Logos, the logical appeal, focuses on persuading the audience on the basis of sound reasoning/logic. In this example, your friend’s ethos is not sufficient for you to be persuaded of the claim. Thinking through what you know about your friend’s approach to writing, then, you may question the claim that she is an excellent writer, one you would want to trust (at least in comparison to other people, such as a Writing Center consultant) to help you. Your friend tends to get stressed working on papers at the last minute, and even if she scores well on an assignment, there is little enjoyment throughout the process or enthusiasm for the finished work. On the one hand, you appreciate your friend’s offer, but on the other, you know this friend tends to procrastinate on projects, leaving little time to go through all of the stages of the writing process herself (particularly planning, revising, and editing) to ensure a successful product.
Imagine, for example, that you were seeking help with writing a paper for a class, and one of your friends offered to assist you, claiming she was an excellent writer and could discuss with you some brainstorming strategies for how to begin. In order for your audience to be persuaded to accept your claim, they must believe that you are a trustworthy person who can knowledgeably speak or write on the matter. The first appeal-ethos, known as the ethical appeal-pertains to establishing your credibility and authority on the subject you are arguing about. Each appeal contributes unique support to an argument, and rarely are they used in isolation most often at least two, if not all three, of the appeals are used together. When determining what kinds of evidence you will need to support your reasons (and thus your claim), you may find it helpful to start with the three classic rhetorical appeals: ethos, logos, and pathos.