Genre Analysis
Genre analysis, at least in the form that we are going to practice it as a method for evaluating texts, will take the form of an argument by definition. Such an argument, in its simplest form, requires us to explicate the definition of something whose meaning is contested, and then after establishing this rule, examining a particular case to see whether the case proves, or fails to prove the rule.
The "rule" here would be an already existing genre, and the "case" would be a specific rhetorical artifact. The basic question being answered here is "does the artifact participate in the genre?" And answering this question opens up the evaluative question: "how well does the artifact apply the genre?"
To answer the first question, the writer must explicate three dimensions of any rhetorical genre, according to Foss. The writer must reveal the following three features or qualities of the genre:
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The second step is to explicate these three features as they occur within the artifact, which will then allow you to approach evaluating the text, to see how well it applies or fails to apply the genre.
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