Genre

Genre

(Organizing Framework)

Definition: The classification of rhetorical acts based on their purpose, form, and content. Genres help both the speaker and the audience set expectations and understand the conventions and structures of a particular type of communication. Recognizing and utilizing genre effectively allows rhetoricians to craft messages that resonate with their intended audience and meet the objectives of their communication.

• Flexibility: While genres provide a framework, they are not rigid. Effective rhetoricians may adapt or blend genres to better suit their purposes and connect with their audience.

• Hybrid Genres: Some rhetorical acts combine elements of multiple genres. For example, a docudrama blends documentary and dramatic elements to both inform and entertain.

*Several of the genres below may fall into more than one category.  

Rhetorical Genres

Genres provide a framework for organizing and understanding different types of communication. Recognizing and effectively using genre conventions allows rhetoricians to meet audience expectations and achieve their communicative goals.

1. • Referential: Informs, explains, describes, or defines a particular subject matter. Maintains objectivity by presenting facts, evidence, and credible sources. Omits opinions and emotions.
     * Examples include academic essays, research papers, reports, articles, technical manuals, and instructional texts.

     • • Expository: Explains or informs. Examples include academic essays, reports, manuals, and encyclopedia entries. *Also known as referential.

       • Report: Writing that presents information on a specific topic, often based on research or investigation, in a structured format.

       • Procedural: Provides step-by-step instructions. Examples include how-to guides, recipes, and technical manuals. 

       • Research: Writing that presents original findings or analysis based on systematic investigation and study of a topic.

       • Journalistic: Writing that reports on current events and issues, aiming to inform the public with factual and timely information.

       • Biography or Autobiography: Writing that tells the story of a person's life, with biography being written by someone else and autobiography by the subject themselves.

   • Analytical: Examines and evaluates information, ideas, or arguments to understand their components and implications. Breaks down a subject into its components to understand its meaning, structure, and relationships. Provides insights or interpretations based on evidence and logical reasoning.
     * Examples include rhetorical analysis, literary analysis, critical reviews, policy analysis, scientific analysis, historical analysis, business and financial analysis, & philosophical analysis.

     • • Rhetorical Analysis: Evaluates the use rhetorical strategies, language, and techniques to persuade an audience. Examines the effectiveness of a speaker's persuasion of a given audience.    

       • Literary Analysis: Evaluates, interprets, and analyzes literary works to understand their meaning and significance. *Also known as Literary Criticism.

       • Review: Writing that assesses and critiques books, movies, products, or performances, providing an evaluation and recommendation.

2. Argumentative: Presents a claim or position supported by evidence and reasoning to persuade others to accept a position, viewpoint, or opinion. *Does not call readers to action.  
   * Examples include op-ed pieces, research essays, dissertations, synthesis essays, cause-and-effect essays, compare-and-contrast essays, problem-solution essays, & definition essays.

   • • Editorial: Represents a publication's official stance or opinion on a particular issue, event, or topic, providing insight or commentary on current events, social issues, or political matters.

     • Op-Ed: Represents a guest, expert, or contributor's personal stance on a particular issue or event, providing insight or commentary on current events, social issues, or political matters.

   • Persuasive: Uses rhetorical appeals, language, and strategies to convince an audience to accept a particular viewpoint and take a specific action. *Calls readers to action.  
     * Examples include proposals, speeches, advertisements, opinion editorials, op-ed pieces, and political campaigns.

     • • Proposal: Writing that suggests a plan or course of action, often aimed at persuading an audience to approve or adopt it.

       • Speech or Presentation: Oral communication designed for public delivery, often intended to inform, persuade, or entertain an audience.

       • Satirical: Writing that uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to criticize or mock individuals, institutions, or societal norms.

   • Technical: Provides detailed information on technical subjects, often aimed at instructing or informing a specialized audience. It is often used in technical fields such as engineering, science, technology, and medicine to explain processes, procedures, instructions, or concepts to a specific audience.
     * Examples include user manuals, technical reports, product specifications, software documentation, standard operating procedures (SOPs), white papers, proposals, and datasheets.

     • • Instructional: Writing that offers step-by-step guidance on how to perform a task or understand a process.

   • Expressive: Conveys personal thoughts, feelings, emotions, and experiences.

     • • Descriptive: Creates vivid images to help the audience visualize a subject. Examples include descriptive essays, travel writing, and character sketches.

       • Reflective: Writing that explores the writer’s personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings about a particular topic or event.

     • Narrative: Tells a story to entertain, inform, or persuade. Examples include novels, short stories, personal anecdotes, and historical accounts.

       • Memoir: Writing that recounts personal experiences and reflections from the author's life, often focusing on specific themes or events.

       • Interview: Writing that captures the dialogue between an interviewer and interviewee, often to provide insights into the interviewee’s perspectives and experiences.

Genre Conventions

1. Structure: Each genre has a typical structure that guides the organization of content. For example, a persuasive essay usually includes an introduction, body paragraphs with arguments and evidence, and a conclusion.

2. Style: Different genres use distinct language styles and tones. Academic writing is formal and objective, while a personal blog post might be informal and conversational.

3. Content: The subject matter and type of information included vary by genre. A news article focuses on factual reporting, while a narrative might emphasize character development and plot.

Rhetorical Situations & Genre

1. • Audience Expectations: Genres help audiences understand what to expect from a communication. For example, when reading a scientific article, the audience expects rigorous methodology and evidence-based conclusions.

   • Purpose and Context: The genre chosen should align with the rhetorical situation, including the speaker's purpose, the audience's needs, and the context. For example, a eulogy is a specific genre suited for commemorating someone's life and is expected to be respectful and reflective.