A genre is a form of communication used to achieve a particular purpose. Genres tend to develop conventions—such as the types of content, rhetorical strategies, and kinds of language used—that audiences begin to expect. But genres are not cookie-cutter templates. They are flexible and develop over time.

As an academic writer, you’ll encounter genres both familiar and new. Even when a genre at first seems familiar, you may find new expectations or conventions at different levels of education, in different academic disciplines, or even in different classrooms, so you’ll want to look closely at any genre you are considering for a writing project.