1. What did you know about genres before this assignment and what impact do you think studying genres may have on your writing?
I knew absolutely nothing about genres - not in the context used in rhetorical analysis. Going back to the reading in the textbook, it elaborated that genres are the mediums to convey a message, broadly speaking. In the context taught in elementary school, messages are taught through epics, horror, tragedy, drama etc. In rhetoric, genres refer to the written, visual, and auditory methods a messaged is conveyed, and being knowledgeable about their individual implications facilitates an eclectic approach when conveying a message, enhancing a writer’s approach.
2. What are the complexities of using genres?
The biggest struggle to use genres is identifying the type of genre that will best deliver the message. The primary two factors for this decision are audience and purpose. Factors to consider in the audience include age, racial demographics, and expertise in the topic. For purpose, will the message aim to inform, persuade, or entertain? Once the audience and the purpose is narrowed, choosing the appropriate genre and specific elements should be an easy endeavor.
3. What is the value of studying and/or writing about genres?
I strongly believe that the more you write, the better reader you become. However, this only directed towards typographic genres. By studying, deciphering, and utilizing genres, a writer better positioned to communicate a message to more audiences with effective communication tools provided by each genre, making the writer a potentially powerful individual.
4.Select one of the questions listed and explain the rhetorical choices you made towards answering the question.
I decided to use gifs to answer the questions of the assignment because visual aids help facilitate information by enhancing a particular point. They are shorter than a video, but more interactive than a simple picture. For example for question 3, the gif showcases an individual exuding supernatural powers. The gif highlights the point “making the writer a potentially powerful individual” as the primary reason there is a value to study and exercise genres.