Giving Students Language for Ethos/Pathos/Logos

Teachers have explained and defined these terms in classes but students might still be at a loss to
see them as features in a text or have language to have conversations about them. Students’ final
drafts might be required to use the more formal, academic language of the terms Ethos /Pathos
/Logos, but the questions below, in everyday language, will help them get to that point.
Use these like a menu of options, choose one or several to use as livewrites. The questions that
come first are meant to do some scaffolding, allowing folks to think in general. The later
questions are about the specific texts you are analyzing. In the brackets are good lens candidates
you could use as well.
“Ethos” – [Audience]
“What makes you trust someone talking about a subject?”
“What do you think makes someone an expert?”
“Who would you trust to speak on this subject?”
“Why should we listen to this person on this subject?”
“What knowledge or experience does this person have with this subject?”
“Why do you think this person feels they can speak on this subject?”
“How does this subject personally affect this person?”
“What notable things has this person done?”
“What kind of education does this person have?”
“Pathos” – [Play-by-Play]
“How would you make someone care about a subject?”
“How would you make someone angry about a subject?”
“What are your own experiences with this subject?”
“What emotions is this person trying to make you feel?”
“Where do you feel they were trying make a personal connection with you?”
“Where do you feel they were trying to appeal to your own experiences?”
“Where does this text reveal the person’s anger?
“Where does this text reveal the person’s sadness?
“Where does this text reveal the person’s regret?
“Where does this text reveal the person’s humor?
“Where did they try to connect to your sense of pity?”
“Where did they try to connect to your sense of what is right or wrong?”
“Where did they try to connect to your sense of justice?”
“Where do you feel they were trying to make you laugh?”
“Logos” – [ 2-Step / Skeleton Feedback]
“Highlight where they define something.”
“Highlight where they give history or context for this subject.”
“Highlight where they explain something.”
“Highlight where they give a reason”
“Highlight where they offer a choice.”
“Highlight where they give an example.”
“Highlight where they make a comparison.”
“What parts have they broken the topic into?”
“What do they talk about first?”
“What do they end with?”
“What order do they talk about things?”