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: (Typography) Jillian Michaels Opens up About Her Sexuality.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/17/jillian-michaels-openly-gay_n_6004106.html

Genre 2: (Iconography) Sam Smith on Coming Out of the Closet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWUZNCErKnc

1. What is your topic of inquiry?

The topic of inquiry is the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning)
community and its rise into the entertainment industry. This topic will be limited to the
environmental aspect of the community, not the social aspect of being part of this niche.
Although it might sound broad and un-descriptive, we will focus on the way the topic of
homosexuality comes into play, and how people within the community see how this changes
their mindset on life.

2. Why did you select these two specific genres?

The article chosen as the typography is from Huffington Post, and deals with famous
trainer Jillian Michaels and how she feels uncomfortable trying to be herself in the public
eye. Like everyone else, even the LGBT community has worries and doubts about their

lives, and this article will clarify and help others who might not identify with this
community, understand the struggles of homosexuals coming into the pop scene. As for
the iconography, there is a video of singer Sam Smith on the Ellen show speaking about
his decision to come out (to the public, since he states in the video Ive been out since I
was four.). Many criticize his decision not to be a gay spokesperson; only for him to
clarify that he wants to be a universal spokesperson. Both of these videos bring the subtle
aspect of the gay community within the entertainment industry.
3. How does each genre communicate about your topic of inquiry?
The Jillian Michaels article speaks for the part of the LGBT community that just wants to
be and/or be seen as normal, and Sam Smiths video talks about how he felt it important
to be open about himself in order to show himself as entirely honest and sincere with his
career.

Part Two

Answer each of the following prompts for both genres as a way of organizing the content
of your Genre Analysis assignment.

Audience and Purpose

TYPOGRAPHY
1. Who is/are the intended audience(s) and discourse community(ies)?

The intended audience for the article is anyone that might feel uncomfortable with the
thought of being gay and being in the public eye. The discourse community of this article
is the LGBT community and all those that support it.

2. What does the audience already know and what do they want to know?

The audience might know that Jillian Michaels is gay, but they do not know and will
want to know her stance on the subject and why she feels that she cannot be open about
her sexuality.

3. How much time will the audience spend with this genre?

The article is fairly short, it can take anywhere from five to seven minutes to read, but I
feel it will want you to further research Jillians ideals and overall life.

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

This article was to inform the reader of the different and interesting stand-point of Jillian
Michaels and her image as a queer female in the entertainment industry.

5. How formal/informal is the language?

The language is formal. The writers stay away from words that might hinder or ward off
the everyday reader from appreciating this article.

6. What specialized vocabulary is used?

LGBT. Not everyone might know that LGBT stands for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and

transgender.
Queer. Gay; homosexual

7. What other language features do you notice (text, type, font, color, visuals, etc)?

The colors used for the article are soft and sensitive. Although, no literal pictures are
present; the salmon and black colors of the article portray a sense of everyday thoughts
and feelings.

Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

1. How does this genre establish (or attempt to establish) its credibility with the
audience?

The article establishes its credibility with the audience by speaking of Jillians recent
accomplishments and by having her speak about her everyday life with her partner and
their new children.

2. What emotions is the genre attempting to evoke from its audience?

The emotions you feel with this article are shock, confusion, and uncomfortable. Not just
for Jillian herself, but also for how you yourself feel for the topic.
5

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 used to support her feelings are valid considering how close her partner and
her are and how real the situation she described about talking with an older generation
and how you have to present yourself to their ideals.

Structure and Delivery

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

The article opens by presenting the topic at hand, following up with filling the
audience/readers in on the person they are interviewing, and having her speak of her
experience after an explanation of her dilemma.

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 placed on the information because of the genre. Since, it is an
article, editing comes widely into play with any form of writing. There seems to be a lack
of evidence following her explanation on how she feels about her sexual orientation and
examples that led up to her thoughts.
3. How does the structure facilitate its purpose?
The structure clearly states its purpose as letting Jillian Michaels tell her viewpoint on her
gay life in the public eye by explaining how she feels and why.

Audience and Purpose

ICONOGRAPHY
1. Who is/are the intended audience(s) and discourse community(ies)?
The intended audience for Sam Smiths interview with Ellen is his fans and all those who
are not clear on his stance in the LGBT community. The discourse community of this
video is the LGBT community and those who support it.
2. What does the audience already know and what do they want to know?
The audience already knows that Sam Smith is gay, and they will want to know how he
started off and why he does not believe in standing up [solely] for gay rights
3. How much time will the audience spend with this genre?
The Sam Smith video is three minutes and forty-two seconds, but as with everything else
that you see and hear on the internet, it will lead you to do more research on the topic at
hand.
4. What was the purpose (inform, persuade, and/or entertain)?
The purpose of this video was to inform and entertain the audience. The video let you in
on some key topics as far as Sam Smiths views on gay views as well as letting you in on
a bit of his past, with comedy.
5. How formal/informal is the language?
This video is showing an interview between Ellen and Sam Smith, but although it is a
formal setting, the conversation is informal and casual.
6. What specialized vocabulary is used?

American Music Award. An event that celebrates the latest and greatest talents of
the contemporary music scene. (theamas.com)

Spokesperson. Someone who speaks for and advocates a certain group and
represents them.

7. What other language features do you notice (text, type, font, color, visuals, etc)?
N/A

Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

1. How does this genre establish (or attempt to establish) its credibility with the
audience?
The video establishes credibility by establishing Sam Smith and listing his huge
accomplishments, and getting personal by relating a current topic with a part of his past.

2. What emotions is the genre attempting to evoke from its audience?

The video is trying to establish a feeling of understanding, compatibility, and
compassion. The interview is allowing Sam to explain his choices and allowing him to
represent himself and clarify his motives.
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 only evidence we have to the support the claims Sam Smith is presenting is his word.
Although, his word might not be valid, his actions in the spotlight have made his words
reliable.

Structure and Delivery

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

During Sam Smiths interview with Ellen they speak about his accomplishments, they
then speak about how he feels about coming out and how he wants everyone to be able to
relate to him, not just the gay community.
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?
The limitations that come with this video are time related. With the limited amount of
time they have per interview they have to limit the information that is used.
3. How does the structure facilitate its purpose?
The whole structure of the interview is to convey and speak about the
topics at hand as quickly as possible while remaining true to how one
might feel about the topic being discussed.