Running head: GENRE ANALYSIS

Genre Analysis
Julio Castro
The University of Texas at El Paso
February 26, 2014

GENRE ANALYSIS

A genre is a classification or group of things in it that all have that same thing in
common. Even though not everything within the genre is the same, the genre is what represents
the style of those things. Every nationwide university consists of several genres, for example.
Science, Engineering, Education, etc., are all types of genres that make up a university. They are
all important in their own ways, but some will be more of use in certain situations than others
will. This same concept applies to source genres which are usually gathered by scholars when
searching for data in their mission to creating knowledge.
When searching for sources, scholars usually consider source genres such as digital
media and monographs, but most will agree that the more beneficial of the two will always be
the monograph. Monographs such as Top-Down Digital VLSI Design by Hubert Kaeslin (2015),
are sources that only focus on one specific subject. They provide the reader with more details
and support all of their data with scholarly sources. Digital Media sources are more commonly
known as educational videos. These educational videos are usually brief, and give the viewer a
general understanding of the topic. Documentaries are great sources, but not quite as good as
monographs when one is looking to create knowledge and pass it on. An example of this source
is Additive Manufacturing, by GE Aviation (2013), and its audience focus is slightly different to
that of Kaeslins.
Even though two sources can provide information about the same topic or subject, their
audience focus will vary depending on the genre of the source. Kaeslins monograph is intended
for those who are pursuing either career of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering,
Computer Architecture, Computer Science, or Biomedical Engineering. This source explains the
design flow of VLSI in sections 1.3 and illustrates circuits from different perspectives according

GENRE ANALYSIS

to the already mentioned professions. The audience does not necessarily need to be highly
educated because this is a source for learning purposes, but some general knowledge about
recent technology would be recommended since the monograph first explains how VLSI
technology has improved the way computer users communicate and how we have economically
benefited from it before getting into the technical lessons.
On the other hand, GE Aviation also talks about VLSI technology but focuses on a
completely different audience. This digital media source is more for those who have vast
knowledge, or are strongly considering to pursue VLSI technology. The director of this media
source assumes that the audience has access to the most recent technology devices, since its
claim is about applications regarding this technology. Even though this source is not necessarily
meant for computer users, technology students must have internet access in order to be able to
make use of digital media sources. Like the previously-mentioned monograph, also talks about
VLSI technology but focuses on a completely different audience because Kaeslins monograph is
more for those who are interested in learning about VLSI and GE Aviations video is for those
who have already read Kaeslins book and already have plenty of knowledge about this
technologic innovation.
Monographs are always structured in a very sophisticated and organized manner. Most of
the time they begin with a claim; this is the authors belief which he or she wants to convert into
knowledge. The author then uses common knowledge, which is knowledge that is recognized by
most of the people and is not specific to a subject, to try to persuade the reader that his belief is
certainly more than a belief; this is when the belief turns into a truth. After the writer has done a
good job in persuading and has gained credibility, he or she gathers several scholarly sources that
relate to the topic of his claim and uses it as data. Kaeslin, in his book Top-Down Digital VLSI

GENRE ANALYSIS

Design (2015), explains how back in the 1970s, in order for one to be able to communicate
telephonically, make mathematical calculations, listen to music, and watch television, four
devices would be needed; one for each task. About 3 decades later (2005) this was still the case,
but each device was much more portable. One decade after that (2015), each of those tasks could
be performed from within a single device. His common knowledge convinced most of the
readers that his claim, that VLSI technology has improved the economy of technology users by
giving them the benefit of minimizing the amount of purchased devices. He then supports his
evidence with numbers of dollars spent. This overwhelming data turns the authors claim into a
knowledgeable claim rather than a simple belief. If the evidence is not overwhelming, then the
belief will simply reach stage two and become a truth. Authors of monographs never want to
develop truth; they want knowledge. Knowledge is always more reliable.
Digital Media sources are not structured the way that monographs are structured. Digital
media also tends to provide a claim, but the belief-to-knowledge process is not as sequential as a
monograph. The way that these videos prove their beliefs is not by providing the viewer with
scholarly sources and by quoting knowledgeable statements; they travel to a destination where
that belief is very common and simply film what is currently going on. The physical evidence
must always coincide with the claim of the director, otherwise the video would not make sense at
all. For example, the documentary Additive Manufacturing that was published by GE Aviation in
2013, claims that GE Aviation is revolutionizing the age-old rules of manufacturing and
design. The video then gives the viewer a general background about additive manufacturing and
how it makes engineering and designing much more simple than before. The video shows us the
physical evidence of the claim, since we witness how handy this technology is.

GENRE ANALYSIS
Ethos, pathos, and logos are three ways of making a huge impact on other people when
arguing, discussing, or writing something. These three appeals are what give sources, in this
case, credibility and what makes them persuasive. Monographs do a great job in delivering the
ethos and the logos part of the three rhetoric branches. The fact that monographs are full of
sources, quotes, data, and statistics, makes them credible and trustworthy. For example, in
section 1.3.2, Kaeslin claims that The development cycle of VLSI circuits comprises a
multitude of steps. He then illustrates the process with several images in order to make his
claim a credible one.
Pathos, on the other hand, is not so much about knowledge and truth. It is more about
emotions and about inspiring the audience. Even though great writers can do a great job in
delivering emotion to the reader, it is not as convincing as physically seeing or living the
situation. Books are not go-to sources when trying to make an audience laugh or cry.
If one is looking forward to finding the pathos branch of rhetoric, then digital media is
where to look. Digital media shows us what is going on rather than writing what is happening.
GE Aviation explains how the guts of a solid metal part are grown from the ground up by a
precision 200-watt laser in 1:56 of the video. It doesnt sound very impressive in writing, but
when I physically saw how it was done, it left me with an astonishment emotion. It obviously
lacks the logos rhetoric because no sources are provided, but it can certainly inspire the viewers
with its abundant emotions. Excitement, happiness, and dullness are examples of how digital
media can persuade you emotionally.
Ethos is another appeal that can be found in video sources. The narrator usually speaks
with great confidence that causes the viewer to believe the words that come out of him. The fact
that Greg Morris, an Additive Development Center Employer of GE Aviation, is one of the two

GENRE ANALYSIS

people being interviewed in the documentary makes this authentic video even more credible.
Truth is fairly similar to ethos; the lack of logos is what makes digital media not the most reliable
source when trying to create knowledge.
Searching for sources of distinct genres is well recommended, but some sources will
always be better to use than others, depending on what ones final goal is. For scholars looking
to create new knowledge and deliver it, it is more effective to focus on monographs.
Documentaries are the cherry on the top, but not always necessary. The way to create circuits is
by bringing lots of transistors together; that is not the exemption for knowledge. By gathering
lots of scholarly sources, one can create new knowledge.
The definition of genre can be easily understood, but analyzing and choosing them
wisely, not so much. When having trouble in choosing the correct genre, identify the audience,
analyze the structure of each, and finally learn what kind of rhetoric each has to offer (ethos,
pathos logos). In this case monographs are the way to go.

GENRE ANALYSIS

7
References

Additive Manufacturing - The Next Industrial Revolution. GE Aviation (Director).

(2013).[Video/DVD] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0SXlkrmzyw
Kaeslin, H. (2015). Top-down digital VLSI design: From architectures to gate-level circuits and
FPGAs (Fir ed.). Waltham, MA: Morgan Kaufmann. Retrieved from http://0proquest.safaribooksonline.com.lib.utep.edu/?uiCode=utxelpaso&xmlId=9780128007303