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Do you ever need to convince someone of something?
You may want someone to do:
Agree with you
Take an action
Buy a product
The 3 appeals of persuasion can help:
Ethos (credibility)
Pathos (emotion)
Logos (facts)
Ethos
Establish your character and credibility in the subject.
Gain built-in credibility by highlighting your related expertise or credentials, such as an advanced degree, certification, or years of experience in the subject.
Establish credibility by citing expert sources, sharing similarities with your audience, or having an expert endorse you.
Quiz
You are listening to a presentation on climate change. Which of the following accomplishments by the speaker is an example of built-in ethos that will help them establish credibility?
Having an advanced degree or many years of experience can only build credibility when they are related to the subject being discussed. Although Wikipedia can be a great source for an overview on the topic, direct research from an expert has more credibility.
Pathos
Get an emotional reaction from your audience.
Show an image or video that illustrates the consequences of inaction or the benefits of action.
Use analogies and metaphors to compare your ideas to something they already feel strongly about.
Tell a story to make your audience feel a strong emotion, such as excitement, sadness, or anger.
Use descriptive words to make your audience see, hear, smell, taste, or feel your words
Pathos can be powerful, but don't overuse it.
It could backfire and elicit the opposite emotion.
Quiz
You want your roommates to help clean the apartment. Which of these is an example of a pathos appeal?
Using descriptive language (smells) with an analogy (like a pig sty) is a great way to evoke emotion. The others are facts that can still contribute to the discussion, but are not based on pathos.
Did you know?
This Byte was created by a volunteer professional that wanted to share this insight to help you succeed - no agenda, no cost.
Logos
Support your claims with facts and figures.
Showing how much you know about the topic also helps build credibility.
Appeal to people's logic:
Share statistics from a credible source
Show a graph of results or trends
Cite supporting research
Share case studies with outcomes
Quiz
You're asking your boss to purchase new software. Which of the following is an example of a Logos appeal?
Logos deals with facts, such as a measurable increase in productivity. How it makes you feel and your experience with the new software may still persuade your boss, but they are not examples of a Logos appeal.
Take Action
Next time you need to persuade someone, ask yourself 3 questions:
This Byte has been authored by
Kitzzy Avilés
Instructional Designer, Leader and Facilitator
Master's Degree