Page 477 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

and Persuasion

Much of what we believe today about effective persuasion and

argument comes to us from the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle.

Aristotle identified three elements of an argument: ethos, pathos, and

logos. Look at these ideas one by one to see what an ancient Greek

philosopher has to say about your writing in the twenty-first century.

Ethos (eeth-ahse or eeth-ohse), according to Aristotle, involves the

reputation and image of the writer. Ethos is the root of the English

words ethics and ethical. What does this have to do with writing in the

modern world? Everything. Readers want to know that your reputation
and the reputation of any sources you use as references are ones (or

one) of honesty and reliability. That is why it is important to write

honestly and not twist your words or anyone else’s to suit your

purpose. That’s why it’s important, when you research a topic, to

choose sources carefully rather than just grabbing the first few
sources that come up in an Internet search. The stronger the

reputation of your sources, the stronger your paper will be.

Ethos also has to do with the image you project as a writer, the way

you present yourself. Writers project a poor image when they don’t

proofread or when they use poor grammar and careless spelling. Their
images suffer when they try to cover up lack of knowledge and

understanding with long words or when they do not put sufficient

thought into their writing. Your reader’s acceptance of you as a

credible writer will strengthen if you put the necessary thought into