Elements of an Argument

1
Elements of an Argument
2
Rhetorical Triangle
pathos
ethos
audience
speaker
message
logos
3
The Appeals

• pathos emotional appeal stirs strong feelings
  within the audience
• logos logical appeal constructs a message of a
  well-reasoned argument
• ethos ethical appeal establishes credibility
  and authority of speaker

4
How do I identify pathos?

• Connotative diction
• Diction
• Imagery
• Figurative language (metaphor, personification,
  hyperbole, etc. )
• Carefully-crafted syntax (sentence structure)
• Personal anecdotes (experiences or stories)

5
How do I identify logos?

• Facts
• Statistics
• Research
• Referring to experts
• Cause effect

6
How do I identify ethos?

• Stating qualifications for expertise
• Using first person plural pronouns (we)
• Citing relevant authorities
• Citing relevant allusions

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More parts to the construction of an argument
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• Call to action the action the speaker or writer
  is persuading the audience or reader to take
• Claim debatable controversial statement the
  speaker or writer intends to prove with evidence
• Commentary connecting the evidence to the claim
  (How does evidence support claim?)
• Concession respectful acknowledgement of
  opposing viewpoint

9

• Hook the beginning of a persuasive essay meant
  to capture the readers attention (quote,
  profound statement, imagery, etc.)
• Evidence support for writers claim (examples,
  anecdotes, facts, statistics, research, etc.)
• Thesis a sentence that expresses the writers
  position on a certain topic
• Qualifier puts limits on a claim (usually,
  sometimes, in most cases, etc.)

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Constructing an Argument
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• 1. Introduction
• a. Hook
• b. Thesis
• 2. Body Paragraph 1
• a. Claim
• b. Evidence
• c. Commentary
• Body Paragraph 2
• a. Claim
• b. Evidence
• c. Commentary
• 4. Body Paragraph 3
• a. Claim
• b. Evidence
• c. Commentary
• 5. Conclusion
• a. Refutation (slight CONCESSION)
• b. Make it memorable (CALL TO ACTION)

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Terms of Concessions

• I concede that however,
• Yes, but
• I recognize that , but I must point out that
• While I agree that, we must remember that
• Although I understand that, I still believe
  that