Genre analysis: summary

time to complete: 5 minutes

From the different examples examined above, we have seen that genre is defined by 3 basic features:

→ The organization and language

→ The audience

→ The purpose

In terms of language, the following aspects often point to specific genres:

  • Discipline/subject-specific vocabulary
  • Level of formality: mix of formal and informal; academic, professional or commercial
  • Linguistic functions: e.g. chronological ordering, promotion, degrees of specificity, etc.
  • Use of first, second or third person pronouns and structures (self-referencing)

There are many different genres common in different fields of study and subjects, but there is also some overlap which may cause confusion.

By looking at only one example of a genre is not enough to help you understand the conventions of that genre – you will need to look at several examples and practice. But with focus and conscious analysis of the genre you are trying to produce, you should be able to create a text that fits well within its genre.