Practice: Analyze a Genre

1. Writing style. Is the newsletter written in a formal or an informal style? Somewhere in between? How would you describe the relationship that the authors of the newsletter’s articles attempt to establish with readers?
2. Evidence. What sort of evidence is used in the newsletter? Why do you think articles in the newsletter use this kind of evidence?
3. Organization. How is the newsletter organized? Did you find it easy to follow? Difficult? Somewhere in between? Why?
4. Citation style. Are sources cited in the newsletter? If so, how are the sources cited — in a works cited list, in footnotes, or in the text itself? Why do you think the author cites (or doesn’t cite) sources in this way?
5. Design. Briefly identify the design elements used in the document, such as columns, photographs, and text formatting. (For more information on design elements, see Chapter 16.) How does the design of the document set up expectations about its content? To what extent does the design help or hinder your ability to read and understand the document?