Argument Vocab

emotional, ethical, and logical arguments used to persuade an audience to agree with the writer or speaker

• ethos

• logos

• pathos

• rhetorical appeals

an interesting quotation, anecdote, or example at the beginning of a piece of writing that grabs the reader’s attention

• credibility

• fallacy

• hook

• reasoning

a position statement (or thesis) that asserts an idea or makes an argument for a specific position

• bias

• argument

• claim

• counterclaim

a slanted attitude of either preferring or disliking something

• bias

• audience

• credibility

• rhetorical appeals

(logical appeal) a rhetorical appeal that uses factual evidence and logic to appeal to the audience’s sense of reason

• ethos

• logos

• pathos

• rhetorical appeals

(ethical appeal) a rhetorical appeal that focuses on ethics, or the character or qualifications of the speaker

• ethos

• logos

• pathos

• rhetorical appeals

(emotional appeal) a rhetorical appeal to the reader’s or listener’s senses or emotions

• ethos

• logos

• pathos

• rhetorical appeals

the thinking or logic used to make a claim in an argument

• evidence

• reasoning

• logos

• refutation

an admission in an argument that the opposing side has valid points

• counterclaim

• bias

• concession

• refutation

the quality of being trusted or believed

• bias

• ethos

• hook

• credibility