J A N U A RY 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

GENRE ANALYSIS, RHETORICAL ANALYSIS, AND BUSINESS COMMUNICATION GENRES

GENRE: DEFINITION

• Put simply, a genre is a class or category of communication. It is understood in the same way by members of the same discipline, organization, etc.

WHAT IS GENRE ANALYSIS?

• Analyzing a text for its structural and linguistic features as well as its social context. • Use genre analysis to figure out WHY certain

textual approaches are taken• Must take into consideration the rhetorical

situation

RHETORICAL SITUATION

• To analyze a genre, you must be able to understand its rhetorical situation: AUDIENCE, CONTEXT, and PURPOSE (the genre is dependent on these notions)

• Describe the audience, context, and purpose of the following genre: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2EcgNfK3PA

RHETORICAL STRATEGIES

• Once you have analyzed the audience, context, and purpose of a genre, you can discover its rhetorical strategies.• Rhetorical strategies are any textual or visual

approach that persuades the audience.• Some familiar strategies: logos, ethos, and

pathos.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO9d2PpP7tQ

ACTIVITY

• Genres can be almost anything—brochures, advertisements, movies, books, memos etc.—and they are all defined by the rhetorical situation. • In this activity, we’re going to consider the genre

of a PSA. Jot down the:• Audience• Context• Purpose• Rhetorical strategies used• Format/design approaches, structural/linguistic features

SELECTING THE MEDIUM (PP. 15-16)

• Consider the rhetorical situation and the best genre for a particular rhetorical strategy• Consider audience preferences, range of

distribution, urgency, confidentiality• What situations would be best for: • Email? • Memos? • Letters?

WRITING BUSINESS EMAILS: CONTENT & DESIGN

• Formal greeting (“Dear” or “Hi” with at least first name)• Follow with a colon

• Formal sign-off with signature block. What is a good sign-off?

• Use a SPECIFIC subject line, but not too long• Avoid text language, abbreviations, and

emoticons• Must be concise(use highlighting strategies!)• Short paragraphs• Consider an overview in first paragraph

WRITING EMAILS: ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Subject to legal disclosure• CC/BCC• Never send an attachment without message

in the body• RE-READ BEFORE SENDING! and avoid ALL

CAPS• Avoid if a phone or meeting would be more

efficient• State if & when you are expecting a response

& what type• State your follow-up policy

EMAILS: THE SIGNATURE BLOCK

• Provides contact information that would normally reside in company letterhead • Short lines• Use cue to separate from message (-- | * )• How To: • I’ll show you briefly in class• Use the “canned responses” gmail lab if you only want to

use your signature for certain situations

• Remember, for the PCSA, you’d need to create a “fake” signature line as the individual who is responding to the prompt. Just type it in, since it will be a Word doc.

MEMOS

• When?• Why?• Do people really still write them??

MEMOS: FORMAT/DESIGN

• Format includes: (show pg. 299)1. Name of the company/organization at top2. “Memo” written below that, typically with a separating line.

Always leave at least 1 space before “to” line3. TO: (full name and job title OR “all employees”, etc.)4. FROM: (full name and job title)5. DATE:6. SUBJECT:7. Content starts one full space below subject

• Notes:• CC if appropriate (bottom)• Detailed subject line• Initials near from line (genre analysis—why are initials important?)• If your memo reaches a second page, use an appropriate header

for the second page (see homework reading pg. 300)

MEMOS: CONTENT

• Following the Subject line, include:• Introduction/overview & context• PURPOSE of the memo

• Task (what you’re doing to solve the problem)• Closing segment with call to action or summary or key

recommendations. Should be very short. Optional.• “Enclosures” listed at bottom• NO sign-off (Sincerely…etc.)• Use bolded headings

• *Note: Email content is pretty much the same, except I would always recommend a closing segment with a follow-up policy for emails.

SAMPLE MEMO CONTENT

Every year we see a decrease in visits to the health center during the summer months while students are out of school. Due to the drop in visitors, there will be a change in summer hours to accommodate the shift in the traffic. Summer hours will be from 8 am – 3:30 pm on May 23rd through August 22nd when students return for the fall semester.

We realize this change will affect you, but we assure you that we are not dropping anyone because of the decrease in visitors to our pharmacy. No one will lose their job due to the change in the hours we are open. However, we cannot assure you that the amount of hours you are currently working will remain the same. The shortening of hours in which the health center is open will mean that you may see a lessening of your work hours during the summer months. We are aware that this will affect your pay, but remember that this is a short-term change that will last until August 22nd.

When the summer is over, the health center will return to its normal hours from 8 am – 5 pm. You are receiving this notice a month in advance to prepare for the changes that will take place when summer hours begin. Any questions about schedule changes can be answered by Andrea Cooper, our Human Resources Manager.

MEMOS: TIPS

• Be CONCISE• Use highlighting strategies• Think carefully about your audience. This is a

public document!• Use block formatting • (What is it?)

LETTERS

• Why?• When?

LETTERS: FORMAT/DESIGN

• HEADING:• WRITER’s ADDRESS (no name)• DATE (one full space below writer’s address)• INSIDE ADDRESS: recipient’s full name, title, address (1-5

lines below date) – may play with this for format purposes

• SALUTATION: formal greeting (1-2 lines below inside address)• Use “Dear,” full name or title, and a colon

LETTERS: FORMAT/DESIGN CONT’D

• BODY• One line below salutation• Single space within paragraphs• Double space between paragraphs• Use block format with 1” margins

• CLOSING• Sincerely or Best followed by comma, leave three blank

lines, then signature block. In the three blank lines, sign or use script-like font.

• What should I put in signature block?

LETTERS: CONTENT

• Overview (context and purpose)• Task you’re requesting of others (or info you want

to provide them)• Task you’re going to complete• Summary, call to action, discussion of potential

follow-up, offer your availability for follow up

SAMPLE LETTER CONTENT

Many of you may have noticed that nearly half of the studio parking spots have been blocked off due to construction on Broadway. The construction began yesterday, October 8th, and will end Monday, December 2nd. As a result, we will have make some changes during this time.

First, Just Dance Studios will remain open during our regular hours for the entire duration of the construction.  Classes will go on as scheduled, and it is imperative that students come to practice; keeping up with classes will give students the best chance to win at the Winter Regional Competition in December. Secondly , because parking will be limited, we encourage a group carpool. Those of you who are interested can sign up with Erica at the front desk, and a contact list will be posted at the end of the week.  If you are unable to carpool, the Brooks Library across the street has offered to let us park in their lot if needed.

Finally, next Friday, October 18th, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm is our first *Just Dance Buddy Ball*. Students are invited to bring friends for a night of dancing fun! Dancers who bring a guest will receive a free class coupon for themselves and their friend, so tell your friends and classmates to join us! 

Thank you for your flexibility during the construction. We look forward to seeing your children at classes and meeting their friends at the Buddy Ball! Feel free to contact me any time with questions or concerns .

REFERENCES FOR FUTURE USE

• For your reference, then, here are sample letters, emails, and memos that follow appropriate formatting.• Letters: http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/

BusLetter_Block.html• Memos:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/590/04/ *This should have Memo at top.• Emails: (see next slide)

FROM: Jenna Pack <packj@email.arizona.edu>TO: Sarah Smith <ssmith@email.arizona.edu>CC: Campus Director, <rodthomas@email.arizona.edu>DATE: 21 January 2013SUBJECT: Campus Health summer hours 8 am – 3:30 pm, May 23-August 22 Dear employees: Every year we see a decrease in visits to the health center during the summer months while students are out of school. Due to the drop in visitors, there will be a change in summer hours to accommodate the shift in the traffic. Summer hours will be from 8 am – 3:30 pm on May 23rd through August 22nd when students return for the fall semester.  We realize this change will affect you, but we assure you that we are not dropping anyone because of the decrease in visitors to our pharmacy. No one will lose their job due to the change in the hours we are open. However, we cannot assure you that the amount of hours you are currently working will remain the same. The shortening of hours in which the health center is open will mean that you may see a lessening of your work hours during the summer months. We are aware that this will affect your pay, but remember that this is a short-term change that will last until August 22nd.  When the summer is over, the health center will return to its normal hours from 8 am – 5 pm. You are receiving this notice a month in advance to prepare for the changes that will take place when summer hours begin. Please respond to this email confirming receipt by January 28. I can respond to any questions or concerns during normal business hours at 904.535.3278 or packj@email.arizona.edu. Best, Jenna Pack Sheffield --Jenna Pack SheffieldRhetoric & CompositionUniversity of Arizona

FIND THE ERRORS

• Working with the person next to you, open the document on our course website titled “Sample Memo”• There are at formatting 7 items that need to be

corrected. These are FORMATTING issues. Find these errors and correct them.

• Next, working with the person next to you, open the document on our course website titled “Sample Letter”• There are at least 7 errors that need to be corrected. Not

all are necessarily formatting but were covered in the lesson. Find these and correct them.