Genre Analysis, writing homework help

The next step toward completing the Rhetorical/Genre Analysis Memo assignment is to collect examples (artifacts) of the genre for which you’ve selected. We’ll do this work in association with the Week 3 Discussion.

After you’ve collected 3-5 artifacts of the genre you’ve selected, use the Analyzing Genres document (below) to investigate and interpret patterns across artifacts.

The deliverable for this assignment is to submit your answers to the questions listed on the Analyzing Genres document. The purpose is to better understand the patterns of the genre on which you’ve selected to focus for project one, noticing patterns of context, audience, purpose, layout, and style. When appropriate, pull in examples from the artifacts you’ve collected to help support your answers. This analysis will serve as the data for developing your Rhetorical/Genre Analysis Memo.

Note: When considering the language most commonly used, this does not refer to English, Chinese, Spanish, etc. Instead, look for keywords, key phrases, and/or patterns of speech commonly used across your artifacts.

ANALYZING GENRES

When working with genres, it is important to understand what the conventions of that genre

are—how is that genre different from other genres? What are the defining characteristics of this

type of text?

Here are some steps to follow that may help you discover a genre’s conventions:

COLLECT SAMPLES OF THE GENRE

STUDY THE SITUATION OF THE GENRE:

Where does this genre appear?

Who uses this genre?

Who writes/creates this genre?

When is this genre used?

What is the purpose of this genre? Why is it created and used?

IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE PATTERNS IN THE GENRE’S FEATURES

What content is typically included in this genre?

What content is excluded?

How are the texts in this genre structured? What parts? How organized?

In what format are the texts of this genre presented? Layout?

What kind of language is most commonly used in this genre?

ANALYZE WHAT THESE PATTERNS REVEAL ABOUT THE SITUATION

What do participants have to know or believe to appreciate this genre?

Who is invited into the genre, and who is excluded?

What values, beliefs, goals, and assumptions are revealed through the genre’s patterns?

How is the subject of the genre treated?

What content is considered most important?

What content is ignored?

What actions does the genre help make possible?

What attitude toward people and the world are implied in this genre?

What does this kind of text/genre tell us about our culture?