Response to “Speech Acts, Genres, and Activity Systems: How Texts Organize Activity and People” by Charles Bazerman

Question 6.

Bazerman defines genres as “recognizable, self-reinforcing forms of communication” (para. 21), as “patterned, typical, and therefore intelligible textual forms” (para. 5), and as “standardized forms of utterances that are recognized as carrying out certain actions in certain circumstances” (para. 23). Pick a genre that is familiar to you (for example, a course syllabus) and explain how it fits these defining characteristics. For example, what actions does it carry out? What makes it recognizable? What are its recognizable patterns? What about a syllabus is typical across situations? How do you know a syllabus when you see one? Why is this form used repeatedly? Why is it helpful that people (in the syllabus example, teachers) have a common way of communicating in a particular recurring situation (in the syllabus example, of conveying expectations every time they teach a new group of students)?

Response 6.

Before I answer this question I would like to state that I believe this question is far too long and complex to be effectively answered. A course syllabus is a very common genre that we all come across and understand. It always contains agreements between the students and teachers, course expectations, and generally a list of assignments. A syllabus is very obvious because it will always state that it is a syllabus. It is very helpful to have this consistency across all courses.