Introducing Genre in Literary Study

Definition of Genre:
- Genre is defined as a term that denotes types or classes of literature.
- Reference: Abrams, A Glossary of Literary Terms.

Cultural Situation

Voice:
- Refers to the style of expression and the situation from which it arises.
Connection of Situation and Form to Genre:
- Genre is defined as the intersection of situation and form.
- Forms of speaking are connected to specific social contexts where actions occur (e.g., renting an apartment).
- Genre serves as a means to investigate similarities in documents arising within similar contexts.

Purpose of Genre Theory:
- Provides a framework to discuss similarities in literature as signs of common ground among communities of readers and writers.
Characters of Genre Theory:
- Shared attitudes
- Shared practices and habits
- Shared positions in the world

Task:
- Consider different pairs of popular genres (e.g., romantic comedy vs. spy film, email vs. texting) and discuss the differences in form.
- Explore how those differences reflect the varying social situations that each genre serves.

Focus on Writing Instruction:
- Emphasis on different styles of writing, particularly the schoolroom essay.
- Variations of essays such as:
- Argumentative essay
- Expository essay
- Characteristics of effective essays:
- Clear and concise
- Avoid vague or wordy constructions
- Logical and well organized

Knowledge Acquisition:
- University students acquire knowledge through techniques of inquiry from various academic disciplines.
- Emphasis on bringing students into contact with the language of research genres and engaging them in discourse communities where research takes place.

Definition of Discourse Community:
- A discourse community is described as a group of individuals engaging in discussions within the same genre.
- Members communicate in similar manners about shared topics.
- Examples of discourse communities illustrate groupings based on common conversations.

Discussion Task:
- Consider a film disliked and create communications for three separate audiences (friends via text, family, formal school report).
- Analyze the different types of language used in each scenario reflecting audience expectations.
Conclusion on Audience Impact:
- Change in audience results in a shift in rhetorical tools used, indicating each situation involves a different genre.

Group Task:
- Discuss types of writing already undertaken by group members and identify two unfamiliar genres of writing.

Overview of Wardle’s Argument:
- Asserts that there is no general writing and no universal formula for effective writing in every situation.
- Emphasizes situational contexts in writing.
- Writing is inherently social, shaped by context.
Practice Exercise:
- Extract a quote that encapsulates the main point of Wardle’s piece for group discussion.

Overview of Warner’s Book:
- Title: “Why They Can’t Write: Killing the Five-Paragraph Essay and Other Necessities”
- Critical stance on how students are taught to imitate writing.
- Examination of his perspective on what constitutes ‘good’ writing.
Group Discussion Task:
- Identify a quote that summarizes Warner’s argument and another compelling quote for deeper analysis.

Contextual Nature of Good Writing:
- ‘Good’ writing varies depending on the historical and situational context.
- Understanding these expectations is crucial for academic writers.
Distinction Between High School and University Writing:
- Notable differences in genres of writing between high school and university are highlighted.

Defining Features:
- Citation practices: Academic writing prioritizes citations.
- Clarity is essential in academic discourse.
- Discussion on the importance of clarity and citation is encouraged.

Differences Between Genres:
- Discussion on identifying clues that differentiate genres (e.g., novels vs. newspaper articles).
Genre Conventions Explained:
- Shared elements (character types, plot points) that define specific genres.
- E.g., common conventions in genres:
- Romance: Meet-cutes, rival love interests, happy endings.
- Mystery: Crime-solving, detectives, clues, red herrings.
- Fantasy: Magical elements, epic quests, battles of good vs. evil.
- Science Fiction: Futuristic settings, advanced technology.
- Horror: Monsters, suspenseful settings, life-threatening situations.
- Western: Gunslingers, rival showdowns.
- Thriller: Urgency, suspenseful atmosphere, climactic confrontations.

Common Academic Genres and Their Conventions:
- Research Article: Follows the IMRaD structure; includes Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion.
- Essay: Typically includes introduction, body, conclusion structure; can be descriptive, analytical, etc.
- Literature Review: Critical overview, analyzing existing knowledge and identifying research gaps.
- Dissertation/Thesis: Long work of original research; structured differently depending on discipline.
- Research Proposal: Formal outline for future research; includes methodology and significance discussion.
- Lab Report: Common in sciences; includes sections for research question and empirical findings.
- Annotated Bibliography: Citations with critical summaries.

Common Features Across Genres:
- Evidence-based arguments supported by citations.
- Consistent citation style utilized (e.g., APA, MLA).
- Formal tone avoiding slang and emotional language.
- Use of discipline-specific vocabulary.
- Explicit organization using clear transitions (signposting).
- Hedging in claims to present findings cautiously.

Definition:
- Language guiding reader's comprehension of structure, transitions, and key points in writing.
- Common phrases include:
- Structure indicators: “I’ll divide this talk into three parts.”
- Transition indicators: “Now, let’s transition to…”.
- Summarizing indicators: “To conclude…”

Genre Conventions:
- Repeated patterns in writing, including structure and form, that signal how to communicate knowledge within a discipline.
- Exploring genre conventions can illuminate the objectives and values of different genres.

Deliberate Selection:
- The choice of genre conventions indicates what is important within a discipline while also implying what may be overlooked due to this selection.

Task for Discussion:
- Identify genre conventions in text messaging. Explore unique formal features within this genre and establish what makes for successful communication.

Focus for Next Class:
- Deeper exploration of discourse communities, including a Summary Invention Exercise.
- Reading assignment: Jonathan Alexander’s “Students Right to Write,” TL;DR part 1 for discussion.