• Memory key: Ethos == Ethics

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• Ethos depends on trust. How well does the author/rhetor present themselves? Is it in a way that makes them trustworthy?

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• Consider: What do I already know about this person that makes them credible? (Situated ethos), and what have they done to build their credibility in the current text? (Invented ethos)

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• Because rhetoric is intentional, how character is built is intentional. Think about why public relation managers (PR managers) work so hard to make their clients look good. They want their clients to be credible and trustworthy. 

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• Actions, decisions and moments make ethos.

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• As you build character and claim authority, show your audience that you have considered all points of view.

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• Personal experience can also add to ethos. If you know something because you've experienced it, share it with your audience. It can promote identification and can be a form of rhetorical intimacy.

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• Clear motives also add to building credibility. Let people know what you stand to gain from the conversation taking place.

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• Part of building credibility is also anticipating wha your audience may or may not know. If you tell people what they already know, sometimes it can backfire. They might feel like you have nothing to add to the conversation, and sometimes it can go a different way. It might make the audience feel like you know what you're talking about. Read the room, and know who your audience are.

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• Logos and pathos can add to ethos. If you make reasonable arguments (logos) , it can add to your credibility (ethos). If you set up your audience to feel a certain way (pathos), they might identify with your values and that might add to your credibility and authority(ethos).

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