Twenty-One Genres and How to Write Them

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ISBN-10:: 0874219116
ISBN-13:: 9780874219111
Pub. Date:: 04/15/2013
Publisher:: Utah State University Press

ISBN-10:: 0874219116
ISBN-13:: 9780874219111
Pub. Date:: 04/15/2013
Publisher:: Utah State University Press

Twenty-One Genres and How to Write Them

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Overview

In this classroom-tested approach to writing, Brock Dethier teaches readers how to analyze and write twenty-one genres that students are likely to encounter in college and beyond. This practical, student-friendly, task-oriented text confidently guides writers through step-by-step processes, reducing the anxiety commonly associated with writing tasks.
In the first section, Dethier efficiently presents each genre, providing models; a description of the genres' purpose, context, and discourse; and suggestions for writing activities or "moves" that writers can use to get words on the page and accomplish their writing tasks. The second section explains these moves, over two hundred of them, in chapters ranging from "Solve Your Process Problems" and "Discover" to "Revise" and "Present." Applicable to any writing task or genre, these moves help students overcome writing blocks and develop a piece of writing from the first glimmers of an idea to its presentation.

This approach to managing the complexity and challenge of writing in college strives to be useful, flexible, eclectic, and brief-a valuable resource for students learning to negotiate unfamiliar writing situations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780874219111
Publisher:	Utah State University Press
Publication date:	04/15/2013
Edition description:	1
Pages:	220
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Brock Dethier is professor of English at Utah State University, where he directs the composition program and teaches writing and pedagogy at several levels. He has won his college's Teacher of the Year Award twice in the last six years and has published four books for composition teachers, including First Time Up: An Insider's Guide for New Composition Instructors.

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21 GENRES and How to Write Them

By BROCK DETHIER

University Press of Colorado

Excerpt

<h2>CHAPTER 1</h2> Abstract EXAMPLE: Abstract of Twenty-One Genres, Brock Dethier Twenty-One Genres strives to be the smallest, most inexpensive all-purpose writing text on the college composition market. Author Brock Dethier, director of the composition program at Utah State University, offers descriptions of twenty-one common genres, from abstract to wiki, and suggests for each genre a series of writing "moves." The book presents over two hundred such "moves"—thinking, writing, reading, and researching activities divided into ten chapters, from "Solve Your Process Problems" and "Discover" to "Revise" and "Present." The book is written to be useful to the individual writer, whether or not the writer is currently in a writing class. Questions about the example: 1. Does it show you anything new about the book or emphasize things that you didn't realize were so important? 2. What details tip you off that the book's author wrote the abstract? 3. Boiling hundreds of pages down into a paragraph as I did here is a specialized writing skill. Can you think of other writing situations where such a skill might be useful? EXAMPLE: Using Geophysical Methods to Study the Shallow Subsurface of a Sensitive Alpine Environment, Niwot Ridge, Colorado Front Range, USA, Matthias Leopold, David Dethier, Jõrg Võlkel, Thomas Raab, Tyler Corsonrickert, and Nel Caine This example is the first part of a much longer article. It needs to explain to other experts what's new and interesting in the work discussed, but the authors also hope to give even non-experts a window into the work. Consider the problem these geologists face: how can they learn about the rock beneath the surface of the earth without digging holes or using other such "invasive" techniques? Abstract Shallow seismic refraction (SSR) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) are non-invasive geophysical techniques that enhance studies of the shallow subsurface deposits which control many geomorphic and biogeochemical processes. These techniques permit measuring the thickness and material properties of these deposits in sensitive alpine area without using extensive pits and trenches that can impact current biogeospheric processes or distort them for future research. Application of GPR and SSR along 1.5 km of geophysical lines shows that layers of fine to coarse, blocky deposits of periglacial origin underlie alpine slopes in the vicinity of Niwot Ridge, Colorado Front Range. Interpretation of geophysical and drilling data shows that depth to bedrock ranges from 4 to >10 m and is not simply related to local slope. Our measurements suggest that ice lenses form seasonally beneath solifluction lobes; ice was not present in adjacent areas. Ice lenses are associated with local ponded water and saturated sediments that result from topographic focusing and low-permeability layers beneath active periglacial features. Geophysical interpretations are consistent with data derived from nearby drill cores and corroborate the utility of GPR in combination with SSR for collecting subsurface data required by different landscape models in sensitive alpine environments. Questions about the example: 1. This abstract begins the article published in Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. What purposes might it serve for the readers of the journal? For the authors? 2. If you were one of the authors, when else might you use the abstract? Think of situations in which you need to explain quickly what you've been 3. If you're not a geologist, you may find this abstract difficult reading. Yet it's not incomprehensible to a nonspecialist. How did the authors make the technical intelligible? To see how an abstract fits in the context of a larger work, see the second example in chapter 14: Proposal. Questions about the Abstract 1. What are its purposes? An abstract is a miniature version of a much longer document or oral presentation. It presents readers with the highlights of the longer document—its purposes, conclusions, and recommendations. It gives the reader an opportunity to decide, quickly, whether to read the entire text, how to file or catalog it, or who might be interested in it. For the writer, an abstract can be a demanding piece of writing, as it forces the writer to decide what's crucial about the longer text aand boil something complex down to just a few words. Writing it can help the writer focus and organize the longer text. Abstracts are popular on the Internet, since websites like to present readers witth a short version of their information to interest the reader in viewing the whole website. The little blurbs that search engines provide along with a title and a web address could be considered abstracts. See how maaaany kinds of abstracts you can find on the Internet and how many different functions they serve. I wrote the first abstract just for this chapter, but something similar could turn into a book jacket quotation or a blurb that the publisher sends out to distributors. Playing up the book's strengths more would transform this into advertising. 2. Who are its audiences? The audience for an abstract is generally the same as for the longer piece that is being summarized: readers of genres like business reports, academic journals, and conference programs. While Dissertation Abstracts International and similar publications contain nothing but abstracts, most abstracts are parts of longer pieces and are intended to give readers a good sense of what the longer piece contains. They can be a boon to researchers and casual readers alike. Given what I said about the purposes of the first abstract, you can imagine that its audience is composition students and their teachers. Who do you think might read the second abstract? 3. What's the typical content? The content of the abstract mirrors the content of the longer piece, focusing on what's new and/or significant in the piece. The abstract contains nothing that is not in the longer piece and generally reflects the organization of the longer piece. An abstract for a scientific report, for instance, will probably cover, in order, the report's purpose, research questions, methods, findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The abstract should make sense on its own, without reference to the longer piece. Do you think my abstract fairly represents the book? Can you see report elements in the second abstract? An executive summary is related to an abstract but is generally more complete and longer (roughly 10 percent of the report's length), covering the report's purpose, scope, background, findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Findings and recommendations can be listed first, as a kind of summary within a summary, or they can follow the order of the report. 4. How long is it? An abstract is usually a paragraph or two, generally not over 350 words. 5. How is it arranged on the page? Usually the abstract is simply labeled "Abstract," and it often precedes the rest of the paper, sometimes single-spaced or indented to set it off from the body of the paper. 6. What pronouns are used? The writing in general follows that of the main piece; abstracts in the sciences are likely to use passive voice, avoiding pronouns altogether, while those in the humanities may occasionally use first- and third-person pronouns. 7. What's the tone? As objective, as neutral, as possible. The writer is not passing judgment or advocating, just clearly stating what's in the document. 8. How does it vary? Considering purpose is crucial. Is someone making a decision based on your abstract? If so, make sure the recommendation and a key bit of evidence appear in the abstract. Will the abstract be read by researchers trying to decide if they should read the whole article? Then make sure your abstract includes appropriate keywords. If you're trying to catch a reader's eyes, try to work the most startling bit of information into the abstract. Suggested Moves for Writing an Abstract 1. Discover. You might think that there's nothing to discover when writing an abstract, but you'd be surprised at what you'll find when you try to boil down an entire report into a single paragraph. You might try Outline your draft -> 160 to get a clear sense of what the text says and how different ideas are weighted. Or try Make ends meet -> 197 to see what the headings of your paper tell you is important. A different tack would be to Freewrite -> 72 without looking at the text—what sticks in your mind as being crucial to the paper? If the different moves lead you to different answers to that question, you may need to revise the text itself. 2. Develop. There's not much room for development in an abstract, but you do need to make sure that your ideas are developed enough, and specific enough, to be useful. Answer the journalist's questions -> 87 to make sure you cover the basics. Try writing a single sentence about the core of the text, then use Explain your code words -> 93. 3. Gather. Consider using a Double-entry journal -> 106 with important points on the left side and on the right how they connect to the whole. Try to make sure you're representing the whole text. Go back through the headings or the table of contents to make sure you're not forgetting anything significant. Skim -> 103. Force yourself to read intelligently -> 154. Look at the beginning and end of each paragraph. Use all the clues the writer gives you about what's important—words like "because" and "therefore" that indicate cause and effect as well as any comparatives ("better"), superlatives ("best"), or keywords ("crucial"). 4. Integrate. Many writers borrow key phrases from throughout the text to use for the abstract. One challenge, therefore, is to integrate borrowed lines with new ones. Integrate sources -> 133. And if possible, work with someone: Check the flow -> 139. 5. Focus. Writing an abstract is itself a good focusing activity, since an abstract is all about summary -> 150. Brainstorming leads -> 143 can help you with that difficult first sentence and maybe give you some possibilities for sentences two, three, and four. Try brainstorming all the key elements of the text, then group them until you have three to five groupings. Group, label, and order -> 62. Then you'll probably have to go through and cut out anything that isn't crucial. 6. Organize. The abstract can either follow the text from introduction to conclusion or it can highlight three to five main points regardless of where they appear in the text. Put yourself in your reader's shoes and Answer readers' questions -> 159, starting with the basic "What's this text about?" 7. Revise. An error in an abstract might literally drive readers away, so do a lot of rereading and get help from others. 8. Present. Usually the abstract appears right after the title page and before the table of contents, on a page by itself. <h2>CHAPTER 2</h2> Annotated Bibliography EXAMPLE: Partial Annotated Bibliography for "The Logan Nunnery: Discovering an Obliterated Site," Allie Anderson Bell, Michael Mayerfeld. "The Ghosts of Place." Theory and Society 26.6 (1997): 813–36. Print. Bell's article argues that ghosts are part of our everyday lives. Their presence exists even if their physical body does not. He goes on to describe how ghosts set boundaries of possession and ownership of place. A ghost will let a human know when his or her presence is not wanted by making them feel frightened, disturbed, or unsafe. Bell also explains his belief that we experience places socially, similarly to how we experience other people. Because ghosts are a part of place they become part of the social experience when discovering that particular locale. Locations that are well known for their supernatural inhabitants are treated differently. They are approached with a measured step and their aura calls out to those with curious minds. This theory very much applies to my topic of the Nunnery. Its landscape is treated differently because people believe it to be haunted. Bennett, Gillian. Alas, Poor Ghost: Traditions of Belief in Story and Discourse. Logan: Utah State University Press, 1999. Print. In her book, Bennett claims that even though supernatural experiences have been demoted to nursery, commercial, or fantasy worlds, people have encounters with supernatural forces that cannot be explained or put into those categories. She also explores the relationship between narrative and belief by interviewing people about their beliefs when it comes to ghosts and ghost stories and then analyzing their responses. Bennett believes that ghost stories are communal and reflect attitudes and beliefs of the society they circulate in. They also help to create and shape a community's folklore. I found this last point to be especially useful in my research as the Nunnery has greatly impacted Logan's folklore. Ellis, Bill. Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults: Legends We Live. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2003. Print. In this book Ellis takes a deeper look into legends. He studies how legends come to be and what impact they have on society. He describes legends as a kind of "living" thing because each version of a legend is somewhat the teller's creation. He also says that legends are a process and not just a collection of texts. Ellis explains that people tell legends in order to define the world they inhabit. Legends contribute to the social experience of one's surroundings. While conducting interviews on the legends of the Nunnery, Ellis's research helped me have a greater understanding of the importance of the various legends I was gathering. Foote, Kenneth E. Shadowed Ground: America's Landscapes of Violence and Tragedy. Austin: University of Texas Press Austin, 2003. Print. This book shows how violence and tragedy have affected landscape in America. Foote gives several examples of different landscapes across the United States that have been altered because of events that have occurred. He discusses what obliteration means and how violence and tragedies can cause a landscape to become obliterated. Foote is very clear in the way he presents his research and thoughts which was something I really appreciated about the book. I drew my main idea from Foote and altered his criteria of obliteration to fit that of the Nunnery. I was able to compare and contrast the Nunnery with examples he provided to further prove my own theories on obliteration of landscape. Goldstein, Diane E., Sylvia Ann Grider, and Jeannie Banks Thomas. Haunting Experiences: Ghosts in Contemporary Folklore. Logan: Utah State University Press, 2007. Print. This book looks at ghost lore from various angles. The authors take a closer look at how popular culture affects tradition and belief when it comes to the supernatural. Ghost stories can reveal different things about personal life, culture, and nature. This book document the authors' field work by giving accounts of ghost stories and pictures of sites that are said to be haunted. I found this book particularly useful because it focuses on how ghost stories affect our culture today, which related to my research of the legends surrounding the Nunnery. Olwig, Kenneth R. "Recovering the Substantive Nature of Landscape." Annals of the Association of American Geographers 86.4 (1996): 630–53. Print. Olwig's article presents several ideas on the use and meaning of landscape. He discusses how landscapes are not just places but home to nature and customs. He claims that variables such as community, law, and custom shape the human geographical existence. Landscapes are more than just locations they are home to memories, culture, and ways of life. This article was useful for my research because the landscape of the Nunnery has greatly impacted the culture of Cache Valley. It is a place where people go to discover more about their community and their customs. Tucker, Elizabeth. Haunted Halls: Ghostlore of American College Campuses. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2007. Print. This book is rare in that it focuses specifically on ghostlore in academia. Tucker travels across the United States to discover what ghosts haunt the halls of college campuses. She presents several theories about ghosts and has research to back up those ideas. Tucker's research also includes personal interviews and photographs of haunted sites she visited. It was very interesting to read these students' accounts and see the places that Tucker was talking about. She also discusses the importance of legend tripping and how it adds to the social experience of campus life. Tucker's book was very helpful in my research. Many of the Nunnery's visitors are college students so much of the information in her book related to my topic. Tucker, Libby. "Legend Quests." Voices 32.1 (2006): 1–6. Print. Tucker gives an in-depth analysis specifically on the importance of legend quests. She states the importance of legend tripping lies not only in the destination but also in the trip. Typically a legend quest involves more than one person, thus making a trip of discovery also a social event. There are emotional components of legend tripping that include feeling afraid, thrilled, and excited. The desire for these emotions also makes legend tripping more enticing. This article was very helpful in my research because it allowed me to gain a greater understanding behind the purpose of legend tripping.
(Continues...)

Excerpted from 21 GENRES and How to Write Them by BROCK DETHIER. Copyright © 2013 by University Press of Colorado. Excerpted by permission of University Press of Colorado.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Acknowledgments.................... xix

Introduction: Genres, Moves, and Never Getting Stuck Again................. 1

Part I: Genres....................

1. Abstract....................

2. Annotated Bibliography....................

3. Application Essay....................

4. Application Letter....................

5. Argument....................

6. Blog....................

7. Email....................

8. Gripe Letter....................

9. Literary Analysis....................

10. Literature Review....................

11. Op-Ed Essay....................

12. Personal Essay....................

13. Profile....................

14. Proposal....................

15. Reflection....................

16. Report....................

17. Response to Reading....................

18. Resume....................

19. Review....................

20. Rhetorical Analysis....................

21. Wiki....................

Part II: Moves....................

22. Solve Your Process Problems....................

23. Discover....................

24. Develop....................

25. Gather....................

26. Integrate....................

27. Focus....................

28. Organize....................

29. Draft....................

30. Revise....................

31. Present....................

Appendix: Twenty Plays.................... 267

References.................... 275

Index.................... 277

About the Author.................... 282

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21 GENRES and How to Write Them

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21 GENRES and How to Write Them

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