Rhetoric and Argumentative Writing — Flashcards

Grade 10 · English · Flashcards

Master rhetorical appeals and logical fallacies for Grade 10 English.

Flashcards

Rhetoric: The art of persuasion — finding the best available means to convince a specific audience.
Ethos: Credibility appeal: expertise, trustworthiness, and shared values with the audience.
Logos: Logic appeal: evidence, statistics, facts, and sound reasoning.
Pathos: Emotional appeal: stories, imagery, and connections to values the audience holds.
Kairos: The right timing and context for an argument — when the audience is most receptive.
Ad hominem: Fallacy: attacking the person, not the argument — irrelevant to the validity of their claim.
False dilemma: Fallacy: presenting only two options when more exist (either/or fallacy).
Slippery slope: Fallacy: claiming one action inevitably leads to extreme outcomes without evidence for each step.
Straw man: Fallacy: misrepresenting an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack.
Appeal to authority: Fallacy: citing a non-expert as proof (a celebrity endorsing a drug, not a doctor).
Counterargument: An opposing viewpoint; addressing it fairly strengthens your ethos and logos.
Claim: The central argument or position being defended in a persuasive piece.
Evidence: Facts, statistics, expert testimony, or examples that support a claim (core of logos).