Paper Abstract

Here is the working abstract for my paper:


A fundamental step in persuasive communication is analysis of audiences, situations, and genres. As persuasive communication moves into the complex realm of interactive social media, an understanding of these factors becomes critical. This paper traces the development of genre field analysis and shows its unique usefulness in analyzing the potential of persuasive messages in social media. Using the Facebook page of a regional university recruitment office as a case study, this paper examines how system mapping through genre field analysis can aid recruiters in crafting and managing the content of their page. Through examining the elements of genre-agents, player-agents, transformative locales, and play scenarios in a Facebook page a richer understanding of the complex interactions in social media emerges.