Final answer:
An appeal to ethos relies on building a speaker's credibility and moral character to persuade the audience. Ethos involves the use of the speaker's qualifications, authority, and ethical conviction to establish trust. It is a foundational element of persuasive communication, working alongside logos and pathos.
Step-by-step explanation:
An appeal to ethos calls on the audience to accept the speaker's viewpoint based on his or her character, credibility, and authority on the subject matter. Simply put, by demonstrating that they are trustworthy and ethically sound, speakers or writers convince their audiences to take their messages seriously. Ethos involves highlighting the speaker's qualifications, experience, or shared values with the audience to enhance their credibility.
For instance, in an argument for expanded mental health services, a student may draw upon ethos by citing reliable sources such as data from professional organizations and interviews with qualified experts. By doing so, the writer constructs a foundation of trust, setting the stage for the audience to accept their proposals. Similarly, by emphasizing the expertise of an ethnographer in a paper, the writer appeals to ethos because the ethnographer's authority makes their opinions credible.
Understanding ethos is crucial, as it is one of the pillars of persuasive writing, alongside logos and pathos. Together, these elements form a convincing argument that is ethical, logical, and emotionally engaging to the audience.