Alejandra Licon

RWS 1302
Wed 10:30
Genre Analysis Outline Assignment Sheet
Rhetoric and Writing Studies 1302
Carefully and closely read the entirety of the Genre Analysis
assignment guidelines in your Student Guide to Undergraduate
Rhetoric and Writing Studies. Make sure you understand the
assignment and its deliverables. When conducting each step of a
particular project it is important you have a bigger picture of the
project in mind.
This particular assignment activity the Genre Analysis Outline is
meant to be a first step, or draft, in organizing your Genre Analysis. To
receive full credit for this assignment, you must follow all of the
prompts below when composing your outline.
Remember that an effective rhetorical analysis of any text is not firstly
about what the text says, but rather more specifically about how and
why the text is composed, structured, and delivered the way it is. As
always in academic writing, the effectiveness of your text will depend
on the use of specific, supporting details culled from the source texts
to support your analysis.
Part One
Write down the two genres you have chosen (include titles, who or
where they come from, and what genres they are), and answer the
questions that follow:
Genre 1: c Video from http://www.elpasogreenenergies.com/ .
Iconography.
Genre 2: Photovoltaic Efficiency: The Temperature Effect Article from
https://www.teachengineering.org/collection/cub_/lessons/cub_pveff/Att
achments/cub_pveff_lesson02_fundamentalsarticle_v6_tedl_dwc.pdf.
Typography.
1. What is your topic of inquiry?
Solar panels are a technological trend that has been popularized in
recent years, it is excellent to save in electricity bills and taking care of
1

the environment. El Paso being the Sun City has already invested in
solar power systems to take advantage of the great amount of sunlight
it receives. However these systems also come with disadvantages that
may challenges that may challenge its efficiency. Are solar panels
efficient enough for solar power to become the number one source of
electricity in El Paso?
2. Why did you select these two specific genres?
The article selected Photovoltaic Efficiency: The Temperature Effect is
an informational article about solar panels and how their efficiency
varies in different climates and temperatures. It is a great source of
information which is why it helps to get a perspective of the discourse
community of engineering. On The other hand the video is a very
different thing, it helps to visualize the concept and process of this
technology.
3. How does each genre communicate about your topic of inquiry?
The Article gives an objective approach, it expresses very specific
information about the topic such as concepts, vocabulary and formulas
related to the temperature and electricity. However the video
expresses very simplistic every day concepts, and does not show to
much of the technology behind the actual solar panels.

Article: Photovoltaic Efficiency: The Temperature Effect.

Answer each of the following prompts for both genres as a way of
organizing the content of your Genre Analysis assignment.
Audience and Purpose
1. Who is/are the intended audience(s) and discourse community(ies)?
People that are already familiarized with the concept. It uses advanced
vocabulary, formulas and engineering concepts.
2. What does the audience already know and what do they want to
know?
The audience already knows about solar panels and its function,
advantages and disadvantages. They do not know how climate and
extreme temperatures can affect the performance of these panels.
3. How much time will the audience spend with each genre?
With this genre the audience will most likely spend hours in the
research since it is complicated and explains much about temperature
and electricity.
2

4. What was the purpose (inform, persuade, and/or entertain)?

The purpose of this article is to inform, give the audience tools to
improve efficiency and gain knowledge on things that affect these
technology.
5. How formal/informal is the language?
It is formal in terms of concepts and formulas however the author tries
to make it easy to follow and to understand it also contains graphs and
pictures to have a better visualization of the explinations.
6. What specialized vocabulary is used?
Some of the specialized vocabulary used in this article is related to
electricity such as: Open circuit current, short circuit current, inverter.
It also contains vocabulary related to the material and physical panel
such as PV panel I-V curve, PV systems,
7. What other language features do you notice (text, type, font, color,
visuals, etc)?
There is in majority text, and also contains a couple of pictures and one
graph. It is well organized with cleat division of themes. It also contains
subtitles which are very useful. The text is in black and the subtitles
are in bold to identify end read easily.
Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Pathos, Logos
1. How does this genre establish (or attempt to establish) its credibility
with the audience?
The article attempts to establish credibility by using professional and
advanced vocabulary, good organization and formulas to support its
content.
2. What emotions is the genre attempting to evoke from its audience?
The article is not trying to evoke emotions from the audience, it is
simply giving out specific information to be used ones favor.
3. What types of evidence are used to support claims? Is it
valid/reliable? If there is no evidence, what is used to help support the
information presented?
The evidence is reliable since formulas and Graphs are given to
support the solution that the article concludes.
Structure and Delivery
1. How is the information organized to covey its message?
3

The information is well organized and broken down into sections, such
as Introduction, Background, Concepts, Real World Applications,
Summary, and vocabulary and Definitions, it is well organized and
gives a clear pathway to the conclusion, and it takes you through the
process and concepts. However the vocabulary and definitions are
located at the end of the article which is not very convenient for the
reader.
2. Are there limitations placed on the information because of the
genre? Does it have more freed to express what it needs to because of
the genre?
There are limitations to this genre because these type of informational
articles are supposed to be used for that specifically, not so much for
persuading, sell, entertain etc. This article is to provide information and
the genre fits its purpose entirely.
3. How does the structure facilitate its purpose?
The structure compliments and facilitate the purpose of the article
because it is clear and divided into smaller and easier to understand
subthemes that bring everything to a conclusion at the end.

Video: Why Install Solar Panels in your home.

Answer each of the following prompts for both genres as a way of
organizing the content of your Genre Analysis assignment.
Audience and Purpose
1. Who is/are the intended audience(s) and discourse community(ies)?
The intended audience for this video is people who want to take care of
the environment and find an economic alternatives.
2. What does the audience already know and what do they want to
know?
They know that there is a more economic form of energy and they
want to know which other advantages they can get from this new
method.
3. How much time will the audience spend with each genre?
The video lasts about 2:00 minutes, but would require that the viewer
spends more time on further research.

4. What was the purpose (inform, persuade, and/or entertain)?

The purpose of the video is to persuade the audience into installing
solar panels in their own homes. The video tries to convince that there
is a better more economic option for powering their homes, in which
they can also contribute on taking care of the environment and leaving
a healthier place for future generations.
5. How formal/informal is the language?
Simple and easy to understand language is used in this video because
it is directed towards people with little knowledge on the subject.
6. What specialized vocabulary is used?
They use some vocabulary related to economy and finance, to show
the savings that this methods can provide.
7. What other language features do you notice (text, type, font, color,
visuals, etc)?
The video contains, simple text, visuals such as footage and images.
These features help the audience to understand the producers general
idea.
Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Pathos, Logos
1. How does this genre establish (or attempt to establish) its credibility
with the audience?
This video establishes credibility by using real people that have been
using solar panels in their own homes and people who work in the
industry.
2. What emotions is the genre attempting to evoke from its audience?
The video is trying to evoke a feeling of necessity for this product, and
it leaves them wanting more information about the subject which is a
good strategy to hook their audience to their product.
3. What types of evidence are used to support claims? Is it
valid/reliable?
They use the interviews of real people as support for their claims,
they also interview people who have knowledge in the field of solar
energy, and on economy.
Structure and Delivery

1. How is the information organized to covey its message?

The video contains two different point of view. One of these point of
view is from the costumers of the product which support it, and give
positive reviews. The other point of view is the expert people working
and researching the product and its effects economically and impact
on the environment.
2. Are there limitations placed on the information because of the
genre? Does it have more freed to express what it needs to because of
the genre?
This genre does not have any limitations however it could be used for
the producers benefit and in this case the genre is taken advantage of
to persuade and engage normal people to a certain product.
3. How does the structure facilitate its purpose?
It is simpler and shorter than a written article and it helps the audience
to understand the concept with less difficulties.