The composing process often begins with an assignment, which may provide answers to some of your questions about genre, features, purpose and audience, and meaning. Take a look at this assignment about binge drinking, for example:
Design a six-panel brochure that persuades college students not to binge drink. Your headings and body text—along with any graphs, diagrams, or photos—should work together to define the term and discuss the dangers of binge drinking.
The assignment provides the topic—binge drinking—and requires a specific multimodal genre: a brochure with images and written words. It also provides a general purpose—to persuade—and a target audience—college students. It’s up to the student to determine the specific message. For example, Binge drinking can lead to health problems that plague drinkers long after college or One night of binge drinking can be fatal and isn’t worth the risk. The student will need to think about what features will help make that message persuasive. What colors, typefaces, and images, for example, will be appropriate for the message?
Related topics:
Considering the “So what?” question
Understanding expectations and managing your time