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Running Head: ENGINEERING INNOVATIONS

Engineering Innovations of the 20& 21st Century:

Genre Analysis of a Journal and an Online Video

Analuisa Garcia
University of Texas at El Paso

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Engineering Innovations of the 20& 21st Century: Genre Analysis of a Scholar Journal and a
You-Tube Video
Technology is very important, if not essential in todays society. From a house to a
school, people are always surrounded by these important innovations. Many of these
inventions make our life easier in a day basis. It was through the combination of science and
common knowledge that this technology is now possible. However, a recognition to those
who made these innovations is also very important. These scientist or inventors, how one may
call them had to invent, design, research, and create a structure that was going to help humanity
in an astonishing way. Humanity has come a long way when it comes to technology, however
this is just the beginning of something incredible.
The genres that are about to be analyzed, provide information about nanotechnology
in a very different and distinctive way. How good these resources inform, depend on the
audiences genre preference. The first genre will be a scholarly peer reviewed journal which is
called, Nanotechnology-Steps Towards Understanding Human Beings as Technology, by
Julliard& Grunwald and the second genre will be a You-Tube video that is called, What is
Nanotechnology| Introduction to Nanotechnology| Nanotechnology Documentary, by the
company Austrian Synchrotron. Each of the following methods will use different channels to
transmit the information, establish their own credibility, and grasp the audiences attention.
These genres will both talk about technology, however one source may be easier to understand,
one may establish a better credibility, and finally one may be more appealing to the eye,
therefore more interesting. In this paper, both genres will be analyzed using purpose, use of
rhetoric, structure, and style language in order to determine the most effective form of
information resource.
Purpose and Audience
For the first genre we have a scholarly peer reviewed journal by Julliard and

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Grunwald which is intended for an audience that is interested in nanotechnology, medicine, or

Mechanical Engineering. The audience may also include interested students that are studying or
researching on the topic. The purpose of this journal is merely to inform, however the viewers
may already have a basic introduction of what the topic is about. The audience may know prior
reading the journal that nanotechnology is a great advance in todays world and that engineers
have been trying to perfect it for decades now. However, they may want to know the several
areas in which nanotechnology is useful and where it is already being utilized. If this particular
journal is to be chosen by a viewer, it will take him/her about an hour to read the full text.
However one may notice the language used in the text is formal since it is a scholarly
peer reviewed journal. In the scholarly peer reviewed journal which is called, NanotechnologySteps Towards Understanding Human Beings as Technology, a variety of specialized vocabulary
is used. These specialized vocabulary may be familiar to engineers, doctors, or individuals
already familiar with the topic of nanotechnology. Some of these vocabulary are: catalyst,
proneness, disseminated nerve plugs, ingestion, implantation, nano-biotechnology, molecular
mechanism, and biomolecules. Analyzing the language features of this journal is also quite
important. The audience may notice the text in the journal is easy to read but the display is a bit
messy, being in a two column layout. The journals display can also be described as dull because
the journal is only black and white.
The You-Tube Video that is called, What is Nanotechnology| Introduction to
Nanotechnology| Nanotechnology Documentary created by several organizations is intended for
students that may be interested in engineering or nanotechnology but may prefer a visual source
of information instead of a written one. The projected viewers may know that nanotechnology is
a great advance to society, however they may also want to know how it was engineered and what
uses was come of it. With this particular genre it will take the audience about fifteen minutes to
view the complete video. The purpose of this audiovisual is to be informative, while using

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informal language which will help the viewer comprehend the introduction to nanotechnology
in an easier more practical way. The language that the You-Tube video uses is very easy to
comprehend since they use only simple scientific terms such as: magnets, magnetic fields,
quantum dots, liquids, and particles. However after the video mentions every term, it also
provides a detailed definition of what each word means. Discussing the videos format and
display is also crucial when analyzing a genre. The video includes many visuals which help
support the information. The font is easy clear to read, however the text is constantly moving
which may be very distracting. Finally the person speaking delivers the information clearly and
efficiently. Even though both genres are simply to inform the audience about nanotechnology,
they are both very different. It will take the audience a significant different time whether they
select the journal or the video. Also, the video delivers the information in an entertaining
method, while the journal uses a more traditional way.
Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Pathos, Logos
The scholarly peer reviewed journal which is called, Nanotechnology-Steps Towards
Understanding Human Beings as Technology, establishes its credibility by having and listing
over thirteen citations (some examples of these citations in the reference page), and by simply
being a scholarly peer reviewed journal. This journal also tries to convey some type of emotion
which is to astonish and amaze the audience with the advances made in nanotechnology. Finally,
several important agencies or companies for example: The United States Environmental
Protection Agency and The Department of Defense have already conducted several test, and
research regarding the topic to reinforce its efficiency.
The You-Tube video of What is Nanotechnology| Introduction to Nanotechnology|
Nanotechnology Documentary, establishes its credibility by having Professor Andrew Peele
from Austria act in the video. Also, the following organizations contributed to the making of
the video: The Austrian Synchrotron, ARC Centre of Excellence for Electro material Science,

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Melboume Centre for Nanofabrication, La Trobe University, and St. Vincents Hospital
Melboume. Apart from establishing its credibility, this genre wants for people to comprehend
and realize the multiple uses of nanotechnology. The video also wants to clarify not confuse,
and give hope to people with what this technology has and will accomplish. Finally, the
mentioned organizations such as The National Institute of Health, The National Science
Foundation, and The National Institute of Standards and Technology are trying to increase the
use of this technology by expanding their boundaries, while conducting more useful tests.
Although the video and the journal both give excellent sources of credibility, the video helps
evoke a wider variety of emotions since it provides helpful visual aids apart from only the text in
the journal.
Structure
Analyzing the structure of both genres will also help determine which source is clearly
better for the audience. The first genre to be evaluated is the scholarly peer reviewed journal
which is organized in a journal, two-column essay format, and is about ten pages long. In this
specific genre the topic has the freedom to express what it needs, due to the wide variety of
information. The information definitely makes this journal lengthier, however a better
understanding and detail may be included in an essay type form. The structure of the journal
also focuses on delivering the information clearly, and it is great at explaining every single point
in order to inform efficiently.
The structure of the You-Tube video is organized differently being of different genres.
This genre is structured in a fifteen minute long video containing only audio and written
Information, or audio with multiple visuals. However, this video is limited in providing
sufficient information since its duration is very short and due to the vast amount of information it
is hard to fully explain what nanotechnology really is. Even though the source has its
limitations, it still focuses on giving a brief explanation and only introduces the topic captivating

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the audiences mind with its visuals. When comparing both of the genres structures, the journal
can clearly give you more information about nanotechnology since it is more thorough. The
video while more entertaining, only provides concise, very basic information.
Conclusion
After having analyzed both of the genres, the scholarly peer reviewed journal called
Nanotechnology-Steps Towards Understanding Human Beings as Technology, is clearly a
better choice when researching nanotechnology. The journal will provide the audience with
better facts, and information in a detailed manner. The source will not only introduce you to the
topic, but will give you a full understanding of nanotechnology and in what areas is being
useful. The source also establishes a superior credibility among their audience due to the fact that
they list many references. The viewers can then conclude that an extensive research was
conducted in order to put together this scholarly peer reviewed journal.

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7
References

Drexler, K.E. (1986). Engines of Creation- The Coming Era of Nanotechnology. Oxford
University Press, Oxford.
Grunwald, A., & Julliard, Y. (2007). Nanotechnology - Steps Towards Understanding Human
Beings as Technology?. Nanoethics, 1(2), 77-87. doi:10.1007/s11569-007-0010-y
Hook, C. (2004). The Techno Sapiens are Coming. Christianity Today Magazine.
Kralj, M., Pavelie, K. (2003). Medicine on a Small Scale. How Molecular Medicine can Benefit
From Self-assembled and Nanostructured Materials. EMBO Rep 4(11): 1008-1012.
Peele, A., Jones, A., Calati, F., Trask, K., Barkoczy, R., Mc Lees, M., ..Fink, A. (2013). What
is Nanotechnology| Introduction to Nanotechnology| Nanotechnology Documentary
(Video File). Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlYIex2TF5g
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). Nanotechnology and Nanomaterial
Research. Retrieved from: http://www.epa.gov/nanoscience/