MLA Works Cited Example
- 28 April 2019
- 531 words
Rhetorical devices are unique tools that scholars use in their writings or speeches to share their arguments and get valid responses from their audiences. From the times of Ancient Greece, many techniques were expanded after the main types of rhetorical devices, such as logos, ethos, pathos, and kairos, were developed. In particular, these persuasive modes define rhetoric as a subject and a field that people study to make their arguments more convincing. Moreover, scholars, officials, and public speakers in different fields use oratorical techniques since they need to communicate with their audiences. Thus, persuasive modes are devices that people use in different fields to share their arguments on specific situations or issues to be persuasive with their audiences.
General Aspects
Rhetoric takes its roots in Ancient Greece, where many philosophers and speakers used their words and thoughts to lead their people. Basically, ancient Greeks did not have any sources of communication, and they used their words to convince people of what they thought was right. In this case, people developed a field of rhetoric where they used different techniques to persuade their listeners. As a result, they defined the four main rhetorical devices, such as logos, ethos, pathos, and kairos. In turn, modern individuals use their legacy when they want to share their thoughts on a specific situation or issue in different types of papers and get a response from their audiences. Therefore, persuasive devices are techniques that help people to convince others.
What Is a Rhetorical Device and Its Purpose
According to its definition, a rhetorical device is a technique used by speakers and writers to persuade, influence, or please a specific audience. For example, these literary devices encompass different strategies, including figures of speech, repetition, and analogies (Wink, 2021). The main purpose of a rhetorical device is to enhance an overall effectiveness of communication by making arguments more compelling, memorable, and impactful. In this case, metaphors and similes create vivid imagery and make abstract concepts more relatable and easier to understand. Then, alliteration and parallelism can enhance a particular rhythm and flow of a text and make it more engaging. Moreover, hyperbole can exaggerate for emphasis and draw attention to specific aspects of a message. Finally, rhetorical questions stimulate critical thinking and engage a target audience by prompting them to consider a speaker’s perspective. By skillfully employing these techniques, writers and speakers can evoke emotions, reinforce their messages, and persuade their audiences to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action (Geisler, 2016). In turn, the length of assignments on rhetorical devices depends on academic levels and specific writing requirements, while general guidelines are:
High School:
- Length: 1-2 pages
- Word Count: 250-500 words
College (Undergraduate):
- Length: 3-5 pages
- Word Count: 750-1,250 words
University (Bachelor’s):
- Length: 5-7 pages
- Word Count: 1,250-1,750 words
Master’s:
- Length: 10-20 pages
- Word Count: 2,500-5,000 words
Ph.D.:
- Length: 20-30 pages (for a standalone paper; chapters in a dissertation could be much longer)
- Word Count: 5,000-7,500 words (for a standalone paper; chapters in a dissertation could range from 10,000 to 20,000 words)
Importance
Rhetorical devices are important and useful persuasive tools, and people use such modes of communication to persuade their audiences. In particular, a rhetorical device or mode is a technique that people use in their writing or speech when they want to share their claims and prove their standings, covering sentence structures, words, feelings, imagery, and sound of thoughts (Howard, 2018). Although rhetoric includes many techniques, the main types of rhetorical devices are Aristotle’s triangle, such as logos, ethos, pathos, while kairos is another unique element. However, rhetorical devices, such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, humor, anaphora, meiosis, irony, hyperbole, apophasis, metaphor, anacoluthon, chiasmus, anadiplosis, dialogismus, allegory, eutrepismus, hypophora, expeditio, antiphrasis, asterismos, and others, are also useful when it comes to the organization of thoughts and structure of writing to catch the hearts and minds of the audience (Howard, 2018). Hence, oratorical modes are important techniques that people use to organize their writing to get a desired response.
Types
| Type | Definition |
|---|---|
| Alliteration | Similar repetition of initial consonant sounds. |
| Anaphora | Repetition of a single word or phrase at the beginning of clauses. |
| Antithesis | Juxtaposition of contrasting concepts in balanced phrases. |
| Hyperbole | Some statements not meant to be taken literally. |
| Metaphor | Comparison without using “like” or “as.” |
| Simile | Comparison using “like” or “as.” |
| Parallelism | Use of some components in a sentence that are grammatically the same. |
| Rhetorical Question | A question asked for effect, not requiring an answer. |
| Oxymoron | Two opposite concepts are joined to create an effect. |
| Personification | A direct attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman. |
| Understatement | Presentation of something as being smaller or less important than it actually is. |
| Irony | Expression of meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite. |
| Euphemism | Mild or indirect word substituted for one considered too harsh. |
| Onomatopoeia | Word that phonetically imitates the sound it describes. |
| Chiasmus | Two or more clauses are balanced against each other by a particular reversal of their structures. |
| Apostrophe | Addressing a nonexistent person or an abstract idea as if it were present and capable of understanding. |
| Litotes | Ironical understatement where an affirmative is expressed by a negative of its contrary. |
| Metonymy | Substitution of a particular name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant. |
| Logos | Appeal to logic and reason. |
| Pathos | Appeal to emotions. |
| Ethos | Appeal to credibility and character. |
| Kairos | Appeal to a specific timeliness and appropriateness of an argument. |
How to Choose
To decide which rhetorical devices to use, people consider their communication goal, audience, context, and ensure a chosen element enhances clarity and impact without overwhelming or confusing a central message. For example, the main elements of a rhetorical device include a specific technique used (such as metaphor or alliteration), a particular purpose it serves (to persuade, inform, or entertain), and a unique effect it has on a target audience’s perception and understanding (Wink, 2021). Moreover, the most effective rhetorical device varies depending on a specific context, audience, and purpose of an overall communication, but often metaphors are highly impactful as they create vivid imagery and make complex ideas more relatable. As such, to find a rhetorical choice, people evaluate their message’s purpose and audience, then select a specific tool that best aligns with and enhances an overall effectiveness of their communication (Klebanov et al., 2017). In turn, some basic steps on how to choose a rhetorical device are:
- Define Your Objective: Determine what exactly you want to achieve with your message, whether it is to persuade, inform, entertain, or motivate your audience.
- Know Your Audience: Understand who your audience is, including their demographics, interests, and what appeals to them.
- Consider a Setting: Take into account a specific environment and circumstances in which your message will be delivered, including cultural and situational factors.
- Focus on Your Main Point: Identify a key message or argument you want to communicate to ensure a rhetorical device you choose supports this point.
- Determine an Appropriate Tone: Decide on a specific tone of your message, whether it should be serious, light-hearted, formal, or informal, and select a device that complements this tone.
- Review Various Devices: Explore different rhetorical devices and their typical effects to find one that best fits your objective and audience.
- Align With Your Content: Choose a literary tool that enhances your content and fits naturally within your message, ensuring it does not feel forced or out of place.
- Check for Clarity: Ensure a rhetorical device you choose makes your message clearer and more impactful, avoiding any potential confusion.
- Get Feedback: Share your choice with others to gather feedback on its effectiveness and make adjustments if necessary.
- Be Ready to Adjust: Be flexible and willing to change your choice if it does not produce a desired effect, ensuring your message remains effective.
Logos
A particular type of rhetorical device, like logos, appeals to logic as a way to catch a reader’s attention. Because human minds are complex, some people perceive logic and reason as main sources of arguments. Basically, logos is a mode of persuasion that uses logic and reason to convince people that an author’s claim is true by using statistics, data, facts, statements of well-known thinkers, and other aspects (Varpio, 2018). In this case, when readers see numbers or facts from other credible sources, they can accept observed arguments of an author or speaker. As such, logos is one of the rhetorical devices that refer to logic and reason. In turn, some examples of logos rhetorical devices are:
| Context | Example | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Statistical Evidence | “According to the CDC, vaccines have reduced the incidence of polio by 99% worldwide.” | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Historical Data | “The Great Depression of the 1930s serves as a warning of the dangers of unregulated financial markets.” | John Kenneth Galbraith, The Great Crash 1929 |
| Scientific Research | “Studies show that regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 30%.” | American Heart Association |
| Logical Reasoning | “If all humans are mortal, and Socrates is human, then Socrates is mortal.” | Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics |
| Cause and Effect | “Smoking cigarettes leads to lung cancer, as evidenced by numerous medical studies over the past decades.” | National Cancer Institute |
| Economic Analysis | “Implementing a carbon tax can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating financial incentives for businesses to adopt cleaner technologies.” | The Economist |
| Comparative Statistics | “Countries with higher literacy rates tend to have lower crime rates, indicating a strong correlation between education and societal well-being.” | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) |
| Expert Testimony | “Dr. Smith, a leading cardiologist, states that a diet high in saturated fats increases the risk of heart disease.” | Dr. John Smith, American Heart Journal |
| Quantitative Data | “Over the past five years, the company’s profits have increased by 15% annually, demonstrating consistent growth.” | Annual Financial Report of XYZ Corporation |
| Empirical Evidence | “Experimental results from a controlled study show that participants who meditated daily experienced a significant decrease in stress levels compared to those who did not.” | Journal of Psychological Research |
Pathos
One of the types of rhetorical devices is pathos, and it is a technique that appeals to the reader’s emotions. Since humans are unique beings, they have feelings and emotions. In particular, pathos is a mode of persuasion that covers a sense of sympathy or anger toward a specific claim or situation (McGuigan et al., 2016). Hence, pathos is an emotional appeal to human needs, values, or other social aspects when authors or speakers use specific issues that are close to the hearts of a target audience. Moreover, an argument or claim can include some interviews or statements of well-known persons to provide a sense of reality. As a result, pathos as a rhetorical device can be used to cover a specific situation or issue by using feelings and emotions. In turn, some examples of pathos rhetorical devices are:
| Context | Example | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Anecdote | “When my father passed away from cancer, I realized the importance of funding cancer research.” | Jane Doe, Personal Story |
| Vivid Imagery | “Imagine the heartache of a child going to bed hungry every night.” | UNICEF Advertisement |
| Emotional Appeal | “If we don’t act now, we are leaving a world of despair for our children.” | Climate Change Campaign |
| Compelling Narratives | “Her story of survival against all odds is a testament to human resilience.” | Human Interest Article |
| Evocative Language | “The sight of the devastated town was a heartbreaking reminder of the disaster’s toll.” | News Report on Natural Disasters |
| Appeal to Sympathy | “These abandoned pets need your help to find a loving home.” | Animal Shelter Flyer |
| Tragic Examples | “Stories of families torn apart by war illustrate the urgent need for peace.” | International Peace Organization |
| Appeal to Fear | “Without immediate action, millions could face the threat of famine.” | World Food Programme |
| Inspiring Quotes | “‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’ – Franklin D. Roosevelt” | Historical Speech |
| Appeal to Values | “Supporting education for all children reflects our commitment to equality and opportunity.” | Educational Non-Profit Organization |
Ethos
Ethos, as a rhetorical device, covers a sense of an actual credibility of a central argument and its moral aspects. Although many people have their own positions on different issues, ethical aspects of one side or another are also important. For example, ethos is used not only to convince an intended audience in the fact that an author or speaker of a speech writing is a credible source but also to implement claims of other well-known persons, covering ethical sides (Wink, 2021). In other words, readers can consider a particular education or credentials of authors or speakers, including shared arguments of famous people. Besides, a target audience can trust the statements of these individuals or other credible sources. Hence, ethos is useful when it comes to a situation when a person uses his or her own character or credentials of well-known people and their positions to convince a defined audience. In turn, some examples of ethos rhetorical devices are:
| Context | Example | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Expertise | “As a doctor with over 20 years of experience, I can assure you this treatment is effective.” | Dr. Jane Doe, Medical Journal |
| Personal Experience | “Having lived through the Great Depression, I understand the importance of financial security.” | John Doe, Autobiography |
| Citing Credentials | “With a PhD in Environmental Science, I have studied climate change extensively.” | Dr. Emily Smith, Climate Science Today |
| Association With Reputable Institutions | “As a professor at Harvard University, I have conducted significant research in this field.” | Professor James Wilson, Harvard University |
| Endorsements | “This product is recommended by the American Dental Association.” | American Dental Association |
| Reputation | “Widely regarded as a pioneer in technology, Elon Musk’s innovations have transformed industries.” | Technology Review |
| Moral Character | “As a humanitarian who has worked in refugee camps, I believe in the importance of aiding those in need.” | Dr. Sarah Johnson, Human Rights Quarterly |
| Years of Service | “With over three decades of experience in law enforcement, I understand the complexities of public safety.” | Chief Robert Miller, Police Department |
| Awards and Recognitions | “Nobel Prize winner Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn has made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of medicine.” | Nobel Prize Committee |
| Professional Affiliations | “As a member of the National Academy of Sciences, I am committed to advancing scientific knowledge.” | Dr. Alan Brown, National Academy of Sciences |
Kairos
Since human society changes its rules and norms, rhetorical devices, like logos, pathos, and ethos, may vary from time to time. In other words, some arguments may take a particular logic, emotion, or credibility and ethical sides only in a specific time frame. Basically, a rhetorical device, like kairos, covers time frames as a mode of persuasion. For instance, kairos means a method that takes its roots from a specific time as a source of arguments or actions (Howard, 2018). Because this rhetorical device stands that a concept of time is a particular source for an argument or action, many people refer to a specific timeframe of changes, which means kairos. Therefore, kairos is a method that is applied to a specific time of events or other important aspects and used to claim new changes. In turn, some examples of kairos rhetorical devices are:
| Context | Example | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Urgency in Call to Action | “Now is the time to act before it’s too late to reverse climate change.” | Climate Change Activist |
| Timeliness in Marketing | “Get your flu shot before the flu season starts to protect yourself and your loved ones.” | Healthcare Provider |
| Political Timing | “With the upcoming elections, now is the perfect time to discuss policy changes that can benefit everyone.” | Political Campaign Speech |
| Cultural Relevance | “In light of recent events, it’s crucial that we address the issue of racial inequality.” | Civil Rights Leader |
| Seasonal Campaigns | “Take advantage of our summer sale before the season ends!” | Retail Advertisement |
| Crisis Response | “In the wake of the recent disaster, immediate aid is essential to help those affected.” | Humanitarian Organization |
| Historic Moment | “As we commemorate the anniversary of the moon landing, we must continue to invest in space exploration.” | NASA Statement |
| Current Trends | “With the rise of remote work, investing in home office equipment has never been more important.” | Technology Company |
| Event-Driven Appeal | “During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, your donation can make a significant difference in research and support.” | Health Organization |
| Economic Timing | “Given the current economic downturn, now is the time to consider investing in stable assets.” | Financial Advisor |
Other Rhetorical Devices
There are many other techniques that people can use to persuade their audiences. In this case, persuasive devices are different in their forms, while they are parts of the main types. For example, humor makes people happier, while it is a part of pathos (Wink, 2021). When authors use humor as jokes, they can get sympathy from their audiences. In turn, metaphor is used when people want to explain their new ideas based on clear words or concepts to illustrate that their arguments are valid, and it can include logos, ethos, and kairos (McGuigan et al., 2016). Thus, the main types of rhetorical devices define corresponding techniques that scholars use, while other modes strengthen their arguments.
Common Mistakes
- Overuse: Relying too heavily on rhetorical devices can overwhelm an intended audience and weaken a main message.
- Inappropriate Context: Using a rhetorical device that does not fit a specific context or audience can confuse or alienate listeners.
- Misalignment With Tone: Choosing a device that clashes with an overall tone of a central message can make a whole communication seem disjointed or insincere.
- Lack of Clarity: Some rhetorical devices can complicate a main message, making it harder for a target audience to understand.
- Forced Usage: Incorporating a literary tool unnaturally can disrupt an overall flow and make a central message unclear.
- Redundancy: Repeating a same device too often can become monotonous and lessen its impact.
- Inaccuracy: Misusing a rhetorical device, such as an incorrect analogy or metaphor, can undermine credibility.
- Clichés: Using tired and overused literary tools can make a main message seem unoriginal.
- Ignoring Audience: Failing to consider how an intended audience will perceive a literary device can lead to miscommunication.
- Overcomplication: Adding too many rhetorical devices can clutter a central message and distract from key points.
Summing Up
Rhetorical devices are techniques that people use when it comes to rhetoric. Because all humans are different, they use many persuasive modes united by a rhetorical triangle, such as logos, ethos, and pathos, while kairos covers a unique concept of time. Specifically, these modes refer to logic, emotions, ethical sides, and time as ways to get a response from people. Moreover, other rhetorical devices can be used to expand central arguments with more bright concepts, like humor or metaphor, in comparison to simple claims. In other words, a particular success of arguments depends on oratorical appeals and a specific way of how they are used. Thus, rhetorical devices strengthen arguments, making claims more convincing.
References
Geisler, C. (2016). Current and emerging methods in the rhetorical analysis of texts – Opening: Toward an integrated approach. Journal of Writing Research, 7(3), 417–424. https://doi.org/10.17239/jowr-2016.07.03.05
Howard, G. T. (2018). A glossary of rhetorical terms: Second Edition. Xlibris Corporation.
Klebanov, B. B., Ramineni, C., Kaufer, D., Yeoh, P., & Ishizaki, S. (2017). Advancing the validity argument for standardized writing tests using quantitative rhetorical analysis. Language Testing, 36(1), 125–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265532217740752
McGuigan, B., Moliken, P., & Grudzina, D. (2016). Rhetorical devices: A handbook and activities for student writers. Prestwick House.
Varpio, L. (2018). Using rhetorical appeals to credibility, logic, and emotions to increase your persuasiveness. Perspectives on Medical Education, 7(3), 207–210. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-018-0420-2
Wink, K. A. (2021). Rhetorical strategies for composition: Cracking an academic code. Rowman & Littlefield.
