THE RHETORICAL TRIANGLE
Every communication is essentially a trilateral (three-point) relationship. Each point of
the triangle influences the others, and all are influenced by the context of the
communication. Each point of the triangle bears some responsibility for the success of
the communication, and each point of the triangle corresponds with one of Aristotle’s
three appeals (general means of persuasion).
LOGOS
(the idea or message)
ETHOS
(form and manner)
PATHOS
(the force and emotion)
LOGOS: Rational appeals
PATHOS: Emotional appeals
Appeal to the logical reasoning
ability of readers:
Facts
Case studies
Statistics
Experiments
Logical reasoning
Analogies
Anecdotes
Authority voices
Appeal to beliefs and feelings of
higher emotions:
Belief in fairness
Love
Pity
Greed
Lust
Revenge
Wrath
Etc.
ETHOS: The sense you (the
author) gives as being
competent, fair, and an
authority
Trustworthiness
Credibility
Reliability
Expert testimony
Reliable sources
Fairness
Ask yourself these questions
about the author/speaker:
Does he know what he is
writing/talking about?
Is he an expert?
Why should I believe him?
Is he a credible source?