Question

As of September 1, 2001, the federal judiciary consisting of Supreme, Circuit and District Court Judges was about 22% women. In 1992, nearly ten years ago, when I was first appointed a District Court Judge, the percentage of women in the total federal judiciary was only 13%.

–“A Latina Judge’s Voice,”

Sonia Sotomayor

What type of appeal does the speaker use in this passage?

How does the use of this appeal support the author's purpose?

Answer 1

The passage uses a combination of logos and ethos.

- Logos: Sotomayor gives specific statistics (about 22% in 2001 versus 13% in 1992) to make a logical, evidence-based claim about increased female representation in the federal judiciary.
- Ethos: By noting “when I was first appointed…,” she invokes her personal experience and authority as a District Court Judge, which boosts her credibility.

How this supports her purpose: The factual data makes her claim about progress convincing and hard to dismiss, while her personal involvement shows she speaks from direct knowledge and stake in the issue. Together they strengthen her argument that female representation has grown and underscore her credibility in discussing that change.