Research Genre Production
The Reading Response: "Understanding Genre" is a vivid demonstration of my research genre production, as it navigates academic and public discourse with rhetorical ability. It draws on foundational genre theory from scholars like Devitt, Bawarshi, and Reiff to explore how genres function not only as formal writing structures but as socially embedded tools that serve specific community purposes (Devitt, p. 7; Bawarshi, p. 12; Reiff, p. 19). The piece seamlessly blends academic citation and analysis with an accessible, conversational tone, illustrating the ability to adapt my style and voice depending on audience and genre expectations.
By weaving together examples from scholarly essays and digital memes, I showcase genre awareness across radically different domains, formal academia, and internet culture. This dichotic approach reflects a sophisticated understanding of genre as both a product of and a gateway into various communities. The playful yet informed tone, creative analogies, and strategic citation practices all point to my ability to understand how to shape a message to suit the genre's constraints while still asserting a unique perspective that resonates across public and academic spheres.
Reading Response: Understanding Genre
Understanding Genre and the Connection to Communities
Genre, within the realm of writing studies, is like a shape shifting chameleon it’s all about the
recurring patterns, rules, and structures people agree on to make sense of stuff. Devitt explains
it as a rhetorical tool, something that doesn’t just organize text but actively shapes how ideas
travel between people and communities (Devitt, pg. 7). You could say genres are the social
contracts of communication. silent agreements that scream, “This is how we do things around
here.”
The relationship between genres and communities, as Devitt, Bawarshi, and Reiff describe, is
as intimate as a pair of marmots at 2 p.m. Genres are born from communities, shaped by their
values, needs, and interactions. Bawarshi suggests that genres aren’t just containers for content
but sites of action, tools communities use to define themselves and their goals (Bawarshi, pg.
12). For example, the academic research paper isn’t just a big slog of citations and big words;
it’s a ritual that enforces the identity of academia as a knowledge driven community. Genres are
both mirrors and blueeprints for the groups that create them, reflecting what matters to them
while dictating behavior.
why the in the world would anyone bother studying genres? Well, here’s the kicker: examining
genres lets us peek behind the curtain of how communities function and what they value, how
they operate, and even their power dynamics. Reiff points out that understanding genre
conventions can reveal who gets to participate and who’s left in the dust (Reiff, pg. 19). It’s like
cracking the secret code to a warm vault: if you don’t know the codes, you’re stuck outside,
freezing.
Take memes, for instance, yes, memes, definitely a genre worth studying. Memes are the
internet’s crazy love child, but they’re also really structured: they carry specific moves like image
pairing, text placement, and irony. The action memes carry out is simple, spreading humor,
commentary, or propaganda across discourse communities, but the way they do it is anything
but random. For instance, the top-text-bottom text structure works like a punchline delivery
system, while language choices, abbreviations, misspellings signal “insider knowledge” to those
in the know. These moves tell us how meme communities, whether they’re casual posters or
political trolls, they use shared humor to bond, gatekeep, and occasionally burn the world down.
When it comes to genres like the academic essay, the moves are about argumentation and
citation, a rigid formula designed to show you're not just talking out of your neck. These moves
create a hierarchy of credibility: the more you cite (accurately, of course), the more you’re
accepted into the intellectual circle that academia calls "peer-reviewed discourse." Structure and
language, in this sense, don’t just reflect community values; they enforce them.
So, whether you’re breaking down a dissertation or a viral tiktok trend, studying genres reveals
how humans use structure to make meaning, form connections, and control who gets a seat at
the table. genres, in all their rule heavy, context glory, are both tools and barriers, your passport
into one world and your lockout from another
This Field/Discourse Community Genre Activity advanced my information literacy by requiring me to engage deeply with sources across both academic and popular discourse communities. I analyzed how humor functions in superhero films using multimodal and genre analysis, drawing from scripts, visual scenes, and audience feedback. I had to assess each source’s credibility and relevance to understand how humor balances action and tension. This project taught me how different communities such as scholars, critics, and fans contribute to a larger conversation. It meets the learning outcome by showing how I can ethically gather and interpret diverse materials to produce thoughtful, research-driven insights.
Field/ Discourse Community Genre Activity
Tonal Modulation in Action/Drama Narratives: The Role of Humor in Balancing Tension and Action
1. Research Question
How do superhero movies use humor as a narrative tool to balance tension and action, and
what is the impact of this tonal modulation on audience engagement and character preception?
This question investigates the duality of humor and tension in high stakes action narratives,
analyzing it’s function in relieving narrative stress, deepening character relatability, and
enhancing audience emersion.
2. Critical Conversation
Superhero films have emerged as cultural touchstones, blending action, drama, and comedy to
appeal to broard audiences. Within this genre, humor has evolved as a key narrative element
that alleviates tension, enriches character depth, and sustains audience intrest during high
stake moments.
Relevant Conversations:
Film studies: Examines how genre conventions blend humor and drama to create unique tonal
hybrids. Narrative Studies: discuss the role of tonal contrasts in storytelling, particularly how
humor breaks tension without undermining narrative stakes.
Reception studies: Focuses on how humor influences audience preceptions of characters and
their emotional responses to narratives.
This research contributes to ongoing debates about how humor in superhero movies balances
there dual roles as lighthearted escapism and emotionally compelling storytelling.
3. Chosen Research Method
Method: Multimodal Analysis
Superhero movies rely on complex interactions between verbal, visual, and auditory elements.
This method allows for a comprehensive study of how humor is integrated across multiple
narrative layers, including:
Scripts and Dialogue: Analyzing comedic timing, verbal wit, and sitiuational humor.
Visual Humor observing non verbal elements, such as physical comedy and visual gags.
audience Feedback: Analyzing publicly available reviews, ratings, and commentary to asses
audience responses to humor.
This method is suited for superhero movies due to they’re reliance on multimodal storytelling,
blending dialogue, visuals, and action to convey tonal contrasts.
4. Basic Methodology
This study employs genre analysis and rhetorical criticisms to evaluate humor’s role in
superhero movies.
Genre Analysis: Identifies reoccuring patterns in how humor interacts with action and tension
across selected films. rhetorical criticism, Explores humor as a rhetorical tool to create
emotional release, establish character relatability, and enhance narrative pacing.
Theoretical Frameworks:
Comedy Theory: Examines types of humor (e.g situational, slapstick, self depreciating) and their
narrative effects.
Narrative Theory: Investigates how tonal shifts structure pacing and character development.
Reception Studies: Focuses on audience interpretations and reactions to humor.
5. Plans for Making Sense of this data
Data collection,
Selected films represent diverse approaches to humor within the superhero genre:
Deadpool (2016): A self aware, humor heavy narrative that uses darker humor to engage
audiences.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): Known for it’s ensemble driven comedic tone.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017): Combines mythological themes with humor to redefine it’s tone.
Avengers: Endgame (2019): Balances high emotional stakes with moments of humor to alliviate
tension.
data points:
Textual Data: Analyze scripts to identify instances of humor, timing, and it’s narrative function.
Visual Data: Study physical comedy, visual gags, and non verbal cues.
Audience Feedback: Use aggregate reviews, critical commentaries, and audience responses
from platforms like Rotten Tomatos, IMDb, and YouTube.
Coding and Categorization:
code instances of humor (eg. verbal, physical, meta humor) and classify their narrative role.
Compare humor heavy scenes to high tension moments to evaluate audience impact.
Comparative Analysis:
Contrast humor strategies in lighter films (Guardians of the Galaxy) with those in darker ones
(captain deadpool.)
Analyze patterns in how humor influences pacing, emotional stakes, and audience preceptions
of characters.
6. Selection Criteria
Why These Films?
They illustrate varied approaches to humor in superhero movies, ranging from humor dominant
to tension-heavy narratives.
Each film represents a milestone in the genre, shaping audience expectations and critical
discourse.
Their accessibility ensures robust analysis of scripts, visuals, and audience engagement data.
Why Multimodal Analysis?
Superhero films rely heavily on multimodal storytelling, combining verbal and visual humor to
convey tonal shifts. This approach captures the interaction of these elements, providing a
nuanced analysis of humor’s role in balancing tension and action.
7. Timeline for Conducting Primary Research
Week 5: Preparation and Planning
Finalize selection of films and obtain scripts.
Identify key scenes with humor and action for detailed analysis.
Begin gathering audience feedback from review platforms and commentary forums.
Week 6: Data Collection
Analyze selected films for humor instances, coding them by type and narrative role.
Collect visual and textual data, noting interactions between humor, action, and tension.
Gather audience feedback data (e.greviews, critical commentary, and social media discourse).
week 7 Data analysis
Compare humor’s role across films, focusing on narrative structure and audience response.
Identify recurring patterns in how humor balances tension and enhances character perception.
Analyze contrasts between humor heavy films (guardians) and darker ones (deadpool).
Week 8 Drafting Findings
Synthesize analysis into a cohesive narrative, focusing on humor’s role in balancing tension and
action.
Highlight implications for broader genre conventions and audience engagement.
To conclude
By exploring humor as a narrative tool in superhero movies, this research illuminates how tonal
modulation balances high-stakes action with emotional accessibility. The findings will contribute
to ongoing discussions on genre evolution, narrative strategies, and audience engagement in
contemporary cinema.