Analysing Genre

An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: 

An Introduction to Discourse Analysis Genre Analysis

Some examples …: 

Some examples … TV news reports newspaper editorials fantasy novels TV weather reports thrillers political speeches recipes business reports scientific research papers CVs popular science articles sales presentations sms holiday brochures technical manuals playscripts features articles contracts fairytales medical histories diaries menus classified advertisements teacher talk TV programme schedules birthday cards postcards fax cover pages letters of complaint love letters newspaper travel articles poetry letters of reference minutes of meetings

And it’s not just topic that gives it away …: 

And it’s not just topic that gives it away … Which quotes are from the original research article and which from on-line news reports ? Between 5% and 20% of the population is estimated to suffer from IBS which is characterised by abdominal pain and an irregular bowel habit. Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterised by abdominal pain or discomfort and accompanied by a change in bowel habit.1 The condition has a population prevalence of between 5% and 20% in community surveys. Researchers found that almost half of all sufferers of the crippling stomach disorder found their symptoms disappeared after taking the natural remedy. Fifty two of 197 (26%) patients randomised to peppermint oil had persistent symptoms compared with 127 of 195 (65%) receiving placebo (relative risk 0.43, 0.32 to 0.59; fig 4 ), with statistically significant heterogeneity detected between studies (I2=31.1%, P=0.23). The number needed to treat with peppermint oil to prevent one patient having persistent symptoms was 2.5 (2.0 to 3.0).

What is a Genre?: 

What is a Genre? “A genre comprises a class of communicative events, the members of which share some set of communicative purposes. These purposes are recognized by the expert members of the parent discourse community and thereby constitute the rationale for the genre. This rationale shapes the schematic structure of the discourse and influences and constrains choice of content and style”. Swales, J.M. (1990). Genre Analysis – English in academic and research settings. Cambridge University Press.

There may be very subtle differences between subcategories of a genre …: 

There may be very subtle differences between subcategories of a genre … Hyland (1999) found that writers of academic papers in Humanities and Social Science subjects tended to used citations which were integral to the text. There is a tendency for writers of academic papers in the Sciences and engineering to use citations which are not integral to the text. (Hyland 1999)

What is a Genre?: 

What is a Genre? A textual form with accepted (sometimes unconsciously) and recognisable features : Communicative Purpose Visual / Organisational Features Text Type Content Structure Linguistic Features

Communicative Purpose: 

Communicative Purpose Advertisements – to persuade Encyclopedia articles – to inform Technical manuals – to instruct Novels – to entertain Etc May have hidden purposes? Eg : News broadcast – to inform; to mould opinion.

Visual/Organisational: 

Visual/Organisational Illustrations or not? What type? Use of colour? Division into Chapters? Sections? Paragraphing or bullet points? etc

Text Types: 

Text Types NARRATIVES tell a story, usually to entertain RECOUNTS (Personal, Factual) tell what happened INFORMATION REPORTS provide factual information INSTRUCTIONS tell the listener or reader what to do EXPLANATIONS explain how or why something happens EXPOSITORY TEXTS present or argue viewpoints From : Lin, Genre-based Teaching and Vygotskian Principles in EFL , http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/Sept_06_bl.php

Example : Medical research article Ford et al, Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis http://www.bmj.com: 

Example : Medical research article Ford et al, Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis http://www.bmj.com Communicative Purpose – to inform Text Type – Information report Visual/Organisational Sections with headings and sub-headings Paragraphed text Inclusion of tables and other graphics

Organisational Structure: 

Organisational Structure Abstract Introduction Methods Results Discussion References

Content Structure: 

Content Structure Swales (op.cit) – The structure of the introduction section of research articles Move 1: Establishing a Territory Step 1: Claiming Centrality and/or Step 2: Making Topic Generalisations and/or Step 3: Reviewing Items of Previous Research Move 2: Establishing a Niche Step 1A: Counter-claiming or Step 1B: Indicating a Gap or Step 1C: Question Raising or Step 1D: Continuing a Tradition Move 3: Occupying the Niche Step 1A: Outlining Purposes or Step 1B: Announcing Present Research Step 2: Announcing Principal Findings Step 3: Indicating Research Article Structure Cited in : Dudley-Evans http://www.aelfe.org/documents/text2-Dudley.pdf

Analysing the Introduction of the BMJ article …: 

Analysing the Introduction of the BMJ article … Move 1, Steps 1 and 2 – Paragraphs 1+2 Move 2, Step 1b - Paragraphs 3 + 4 Move 3, Step 1b – Paragraph 5

Typical Linguistic Elements (examples only): 

Typical Linguistic Elements (examples only) Active verbs and personal pronouns to describe the authors’ own research : We carried out … we searched … we considered … Nominalisation of processes: allocation concealment, sensitivity analyses, data extraction Hedging language : antispasmodics may act by reducing colonic contraction and transit time Lexis from fields of medicine, experimentation and statistics: Blinding of patients in these studies may not have been entirely successful

Recipes: 

Recipes Communicative Purpose – to instruct Text Type – Instructions Visual/ Organisational – Photos; List plus numbered points, possibly containing 2 or 3 sentences or paragraphs; headings – Ingredients, Method

Recipes: 

Recipes Organisational / Structure - List of ingredients followed by description of steps in the process Content structure - Chronological

Recipes – Linguistic Features: 

Recipes – Linguistic Features Lexis Lexical fields food – onion, mushrooms, rice cooking implements – pan, sieve, casserole cooking procedures - heat, stir, melt, fry, season, drizzle Sentence connectives (sequencers), especially with paragraph layout – First of all, then, next, after that, meanwhile, now

Recipes – Linguistic features: 

Recipes – Linguistic features Recurrent grammatical structures Imperatives – melt, add, put, give, pour Sequencing use of present perfect as alternative to the present simple - see examples below Subordinate clauses with a sequencing conjunction – When the mushrooms have softened, … (MC) – … until they’ve softened. (JO) – Once the rice is cooked, (GL) – Until .. the madeira has reduced (DS) - … immediately it is ready (DS)

Recipes: 

Recipes Recurrent grammatical structures Reduced subordinate clauses with participles or adjectives - Stirring continuously, (MC / GL) - When cooked, … (GL) - When ready (DS) - until absorbed (GL) - until soft (GL) - until heated through (GL) Use of should - the risotto should be very slightly soupy (DS) - the rice should be al dente (GL)

Recipes: 

Recipes Style - Generally neutral except JO 1) Use of informal expressions. Compare : GL : Continue to add the stock… JO : Carry on adding stock … MC : heat the olive oil JO : heat a glug of olive oil JO : Serve a good dollop of risotto …; fish them out of the stock …; get stuck in … 2) Personal tone with reader addressed as you. Compare – JO : Heat your stock … MC : Heat the olive oil … JO : You want it to be creamy … GL : The rice should be al dente JO : If you like… If you think …

Recipes: 

Recipes Elements of Informal Style – JO 3) Use of contractions JO : it’ll smell fantastic! DS : … the thicker it will get. JO : … until they’ve softened. JO : If your pan isn’t big enough … DS: Immediately it is ready … 4) Exclamatory comments to the reader Definitely no button mushrooms please! This is going to be incredible! It’ll smell fantastic! Also DS to some extent : Hard to believe, I know…; Give it a stir …; the longer you leave it to stand … Hidden purpose? Writer working within genre but adapting it to own purposes.