Understanding Genres Letter
February 16, 2016
Cindy Mijangos
One University Dr.
Camarillo, California 93012
Santa Cruz Village Rm D209 B
Dr. Stacey Anderson
CSU Channel Islands
Camarillo, California 93012
Dear Stacey,
I am writing this letter so you are able to come aware of the different types of genres we expose ourselves to by reading and later on using when writing. It is amazing how humans learn more indirectly rather than directly. We use those genres later on when we write depending on the topic and who our audience will be. There are reasons on why we understand genres and thesis statement from previous readings that we use in our writing without noticing. In the reading, Navigating Genres, Kerry Dirk states,
“It is quite rare that teachers of writing get to write so directly to students in such an informal manner. Although textbooks are directed at students, they are often more formal affairs meant to serve a different purpose than this essay” (p. 251).
Some of us can not read a textbook and automatically understand what we are suppose to know. If someone is able to read information and understand it without any examples, in my opinion, they are geniuses. In order for me to understand something I need to see more than one example. Then I either discuss it with myself by writing notes or discussing it with a colleague and eventually come up with my own example. Also, in order to understand the type of genre being used, you must first understand the thesis statement. Dirk refers to the following quote in his article
“Location may not be the first, second, and third most important qualities of writing, as it is for real estate, but location is surely among the situation elements that lead to expected genres and to adaptions of those genres in particular situations” (p. 255)
All this quote means, depending on who you are writing to or who your audience will be should be what your genre revolves around. But that is only stating the obvious, your thesis statement should revolve around the genre along with the examples you use in your writing. This is so as soon as the audience understands the thesis statement and hopefully connect it with the genre then make sense of what persuaded the author to write their book, essay, quote, music etc. If the reader enjoys the genre of what they read, then they will either read more articles etc., based on that genre or use it as I explained.
Sincerely,
Cindy Mijangos
Dirk, Kerry. “Navigating Genres.” Writing Space: Readings on Writing. Ed. Charles Lowe and Pavel Zemliansky. Vol. 1. West La-fayette, IN: Parlor P, 2010. 249-262. Writing Spaces. Web. 12 Feb. 2016
