Establishing Ethos/Credibility
Introduction
Ethos can be defined as a rhetorical appeal to an audience based on the speaker/writer’s credibility. This is when the audience determines whether or not the author’s work can be deemed credible.
Establishing ethos in your own writing is all about using credibility—either your own or that of your sources—in order to be persuasive. Essentially, ethos is about believability. Will your audience find you believable? What can you do to ensure that they do?
You can establish ethos—or credibility—in two basic ways: you can use or build your own credibility on a topic, or you can use credible sources, which, in turn, builds your credibility as a writer.
Credibility is extremely important in building an argument, so, even if you don’t have a lot of built-in credibility or experience with a topic, it’s important for you to work on your credibility by integrating the credibility of others into your argument.
Aristotle argued that ethos was the most powerful of the modes of persuasion, and while you may disagree, you can’t discount its power. After all, think about the way advertisers use ethos to get us to purchase products. Taylor Swift sells us music, and LeBron James sells us basketball. Their fame, names, and expertise are selling us products.
Considerations for Building Ethos
Logos is the logical development of the message, pathos is the emotional appeals employed by the speaker, and ethos is the moral character of the speaker as perceived by the audience. Our focus on credibility relates to ethos, the ethical character and competence of the speaker. To build credibility you want to focus on three stages: (1) Initial credibility is what the audience knows and their opinion prior to the speech, (2) Derived (during) credibility is how the audience perceives you while delivering the speech, and (3) Terminal is the lasting impression that the audience has of you as they leave the speech.
Building Initial Credibility
Here we look at who you are as a person; what the audience knows about your expertise and whether the audience thinks you are trustworthy. You may think about initial credibility as your personal branding: who you are and what you audience knows about you. Your reputation may precede you but if it does not, you may rely on an introduction prior to the speech. Often a host or moderator will introduce you and provide relevant information about your background. If there is no moderator to provide an introduction, you may include a brief self-introduction about yourself as it relates to the topic and your motivation for speaking. Building initial credibility helps prepare the audience for what is to come during the speech.
Building Derived Credibility
This is where you want to look at how the audience perceives you during the speech. You derive credibility during the speech by what you do. Your credibility with the audience derives from how the audience responds to what you wear, the words you use, your delivery, and in general the way you handle yourself during the speech. If you use strong supporting evidence and explain it to the audience, you will enhance your perceived competence. If you communicate sincerely and honestly with the audience, you will enhance the perception of your character. If you speak confidently and assertively, while demonstrating a genuine concern for the audience, you will increase your credibility with the audience.
Another important aspect of credibility during the speech is your ability to establish common ground with the audience. You can establish common ground by sharing aspects of your background that are similar to the audience. You may also establish common ground through the selection of examples that you and the audience share in experience.
Establish common ground by creating a bond with the audience that will help the audience identify with you. For example, “I am like you, I share your concerns. ” The audience is more likely to trust a speaker that they feel they know and who knows them.
Terminal Credibility
As a speaker, you want to build a rapport with the audience so they leave with as good or a better impression of you than when you began your speech. Rapport occurs when two or more people feel that they are in sync or on the same wavelength because they feel similarly or relate well to each other. In a sense, what you send out—the audience sends back. For example, they may realize they share similar values, beliefs, knowledge, or behaviors around sports or politics as you deliver your speech and regard you more favorably than before you started your speech. You can build credibility for your next speech by establishing rapport with the audience. If you are honest and ethical with your audience and share your values and beliefs, you establish a rapport that will carry over beyond the speech.
Ask yourself, “Will my audience trust me?” We are not really talking about a characteristic of the source or speaker, but an attitude in the mind of the listeners. You may have high credibility with one listener or group of listeners and low credibility with another.
Ethical Considerations
Obviously, if you elucidate a persuasive portrait of your personal credibility and authority, you make a more persuasive case on the credibility and authority of your words. However, when building a persuasive case using ethos, it may be tempting to stray into territory that borders on the unethical. Consider the following example:
You might not realize it at first, but interviewing for a job is an abbreviated form of persuasive speaking. You’re trying to persuade an employer to offer you a job. This method of persuasion relies heavily on the use of ethos, as you’re trying to make your case as to why you’re the best person for the job.
When you submit your résumé and cover letter, you provide your potential employer with an overview of your skills, experiences and background and how they best fit with the position and company with whom you seek employment.
While many employers complete extensive background reviews and reference checks, they may not follow up with every single bullet point on your résumé. While it might be tempting to beef up your list of achievements by stretching the truth: naming yourself a college club president as opposed to member, listing an award you may have nominated for but not having won (without clarifying that fact) – these are all unethical ways of padding your résumé, and thus, unethically using ethos to persuade your potential employer to hire you for the job.
This same example holds true in more formal scenarios of persuasive public speaking. It is unethical to lie to your audience about who you are and what you bring to the table in terms of experience, credibility and authority. It is equally unethical to even bend the truth on the slightest detail about what makes you a credible or authoratative speaker on your given subject.
Whether it’s a flat-out moment of dishonesty or a simple “little white lie,” disingenuousness, once discovered, will eradicate any credibility or authority you have as a speaker. When it comes to ethical usage of credibility appeals, stick to authenticity and speaking honestly about who you are.
Summary
Establishing ethos (credibility) in your writing will improve the quality of the claim you are trying to make in an argumentative essay. You should consider the background and education level of your audience in order to implement strategies of gaining their trust.
“Build Credibility.” By Boundless.com. Retrieved from: http://oer2go.org/mods/en-boundless-static/www.boundless.com/communications/textbooks/boundless-communications-textbook/learning-to-listen-and-helping-others-do-the-same-5/helping-your-audience-listen-more-33/build-credibility-148-4172/index.html Licensed under: CC-BY
“Establishing Ethos.” By Lumen Learning. Retrieved from: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-writingskillslab/chapter/establishing-ethos/ Licensed under: CC-BY
“Ethos.” By Boundless.com. Retrieved from: http://oer2go.org/mods/en-boundless-static/www.boundless.com/communications/definition/ethos/index.html Licensed under: CC-BY
