Running head: GENRE ANALYSIS 1

Genre Analysis

Derek Perez

University of Texas at El Paso

GENRE ANALYSIS 2

Genre Analysis

Genres, like a monograph or a video, differ from each other in aspects that can affect a

scholars research based on genre-specific expectations. The material that each genre varies from

one another are their claims, the target audience, how they are structured, and the rhetorical

issues. For this analysis, a monograph, Vegetation-climate interaction by Dr. Adams, will be

examined with a video, Global warming mini-documentary by Claudia Trejo-King with speaker,

Dr. Craig, for their comparisons and contrast.

In both the monograph and the video, they make their major claims along with some

minor claims. According to Adams (2010), he claims “most important in the case of vegetation

are two factors: humans, and climate” (p. 1). Speaking of minor claims, the monograph states

“the landscape we see is… a product of what mankind is currently doing” (p. 1). Another

example of a minor claim made by the monograph is “variation in climate… is a major factor

that determines the way vegetation varies around the world” (p. 2). In these claims, Adams

explains man-made landscapes and change in climate are based upon vegetation interaction

between humans and climate.

In the case of the video, the claim is made by the creator of the video. As it states in the

video (Tweedie, 2009), “global warming has been a controversial issue during the 21st century”

(0:27). The videos claim states that global warming is a rising controversy in the current century.

The video also states “global warming is a real issue and it’s affecting us” (0:43) as either a

statement or minor claim.

Audience

The monograph and video have the same target audience but with a slight difference.

According to Adams, “On the forest floor, the overwhelming impression is of stillness and quiet”
GENRE ANALYSIS 3

(p. 106). The stated sentence shows the monographs great delivery of vocabulary and language

that can capture the attention and satisfy the needed details for a biology major student.

In the video, it is essentially the same target audience as the monograph, which is towards

a college-based audience. The video itself was created by a university student, Claudia Trejo-

King, who attended UTEP. However, it differs because the monograph is about vegetation-

climate interaction and the video is about global warming, so the videos target audiences are

either geographical major students or global warming believers that want to learn more about the

topic.

Structure

The video shows different structural limitations and freedoms than those from the

monograph. In the video, it has a timeframe of 7:44, which is in fact short, yet it provides enough

detail on the topic it is based upon. As stated by Tweedie, “As radiation from the Sun comes

through the Earth’s atmosphere, it is absorbed on the surface…” (3:42). Dr. Tweedie speaks very

professionally, and the video is structured with visuals of nature and geographical footage. The

video is stylized as a documentary, as it is initially supposed to be hence it being called a “mini-

documentary”.

Many of the limitations from the monograph that differ from the video is that the

monograph is a book that takes time to read, days would be spent if anyone wishes to read this

monograph. In freedoms, however, the monograph has an extensive use of vocabulary and the

authors language use differs highly from the video. Like the video, Adams provides the reader

with pictures, or figures, that show a visual representation of what Dr. Adams is talking about,

like how Adams explains that “evergreeness is not… determined by climate – soil can have a lot
GENRE ANALYSIS 4

to do with it…” and provides a figure for the quote stated (p. 50-51). Finally, the monograph

provides an organized format with an extremely higher word count than that of the video.

Rhetorical Issues

Both genres showcase differences in their use of rhetorical issues regarding ethos, pathos,

and logos. Both genres have their own ways of showing their credibility, their emotional values

and use of logic with sources. In some cases, as in these two genres, they might not show any of

the three rhetorical issues.

The credibility in these two genres show how dissimilar the monograph is from the video.

In the monograph, the author, Dr. Johnathan Adams, is an assistant professor in biological

sciences in Seoul National University (Adams, p. XXVII). In the video, the speaker, Dr. Craig

Tweedie, is an assistant professor of environmental and biology sciences at the University of

Texas at El Paso (Tweedie, 1:28).

How the video shows emotional value is very distinctive than the emotion the monograph

shows. The video shows use of background footage of pollution and natural disasters, as seen in

times 0:56, 3:26, and 5:30 (Tweedie, 2009), which sends an emotional response to its viewers.

The video also uses very somber music, like Bjork and Kamal, to receive a melancholy emotion

from the viewers. The monograph, however, does not try to convey an emotional response from

its readers, it only utilizes its credibility and logic to persuade its readers.

The monographs use of logic and sources is more diverse than how the video regards the

use of sources. As shown by Adams, the monograph gives its bibliography of exactly 50 sources

(p. 265). The monograph also cites its sources in the figures it presents. For example, in figure

3.11, it states “Stow et al. (2004)” (p. 84) and in figure 7.6, it shows “From work by Barlona et

al. (CDIAC).” (p. 194). As for the video, aside from the credits for music and background
GENRE ANALYSIS 5

footage (7:25), no sources where given for the claims being shown. Also, in the video, Dr.

Tweedie speaks about the issue with research that is assumed to be either of his own or from

previous researchers.

Conclusion

The monograph and video vary from each other based on genre-specific expectations that

can affect a scholars research. Both genres have their own claims, their specific target

audience, structure and rhetorical issues. In claims, the monograph creates a great claim about

vegetation interaction with humans and climate while the video creates a claim about global

warming controversial status. For their target audience, both genres attract a college-

based audience, but the monograph is for biology majors and the video towards for geography

majors and global warming believers.

Structure wise, both genres use visuals, the video uses video footage of disasters as

background and the monograph applies pictures as figures. Another similarity is the way the

language and vocabulary is used; both Dr. Tweedie and Dr. Adams speak professionally in their

respective genres. Differently, the monograph will take time to read it fully, while the video only

has a time of 7:22 long and the monograph has a much higher word count than the videos

dialogue.

Finally, in rhetorical issues, the monograph shows ethos, or credibility, from its author,

Dr. Johnathan Adams, who is an assistant professor of biological sciences in Seoul National

University. In the video, it establishes credibility through its speaker, Dr. Craig Tweedie, who is

an assistant professor of biological and environmental sciences in the University of Texas at El

Paso. In pathos, or emotional sense, the monograph shows no sign of trying to catch the reader’s

attention with emotion but in the video, it utilizes background footage of disasters and music to
GENRE ANALYSIS 6

setup an emotional response from the viewer. Lastly, in logos, the monograph shows that it uses

sources because it cites them in the figures used and it has a bibliography of 50 sources while the

video cites no sources or research that is assumed to be Dr. Tweedie’s.

GENRE ANALYSIS 7

Bibliography

Adams, J. M. (2010). Vegetation-climate interaction : How plants make the global

environment Berlin ; New York : Springer ; Chichester, UK : In association with Praxis,

2010; 2nd ed. Retrieved from http://0-

search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat04704a&AN=nug.b238

0404&site=eds-live&scope=site

Global warming mini-documentary. Tweedie, C. (Director). (2009). [Video/DVD] YouTube:

Muri Mon. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOJuNDtgn3w