Example

“With the number of tertiary students entering the teaching profession decreasing 15% in the last 10 years, there is no doubt that the quality of Victorian education is set to decline.”

Definition

An appeal to common sense is an attempt by the writer to make an idea seem like the only logical inference from a piece of information.

Effect on reader

This makes any opposition to the writer’s point of view appear consequently illogical, therefore encouraging the reader to reject it. Additionally, because of the common sense displayed by the writer, these appeals often lead to an increase in credibility of the text, as critical thinking is generally more indicative of in-depth thought than a reliance on emotional appeals.

These types of appeals are often found either with statistics and a logical style, or sarcasm and rhetorical questions. Techniques such as this, which make the reader feel as if there is only one logical answer or conclusion, can serve to align the reader with the writer’s argument on the basis that a counterargument is thereafter presented as ridiculous.