| Rhetoric in Your Own Writing |
By now you should be very familiar with the three rhetorical appeals. One of the great things about examining film through the three appeals is that it makes you more aware of their function in your own arguments. The best arguments make use of all three.
Logos
The logical appeal in your writing is your facts, evidence, and logical reasoning. Make sure that your reasoning is sound and that you explain it well to your audience. Make sure that you have ample evidence to support your claims and thaty you makes the connection between the evidence and your claims clear to your audience. Be sure to organize your paper in a way that makes it as easy as possible for your audience to follow and understand it.
Ethos
Your ethical appeal comes through the knowledgability that you convey to your audience. Be sure to use the correct tone. Know the terminology tied to your subject matter and use it correctly. Make sure that your grammar and organization are solid; these are part of your credibility.
Pathos
Though at times you may feel as though pathos has no place in your argument, it is always valuable. Even with arguments that seem very distant from human emotion, you still need to convince your audience that what you have to say is important. This is sometimes referred to as the "so what?" factor. Make sure that you know why your argument is important and convey that importance to your audience. The more engaged you can get them and their emotions, the more effective your argument is likely to be. You can accomplish this through your word choice, tone, and use of imagery and examples.