A genre analysis of the processes of professional document design
This thesis offers a range of analytical approaches, all within a generic framework, to spoken professional communication, and specifically to the processes of document design in technical writing and public relations. The data presents the problem of dealing with two very different kinds of interaction; one largely interactive and the other largely monologic. A principal feature of the analysis to be found in this thesis is the use of several interlocking approaches. Part One of the thesis uses discourse analysis linked with topic type analysis, and Part Two uses Rhetorical Structure Theory linked with topic type analysis. Chapters One to Four orient the thesis. Chapter Five deals with presentations. The three different presentation meetings are each shown to consist of the same five topic types. Additionally these topic types are shown to have a regular internal structure in terms of obligatory and optional elements that are realised by discourse analytic moves. Chapter Five looks at data that are of the same social activity and have similar textual characteristics. Chapter Six details generic features of texts that belong to the same social activity, a briefing, but which do not exhibit such close textual
Wheatley, John
Discourse analysis
A genre analysis of the processes of professional document design. This thesis offers a range of analytical approaches, all within a generic framework, to spoken professional communication, and specifically to the processes of document design in technical writing and public relations. The data presents the problem of dealing with two very different kinds of interaction; one largely interactive and the other largely monologic. A principal feature of the analysis to be found in this thesis is the use of several interlocking approaches. Part One of the thesis uses discourse analysis linked with topic type analysis, and Part Two uses Rhetorical Structure Theory linked with topic type analysis. Chapters One to Four orient the thesis. Chapter Five deals with presentations. The three different presentation meetings are each shown to consist of the same five topic types. Additionally these topic types are shown to have a regular internal structure in terms of obligatory and optional elements that are realised by discourse analytic moves. Chapter Five looks at data that are of the same social activity and have similar textual characteristics. Chapter Six details generic features of texts that belong to the same social activity, a briefing, but which do not exhibit such close textual
genre analysis process professional document design offer range analytical_approach within generic framework spoken professional communication specifically process document design technical write public relation data_present problem deal two_different kind interaction largely interactive largely monologic principal feature analysis find use several interlock approach part_one use discourse_analysis link topic type analysis part_two use rhetorical structure theory link topic type analysis orient thesis five_deal presentation three_different presentation meeting show consist_five topic type additionally topic type show regular internal_structure term obligatory optional element realise discourse_analytic move five_look data social activity similar textual characteristic detail generic feature texts belong social activity exhibit close_textual