WEEK 1 – GENRE IN DISCOURSE
1. What Is a Genre?
A genre is a recognizable type of text or communicative activity that exists because it serves
a social purpose. Genres are not just categories — they are tools people use to get things
done with language.
Martin (1985): Genres are ways in which people get things done through spoken and written
discourse. Key idea: genres are defined by what they do, not just by how they look.
Swales (1990): A genre is a class of communicative events that share a recognizable
communicative purpose. This shared purpose creates constraints on three things:
● Content and structure (moves)
● Style
● Layout and form
Example: A job application letter is a genre. Its communicative purpose is to
persuade an employer to invite you for an interview. That purpose means you
are expected to introduce yourself, match your skills to the job, and request a
response. Deviating from this feels wrong because it breaks genre expectations.
Integrated definition: A genre is social, purpose-driven, recognizable to its community,
constrained by conventions, but also flexible — skilled users can bend the rules strategically.
2. Genre as a Rhetorical Category
Genres are defined by what they do, not by how they look. Two texts can look similar but be
completely different genres because they serve different purposes. Genre is a form of social
action carried out through language (Carolyn Miller, 1984).
Example: A research article introduction and a newspaper editorial may both
have paragraphs and arguments — but they are different genres because they
do different things: one establishes academic credibility; the other shapes public
opinion.
,3. Communicative Purpose and Constraints
Communicative purpose is the central feature of a genre. It shapes everything else: Purpose
→ Content (moves) → Style → Form.
Purpose Content Style Form
Persuade opinion Claim + arguments Evaluative Newspaper
language layout
Persuade to read IMRD structure Truth claims Journal format
research
Persuade to buy Slogan + image Creative evaluation Visual dominant
4. Moves Analysis
A move is a functional unit of discourse — a part of a text that performs one communicative
function. A move is NOT a sentence and NOT a paragraph. A single sentence can be a
move; a move can also span several sentences.
Moves analysis identifies:
● Obligatory moves — always present in the genre
● Optional moves — may or may not appear
● Move order — some moves always come first; others can vary
Example: Moves in a research article introduction (CARS model – Swales)
● Move 1: Establish a territory (show the topic is important)
● Move 2: Establish a niche (identify a gap)
● Move 3: Occupy the niche (present this study as filling that gap)
Example: Moves in a Direct Mail letter
1. Get attention 2. Introduce cause/credentials 3. Solicit response 4. Offer
incentives 5. Reference insert 6. Express gratitude 7. Conclude with
pleasantries
,5. Genre Is Socially Situated
Genres are created by communities of practice — groups who share goals and activities.
Context factors that influence genre conventions:
● Identity of the author (expert vs. novice)
● Identity of the audience (specialist vs. general public)
● Mediality (written / spoken / digital)
● Social and cultural context
6. Genre Networks: Chains, Sets, and Families
Genres rarely appear alone. They work together in systems:
● Genre chain — genres linked in sequence. Example: application → invitation →
interview → job offer → acceptance letter.
● Genre set — all the genres used by a specific professional role. Example: a doctor
uses prescriptions, referral letters, case notes, patient leaflets.
● Genre family — a broader grouping sharing a function. Example: "promotional
genres" includes job ads, book blurbs, travel brochures.
7. Genre as "Playing the Language Game" (Bhatia)
Bhatia compares genres to games: they have rules, and skilled players know the rules so
well they can break or manipulate them strategically. Genres are both fixed (they have
conventions) and flexible (skilled users can exploit those conventions). This is called genre
manipulation.
Example: An advertisement that looks like a news article. It uses journalism's
conventions (looks trustworthy) but has a promotional purpose.
8. Genre Change
Genres evolve because:
● Cultural values shift (society becomes more direct and informal)
● New technologies create new communicative possibilities (email changed
letter-writing)
● Genre literacy increases — people recognize and adapt to change
Example: Dutch direct mail letters became more direct over time, with less
formal greetings and more immediate calls to action.
, 9. Multimodality
Modern genres combine multiple modes of communication: written language, images and
visual design, typography and layout, audio or video. Genre analysis must consider all of
these modes. Ignoring visuals means the analysis is incomplete.
10. Genre and Power (Critical Perspective)
Genres reflect and reinforce power structures.
● School genres (essays, exams) — the teacher controls what counts as correct.
● Corporate genres — serve institutional interests.
● Grant proposals — experienced researchers benefit most; newcomers face
disadvantage.
This last point is called the Matthew Effect: those who already have resources and genre
knowledge continue to accumulate more advantage.
Critical genre analysis asks: Who benefits from this genre? Whose voice is heard? Who is
silenced?
11. Culture-Dependency of Genre
Genre expectations are not universal — they vary across cultures. What counts as polite,
direct, persuasive, or appropriate differs by cultural context.
Key Terms – Week 1
Term Definition
Genre A socially recognized, goal-oriented type of communicative event
that serves a shared purpose within a community.
Communicative The main social goal a genre serves — this is what defines and
purpose constrains the genre.
Move A functional unit of discourse that performs one communicative
function within a genre.
Genre chain A sequence of different genres linked over time in a social activity.
Genre set The full range of genres used by one participant in a social
practice.
Genre family A broader classification grouping genres that share a common
function.
1. What Is a Genre?
A genre is a recognizable type of text or communicative activity that exists because it serves
a social purpose. Genres are not just categories — they are tools people use to get things
done with language.
Martin (1985): Genres are ways in which people get things done through spoken and written
discourse. Key idea: genres are defined by what they do, not just by how they look.
Swales (1990): A genre is a class of communicative events that share a recognizable
communicative purpose. This shared purpose creates constraints on three things:
● Content and structure (moves)
● Style
● Layout and form
Example: A job application letter is a genre. Its communicative purpose is to
persuade an employer to invite you for an interview. That purpose means you
are expected to introduce yourself, match your skills to the job, and request a
response. Deviating from this feels wrong because it breaks genre expectations.
Integrated definition: A genre is social, purpose-driven, recognizable to its community,
constrained by conventions, but also flexible — skilled users can bend the rules strategically.
2. Genre as a Rhetorical Category
Genres are defined by what they do, not by how they look. Two texts can look similar but be
completely different genres because they serve different purposes. Genre is a form of social
action carried out through language (Carolyn Miller, 1984).
Example: A research article introduction and a newspaper editorial may both
have paragraphs and arguments — but they are different genres because they
do different things: one establishes academic credibility; the other shapes public
opinion.
,3. Communicative Purpose and Constraints
Communicative purpose is the central feature of a genre. It shapes everything else: Purpose
→ Content (moves) → Style → Form.
Purpose Content Style Form
Persuade opinion Claim + arguments Evaluative Newspaper
language layout
Persuade to read IMRD structure Truth claims Journal format
research
Persuade to buy Slogan + image Creative evaluation Visual dominant
4. Moves Analysis
A move is a functional unit of discourse — a part of a text that performs one communicative
function. A move is NOT a sentence and NOT a paragraph. A single sentence can be a
move; a move can also span several sentences.
Moves analysis identifies:
● Obligatory moves — always present in the genre
● Optional moves — may or may not appear
● Move order — some moves always come first; others can vary
Example: Moves in a research article introduction (CARS model – Swales)
● Move 1: Establish a territory (show the topic is important)
● Move 2: Establish a niche (identify a gap)
● Move 3: Occupy the niche (present this study as filling that gap)
Example: Moves in a Direct Mail letter
1. Get attention 2. Introduce cause/credentials 3. Solicit response 4. Offer
incentives 5. Reference insert 6. Express gratitude 7. Conclude with
pleasantries
,5. Genre Is Socially Situated
Genres are created by communities of practice — groups who share goals and activities.
Context factors that influence genre conventions:
● Identity of the author (expert vs. novice)
● Identity of the audience (specialist vs. general public)
● Mediality (written / spoken / digital)
● Social and cultural context
6. Genre Networks: Chains, Sets, and Families
Genres rarely appear alone. They work together in systems:
● Genre chain — genres linked in sequence. Example: application → invitation →
interview → job offer → acceptance letter.
● Genre set — all the genres used by a specific professional role. Example: a doctor
uses prescriptions, referral letters, case notes, patient leaflets.
● Genre family — a broader grouping sharing a function. Example: "promotional
genres" includes job ads, book blurbs, travel brochures.
7. Genre as "Playing the Language Game" (Bhatia)
Bhatia compares genres to games: they have rules, and skilled players know the rules so
well they can break or manipulate them strategically. Genres are both fixed (they have
conventions) and flexible (skilled users can exploit those conventions). This is called genre
manipulation.
Example: An advertisement that looks like a news article. It uses journalism's
conventions (looks trustworthy) but has a promotional purpose.
8. Genre Change
Genres evolve because:
● Cultural values shift (society becomes more direct and informal)
● New technologies create new communicative possibilities (email changed
letter-writing)
● Genre literacy increases — people recognize and adapt to change
Example: Dutch direct mail letters became more direct over time, with less
formal greetings and more immediate calls to action.
, 9. Multimodality
Modern genres combine multiple modes of communication: written language, images and
visual design, typography and layout, audio or video. Genre analysis must consider all of
these modes. Ignoring visuals means the analysis is incomplete.
10. Genre and Power (Critical Perspective)
Genres reflect and reinforce power structures.
● School genres (essays, exams) — the teacher controls what counts as correct.
● Corporate genres — serve institutional interests.
● Grant proposals — experienced researchers benefit most; newcomers face
disadvantage.
This last point is called the Matthew Effect: those who already have resources and genre
knowledge continue to accumulate more advantage.
Critical genre analysis asks: Who benefits from this genre? Whose voice is heard? Who is
silenced?
11. Culture-Dependency of Genre
Genre expectations are not universal — they vary across cultures. What counts as polite,
direct, persuasive, or appropriate differs by cultural context.
Key Terms – Week 1
Term Definition
Genre A socially recognized, goal-oriented type of communicative event
that serves a shared purpose within a community.
Communicative The main social goal a genre serves — this is what defines and
purpose constrains the genre.
Move A functional unit of discourse that performs one communicative
function within a genre.
Genre chain A sequence of different genres linked over time in a social activity.
Genre set The full range of genres used by one participant in a social
practice.
Genre family A broader classification grouping genres that share a common
function.
