suggests taking a minor action will lead to major and often ludicrous consequences. For example, “If we allow students to redo tests, they’ll want to redo homework, quizzes, and even final exams!” Here, the argument sounds like it could be logical, but draws a long bow and makes claims that something will happen, even though it may not (and probably won’t) actually come to pass.
• False Dichotomy Fallacy : This fallacy occurs when an argument presents only two options or sides when there may be more. For example, “You’re either with us, or against us.” Once the false dichotomy is constructed, logos can be used to convince people one perspective is better than the other, as if only the two exist.
• Hasty Generalization Fallacy : This happens when someone makes a broad conclusion based on a small or unrepresentative sample size. For example, “I met a rude person from City X, therefore everyone from City X must be rude.” Here, they are attempting to use logic – and their argument is ostensibly logical – but in reality, it (like the slippery slope) draws a long bow and is unlikely to actually be true.

Logos Strengths

• Appeal to rationality: For many people, the apparent rationality of a speech is its most important and persuasive part. Especially in academic settings where the orator cannot make themselves stand out through appeals to ethos and pathos, logos is often the most important part of the rhetorical triangle. 
• Trustworthiness : While pathos and ethos are often viewed with suspicion, there is no such negative stigma attached to logos. Appeals to emotion or personal authority may seem dishonest and manipulative, but arguments, unless fallacious, rarely seem so. 
• Counter arguments: Logos is the only mode of persuasion that can directly address objections because the evaluation of opposing views is itself a rational activity. 

Logos Weaknesses

• Subjective matters: In certain settings, logos can be far less persuasive than pathos and ethos. This is particularly evident in settings where there are no objective criteria for deciding if the speaker is right or wrong. 

See Also: The 5 Types of Rhetorical Situations

Aristotle. (1926). Rhetoric. In Aristotle in 23 Volumes, Vol. 22, translated by J. H. Freese. Harvard University Press. (Original work published ca. 367-322 B.C.E.) 

Hansen, H. (2020). Fallacies. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2020). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2020/entries/fallacies/

Rapp, C. (2022). Aristotle’s Rhetoric. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2022). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2022/entries/aristotle-rhetoric/

• Tio Gabunia (B.Arch, M.Arch) #molongui-disabled-link 6 Types of Societies (With 21 Examples)
• Tio Gabunia (B.Arch, M.Arch) #molongui-disabled-link 25 Public Health Policy Examples
• Tio Gabunia (B.Arch, M.Arch) #molongui-disabled-link 15 Cultural Differences Examples
• Tio Gabunia (B.Arch, M.Arch) #molongui-disabled-link Social Interaction Types & Examples (Sociology)

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 23 Achieved Status Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Ableism Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 25 Defense Mechanisms Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Theory of Planned Behavior Examples

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

.

, , , , .

Persuasive Speeches — Types, Topics, and Examples

What is a persuasive speech.

In a persuasive speech, the speaker aims to convince the audience to accept a particular perspective on a person, place, object, idea, etc. The speaker strives to cause the audience to accept the point of view presented in the speech.

The success of a persuasive speech often relies on the speaker’s use of ethos, pathos, and logos.

Ethos is the speaker’s credibility. Audiences are more likely to accept an argument if they find the speaker trustworthy. To establish credibility during a persuasive speech, speakers can do the following:

Use familiar language.

Select examples that connect to the specific audience.

Utilize credible and well-known sources.

Logically structure the speech in an audience-friendly way.

Use appropriate eye contact, volume, pacing, and inflection.

Pathos appeals to the audience’s emotions. Speakers who create an emotional bond with their audience are typically more convincing. Tapping into the audience’s emotions can be accomplished through the following:

Select evidence that can elicit an emotional response.

Use emotionally-charged words. (The city has a problem … vs. The city has a disease …)

Incorporate analogies and metaphors that connect to a specific emotion to draw a parallel between the reference and topic.

Utilize vivid imagery and sensory words, allowing the audience to visualize the information.

Employ an appropriate tone, inflection, and pace to reflect the emotion.

Logos appeals to the audience’s logic by offering supporting evidence. Speakers can improve their logical appeal in the following ways:

Use comprehensive evidence the audience can understand.

Confirm the evidence logically supports the argument’s claims and stems from credible sources.

Ensure that evidence is specific and avoid any vague or questionable information.

Types of persuasive speeches

The three main types of persuasive speeches are factual, value, and policy.

A factual persuasive speech focuses solely on factual information to prove the existence or absence of something through substantial proof. This is the only type of persuasive speech that exclusively uses objective information rather than subjective. As such, the argument does not rely on the speaker’s interpretation of the information. Essentially, a factual persuasive speech includes historical controversy, a question of current existence, or a prediction:

Historical controversy concerns whether an event happened or whether an object actually existed.

Questions of current existence involve the knowledge that something is currently happening.

Predictions incorporate the analysis of patterns to convince the audience that an event will happen again.

A value persuasive speech concerns the morality of a certain topic. Speakers incorporate facts within these speeches; however, the speaker’s interpretation of those facts creates the argument. These speeches are highly subjective, so the argument cannot be proven to be absolutely true or false.

A policy persuasive speech centers around the speaker’s support or rejection of a public policy, rule, or law. Much like a value speech, speakers provide evidence supporting their viewpoint; however, they provide subjective conclusions based on the facts they provide.

How to write a persuasive speech

Incorporate the following steps when writing a persuasive speech:

Step 1 – Identify the type of persuasive speech (factual, value, or policy) that will help accomplish the goal of the presentation.

Step 2 – Select a good persuasive speech topic to accomplish the goal and choose a position .

Step 3 – Locate credible and reliable sources and identify evidence in support of the topic/position. Revisit Step 2 if there is a lack of relevant resources.

Step 4 – Identify the audience and understand their baseline attitude about the topic.

Step 5 – When constructing an introduction , keep the following questions in mind:

What’s the topic of the speech?

What’s the occasion?

Who’s the audience?

What’s the purpose of the speech?

Step 6 – Utilize the evidence within the previously identified sources to construct the body of the speech. Keeping the audience in mind, determine which pieces of evidence can best help develop the argument. Discuss each point in detail, allowing the audience to understand how the facts support the perspective.

Step 7 – Addressing counterarguments can help speakers build their credibility, as it highlights their breadth of knowledge.

Step 8 – Conclude the speech with an overview of the central purpose and how the main ideas identified in the body support the overall argument.

Persuasive speech outline

One of the best ways to prepare a great persuasive speech is by using an outline. When structuring an outline, include an introduction, body, and conclusion:

Introduction

Attention Grabbers

Ask a question that allows the audience to respond in a non-verbal way; ask a rhetorical question that makes the audience think of the topic without requiring a response.

Incorporate a well-known quote that introduces the topic. Using the words of a celebrated individual gives credibility and authority to the information in the speech.

Offer a startling statement or information about the topic, typically done using data or statistics.

Provide a brief anecdote or story that relates to the topic.

Starting a speech with a humorous statement often makes the audience more comfortable with the speaker.

Provide information on how the selected topic may impact the audience .

Include any background information pertinent to the topic that the audience needs to know to understand the speech in its entirety.

Give the thesis statement in connection to the main topic and identify the main ideas that will help accomplish the central purpose.

Identify evidence

Summarize its meaning

Explain how it helps prove the support/main claim

Evidence 3 (Continue as needed)

Support 3 (Continue as needed)

Restate thesis

Review main supports

Concluding statement

Give the audience a call to action to do something specific.

Identify the overall importan ce of the topic and position.

Persuasive speech topics

The following table identifies some common or interesting persuasive speech topics for high school and college students:

Persuasive speech examples

The following list identifies some of history’s most famous persuasive speeches:

John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address: “Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You”

Lyndon B. Johnson: “We Shall Overcome”

Marc Antony: “Friends, Romans, Countrymen…” in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

Ronald Reagan: “Tear Down this Wall”

Sojourner Truth: “Ain’t I a Woman?”