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Krysten Leston
Professor Wolcott
Genre Analysis
February 7, 2014
ENC 1102
Amy Devitt a professor at the University of Kansas defines genre as Response to
recurring rhetorical situation (Devitt 573). In other words, we have this rhetorical
situation, or this talking scenario among people, and genres are the solution and answers
to that repeated situation. Certain shared features mark this type of category in literature.
I found it useful how Anis Bawarshi described it, Genres do not simply help us define
and organize kinds of texts; they also simply help us. In the article, Materiality and
Genre in the Study of Discourse Communities, Bawarshis examination of medical genres
was very useful and impacted me the most. Bawarshi examines the use of language in the
medical field. Only people familiar with medicine can relate and truly understand what is
being discussed about in medicine. Bawarshi talks about how a Patient Medical History
Form is a commonly used genre in the medical field. It suggests how focusing on a
specific textual genre helps us how to identify a discourse community. Similar to
Bawarshi I would like to examine a genre in the field I am interested in. I will focus on
psychiatric referral forms for children.

I began my genre analysis by collecting three textual types that are result in the
repeated rhetorical situations in my discourse community. I have always been interested
in psychology, more specifically psychiatry, and I think analyzing referral forms can be

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beneficial. Although the three forms are all for referring patients, they are all completely
different in their own way. The first form is from the Duke University Health System.
They provide blanks and boxes to be checked on the form. There is so much more than
that though, there are little details that can say so much about the discourse community.
For instance, on this form there is only one thing in red font and it says Not For Medical
Record, this can indicate many things. When reading through these forms the first
questions I ask myself is who will be reading this and who is it aimed for.
This first form is from a hospital, the red Not for Medical Record is aimed for
the physician or maybe the nurse or secretary. The form is not for the patient because the
questions are asking about the patient as if speaking to the person taking care of them.
The check boxes are made for a reason, maybe because those are the select issues that
will be taken care of. This form was made for someone literate and older seeing that the
terms are advanced. This is probably for someone with severe cases because they ask
about suicide, drugs, and if they are able to take care of themselves. Whereas the other
forms are aimed for children and arent so explicit.
The second form is also from a university, Oregon Health and Science University;
they are completely different even just based on appearance. There are not many
questions and there are now boxes to be checked just blanks. This is for referring a child
so this made for an adult or guardian to fill out. I noticed they asked for insurance early
on in the document, maybe this perhaps because it is a University and money is vital for
their care. It doesnt seem like they try to narrow down the issue because they just plainly
ask for the reason of referral and no history or back-story. Perhaps this is because they do
all the questions up front or not at all. They do provide a lot of phone numbers and

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resources to be contacted which can mean plenty of things. I believe they arent very
widely spread they ask for their forms to be faxed and to contact if anything else is
needed. Unlike the final referral form that I collected that is specifically made for
children and advanced in its field.
The third and final referral form that I gathered is from Allegheny Childrens
Initiative. I researched them and I found that they created their organization to provide
management services for children and adolescents who needed assistance beyond the
traditional array of services. For one, this indicates that this is what they live for and was
made for, and it shows. Their referral form was the longest and in my opinion the most
elaborate and advanced in covering the issues children might have. They have a wide
selection of check boxes for ethnicity which means they must deal with a lot of different
people. They have a section for family, education, and a behavior symptom checklist,
which none of the other forms had.
All three forms did share some common aspects. They all had a section for a
reason for the referral, which was accompanied by a larger box to be filled out. Another
shared characteristic was that they all provided the name of their business or school with
the names and numbers to be contacted with. But what does all this mean? What is the
point of bolded headers, phone numbers, checked boxes, and insurance information?
Well, before studying genre analysis I wouldve told you I had no idea, but I now realize
they say a lot about your discourse community.
These forms prove that there is a psychiatry discourse community and how those
who are apart of the psychiatry community each have a type of physician and have their
own jargon and specialties. While members of the medical and psychology community

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are all part of the same discourse community, they're not. Being in the medical field, you
have a variety of doctors from neurosurgeons to dermatologists to psychiatrists. Each of
these smaller discourse communities has their own jargon and they fit into Swales six
characteristics but they are part of the same genremedical genre.

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Works Cited

Anis, Bawarshi "Materiality and Genre in the Study of Discourse

Communities." Materiality and Genre in the Study of Discourse Communities.
541-48. Print.
Devitt, Amy "Materiality and Genre in the Study of Discourse Communities." Materiality
and Genre in the Study of Discourse Communities. 541-48. Print.

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Appendix A

Psychiatry Referral Form

470-6137 (P)
470-6243 (Fax)
NOT FOR MEDICAL RECORD
Facility Name: _________________________________ Type of facility: [] Emergency Room [] Inpatient [] Outpatient
Name/Title of caller: _____________________ Phone: _______________Fax Number: _________________ Date: _______
Patient Name: ___________________________Sex: _______ DOB: _____/_____/_____ Age: ______ Race/Ethnicity: ____________
Presenting Problem: (note: if OD or ingestion of drugs/ETOH-please report blood levels and time obtained)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Axis I Diagnosis: _________________________________Previous Mental Health/Substance Abuse Treatment: _____________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

History of ETOH/Drug Use? Y or N If yes: what? ETOH Opiates Benzodiazepines

Cocaine Other: _________________
Last used when? ________________ How much? _____________________ History of withdrawal/DT: ____________________
Safety Issues:
Psychotic Symptoms: [] No [] Yes, If yes describe in detail______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Suicidal Symptoms: [] No [] Yes, If yes describe in detail including any plan/past attempts/when and how: _______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Homicidal Symptoms: [] No [] Yes, If yes describe in detail including towards who and any plan: ______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
History of Violence: [] No [] Yes, If yes describe in detail_______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Is the patient currently or in the past: [] Agitated

[] Impulsive [] Command hallucination
[] Self mutilation behavior
[] Aggressive behavior [] Damaging property [] Seclusion/Restraint
Please describe any of the above checked behavior in detail including what, when, precipitant and how the behavior was stopped:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Describe any prior and/or current outpatient treatment:_____________________________________________________________________
Therapist name and number:______________________________ Psychiatrist name and number: ___________________________
Medical History including any medication currently taking: _________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Medical Care: BP:________________ P:________________R:____________T: ___________Pulse Ox: _____________________
All medical diagnoses: _______________________________________________________________________________________
Changes in the last week: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Is pt. diabetic? []Yes [] No Date and time of last Blood Sugar: ____________________ Results: ____________________
Alteration in mental status or acute behavioral changes? Please give r/o test results: _______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Medication given today: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Did patient accept medications? [] Yes [] No, if no please explain outcome: ____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Check All That Apply:
Visually Impaired
Hearing Impaired
Disoriented
Delirious
Demented
Mentally Retarded
Self care (check all that applies):
Lives alone
Lives with others, who________________________
Assisted living
Family care home
Skilled-nursing facility
Walks independently? Walks with assistance, explain assistance needed: _______________________________________
Feeds self
Dresses self
Bathes self
Incontinent
Special Care Needs
[] Language _______________________ [] Physical ____________________________ [] Religious ____________________________

Discharge Planning: Will patient return to preadmission living arrangement? [] No [] Yes, if No explain disposition plan:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Is there a: [] Guardian or [] Healthcare Power of Attorney? [] No, if so, name: __________________number:__________________
TO BE COMPLETED BY DRH PSYCHIATRY DEPARTMENT
ADMITTED:

Accepting Physician: ______________________________ Room #: ____________

Bed Control Notified

NOT ADMITTED: Physician Consulted: _______________________________________Time/Date: _____________________

Reason Declined: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date & Time: __________

Signature/Title: ________________________________________________ID #: ___________________________

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Appendix B

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Appendix C

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