If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. Many people apply this rule to everyday life. But can it be applied to textual genres as well? The genre generators suggest that as long as the conventions are consistent, then the genre is consistent as well. These sites give us more insight into why conventions are so important in understanding and analyzing different genres.
The sci generator creates scientific research papers written using fake data. Even though the information presented is completely made up, conventions tell the reader that the text is indeed a research paper. Conventions of this genre include high vocabulary, correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation, charts and graphs, and a list of references from which the writer obtained the information. Each paper also follows a specific format. The information is broken up into sections, each with a different heading. Intro, design, conclusion, and results are a few examples of these. The most important convention of the research paper is the tone, which is both formal and informative. Diction and syntax are two rhetorical devices that aid in setting this tone.
The second generator creates comic strips. Each comic strip has three panels, and each panel contains a cartoon and dialogue. A comic strip is only successful if it’s funny. Therefore, one of the most important conventions of this genre is humor. Sarcasm and even satire are a couple rhetorical devices a writer can utilize when working in this genre. Even if the reader doesn’t personally find the comic funny, they will understand the author’s attempt at being humorous. Another convention is simple dialogue. A comic with paragraphs of text would not be effective because the reader would lose interest easily. Informality is a convention of this genre as well.
The last generator creates memes. A meme consists of a picture, usually of a person or an animal, accompanied by a caption. A meme’s conventions are similar to that of the comic strip. The only difference is that while comic strips tell a story, a meme simply has a random, funny saying. The most important convention of a meme is humor- a writer in this genre aims to create a meme funny or witty enough to go viral. Memes are always short and to the point, usually only containing one or two lines of text. Memes are also informal. Punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure are not important. Misspellings and bad grammar can even add to the humor and make the meme more successful.
I also found a random essay generator at http://www.longessays.com/essay.php. An essay is created about any topic typed into the search bar. The exact template is used for every paper generated, and only the word/s you typed in as the topic will change. An introduction, conclusion, and body paragraphs are some common conventions of an essay. A formal tone, and correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation are also essential in this genre. Every essay created with this generator includes information on the social and cultural, economic, environmental, and political factors of the specific topic. These elements are conventions of many academic essays.
These generators give a deeper understanding of genre by showing the importance of conventions. A work becomes part of a certain genre when all of the conventions are satisfied. Knowing what conventions are and being able to recognize them allows a reader to decide the genre of any given text. Likewise, to be a successful writer, one must read and study other works within the genre and use the same conventions in their own work.
The metaphor in the beginning was really creative and catchy! Great introduction, but when you mentioned "these sites" in the intro I would have listed the genre generators just to give the reader a heads up as to what is to come. You probably could have gone into a little more detail about the conventions of memes and comic strips but you still covered important ones! Maybe it would have been even more affective if you gave examples of what kind of things memes and comic strips make fun of just to give your audience a better understanding. Other than that, I think you did a great job!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your introduction. The phrase really grabbed me into reading the paper. The way you explained the conventions of the SCIgen generator was very well described. I didn’t find the website entertaining, (I don’t know if anyone did, to be honest) but your descriptions of the genre helped clarify the main ideas that I wouldn’t have gotten just by skimming over the website. The conventions you described for the meme and comic generators were very similar to mine, which goes to show that the conventions of this genre are pretty accurate and the generators did a good job in showing what makes the genre. I think your descriptions would have been better if you had examples of the genres as evidence. Other than that, I believe you have the concept of genres and conventions down.
ReplyDeleteTaypres,
ReplyDeleteCool blurb. You should definitely study abroad. Like: 100%.
Re: PB1A, nice use of a dash-as-afterthought and italics-for-emphasis in your opening sentence. ☺ This tidbit was interestingly odd (pun intended): last year, the University of Chicago asked students to write about “what makes odd numbers, odd”. I like this kind of detail and specificity—keep that going for all of your work in our class and beyond.From the tone to the audience and purpose that you acknowledged, this was a very thorough PB1A. Excellent job. Two conventions that I’d add are a frequent use of 1st-person “I” language and some storytelling/anecdotal elements.
Re: PB1B, damn, yet another excellent opening! (You’ve got a knack for that.) I like the many conventions that you’ve pinpointed. Remember: get as “deep down” as you can—like we talked about in class, everything from the colors of the cartoon characters’ clothes to the dramatic escalation of tension in the comic strips all plays a role in making these genres… these genres.
Great, great work on these posts, Taypres. Keep it up.
Z