I wanted to focus this week’s post on what I feel is the
most overlooked of the appeals in writing.
I personally had a harder time understanding this concept compared to
the others. It can also be difficult to
identify the ethos appeals in the arguments of others, because they are often
very subtle or implied.
The aspect of ethos in an argument represents the writer’s
values, character and credibility. For
an argument to be effective, the audience must have an appreciation for the
writer’s authority, integrity, motives, and intelligence. An argument can fall flat on its face if the
writer fails to demonstrate these characteristics to an appropriate level, or
if something negative becomes widely known that would counteract the message in
a given argument (imagine Ron Blagojevich doing a public service announcement
on the importance of integrity and honesty).
How to utilize ethos in academic writings:
It’s important to impress upon your
audience that you know enough information about a subject to deserve their
attention. It’s useful to relay personal
experiences that connect you to the subject.
Anticipate audience need to understand who you are and what gives you
the right to discuss the subject. It
also helps to write with a confident voice and use expressions of certainty
rather than possibility.
- Establishing credibility – the writer’s honesty, values, and likeability
Claiming authority on a subject is
a good start to establishing credibility.
There is also an important visual aspect to effective arguments. In text, compositions need to be arranged in
a way that conveys the message clearly.
Citing references, making footnotes, and including charts and graphs when
appropriate will also make one’s claim more credible. Another method is to use humor as a means of
establishing a rapport with the audience and putting them at ease. Additionally, one can show respect for the
audience by addressing the objections you would expect them to raise. Even admitting your limitations in knowledge
on a subject can help shape your credibility.
- Coming clean about motives – whose interests are you serving?
A skeptical audience will want to
know why you are arguing your position – what’s in it for you? It’s a good idea to remember this strategy
when your argument could appear to have ulterior motives or may result in
benefitting yourself or some group to which you belong. Remember to explain the reasons why you are
arguing in favor of your position, and avoid the suspicions of those who
otherwise might assume the worst about you.
Ethos in visual arguments
Brand names, company slogans and logos, and even clothing
contain a visual argument that represents the positive characteristics of the
entity being referenced. A truck with a
Ford symbol on it can be trusted to have been “built Ford tough.” A bicycle with a name like Cannondale or
Giant printed on its frame will be assumed to be more valuable than one that
says “Mongoose.” And when you see
someone with an employee uniform at the ASU bookstore, you know you they are
probably reliable enough to tell you where to find the graphing
calculators.
I wanted to show this self-portrait of a famous painter
named Albrecht Durer, which I recently learned about in my art history
class.
 |
| Look closely at the signature below the windowsill. |
The posturing and elegant clothing are intended to impress
upon the audience the class and style that this man saw himself as having. But what I actually wanted to point out was
the little monogram that he created out of his initials:
He placed this mark on many, if not all, of his works. It’s almost as if he intended to create a
brand name for himself. Anyone familiar
with the name would see this symbol, and view the work of art with an
appreciation not only for the art itself, but also for the reputation of the
artist. The symbol represents Durer's values for precision and quality, and reminds the audience of his authority over the subject of painting.
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