Part I – Initial Post
Rhetorical Knowledge and Genre
To participate in this discussion, respond in detail to the following questions, using
specific examples from the real-world example of the genre.
1. Describe the example you chose: Who is the author of the piece? Where does it
come from? Who is the intended audience for the piece?
2. What are the main “external” conventions of your genre example (formatting, design,
multimodal elements, etc.)?
3. How do you think these “external” genre conventions help the piece appeal to the
audience or help the audience understand the material in a specific way?
4. What are the “internal” or writing conventions of your genre example? For example,
how would you describe the tone, style, and level of formality in the example? What
kind of diction or language choices does it use? Are there any phrases that stick out
to you as good examples of the kind of language the piece uses?
5. How do these “internal” genre conventions help the piece appeal to its audience?
Composing Process and Conventions: Your own rhetorical strategies
1. What is your own topic, purpose and audience for Project 1? (Provide a brief
explanation for your peers)
2. What are the specific ways the internal and external genre conventions in your
example that might help you appeal to your audience in Project 1? Are there
features of the genre that may not work for your audience and purpose? Why?
Part II – Peer Response
Before responding to a peer, take a look at as many posts as possible. When
responding to your peer, focus on the following questions:
1. Thinking about the external and internal conventions of genre, which of the features
of your peer’s genre example did you find the most interesting? (Focus on the
elements discussed in the video and textbook; refrain from commenting on the topic
or ideas presented in the example.)
2. To what degree do you think this genre fits your peer’s audience and purpose? Are
there other issues related to genre you think your peer should keep in mind?
