Tajalli 1 Shereen Tajalli ENC 1102 Professor Wolcott 14 February 2014 Genre Analysis: Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation Forms

When hearing the word genre, what typically comes to mind are categories of literacy or artistic work. Amy Devitt however, a professor at the University of Kansas, defines genre as a response to recurring rhetorical situations (Devitt 573). In other words its a way of communicating within a discourse community. Im using her definition of genre to better explain the discourse community on my analysis of Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation (PPE) forms. These forms are evaluated by doctors who perform the annual PPE requirement of student athletes prior to participating in sports. Discussed within this genre analysis would be where these Physical Evaluation Forms are used, in what rhetorical situations they are implemented, and how these situations are responded to over time. A discourse community, as University of Michigan professor John Swales explains, should follow six main criteria- the first one being a common public goal. The overall objective of this genre is to promote safe involvement in athletes. The healthcare provider screens for conditions that are contraindications to participation or those that increase the athletes risk for injury or illness. Another purpose is to find any conditions or previous injuries that need to be rehabilitated in order to maintain the health and safety of the athlete. It can also be used to assess an athlete's current level of fitness, which can include a baseline flexibility and strength evaluation. Looking at the PPE form itself (Appendix A, B, and C), its easy to recognize the organizational format of the genre which allows the doctors to swiftly maneuver through the

Tajalli 2 examination. This is not only convenient for the doctors but it also allows legal and insurance requirements to be met. The second requirement for a discourse community is intercommunication. These sets of genre require a great amount of face-to-face intercommunication between the doctor and patient as the PPE forms would be pointless otherwise. Many physical factors on the forms should be checked, including: pulse rate, blood pressure rate, height, weight, vision, and hearing. As you can see in Appendixes A-C, a trend shows all these factors to be filled out near the top of the form. This is one aspect that makes all PPE forms the same. Another part of the exam that the healthcare provider evaluates based on the form itself is normality verses abnormality of the head, thorax, abdomen, genitalia, neurological factors, and orthopedic factors. The trends on these forms that evaluate these functions are the biggest comparable aspects of this genre. Every PPE form has a chart that is easily readable and allows any reader to be able to distinguish normal and abnormal functionality. The next required aspect of a discourse community would be feedback that must be provided through participatory mechanisms. As previously mentioned, the intercommunication between doctor and patient in regards to this genre is face-to-face. That means the process of getting feedback from the doctor is fairly quick. Every PPE form has the little checkbox on the bottom labeled cleared, which is crucial to the athlete because its the only thing holding back him or her from participating in sports. If this checkbox is marked and the doctor signs the line underneath, the patient is cleared to participate in physical activities. This simple check can only be marked by the doctor, which is why Physical Evaluations can only be performed by the physician as it keeps the document credible.

Tajalli 3 The people within the discourse community created this genre, so the utilization of this genre is crucial to the discourse community itself. Its a means of communicating from athlete to coach while getting consent from the doctor to participate. With this genre, coaches know which athlete is capable of fully participating in his workout regimen and which ones are physically incapable. The genre itself can easily be processed by not only the doctor but anyone else reading it, which leads us to the next requirement of a discourse community: a specific lexis must be acquired. Although all PPE forms are completed by doctors, they are meant to land in the hands of the coaches themselves once they are completed. In order for the coach to be able to interact with the form, it must be written in a way that is easily understood by everyone who is capable of reading. The only lexis that specifically doctors can understand can be viewed on Appendix A under the huge chart. In small print it mentions ECG and GU exams that should be taken if required by the patient. Those lines are not there to be understood by the coaches or athletes, theyre there for the doctor to know what extra steps should be taken if necessary. Thats why they are written is such small print, because anyone else who is reading the form can consider it unnecessary and unimportant, unless of course the doctor specifically says such measures should be taken. The last requirement for a discourse community would be to acquire different levels of membership. There are many types of people who interact with PPE forms. From the athlete who takes the physical, to the parent who transports him or her to the doctors office, to the doctor who clears it, to the coach who evaluates it, leading back to the school/state law that requires it. All these people mentioned are revolved around this one form of consent; and its the great range of people who make it a discourse community. Without them a PPE would not be taken as seriously, and a vast number of athletes would be injured because of it.

Tajalli 4 In order for a discourse community to fully function, all requirements need to be met. PPE forms are vital because it requires involvement from every member of the discourse community. Otherwise this genre would be inexistent. Like Devitt mentioned earlier, genre is a way of communicating from one member to another. This genre is a way of communicating between all the members of a discourse community and creating a connection between every member. All PPE forms are similar from one another, almost identical, because they serve one purpose and one purpose only: to ensure the safety of athletes. As generic as the PPE process is, it is that way because its efficient and has worked for many years. Because of these standard PPE forms, we know that children are healthy and safely insured.

Tajalli 5 Works Cited http://www.aap.org/enus/search/pages/results.aspx?k=preparticipation%20physical%20evaluatio n. American Academy of Pediatrics. PPE-Physical-Exam-form-single-page. March 23, 2010. February 1, 2014. http://www.longhornspolicymanual.com/15_10_3.asp. Longhorns Policy. Section 15.00-Sports Medicine 15.10.3 Preparticipation Physical Exam. February 11, 2009. February 1, 2014. http://www.atlanta.k12.ga.us/Page/30710. Sutton Middle School. Athletics-Medical/Physical Forms. 2014. February 1, 2014. Devitt, Amy J. "Generalizing about Genre: New Conceptions of an Old Concept". College Composition and Communication. Vol 44. 1993. pg 573-584 Print. Swales, John. "The Concept of Discourse Community." page 21-32. Print.

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Appendix A

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Appendix B

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Appendix C