Reading Comprehension Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 3rd Edition

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E M O T I O N A L V E R S U S L O G I C A L A P P E A L S
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1 3 5

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1.
Using a cell phone when driving is danger-
ous and anyone who does this is stupid.
2.
Using a cell phone when driving is dan-
gerous because when drivers hold a cell
phone to their ear, they’re only using
one hand to control their motor vehicle,
which makes them much more likely to
have an accident.
3.
Many states have banned cell phone use
when driving because it is dangerous.
These laws have been put into effect
because of startling statistics that point
to the elevated risk of car accidents due
to cell phone use.
4.
Dogs should always be kept on a leash in
public places. What if you were walking
down the street minding your own busi-
ness and a loose dog ran up and
attacked you?
5.
Dogs should always be kept on a leash in
public places. A leash can protect dogs
from traffic, garbage, dangerous places,
and getting lost. It can also protect peo-
ple from being harmed by overzealous,
angry, or agitated dogs.
Answers
It should be clear that argument 1 is an appeal to emo-
tion without any logic and that arguments 2, 3, and 5
use common sense, evidence, and reason. But argu-
ment 4 might not be so obvious since it may seem like
a reasonable argument. However, it does not address all
the logical reasons that leashes are necessary but instead
points to one frightening possibility. Yes, we would all
like to avoid being attacked by a dog, which is a scary
and threatening possibility, and by using only this sce-
nario in the argument, the writer is appealing directly
to our emotions.
S u m m a r y
Looking for appeals to logic will make you a more crit-
ical reader and thinker. And once you learn to read
between the lines in an argument (to look behind emo-
tional appeals for some sort of logical support), you’ll
have more confidence as a reader and be a better judge
of the arguments that you hear and read.