Genre Analysis, Rhetorical Analysis, and Business Communication Genres

1. Genre Analysis, Rhetorical Analysis, and Business Communication Genres August 28, 2013

2. Genre: Definition • Put simply, a genre is a class or category of communication. It is understood in the same way by members of the same discipline, organization, etc. • Genres are not fixed and can change over time

3. Then…what is genre analysis? • Analyzing a text for its structural and linguisticfeatures as well as its social context • Use genre analysis to figure out WHY certain textual approaches are taken • Must take into consideration the rhetorical situation

4. Rhetorical situation • To analyze a genre, you must be able to understand its rhetorical situation: AUDIENCE, CONTEXT, and PURPOSE (the genre is dependent on these notions) • Describe the audience, context, and purpose of the following genre: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2EcgNfK3PA

5. Rhetorical Strategies • Once you have analyzed the audience, context, and purpose of a genre, you can discover its rhetorical strategies. • Rhetorical strategies are any textual or visual approach that persuades the audience. • Some familiar strategies: logos, ethos, and pathos. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO9d2PpP7tQ

6. Activity • Genres can be almost anything—brochures, advertisements, movies, books, memos etc.—and they are all defined by the rhetorical situation. • In this activity, we’re going to consider the genre of a PSA. Jot down the: • Audience • Context • Purpose • Rhetorical strategies used

7. PSA – strong4life.com

8. Selecting the medium (WTW 15-16) • Consider the rhetorical situation and the best genre for a particular rhetorical strategy • Consider audience preferences, range of distribution, urgency, confidentiality • What situations would be best for: • Email? • Memos? • Letters?

9. Writing Business Emails: Content & Design • Formal greeting (“Dear” or “Hi” with at least first name) • Follow with a colon • Greeting depends on rhetorical situation! • Formal sign-off with signature block • What is a good sign-off? Sincerely? Best? • Use a SPECIFIC subject line, but not too long • Avoid text language, abbreviations, and emoticons • Must be concise, so can be difficult to communicate important info (use highlighting strategies!) • Short paragraphs • Consider an overview, depending on length

10. Writing Emails: Additional Considerations • Subject to legal disclosure • Carefully consider CC; be aware of BCC • Never send an attachment without message in the body • RE-READ BEFORE SENDING!  and avoid ALL CAPS • Avoid if a phone or meeting would be more efficient • State if you are expecting a response (and possibly what that response might entail) • State your follow-up policy

11. Emails: The Signature Block • Provides contact information that would normally reside in company letterhead • Lines 60 characters or less • Use cue to separate from message • How To: • I’ll show you briefly in class; your job to complete if you choose email as your genre • Use the “canned responses” gmail lab if you only want to use your signature for certain situations • Remember, for the PCSA, you’d need to create a “fake” signature line as the individual who is responding to the prompt

12. Memos • When? • Why? • Do people really still write them??

13. Memos: Format/Design • Format includes: • Often, the name of the company/organization at top • “Memo” written at top, occasionally with a separating line. Always leave at least 1 space before “to” line • TO: (full name and job title OR “all employees”, etc.) • FROM: (full name and job title) • DATE: • SUBJECT: • Content starts one full space below subject • Notes: • CC if appropriate (bottom) • Detailed subject line • Initials near from line (genre analysis—why are initials important?) • If your memo reaches a second page, use an appropriate header for the second page (see WTW pg. 300)

14. Memos: Format/Design • Following the Subject line, include: • Introduction/overview • This is the PURPOSE of the memo • Bolded headings • Context • Task • Closing segment with call to action or summary • “Enclosures” listed at bottom • NO sign-off (Sincerely…etc.)

15. Memos: Tips • Be CONCISE • Use highlighting strategies • Think carefully about your audience. This is a public document! • Use block formatting • (i.e., no paragraph indentations and left align) • Single space within paragraphs • Double space between paragraphs

16. Letters • Why? • When? • Full-block vs. half-block (pp. 301-302) • 1-inch margins

17. Letters: Format/Design • HEADING: • WRITER’s ADDRESS (no name; no abbreviations) • DATE (one full space below writer’s address) • INSIDE ADDRESS: recipient’s full name, title, address (2-6 lines below date) • SALUTATION: formal greeting (2 lines below inside address) • Use “Dear,” full name or title, and a colon • SUBJECT LINE: optional

18. Letters: Format/Design • Body • Two lines below salutation • Single space within paragraphs • Double space between paragraphs • Closing • Two spaces below the body • “Sincerely,” “Best Regards,” followed by comma • Use signature block (see pg 301)

19. Sample memos & letters • First, let’s quickly review these sample documents. Then we’ll complete a short activity. • The documents are located here: • http://content.bfwpub.com/webroot_pubcontent/Content/BCS_2/axelrod_SMG_9E/Student%20Center/Free%20Model%20Documents/Thomas_Telecommuting_Memo_Final_Draft.pdf • http://content.bfwpub.com/webroot_pubcontent/Content/BCS_2/axelrod_SMG_9E/Student%20Center/Free%20Model%20Documents/Walters_Persuasive_Letter.pdf • http://content.bfwpub.com/webroot_pubcontent/Content/BCS_2/axelrod_SMG_9E/Student%20Center/Free%20Model%20Documents/Marting_appropriate_e-mail.pdf

20. Find the errors • Working with the person next to you, open the document on our course website titled “Sample Memo” • There are at least 8 items that need to be corrected. Find these errors and correct them. • Next, working with the person next to you, open the document on our course website titled “Sample Email” • There are at least 5 errors that need to be corrected. Find these and correct them. • *Finally, suggest at least one way that the email or memo above could better attend to the rhetorical situation.