Genre Samples Analysis

Instructions:
1. Before you begin this assignment, make sure that you are familiar with the majority of the required readings for this unit. I also highly suggest looking at some of the Unit 3 Additional/Recommended resources to help you understand the concepts in this assignment!
2. Choose a genre to study! “Genre” is another word for “type” or “category,” and in this unit, we will be looking at written genres; therefore, when we use the word “genre,” we are referring to categories of writing: lyrics, resumes, lab reports, work memos, blog posts, newspaper articles, ballads, etc. Think of this assignment as a chance to learn more about a genre that is practical/useful for your future, or to study a genre that is unfamiliar and/or challenging, or to study a genre that just sounds like fun!
Important notes about choosing a genre:
If you choose a broad genre like lyrics or poetry, you need to narrow your selection to a sub-genre of those broader genres; for example, choose pop lyrics or hip hop lyrics (not just lyrics in general), choose haiku or free-verse poetry (not just poetry in general), etc.
In recent semesters, the students who are most successful with this assignment have usually chosen one of the following genres: album covers, movie posters, resumes, lyrics, book covers, a certain kind of poetry, children’s books, or advertisements. However, if you are feeling ambitious and confident and want to try something else, see the “Extensive Genre List” handout from the Unit 3 Additional/Recommended Resources section for many additional ideas about genres you could study.
Whatever genre you choose, you will be required to make your own version of it for the next assignment, so keep that in mind as you make your choice!
3. Once you have chosen a genre, you will be responsible for finding at least two samples of that genre and then analyzing them. For example, if you choose to study the genre of hip-hop lyrics, you will find two different samples of hip-hop lyrics (on the internet or elsewhere) to analyze for this assignment. If you choose a really short genre (haiku, bumper sticker, etc.), I suggest looking at three or more samples of it in order to have lots of information to write about and meet the minimum length requirements.
Requirements:
Your Genre Samples Analysis should be at least two full pages in length and analyze the two or more samples of the genre you have chosen to study. You should specifically reference your samples and possibly pull SHORT quotes from the samples to help you make your points.
The central question you should answer in your analyses of these samples is: Why is it the way it is? (In other words, how it is written, and why is it written that way?) In order to address this central question, you should work toward addressing the majority of these ideas (some will apply more than others, depending on the genre you chose and the specific sample you are analyzing):
When we analyze something, we break it down in order to examine it and understand it better. You will be looking at aspects that help define the genre such as techniques, conventions, audience, etc., to help your reader better understand the genre. What conventions (expected features) are used in each sample? Consider visual conventions (font, color, layout, size, use of images, proximity, etc.) and conventions of style (word choice, tone, literary devices, organization/structure/sequencing, etc.). Consider how typical or atypical the uses of conventions are within each genre sample. As a part of analyzing any text, you want to think about the context to understand where the writer is coming from and the larger conversation to which the text is responding. For each genre sample, explain how it relates to purpose and audience; how does it use certain conventions to achieve its purpose and reach its target audience? For each genre sample, explain how it fits into your understanding of the genre as a whole. Do these samples meet the expectations readers have for this kind of genre, or are they unconventional in any way? Is there anything about the author’s background that might help us better understand the genre sample? For each genre sample, try to get inside the author’s head and determine his/her purpose for writing. What is the genre sample’s main message (and any sub-messages)? Who is the genre sample targeted to (what kind of readers/audience does this seem most intended for)? Is there a situation the genre sample is responding to? Think about how audience, purpose, and context go together to communicate a message as discussed in the Week 6 reading called “Elements of Analysis.” Please remember that there are many student examples of this assignment in the Unit 3 Additional/Recommended Resources section. Each of these student examples is a little different but all address the majority of these main ideas in their own way.
NOTE: Your writing in this assignment should be original, meaning you came up with the ideas yourself. Research is not required for this assignment. You will discuss the two or more samples by naming the author and title whenever applicable, and you should make it clear when you are using direct quotes from them, but you do not need a Works Cited page UNLESS you choose to do research to help you better understand the sample and provide background information. If you do use any research, make sure to use standard MLA format to cite your sources. Always put quotation marks around any words that are not your own “like this.”
Assignment point breakdown:
Ideas are thoughtful and thorough (10 points)
Analyses address the majority of the questions listed under “Requirements” (10 points)
Mechanics/clarity/format (5 points)
Total possible points: 25

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