A rhetorical analysis analyzes how an author argues rather than what an author argues. It focuses on what we call the “rhetorical” features of a text—the author’s situation, purpose for writing, intended audience, kinds of claims, and types of evidence—to show how the argument tries to persuade the reader.

• Culture media.
• Minimal media.
• Selective media.
• Differential media.
• Transport media.

Rhetorical strategies, or devices as they are generally called, are words or word phrases that are used to convey meaning, provoke a response from a listener or reader and to persuade during communication. Rhetorical strategies can be used in writing, in conversation or if you are planning a speech.

In writing an effective rhetorical analysis, you should discuss the goal or purpose of the piece; the appeals, evidence, and techniques used and why; examples of those appeals, evidence, and techniques; and your explanation of why they did or didn’t work.

A rhetorical analysis is an examination of how a text persuades us of its point of view. Your goal is to show how the essay, debate, or story’s structure, rhetorical appeals, and strategies attempt to persuade us of its/their point of view.

How to Use Aristotle’s Three Main Rhetorical Styles. According to Aristotle, rhetoric is: “the ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion.” He described three main forms of rhetoric: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos.

What are logos, ethos, pathos, and kairos? Often, instructors give assignments asking students to analyze the “argument” that a text makes, or to take a side on a “hot topic” issue.

Pathos is an appeal to emotion, and is a way of convincing an audience of an argument by creating an emotional response. ● Logos is an appeal to logic, and is a way of persuading an audience by reason. Ethos:​ the source’s credibility, the speaker’s/author’s. authority.

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.

Ethos is an element of argument and persuasion through which a speaker establishes their credibility and knowledge, as well as their good moral character.

There are many ways to establish good character and credibility as an author:

1. Use only credible, reliable sources to build your argument and cite those sources properly.
2. Respect the reader by stating the opposing position accurately.
3. Establish common ground with your audience.

Ethos is a means of convincing an audience of the reliable character or credibility of the speaker/writer, or the credibility of the argument. It is an important tool of persuasion because if you can get your audience to see you (or your argument) as credible and trustworthy, it will be much easier to persuade them.

Explain why personal character is important to persuasion. The character (or ethical) mode of persuasion involves a speech which, by its nature, disposes the audience to place trust in the speaker. Aristotle considers character to be the most potent of the three means of persuasion.

Logos can also be thought of as the text of the argument, as well as how well a writer has argued his/her point. Ethos can also be thought of as the role of the writer in the argument, and how credible his/her argument is. Pathos appeals to the emotions and the sympathetic imagination, as well as to beliefs and values.

Three Elements of Persuasion – Ethos, Pathos, logos

• Logos. Logos refers to the logic, the words, and the reasons in your argument.
• Ethos. The second aspect of persuasion—ethos—refers to your character, ethics, and your believability when you speak.
• Pathos.

Ethos, logos, and pathos are persuasional tools that can help writers make their argument appeal to readers; this is why they’re known as the argumentative appeals. Using a combination of appeals is recommended in each essay.

Logos are a point of identification; they’re the symbol that customers use to recognize your brand. Because a good logo is a visual, aesthetically pleasing element, it triggers positive recall about your brand that the name of your company alone might not.