1. How to Write About Context
Gaining marks for AO3

2. Context
Genre
Purpose
Audience
Mode

3. Genre and Purpose

4. Genre and Purpose Genre: what is the text?
Purpose: why was it written?
Consider primary and secondary purposes
Where would you find this text? For example: a newspaper, a particular section in a bookshop, online etc.
What is the format and structure? Look at titles, subtitles, images etc.
Is the text typical of the genre (does it follow conventions of the genre)?
Is the text conveying an important message?
Was it created to make money in some way?
Any other benefit the person who created this text may have had for doing so?

5. Genre and Purpose: what to write
POINT: What is the text and why was it created?
EXAMPLE: How do you know? Without evidence to support points, answers will be too vague to achieve above Level 2. Evidence includes anything which is a typical convention of the genre you have identified, such as:
Examples of format: a newspaper article usually delivers all of the important information from the start and then explains it in detail in later paragraphs, whereas a fictional story usually starts by describing the setting, then characters and introducing ideas as the plot unfolds.
Examples of content: positive or negative tone, subject matter.
Examples of perspective: a memoir or autobiography usually uses a first person narrative (I). A advertisement might use the second person pronoun (you) to encourage the reader/listener to empathise etc.
EXPLANATION: Why did the writer chose to communicate in this genre? This will relate to purpose. Explain your examples according to the specific text you are describing.

6. Practice
Read the extract on the next slide and try to determine what the genre is and why this text was written (purpose).
Remember to look at narrative perspective (pronouns), format and content.
Find evidence for your ideas and explain why you think the writer/speaker is

7. Extract from The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter

8. Annotate and Plan POINT: part tourist guide, part memoir. EVIDENCE:
Tour guide: the title “The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris” The persuasive title (explain how the language is persuasive to get marks for AO1: using the superlative “most beautiful”, alliteration of Pedestrian in Paris) could entice people to want to walk around Paris. However, it is not typical of this genre because the text is not all factual nor is it presenting a positive view of being a tourist in Paris.
Storytelling opening, describing setting.
Memoir: “ I pass them”.
EXPLANATION – the text has some characteristics of both genres which is unusual and breaks the conventions of each one.

9. How to write it into a paragraph
POINT:
The genre is ___________________ with the purpose of ________________ .
EVIDENCE:
For example, the writer says, ____________________.
EXPLANATION
The purpose of this genre may be to______________________

10. Now write it into a paragraph
The genre is mixed; part guide book for tourists and part memoir. The title suggests that the text is a guide book with the purpose of persuading people to walk around Paris as tourists. It is persuasive, using the superlative: “most beautiful”; and using hyperbole: “in the world” to further appeal to an audience by suggesting how wonderful Paris is to walk around. The title is also made memorable with the alliteration of “Pedestrian in Paris” which could be expected to help sell more copies of the book. However, the text breaks with the conventions of this genre because the text is not presenting a positive view of being a tourist in Paris. For most tourists “their stroll isn’t working out as they hoped.” The text uses the first person narrative to describe someone’s real life experience which is more typical of the conventions of memoir. For example, the writer says, “ I pass them”, identifying himself within the text. The reader can imagine watching the tourists from the narrator’s perspective and accompanying him on his walk through Paris. The purpose of blending these genres may be to convince the reader that this guide book will give them a more realistic, authentic and personal tour of Paris than other guide books.

11. audience

12. Audience: plan what to write
POINT: Who is the text written for (i.e. the target audience)?
EXAMPLE: How do you know? Do not make generalised assumptions without evidence. If you can’t find a quote to support your point, it may be wrong!
EVIDENCE: Why did the writer chose to target this particular audience?

13. Practice
Read the extract on the next slide and try to determine who the audience is.
If it is not obvious, consider who the text is NOT written for. Is there any bias that certain people may not like? Are there certain groups who may identify with the writer/speaker?
Find evidence for your idea and explain why you think the writer is targeting this audience? How is he appealing to his audience?

14. Extract from The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter

15. Annotate and Plan
POINT: Target audience: Parisians, seasoned travellers
EVIDENCE: normal tourists negatively presented eg. (uncertain, huddling, beige, sensible shoes)
EXPLANATION – Some people want to explore Paris but don’t want to be like normal tourists

16. How to write it into a paragraph
POINT:
In Baxter’s text, the target audience are ____________________________ (who?).
EVIDENCE:
This is apparent because ________________ (identify words and phrases that show the text is being presented to appeal to certain groups).
EXPLANATION
Baxter’s target audience are ______________________ because____________(why?).

17. Now write it into a paragraph
In Baxter’s text, the target audience are people who feel they are already familiar with Paris or who would like to be. This is apparent because Baxter presents the normal, “everyday” tourists as being “uncertain” and lost in Paris. They are “huddling” over their guidebooks as if they are seeking comfort from them from the strange, busy and confusing city they find themselves in. Baxter describes the tourists as wearing “beige”; a boring, nondescript colour and “sensible shoes” which adds to the representation of tourists as a boring, unfashionable contrast to the stereotype of chic Parisians. Baxter’s target audience are the people who believe themselves to be better than these poor lost souls. He is writing a guide book for Parisians and those who want to explore an already familiar city and they will want to read it because they are being flattered in comparison to the majority of tourists as Baxter describes them.

18. Spoken, written, blended mode

19. Mode: plan what to write
POINT: What is the mode of communication?
EXAMPLE: How is the mode used to convey information? Consider:
how information is presented and how emphasis is created (punctuation, use of italics, bold, headings, pauses)
expected register in this mode and examples of register
was the text spontaneous or planned (literary or simplistic language, stories with tellability or lack of it, thinking words and pauses etc).
EXPLANATION: Why did the writer convey their message in this way? Explain what the message of the text is and how the mode helps to put the message across. (i.e. why the writer wrote and didn’t say it or why they said/performed it and didn’t just write it; or, if it is blended mode, why is this acceptable or why does it work in this context?) Always explain answers with regard to the specific message of the text.

20. Practice
OK! You know the drill by now! Read the extract on the next slide and try to determine what the mode is.
Find evidence
Explain the choice of mode

21. Extract from The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter

22. Check the paragraph you have written with a partner, ready to read it to the class
Come on, you should be able to do it on your own by now!