Important Dates

• Jan 9: Progress Report due by 11:59 PM
• Jan 10: Grace period for Progress Report ends at 11:59 PM
• Jan 11: Project due by 11:59 PM
• Jan 12: Grace period for Project ends at 11:59 PM

Goals

become an independent writer who no longer needs a writing instructor to tell you how to compose a genre of writing

think about audience and purpose as you practice the kind of research you will need to do during your career

The Project Assignment

Write an analytical report that explains everything that goes into writing a specific kind of writing that you will do in your career. You will find online resources, interview people in the field, and analyze examples.

Your report will explain the preparation needed to write the kind of writing (e.g., how do you gather data? what research do you do?) as well as discuss all sections and information included in the kind of writing. Your report should address any ethical/intercultural and global issues or other concerns that may impact the kind of writing.

Step-by-Step Details

Step 1: Review the feedback on your proposal and make any necessary adjustments.
While you are waiting for my feedback, go ahead and start your report. Once your Report Proposal has been graded, review the feedback that I have provided. I have never had to reject a proposal, but I do ask for changes to plans occasionally.

Step 2: Review the rubric for the project.
You can aim for the grade you want to earn for each project in this course. Make sure your work is error-free, fully-developed, and ready to share with a professional audience. Any work that is incomplete or that contains multiple errors will not earn an A or an A-.

The Genre Analysis Report Rubric outlines the specific requirements for the project. There are several mathematical scenarios for each grade level. Generally speaking, however, you can follow these guidelines:

• To earn a C, turn in work that meets the satisfactory rating for criteria 1, 2, 3, & 4, and earns at least a C-level rating for criteria 8.

• To earn a B, turn in work that meets the satisfactory rating for criteria 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5, and earns at least a B-level rating for criteria 8.

• To earn an A, turn in work that meets the satisfactory rating for criteria 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7, and earns at least a A-level rating for criteria 8.

Step 3: Read Chapter 13 of Markel closely.
Chapter 13 of Markel (“Writing Recommendation Reports”) will be most helpful as you write your analysis report. Think of your goal as recommending how to write a particular kind of writing. Your genre analysis report should include the following sections and information:

• cover page (be sure to list your name as the author)
• executive summary
• table of contents
• introduction
• methods
• results (or findings)
• conclusions
• references
• appendix (where your full examples go)

You can include additional sections and information, and you can change the headings to fit your analysis. Use the example genre analysis reports to make decisions about the content to include.

Additionally, you may review the information in Chapter 7 of Markel (“Designing Print and Online Documents”) for details on how to choose appropriate layout and design for your proposal. Review Chapter 8 of Markel (“Creating Graphics”) for advice on visual elements you can add to your proposal to increase its effectiveness.

Step 4: Write your Genre Analysis Report.
Research and write your Genre Analysis Report in your word processor. With examples and relevant formatting, your report will likely be close to 15 pages long, though there is not a minimum or maximum page length. Write as much as you need to, but be sure to include all of the required information.

Review the example genre analysis reports to see the kind of layout and design that are appropriate for your project. Be sure to include your name on your report.

The research for your report should include the following:

• a literature review and evaluation of online resources (to learn what have other researchers already studied and said about the particular genre in question),
• interviews with people who actually write and read these documents to learn about their experiences with it,
• site inspection (examining the actual physical work environment or conditions researchers already studied and said about the particular genre in question, experiences with it, that affect the process of this particular genre is typically composed).

You will analyze and explain the purpose for your particular genre—that is, you will identify and explain the situation that creates the need for this particular form of written communication, the purpose and occasion that calls this kind of writing into being, or the work that needs to be done and to which this text responds.

You will analyze the audience or users of this particular genre of written communication, including their knowledge, experience, and work environments, their motivations for working with the genre in question, how they perceive and use the text in question, and what they do with it.

You will outline the constraints at work on the writers and the readers of these documents, including computing environments, documents, facts, and workplace objects, but also less tangible factors such as relations, beliefs, attitudes, traditions, images, interests, and motives that are in play in their organizations or workplaces.

You will include a bibliography that provides documentation for all of the resources you have consulted. You may use whatever bibliographical format you are most familiar with. Here are some tools if you are unsure what to use:

• EasyBib online citation builder creates MLA-format for free.
• Son of Citation Machine creates MLA, APA, and Chicago citations for free.
• Cite This For Me creates several styles, including IEEE, for free.

You will obtain at least three examples of the particular genre in question and analyze them to extract the generic conventions, characteristics, features, and strategies that distinguish this genre. In the case of longer genres, you can link to the examples.

You can share your draft with your writing group for peer feedback. Use the advice you receive from your readers to revise your project before the due date. There are no rewrites or revisions after work is graded.

Step 5: Write your cover memo.
I want to be sure that I understand your project, so I ask you to write a cover memo that tells me about the work you did on your project. This memo should be the first page of your project. Your report will begin on the second page. Both documents should be in one file.

Your memo should use standard memo format, with the headings of To:, From:, Subject:, and Date. Include this information:

• Explain a bit about your field and career so that I have some context for your project.
• Tell me about the work you put into the project.
• Tell me about anything that you had difficulty with in the project.
• Tell me how well you met the rubric requirements and what grade you believe your work will earn.
• Tell me anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.

Be sure to explain the background on your piece fully. This cover memo is where you tell me about the work you put into the project and provide some self-evaluation of your work. The cover memo is the first thing I will read, so it is your opportunity to make sure that I have all the information that I need to understand your report. The cover memo is a part of your project so check it carefully for basic errors before you submit your project.

Step 6: Submit your project in Canvas.
When you are finished with your cover memo and report, you will turn in your work in Canvas, following the submission instructions.