Running head: GENRE ANALYSIS 1

Genre Analysis

Water Tables

The University of Texas at El Paso

GENRE ANALYSIS 2

Abstract

This paper is based off of the comparison of two genres. The first genre analyzed is an

Anthology by M. Thangarajan which contains stories, graphs and maps that proceed to explain

water tables and the causes of the water level lowering. Thangarajan (2007) believes car

pollution and the burning of waste are factors affecting the water system. The second genre

analyzed is a non-scholarly article produced by Nepali Times (2017). This video uses the

Kathmandu Valley as an example when explaining the reason behind the lowering of water

tables. Nepali Times argues aquifers are being over extracted more quickly that it can be restored

by rainwater causing the imbalance of the water tables.

GENRE ANALYSIS 3

Genre Analysis

Genres are described as a way of categorizing information based off similarities.

Genres allow information to be distributed to many audiences based on age, content and interest.

When an author is trying to persuade readers towards their claim they use different genres to help

display their information to the various audiences. Genres also allow us to analyze controversial

subjects such as the lowering of water tables. Water tables are described as the level of ground

where water saturates.

For instances, Anthologies are better structured sources and contain more

information compared to non-scholarly media prints which only provide a vague overview of the

subject being analyzed. The first genre analyzed is an anthology named “Groundwater Resource

Evaluation, Augmentation, Contamination, Restoration, Modeling and Management” edited by

M. Thangarajan. Thangarajan claims that pollution from automobiles, burning waste and littering

are the leading factors to the lowering of water table levels (Thangarajan,2007, p.339). The

second genre analyzed is non-scholarly media source produced by Nepali Times. The video is

based off of the Kathmandu Valley and claims how the aquifer is being over extracted for city

usage (Nepali Times, 2017). Both genres are making claims that are helping raise awareness of

the lowering of water tables. Both genres share a common key point and indicate that humans are

the leading cause of rapid water level depletion.

Structure and Delivery

Both genres deliver a similar message utilizing different methods. Nepali Times created

the non-scholarly media print to inform the audience the danger of the lowering of water tables.
GENRE ANALYSIS 4

The video was a voice over and displayed a diagram showing the valley and where the water is

being extracted from. The diagram also contains a legend identifying the different levels of the

ground such as sand, sand and clay, bed rock, clay and an arrow that identifies rainfall recharge.

The legend aids the viewer understand what each color represents and how it is relevant to the

video. An issue with the video is it only goes over the extraction of water in aquifers rather than

multiple factors affecting water tables. The video is all very brief and does not entail how water

is extracted nor why is being extracted so quickly. This makes the video lose credibility and is

why it is not considered a well- rounded, and reliable source. The advantage the video has over

the book is that it is easier to understand what is going on.

The book contained information from multiple authors and compiled many graphs, tables

and equations. Each chapter in the book was summarized into an introduction and then broken

down into sections throughout the chapter. The way the book was written makes it difficult to

understand if one is not familiar with the subject. The equations and graphs do not have legends

or pointers that could help the audience grasp what it is trying to portray. The advantage of the

book is that is goes into detail of how and why water tables are lowering. According to

Thangarajan (2007), water pollution and waste lands are leading factors of the downfall in water

tables but gives a solution on how they can be restored.

Overall an anthology is a better source when compared to the video because of its

structure and detailed information. In other cases, a video might be useful because it allows the

audience to grasp the general idea of the topic. When analyzing the genres, they portrayed their

information effectively because they contained colorful images and information was not

compiled in one area which could be overwhelming at times.

GENRE ANALYSIS 5

Audience and Purpose

The two genres analyzed are created to inform and display information about water tables

to an audience. The video genre is easier to understand because its open to various audiences and

is mainly just a graph that shows the various layers of the ground and where extraction of water

takes place. In comparison, the book is aimed for scholars who are higher in education because

of the vocabulary and the extensive equations used. The purpose of both sources is to persuade

the audience to be aware of the danger of lowering water levels and how quickly it is happening.

Many people are unaware of the risk the earth is facing with water levels lowering which is why

these authors are trying to reach out to various audiences and warn them of the circumstances.

The anthology is targeted to a smaller audience which makes the information more

valuable because it is more difficult to understand. The book provides many examples as to why

water tables are decreasing while the video briefly explains one factor that affects water tables.

The book claims that pollution from vehicles and wastelands are the leading cause in the

lowering of water levels in aquifers (Thangarajan, 2007, p. 343). The book also gives solutions

on how people can conserve water to prevent any further damage to water tables. Another

advantage the book has is that it has many authors which makes information unbiased.

The non-scholarly media print is targeted to a wide range of audiences allowing it to

inform more people but can lose vital information since there is only a limited time frame to

expose information. The video was made to show the audience what happens when water is

being over extracted and how it can affect the future. The use of a real-life example such as the

Kathmandu Valley gives the video more credibility. Having vivid colors and easy to read font

made the video easier to comprehend.

GENRE ANALYSIS 6

Rhetorical Issues

A video often is disregarded because it is not a reliable source unless it is produced by

someone who holds a credible title. The information given by a video can also be questioned

because it is brief and vague. Information also can be misconstrued because it is difficult to

review the information. An anthology on the other hand is a known as a reliable source because

multiple scholars have come together to compile their information after long periods of research.

The video portrayed pathos because it shows the aquifer becoming empty due to the over

extraction causing a sense of guilt. After viewing the video, the audience is more cautious about

the way they use water because they now know the damage they are causing to aquifers. The

book also contains a sense of pathos because it gives the example of landfills created by people

and how car exhaust is polluting water sources making the audience feel guilty for these actions.

The two genres also contained a sense of logos. Logos is what makes information

credible because it backs up a claim with facts. The video is based off of the Kathmandu Aquifer,

it has been over extracted by people nearby. Having the map of the actual Valley adds credibility

to the video. In comparison, the book has many artifacts that help back up the claim. The book

contains graphs of water levels over time and equations that are used to measure water levels.

Other things that give both genres a sense of credibility is they both used a more sophisticated

vocabulary.

The two genres also differ because they contain a different approach on the audience and

how they expose their information. The book is mostly influenced by logos because it is mainly
GENRE ANALYSIS 7

used for scholarly purposes. The video was created towards pathos because it gives emotional

appeal to the audience.

GENRE ANALYSIS 8

References

Nepali Times (2017, December 23). Retrieved February 02, 2018, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-4CEtbfH1c

Thangarajan, M. (2007). Groundwater: resource evaluation, augmentation, contamination,

restoration, modeling and management. Dordrecht ; [London] : Springer, 2007.