Three Common Uses for Rhetoric

A few days ago I posted an article introducing the modes of persuasion: Logos (Logic), Pathos (Pathology), and Ethos (Ethics). Today I would like to explore this topic further by discussing situations in which each of these elements might be utilized and how to utilize them in an effective manner. Weather you are speaking to a friend, giving a speech, or writing an academic paper each of these modes can be mobilized in different manners to captivate an audience today I would like to discuss these three examples.

Speaking with a friend (casual conversations): When engaging in casual conversations with others there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. First, we need to realize that most individuals are very insecure about their ideological beliefs and their perceived intellect. Second, many people are somewhat self serving in their worldview. Third, many people feel like they deserve some degree of entitlement.

As a result, engaging in casual conversations with others using overly technical or formal language is likely to be perceived as condescending and perhaps even offensive to some people. Similarly, being too matter of fact can be perceived as cold and detached. Therefore, when having a casual conversation with another person one should take care to appeal to the emotions and interests of the audience.

Some tips:

• Avoid using overly logical statements or reasoning as this might be off putting to some.
• Avoid being condescending or overly authoritative because many will find this offensive.
• While appealing to logos or ethos do so through a filter of pathos; or in other words, make sure that it is clear that the argument you are presenting is in the interest of the audience.
• Incorporate figurative speech and artistic flourishes in your language, this should appeal to aesthetic sensibilities of the audience, it also allows you to create more memorable statements.

Writing an academic paper (academic): In many ways an academic paper is the opposite of an casual conversation. While cold logic and authoritative speech is off putting in a casual conversation, it is the purpose of an academic paper to present information in a clear, concise, and authoritative manner. Using figurative language might obfuscate the the meaning of your arguments and statements; furthermore, overly flowery language might be seen as to informal to some and actually detract from the content of your paper.

To this end, academic rhetoric should be oriented towards providing the audience with information in straightforward and easy to understand manner. It should display the writers level of knowledge on the subject matter while making the knowledge accessible to others.

Academic Tips:

• Structure the paper in an easy to follow logical manner; ex: Thesis > Supporting Arguments > Supporting details.
• Stand on the shoulders of giants; gain credibility through by citing and referencing established, credible sources.
• Be clear, concise, and avoid using overly ambivalent language.

Public Speaking (Speeches): While effective conversation skills seems to be dependent on our ability to relate to others (pathos), and effective academic writing skills dependent on your ability to present logical information (logos); effective speech skills is dependent on your ability to convince the audience that you have their best interest in mind (ethos).

While establishing ethos is the primary goal of public speaking; I believe there is a degree of flexibility to how the speaker utilizes Pathos and Logos. For instance, there are some effective public speakers that are very “matter-of-fact” and straight forward, while others make use of wild metaphors and figurative speech. To some extent this is dependent on the audience and your personality; a more formal audience may require more formal speech, while your poor attempts at humor might offend some. To this end, public speaking requires knowledge of your audience, knowledge of yourself, and knowledge of the subject that you are presenting on. It is also a creative process that requires experimentation and experience before you will completely understand what works well for you.

Public Speaking Tips:

• Know your audience, know yourself, and know your subject matter; in public speaking knowledge of these subject will allow you to confidently present to an audience.
• Develop your own style. As stated prior, public speaking allows for a degree of flexibility in how you present to the audience. In this regard, individuals should find a style of speech delivery that they find most effective.
• Practice giving speeches. You can practice your speech delivery by speaking to yourself in a mirror. You can also practice in front of mock audiences in order to get some feedback. Public speaking requires a great deal of confidence, so it is important that you practice to become more comfortable with it.

Casual conversations, academic writing, and public speaking are forms of communication that are somewhat analogous to the modes of persuasion in that each tend to focus on specific elements of rhetoric. However, ultimately it is up to the individual to use their creativity to mix up the styles and find one that works best for them.