Huynh 1

Shanie Huynh
Roberta Wolfson
Writing 2
14 March 2016
Metacognitive Essay
There are several aspects to consider that are important to a piece of writing. One such
feature is rhetorical devices. I used various rhetorical devices to support my arguments
throughout all of my writing projects, so I felt that this is an important concept to cover.
Rhetorical devices serve as techniques that a writer uses to create a specific response. These
could range from metaphors to imagery to tone. Each rhetorical device contributes a unique
result, so they are all effective in their own way. This is an essential concept to constructing a
genre because it provides a strong basis for the argument of a paper and strengthens the authors
ideas. Throughout this process, I learned that there are countless ways to enhance a piece of
writing and create a certain effect on the readers through rhetorical devices, which play a
significant role in forming a genre.
The genres I chose to write in are a magazine article addressed to an older audience with
higher levels of education and Tumblr posts addressed to an audience younger than and with less
education than me. I picked a magazine article because most adults read more articles as this is
one of the forms of entertainment that they turn to and it is easier for them to read and
understand certain ideas and topics better since they have more knowledge. Magazine articles
can be wordy and present lots of information, but they can also consist of the authors own
opinion and can communicate their ideas in a less formal manner than a newspaper article or an
academic essay. In my article, Important Rhetorical Devices, I stated, Determine in what
context you are writing and utilize words that are relevant in that situation. For example, more
complex language shows professionalism and formality (1). I addressed the audience directly so
there is still some familiarity but the diction is more advanced and refined. I used complete

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sentences and more sophisticated language to address the older audience since it is a more formal
mode of writing compared to the Tumblr posts.
On the other hand, I chose Tumblr for my second genre because kids and teenagers tend
to use more social media and it is easier for them to comprehend the concepts when it is
introduced in a simpler format. The genre uses basic language and slang to convey a message.
Social media serves as a platform for people to connect with each other so they tend to type as
little words as possible in order to reply or post quickly. Furthermore, these posts dont need to
have correct grammar or capitalization since it is not as formal as a news article or essay. It does
not have to have complete sentences and perfect syntax because social media uses more
colloquialism and it is less about the formality and more about directly conveying the message in
a casual demeanor. In one post, I said, tone is very important bc it changes the way u say
something (Huynh). There are abbreviations and casual language in this post because the
younger audience just wants to get straight to the point. They do not want superfluous words and
fancy jargon that they can barely understand. Social media should be fast and straightforward.
Since the two genres are supposed to be geared towards varying audiences, I chose two different
categories to write in.
In order to write my own genres, I had to research examples on these genres in order to
familiarize myself with them and learn the conventions each one uses. I looked through various
articles and posts and thoroughly informed myself of the characteristics of the two genres to
ensure that my pieces correspond with other writers works in the genres. From these examples, I
was able to grasp a good idea of how to construct each genre and create my own. Since the
audience for the magazine article is an older audience, I made sure that the language is more
complex than the Tumblr posts and that there is more structure to the article. The diction is more

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complex and there are complete sentences with varying structure. For the posts which are
directed to a younger group, I used colloquialisms and simple language to convey the ideas. It is
more informal, and the posts do not necessarily follow a single format. When I wrote in the
magazine article, I was a more credible source as I used a more professional tone, but when I
created the Tumblr posts, I lost some of that credibility due to lack of punctuation and
capitalization. There is no strict format to the posts, so it was more casual so the connotations of
each are different. The two genres varied greatly, so my approaches to each also varied.
The three readings that I chose to incorporate into my genres are Laura Bolin Carrolls
article Backpacks vs. Briefcases, L. Lennie Irvins What is Academic Writing?, and Kerry
Dirks Navigating Genres. I chose these three examples to reference in my genres because they
pertain to the topic of rhetorical devices in genres. Each one mentions how rhetorical devices are
used in genres and relates to the concept in some way. I included the readings in my genres by
simply referencing the author and their work and stating what they said. Then I explain how the
quotation correlates to my topic and why it is important. The readings that I picked to integrate
into my genres connect back to my topic by describing how rhetorical devices are used in
writings.
From writing these two genres, I learned that even though a social media post may seem
extremely simple and basic, it still takes quite a bit of time and work to make the post look how I
want it. There is usually a picture to draw in the readers attention and some caption explaining
what the picture is about or what the subject of the post is about. Creating a post is not as easy as
it looks and it actually takes effort. I also learned that magazine articles and Tumblr posts are not
completely different they actually have some things in common. They both are very open and
free; the topic could be anything and there can be a picture or image to accentuate the subject.
There is a lot of freedom and room for creativity in these two genres.

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In the two genres, I applied my knowledge of the concept of rhetorical devices that I
learned in the writing class by making the article and the posts about the usage of rhetorical
devices. In the magazine article, I defined some rhetorical devices and explained to the audience
how to properly include the devices in a piece of writing. For Tumblr, I used various forms of
posts such as text, photo with caption, and quotation to demonstrate the meanings of certain
rhetorical devices. By integrating different rhetorical devices into my two genres, I gained a
better idea of what the two genres consist of.
Rhetorical devices are a significant part of a piece of writing. Whether one is trying to
persuade, inform, or entertain, rhetorical devices are a necessary component of the writing. There
are many devices out there that can help improve ones composition, as long as one knows how
to use the devices correctly. I used rhetorical devices throughout my writing projects in order to
support my argument and create the effect I want. There were some difficulties completing this
project, such as having trouble being creative when I have all the freedom to write my own
genre. However, it was a good experience and I learned many things from it. By completing this
writing project, I was able to learn more about rhetorical devices and the importance that they
have in writing a paper and also how to constitute my own genre using my knowledge of the
concepts from class.

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Works Cited
Carroll, Laura Bolin. "Backpacks vs. Briefcases." Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing. Vol. 1.
N.p.: Parlor, 2010. 45-58. Print.
Dirk, Kerry. "Navigating Genres." Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing. Vol. 1. N.p.: Parlor,
2010. 249-62. Print.
Irvin, L. Lennie. "What Is "Academic" Writing?" Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing. Vol. 1.
N.p.: Parlor, 2010. 3-17. Print.