Context refers to the physical, social, disciplinary, and cultural settings that shape the writing and reading of a document. To identify the context for your writing project, ask whether your document will be read in print or online. Ask whether it will need to take the form of a particular genre (or type of document), such as a report, an opinion column, a blog post, or a multimedia presentation.Consider how social and cultural contexts — such as recent events and shared history — will shape the attitudes and understanding of your readers. Consider as well how the genre and context will influence your decisions as a writer.