The rhetorical triangle is an idea based off the teachings of Aristotle, who says that any good argument has a basis in three different appeals: logos, pathos, and ethos. In order to persuade an audience, you must appeal to their sense of logic, their emotions, and their credibility in you as a writer. Often it’s the last that seems the hardest on the ACT – how can a high school student seem like a credible source on any topic? There are a few tips that will help you always seem like an expert.
Avoid starting your sentences with “I think” or “I believe” or “I feel”. These phrases denote that the rest of the sentence is something that you produced out of your own head, rather than actual facts. Don’t ever give the reader a chance to think of your essay as anything but cold, hard truth bombs! Cut out the first two words and start at the third – “I think Andrew Jackson was an interesting President” becomes “Andrew Jackson was an interesting President.”
Use college level vocabulary words. Beefing up the vocabulary in your essay will make you seem more intelligent and mature. Memorize a few different words before the test and work them in the day of, rather than laboring over each individual word while writing – you only have thirty minutes to write this essay! Challenge yourself to incorporate words like “myriad”, “capricious”, or “assiduous”. Make sure, however, that you know exactly what these words mean, exactly how to spell them, and exactly how to use them in a sentence!
Write about experiences you really are an expert in! The ACT typically asks questions about topics relevant to high school students. Should police officers in schools be allowed to carry guns? Should gym class be required to graduate? Is there any benefit to co-educational schools? These are questions that could mean significant changes to your life. Ensure you are taking advantage of this special insight you are able to provide. How would these factors directly affect you? Combine your logical and emotional appeals here to create examples that are vivid and compelling. Ensure you emphasize any changes that would occur in your life if the scenario they provide is enacted.
Proofread. Nothing makes an essay look sloppier than misspelled words or poorly conjugated verbs! Save a few minutes for the end of the essay to go through and reread and edit everything you have written.
Written By: Catherine Martin
Victory Step Education Team
