Danielle McGrath

UWRT 1102
November 3, 2014
RJ#7
When you decide what genre to show your work in, many factors should be taken into
account. There are some genres that are intended for specific purposes and audiences. Diction,
tone, language level, format, subject matter, and design should be evaluated. Different ways of
presenting different types of knowledge can result in a different genre. This is because the genre
depends on what you are communicating, to whom, and how you want it to be communicated.
Understanding the entire rhetorical situation is particularly important.
The steps for choosing a genre to compose in begin with revisiting the research question.
Then you should focus on the purpose and the main ideas you want to express. Another
component is determining who the audience will be. There are certain aspects of the topic that
the writer will naturally understand, that their audience will not. This is why you should ensure
that you gear your content to the intelligence level of your audience, keeping in mind that they
may not have the same knowledge that you do. Rhetorical appeals are important, too, because
how you want to relate to your audiences senses depends on whether you use ethos, logos,
pathos, or a combination of the three. A final step is considering the mode and medium, which
means that you should determine if you want to work with text, visuals, audio, etc. based on the
resources provided. The mode that is chosen should reflect the most effective way to convey
your message.
You should also make a list of the genres that you know the most about and the ones that
can help the most. Then you should look at your own personal strengths and style. Capitalizing
on your strengths will be effective. Then choosing a design, layout, and structure will create a
visual appeal that is necessary.
Finally, you should reexamine your purpose, audience, tone, and sources. Based on all of
these components, you should be able to narrow your choices to a few genres, and then
ultimately one genre.