So far, we've looked at how writers cause the audience toperceive them (ethos) and how they try to create an emotional reaction(pathos). We have one last appeal to consider: logos.
Scholars of rhetoric have defined logos in a lot of different ways. Forour purposes, we'll use Wysocki’s definition: 'the reason andstructure in arguments' (82). To rephrase, logos focuses on howa rhetor organizes the points in his or her piece, as well as the way thosepoints are supported.
There are a lot of ways to structure a piece of writing, based on how aparticular language encourages users to organize information. The tablebelow lists some common patterns for English.For more information on many of thesepatterns, click on it. Many others exist; check a book on writing for other possibilities.
Introducing Logos & More Than
Problem/Solution[1] | |
Question/Answer[2] | |
Enumeration[3] | Pro/Con[4] |
Introducing Logos & More Logo
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These patterns can fit inside each other.An essay comparing two ideas, for example,could contain descriptive paragraph within an overall comparison pattern.
Introduction to Logos What you’ll learn to do: recognize and evaluate appeals to logos When you evaluate an appeal to logos, you consider how logical the argument is and how well-supported it is in terms of evidence.
If you want to use a less detailed set of categories,determine whether a point is set up deductively or inductively.A deductivepattern starts by stating theclaim, then developing it with evidence. Think back to the number oftimes you have been told to start a paragraph with a topic sentence. Whenever you did so, you constructed a deductive pattern. AcademicEnglish tends to favor this pattern.Inductivepatterns reverse this order: the writer starts by giving evidence, which leadsto the claim. Suppose I took a poll of my College Composition classes andfound out that everyone is in their first year of college. From thisevidence, I inductively reason that most College Composition students arefreshmen. While Academic English tends to favor deductive patterns,either pattern can be effective.
To analyze the logos of a piece, construct an outline. Start by making apoint on the outline for each paragraph, summarizing its main idea in a phraseor sentence. Under each of these points, list the type of support: examples,scenarios, cases, facts, statistics, analogies, and specific details. Youcan also mark the pattern(s) of development used in the paragraph, or indicate whetherit's set up inductively or deductively. Once you have this structure, seeif you can group points into larger sections, possibly by pattern ofdevelopment or deductive/inductive approach. Finally, think about whetherthat arrangement and types of evidence seem appropriate for the targetaudience.Young adults may be swayed tobuy a car by scenarios making the driver seem cool.Parents, on the other hand, may find safetystatistics more impressive.
[1] Aproblem/solution pattern presents a problem first, then gives a solution.
[2] Aquestion/answer pattern starts with a question, which the rest of the sectionanswers.
[3]Enumeration patterns use number cues to key readers into the organization.For example, the thesis statement “there arethree types of students at this school” keys readers into an enumerationpattern.The major sections of the bodyprobably start with words or phrases like “first,” “second,” and “third.”
[4] Apro/con pattern presents the positive then the negative sides of a topic.It can be reversed.