Ethos (Rhetor’s Sense of Credibility)
Ethos: Credibility, character, reputation, or status of the rhetor (from Panther Guide to Writing)
Situated ethos: Arguments or points that stem from or depend upon the rhetor’s character or standing in the relevant community or situation; the credibility or authority that the rhetor already possesses; how one’s social status in relation to the audience or issue affects the rhetor’s persuasiveness. Situated ethos has a lot to do with power dynamics.
Invented ethos: Elements of credibility, authority, or good character that are deliberately created (or “invented”) within the work by the rhetor to be more persuasive in a given situation; the ways that a rhetor constructs a positive, knowledgeable, or trustworthy persona. These include:
» Demonstrating intelligence (that one has done her “homework”)
» Establishing good character (that one is ethical, just, fair)
» Securing goodwill (that one is trustworthy or protecting the audience’s interests)