Scenes of Writing
Strategies for Composing with Genres
Published on 26. July 2004
Book
Paperback/Softback
608 pages
978-0-321-06111-9 (ISBN)
Description
Based in current genre theory, this guide helps writers make more informed rhetorical choices and participate more effectively within academic, workplace and public contexts. This text illustrates how to use genres to assess, understand, and write within different scenes or writing situations. Discussions of writing for academic contexts cover writing analysis, argument, and research-based genres. Public and workplace writing is illustrated though discussions of other genres-letters, resumes, proposals, reports.
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Content
Writing assignments are at the end of each chapter.I. WRITING WITHIN SCENES, SITUATIONS, AND GENRES.
1. Understanding Scenes of Writing.
Entering New Scenes.
Defining Scene, Situation, Genre.
Reading: "New Technologies But Still the Same Messy Business" by Bob Ferrio.
Reading: "My Opinion: The Shortsightedness and Exploitation of Oil Drilling" by Elizabeth Morrison.
Reading: "Alaska Environmental Bugaboos" by Bernie W. Stewart.
Putting Scene, Situation, and Genre Back Together.
Observing Scenes.
Reading: "Ethnography of a Greyhound Track: A Study on Social Stratification and Diehards" by Stephanie Smith.
Strategies for Observing and Describing Scenes.
Describing a Scene You Participate In.
Reflecting on your Experiences of Writing within Scenes.
Reading: "Ingles in the Colleges" by Victor Villanueva.
2. Using Genres to Read Scenes of Writing.
Reading Scenes, Situations, and Genres.
Reading the Language of a Scene.
Reading: "Learning the Language" by Perri Klass.
Using Genres to Read Scenes and Situations.
A Genre Analysis of the Complaint Letter.
Interpreting Generic Patterns in the Complaint Letter.
Sample Genre Analyses.
Reading: "Sales Promotion Letters," by Vijay K. Bhatia.
Reading: "The Genre of Restaurant Menus: A Comparative Analysis," by Nicole Rebernik.
Practicing Genre Analysis.
Turning Reading into Writing.
3. Using Genres to Help You Write.
Genres and Writing Processes.
Reading: "Without Safety: Writing Nonfiction," by Rick Bass.
Inventing with Genres.
Drafting with Genres.
Revising with Genres.
Reading: "Meeting Spindles, or Interning at the Philadelphia Children's Zoo," by Cathleen Ceremuga.
Presentation.
Putting Writing Back Together Again.
4. Critiquing and Changing Genres.
From Thinking Critically to Critiquing Genres.
Reading: "For the Bride or Groom?" by Theresa Devine.
Changing Genres.
Reading: "Changing Forms," by Amy Leiszler.
Using the Power of Genre for Change.
II. READING AND WRITING WITHIN ACADEMIC SCENES.
5. Understanding Academic Scenes and Writing Courses.
The Objectives of Colleges and Universities.
Multiple Scenes within Colleges and Universities.
Multiple Situations within Colleges and Universities.
Academic Genres.
The Objectives of Writing Courses.
Reading: "Sylvia," by Anne DiPardo.
Reading: "WPA Outcomes Statement for First-Year Composition."
The Situations of Writing Courses.
The Genres of Writing Courses.
6. Writing Analyses and Arguments.
The Five-Paragraph Theme versus the Analysis Paper.
The Scene and Situation of Analysis Papers.
Reading: "Teaching Children to Discriminate: What We Learn from the Big Bad Wolf," by Rosina Lippi-Green.
Generic Features of the Analysis Paper.
Interpreting the Generic Expectations of the Analysis Paper.
Questions to Guide Writing Analysis Papers.
Analyzing the Argument Paper.
Describing Generic Features of Argument Papers.
Interpreting Generic Expectations of Argument Papers.
Writing Within the Generic Expectations of Argument Papers.
Samples of Analysis Papers.
Samples of Argument Papers.
7. Writing Research-based Genres.
Research in Different Academic Scenes.
Research within Writing Courses.
Reading: "Constructing Meaning, Constructing Selves: Snapshots of Language, Gender and Class from Belten High," by Penelope Eckert and Sally McConnell-Ginet.
Describing Researched Position Papers.
Interpreting Generic Features of Researched Position Papers.
Questions to Guide Writing Within Researched Position Papers.
Helpful Internet Sites for Research-based Papers in Writing Courses.
Samples of Research Projects.
8. Writing in Unfamiliar Academic Scenes and Genres.
Observing Disciplinary Scenes.
Using Writing Assignments to Guide Writing in Different Disciplines.
Creativity within Writing Assignments.
Analysis, Argument, and Research in Different Disciplines and Genres.
Practicing How to Analyze and Write an Unfamiliar Academic Genre.
III. READING AND WRITING BEYOND ACADEMIC SCENES.
9. Reading and Writing Within Workplace Scenes.
Comparing Academic and Workplace Scenes.
Learning the Language of Workplaces.
Using Genres to Gain Entrance to Workplaces.
The Genre of the Resume.
The Job Application Letter.
The Interactions of Genres in the Workplace.
Analyzing the Genre of the Proposal.
Interpreting Generic Features of the Proposal.
Writing Proposals.
Analyzing the Genre of the Report.
Samples of Workplace Genres.
10. Reading and Writing within Public Scenes.
The Public and its Genres.
Civic Discourse and Public Participation.
Examples of Civic Genres.
Analyzing Letters to the Editor.
Strategies for Revising Letters to the Editor.
Analyzing Editorials.
Writing for Specific Publics.
1. Understanding Scenes of Writing.
Entering New Scenes.
Defining Scene, Situation, Genre.
Reading: "New Technologies But Still the Same Messy Business" by Bob Ferrio.
Reading: "My Opinion: The Shortsightedness and Exploitation of Oil Drilling" by Elizabeth Morrison.
Reading: "Alaska Environmental Bugaboos" by Bernie W. Stewart.
Putting Scene, Situation, and Genre Back Together.
Observing Scenes.
Reading: "Ethnography of a Greyhound Track: A Study on Social Stratification and Diehards" by Stephanie Smith.
Strategies for Observing and Describing Scenes.
Describing a Scene You Participate In.
Reflecting on your Experiences of Writing within Scenes.
Reading: "Ingles in the Colleges" by Victor Villanueva.
2. Using Genres to Read Scenes of Writing.
Reading Scenes, Situations, and Genres.
Reading the Language of a Scene.
Reading: "Learning the Language" by Perri Klass.
Using Genres to Read Scenes and Situations.
A Genre Analysis of the Complaint Letter.
Interpreting Generic Patterns in the Complaint Letter.
Sample Genre Analyses.
Reading: "Sales Promotion Letters," by Vijay K. Bhatia.
Reading: "The Genre of Restaurant Menus: A Comparative Analysis," by Nicole Rebernik.
Practicing Genre Analysis.
Turning Reading into Writing.
3. Using Genres to Help You Write.
Genres and Writing Processes.
Reading: "Without Safety: Writing Nonfiction," by Rick Bass.
Inventing with Genres.
Drafting with Genres.
Revising with Genres.
Reading: "Meeting Spindles, or Interning at the Philadelphia Children's Zoo," by Cathleen Ceremuga.
Presentation.
Putting Writing Back Together Again.
4. Critiquing and Changing Genres.
From Thinking Critically to Critiquing Genres.
Reading: "For the Bride or Groom?" by Theresa Devine.
Changing Genres.
Reading: "Changing Forms," by Amy Leiszler.
Using the Power of Genre for Change.
II. READING AND WRITING WITHIN ACADEMIC SCENES.
5. Understanding Academic Scenes and Writing Courses.
The Objectives of Colleges and Universities.
Multiple Scenes within Colleges and Universities.
Multiple Situations within Colleges and Universities.
Academic Genres.
The Objectives of Writing Courses.
Reading: "Sylvia," by Anne DiPardo.
Reading: "WPA Outcomes Statement for First-Year Composition."
The Situations of Writing Courses.
The Genres of Writing Courses.
6. Writing Analyses and Arguments.
The Five-Paragraph Theme versus the Analysis Paper.
The Scene and Situation of Analysis Papers.
Reading: "Teaching Children to Discriminate: What We Learn from the Big Bad Wolf," by Rosina Lippi-Green.
Generic Features of the Analysis Paper.
Interpreting the Generic Expectations of the Analysis Paper.
Questions to Guide Writing Analysis Papers.
Analyzing the Argument Paper.
Describing Generic Features of Argument Papers.
Interpreting Generic Expectations of Argument Papers.
Writing Within the Generic Expectations of Argument Papers.
Samples of Analysis Papers.
Samples of Argument Papers.
7. Writing Research-based Genres.
Research in Different Academic Scenes.
Research within Writing Courses.
Reading: "Constructing Meaning, Constructing Selves: Snapshots of Language, Gender and Class from Belten High," by Penelope Eckert and Sally McConnell-Ginet.
Describing Researched Position Papers.
Interpreting Generic Features of Researched Position Papers.
Questions to Guide Writing Within Researched Position Papers.
Helpful Internet Sites for Research-based Papers in Writing Courses.
Samples of Research Projects.
8. Writing in Unfamiliar Academic Scenes and Genres.
Observing Disciplinary Scenes.
Using Writing Assignments to Guide Writing in Different Disciplines.
Creativity within Writing Assignments.
Analysis, Argument, and Research in Different Disciplines and Genres.
Practicing How to Analyze and Write an Unfamiliar Academic Genre.
III. READING AND WRITING BEYOND ACADEMIC SCENES.
9. Reading and Writing Within Workplace Scenes.
Comparing Academic and Workplace Scenes.
Learning the Language of Workplaces.
Using Genres to Gain Entrance to Workplaces.
The Genre of the Resume.
The Job Application Letter.
The Interactions of Genres in the Workplace.
Analyzing the Genre of the Proposal.
Interpreting Generic Features of the Proposal.
Writing Proposals.
Analyzing the Genre of the Report.
Samples of Workplace Genres.
10. Reading and Writing within Public Scenes.
The Public and its Genres.
Civic Discourse and Public Participation.
Examples of Civic Genres.
Analyzing Letters to the Editor.
Strategies for Revising Letters to the Editor.
Analyzing Editorials.
Writing for Specific Publics.