animal testing genre analysis

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  • 8/10/2019 Animal Testing Genre Analysis

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    Pablo Enriquez

    ID: 80509037

    CRN: 11281

    Should Animal Testing be scientific or commercial? (Rough Draft)

    One of the biggest and ongoing controversies that has been debated over for years is

    whether animal research should be practiced or not. The controversy I will be analyzing in this

    report is Should animals be used for scientific research or commercial research?Humans have

    always experimented with animals to find solutions to sicknesses for centuries. Although where

    have these experiments lead to over all these years? Has the practice of animal research has

    exceeded scientific purposes and is now also being used for commercial product testing?

    Commercial products such as cosmetics and hygiene products are being added to the

    experiments on top of the quest to find and improve medicine and vaccines. Animal testing has

    helped our society tremendously by developing vaccines and medicine that have saved humans

    from many among the endless list of illnesses, a few examples would be polio, small pox, type 1

    diabetes, leukemia, etc. The two genres that I have chosen to analyze would be an article from

    the website procon.org titled should animals be used for Scientific or commercial testing?

    and the other a video from a televised debate called Is Animal Testing Justified? (The Big

    Questions)

    Audience and Purpose

    The first genre Should animals be used for Scientific or Commercial Testing? from

    procon.org was intended for those who are seeking knowledge in animal testing. Those who

    might be pursuing this knowledge would be students doing research, doctors, or scientists. Some

    discourse communities that would be interested in this genre would be animal activist groups and

    research teams. As for the second genre, it is very much intended for the same audience except

    since it is a televised debate it is mainly intended for the general public.

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    Pablo Enriquez

    ID: 80509037

    CRN: 11281

    The first genres purpose was to inform the audience about the controversy between

    whether or not animals should be used for scientific or commercial testing. It informs by

    providing historical information on animal testing such as the time that it started, how it has

    changed over time, and some achievements. It also provides some information that the public is

    free to provide in debate form by commenting in pro or con form their arguments on the matter.

    The second genres purpose was mainly to entertain but to persuade as well. This genre is to

    entertain because it is a televised debate broadcasted by the BBC (British Broadcasting

    Corporation) for the public from primary sources such as doctors and organization leaders.

    Though it is also to persuade because each side argues their perspectives to the best of their

    ability in attempt to prove to others wrong.

    The audience is able to relate with both genres because of the popularity of the

    controversy. Animal testing is a very big debate in any aspect that a very large portion of society

    is involved in. Especially since both these genres have debates the only difference being that one

    is information directly from the public and the other is from people of high reputation. Though

    the public can relate their beliefs with those of what are posted on either the article or with what

    is said in the video.

    With both genres the audience is likely to already know some famous rumors about

    animal testing such as animals being tortured for the better of human health, or its because of

    these studies that we even have the medicine that we have today, or that it takes a lot of tests to

    find one answer there for using a lot of animals. What the audience would like to know is how

    many animals it takes to find a result as well as what kind of animals are being used (rodents,

    amphibians, or mammals?). They might want to know what the difference between scientific and

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    Pablo Enriquez

    ID: 80509037

    CRN: 11281

    commercial testing is and to what extent are the ethics taken during these tests, and why there is

    no alternative to animals in these tests.

    The two genres have different amount of times required due to length and the way it is

    presented to the audience. The article should require around 30 to 45 minutes to read the

    arguments posted by the people, the article that talks about the history, regulations, and public

    opinions, and finally to reflect on the information gathered. The video should require 20 minutes

    from the audience because the duration of the video is 16 minutes and then a few minutes to

    reflect should be taken after. The language in both of these genres are formal because they are

    both presented to the general public which can be accessed by all ages. Even though in the video

    the tone of voice gets very intense at some times, they still manage to keep the language clean

    and formal.

    Rhetorical Issues

    Ethos

    The first genre being he article attempts to establish its credibility with the audience by

    stating at the top of the page that it is a nonprofit website that presents research, studies, and

    pro/con statements on whether or not animals should be used for scientific or commercial testing.

    The article also refers a lot of its information to places of high reputation such as The US

    department of defense and PETA. The second genre being the video attempts to establish its

    credibility with the audience by having people of high reputation such as doctors, priests,

    scientists, and leaders of groups. This technique was effective because the audience was able to

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    Pablo Enriquez

    ID: 80509037

    CRN: 11281

    see these people for themselves and speak their behalf right there and then, as well as hear their

    professional views.

    Pathos

    Some emotions that may be brought up by both of the genres may be anger and

    sympathy. Some people in the audience may strongly agree with some arguments from either

    side and may generate arguments of their own luring them to the pro or can side. The article does

    this by posting four videos, two are pro and two are con, and leaves the viewer to watch both and

    decide. This method was effective.

    Logos

    The evidence provided in the article is shown by the public being able to provide their

    own input on the matter by providing comments, and then showing videos of interviews with

    scientists who work at animal testing facilities. Again it also gains credibility by constantly

    stating where information is being found throughout the article. The video uses know evidence to

    support its claims other than the speakers claiming to be who they are speaking based on their

    experience and knowledge.

    Structure and Delivery

    The article starts out by showing a few did you know? statements about animal testing,

    and then moves on to showing a few pro and con arguments on the topic. After the arguments it

    gives information about the regulations, public opinion, early history, and finally the modern

    debate. While the debate starts off with the oxford professor (Prof. John Stein) explaining why

    he thinks animal testing is justified from a scientific point of view. Then one by one others put

    their input in the matter starting from scientific to idealistic, to religious and realistic points of

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    Pablo Enriquez

    ID: 80509037

    CRN: 11281

    views. Limits on these genres would be that the video only provides 16 minutes of information

    as opposed to the article providing information at the readers own pace with more than just

    debates but background on the topic as well.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion both genres covered the topic very well. The article provided way more

    information than the second by giving a public opinion history and links to videos, but the video

    provides input from a professional perspective from both sides. Animal testing is a big asset to

    the advancement of human health but the study needs to be controlled and kept in the scientific

    field.

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    Pablo Enriquez

    ID: 80509037

    CRN: 11281

    References

    ProCon.org. (2014, January 29). Animal Testing ProCon.org. Retrieved from

    http://animal-testing.procon.org/

    "Is Animal Testing Justified? (The Big Questions)." YouTube. YouTube, 18 Mar. 2012.

    Web. 07 Sept. 2014. .