Week One DQ 3

The balance of information is critical in writing a compelling text. The overall balance, referred
to as the Rhetorical Triangle, is a strategy used to organize the three elements of rhetoric, pathos,
logos, and ethos (Murthy & Ghosal, 2014). Aristotle first coined the terms around 35 BCE
(Harner, 2018). Each word correlates with a specific function the writer is trying to convey.

Pathos is a persuasive appeal that invokes an emotional call to the reader. An example of the
pathos appeal would be the "I have a dream" speech given by Martin Luther King:

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even
though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream
deeply rooted in the American dream (King, 1963)

The logos appeal intends to provide the audience with a sense of logic or reason. Scholars most
value this appeal since it supplies statistics or research results (Mertler, 2019). Scientific papers
are one of the most familiar texts in which you will find logos. One may also see logos appeals
in videos advertising certain products. The seller wants to appeal to a buyer's ability to think. A
recent YouTube video promoting the new iPhone 11 (Introducing iPhone 11-Apple, 2019) is a
good example. The video has facts about the latest released iPhone 11, such as the phone is
"water-resistant up to two meters for thirty minutes" (Apple, 2019, 0:54). The video presents
facts and data that appeal to the demographic groups Apple is targeting. The video supplies
details and events that appeal to logic or reason.

Ethos refers to the appeal of credibility, morals, values, and ethics. TV ads often use this appeal
when they use well-known spokespersons for marketing commercials. The idea subliminally
suggests that if a well-respected individual uses the product, so should you. Oprah Winfrey is
commonly known as a Weight Watchers spokesperson just as Michael Jordon was once the face
of Wheaties cereal. Advertisements are not the only source using ethos appeals. Former
President Barack Obama's acceptance speech, "Yes, we can." is a call to morals, values, and
ethics. His statement directly addresses terrorism, poverty, climate change, and disease. Obama
states that he will restore the moral standing of America, appealing to those that have hope, seek
peace, and yearn for a better future."(Obama, 2008).

"What is ADHD?"(2019), is an article provided by the Centers for Disease Control. In my

opinion the article incorporates the use of the logos appeal. The CDC is known for supplying
statistics and facts about serious health concerns that citizens of the USA face. The document
presents in an educational format. There were no emotional or moral appeals within the report.
The article was written and did contain several facts associated with the study of ADHD and its
effect on children and adults.
 References:
[Apple]. (2019, September 10). Introducing iPhone 11 — Apple[Video File]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4p6njjPV_o
Harner, R. (2018, April 20). Retrieved from
https://communispond.com/insights/blog/2018/04/20/729/ethos-pathos-and-logos-the-
foundations-of-persuasion/
King, Martin L. “I Have a Dream.” Speech presented at the March on Washington for Jobs and
Freedom, Washington, D.C., August 1968.
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/mlk01.asp.
Mertler, C. A. (2019). The Wiley Handbook of Action Research in Education. Retrieved from
https://books.google.com/books?id=peaGDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA399&ots=SEd9x4mHM
x&dq=scholarly journals describing logos&pg=PA399#v=onepage&q=scholarly journals
describing logos&f=false.
Murthy, M. L., & Ghosal, M. (2014). A STUDY ON ARISTOTLE’S RHETORIC. Research
Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL), 2(4), 249–255. doi:
10.33329/rjelal
Obama, B. “Yes, we can.” Presidential Acceptance Speech presented at Grant Park in Chicago,
Illinois, November 2008. https://americanrhetoric.com/barackobamaspeeches.htm
What is ADHD? (2019, August 26). Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html.