Lisa Morgan 2/9/14 Wolcott Genre Analysis At one point in everyones life they will be forced to fill out

some sort of an intake form. Intake forms are forms that are made to collect information. These forms can range from medical forms to counselor forms. Despite popular belief these forms can be referred to as genres. Genres are widely known as categories that share similar traits, like the category science fiction in movies or books. But in the writing and rhetoric world genres have a different meaning. According to Amy Devitt, who is an author and a professor at the University of Kansas, genres develop because they respond appropriately to situations that writers encounter repeatedly. (576) In other words certain types of texts develop when people encounter a situation constantly. The genres that I compared were three different physical therapy office intake forms. The first genre is Function First Physical Therapy in New York. The second genre I analyzed was The Core Institute in Arizona and the last genre I examined was Therapy Works (a children therapy office) in Oklahoma. These genres are used to communicate to patients the goals of the establishments. These goals are to make a form that is efficient but also able to put enough detailed information to help doctors diagnosis a patient. These genres all have similarities and differences that I will explain in this paper. The initial presentation of the genres can set the impact for the whole genre. At first sight The Core Institutes form is the one that attracts the most attention because it is the only one of the three genres that has any use of color. This might be because the color makes the form more

welcoming. The Core Institute has bolded titles on each of their pages. One difference is that The Core Institute uses very small writing. This is probably because they wanted to fit as much information as they could on one page. The only genre with underling is the Function First Therapy form. The section titles are bolded and italicized like Patient Information and Insurance Information. (Function) The title of each page is also underlined and bolded. This is because they wanted to frame each page and it makes people aware of what they will be filling out on that certain page. For example before even reading the third page I can read the underlined title Medical History (Function), and know that the form is going to ask about past health related events. The signature spots are also bolded. This is so people dont miss an important part of filling out the form. The documents font size is large enough for anyone to read. One can infer that this is so that people of all ages can read it. The Therapy Works uses bolded and very large font throughout their form. There is a little red asterisk next to the important information to be filled out like Patient Name, D.O.B, and Primary Phone Number. (Occupational) One can infer that this is made so that people dont miss the important labels. Each of the genres use different ways to organize the information that needs to be filled out. The Function First Physical Therapy form has their information broken into boxes according to the information contained in them. On the second page of the document are diagrams that people can circle where they are feeling pain. This is one item that the other genres do not contain. The question are equally balanced between open-ended questions and close-ended questions. The easy yes or no questions use check boxes like Are you pregnant. (Function) While there are other questions that need more explaining and have room for someone to write details down like When and how did this problem begin? (Function) Because there are a

proportional amount of questions it makes the genre both efficient to fill out and precise. The Core Institute uses shaded headings to determine the different sections that need to be filled out. They use less open-ended questions so its hard for people to explain in detail what the problem is. Of all the genres this form has the least amount of questions. The Core Institute has the most pages about policies and disclosures. The last genre, Therapy Works, also has section titles that shaded and bolded. This is the genre with the most questions. There are so many questions because they want a vast amount of detail in each section. Almost each question has space for the patient to comment if they need to. Unlike the other two genres structure, whats special about this form is that it is able to be submitted online. Because the form can be submitted online it saves a lot of time for the patient and the therapy office. Also since the form can be turned in online they dont have to worry about having nine pages printed out and it more convenient on the computer. All three genres have their own organization style to make the process of filling the forms out more efficient for patients. All three of the genres have the same basic information. They all start off with basic patient information like name, address, age, and sex. After the basic information they all go off into different directions with their content. The Function First Therapy and The Core Institute both next have a section for insurance information, while Therapy Works does not have a spot for insurance information anywhere. One can infer that the Therapy Works does not have a section for insurance information because people may not want to put that information on the internet so maybe they would fill the insurance section out at the actual office. The Function First Therapy and The Core Institute also have content on missed appointments and certain fees, while Therapy Works does not. The first two genres also next go into medical information. Then questions for the two genres finish there. The last four pages are policy pages, disclosure pages,

and consent forms each with signature lines. This is to avoid any problems that could arise. The Therapy Works has many more different questions then the other two intake forms. Because this form is about children the questions go into detail about Prenatal History, Postnatal Labor, and Infancy and Toddlerhood.(Therapy) Next there are many questions about the childs development. One can infer from the huge difference in the amount of questions between the child therapy intake form and the other two regular intake forms that they tend to be more concerned with childrens health and precautions they have to take. There are many different people that can use these forms. Without participates there would be no one to use the genres. The main people to participate with these documents are basic doctors and nurses but others that may not be as obvious. Insurance companies might need this form. A lawyer probably had to write up the forms. Of course the patients participate in the use of these genres. They are the ones that fill out the intake forms. The only thing that would hinder anyone from filling these forms out would be if someone was illiterate. These genres are used to benefit all parties that participate in using them. Most medical intake forms, or in the case of this essay genres, are used to get vital information from the patient about themselves and about their health. All three of the physical therapy genres that I analyzed seem to all be efficient in their own way. They also all ask for descriptive information. Some ask with close-ended questions and others with open-ended questions, but with enough questions to get the important information.

Citations Devitt, Amy J. "Generalizing About Genre: New Conceptions of an Old Concept." College Composition and Communication. 4th ed. Vol. 44. N.p.: National Council of Teachers of English, 1993. 573-86. Print. Downloadable Patient Forms." 2014. Function First Physical Therapy, P.C. 2 February 2014. "Occupational Therapy." 2014. Therapy Works. 2 February 2014 "Orthopedic Patient Forms." 2014. The Core Institute. 2 Februray 2014.