You’ve probably heard about genres of books like mystery or memoir, and it might be a familiar term with movies when you talk about action, drama, or rom-com genres. “Genre” is used in a similar way in the academic classroom — to give some distinction among different types of writing based on specific characteristics. This section will help you determine those characteristics. “Genre” may be a new word to you, but you probably already understand how it works. If you look at the following two images and imagine them as book covers or movie posters, it’s likely clear what genres they would belong to:

If this image were a book cover or movie poster, what genre would it be?

Which genre might this be? How do you know?

Why is this helpful? Consider the set of expectations you have when you go in to watch something from the Fast and Furious series. You’re ready for some action and will be watching for it throughout the movie, and those expectations prepare you for the viewing experience. But what if you were expecting a documentary about street racing? You might get suspicious about the realism of the documentary when cars start flying through the air. Genre expectations are an important part of understanding how to understand the meaning of any text. The same goes for reading in the academic classroom; if you know what to expect based on the genre, you’ll be better prepared for your reading experience.

Additionally, “media” is used often in reference to mass communication or reporters, but in this section, we’ll discuss how “media” (the plural of “medium”) plays an important role in the formation of your research project.