Brian Huitt

UWRT 1104-029
December 4, 2016

Reflection on Genre Pieces

I researched the topic of GMOs, and more specifically, the inquiry
question that prompted this, Do the pros of GMOs outweigh the cons?
After collecting research from primarily online sources, I had reassured
myself that the pros of GMOs did indeed outweigh the cons, and was ready
to start building an argument for my target audience. I dictated my audience
as anyone against GMOs, or pro-organic people, and began moving towards
the culmination of an actual genre piece. I had my information, audience,
and a purpose of convincing pro-organic folks to buy into the ideas of GMOs
and was ready to begin.
The topic and principle of GMOs has been widely debated since their
inception, and have become more increasingly engaged with the food
industry that their identity is under more scrutiny than ever. Whether you are
a farmer or a stay at home mom, GMOs have affected you in some way
mainly through the consumption of them. Several studies have been
conducted in the past decade to bring a scientific answer to the palaver
surrounding GMOs, and the results have leaned both ways multiple times.
Some tests have proved that GMOs produce a higher crop yield (FDA Why
genetically engineer plants?), whereas some have produced other thoughts
(M. Delano Lack of Increase Yield). However, after reviewing the data and
discovering that they are resistant to disease (FDA Why genetically
engineer plants?), have increased nutrients (Janelle Vaesa GMO Food:

Brian Huitt
UWRT 1104-029
December 4, 2016

Benefits), and take up less space (FDA Why genetically engineer plants?)
it became apparent to me that the pros of GMOs did outweigh the cons and
that I needed to convey this message in order to garner support for GMOs.
They are the future of our food industry and while there is work to be done
regarding some of the cons I discovered (Edwards et al Safe for
consumption?), (Inspired Economist The Economic Argument Against
GMOs: a Top Ten List), GMOs are definitely a decision headed in the right
direction for the world.
From here, I had research and a purpose for my argument, but needed
genre pieces to use as a medium for my information and message. I thought
about GMOs and their ubiquitous role in the average individuals foodrelated life, and decided that my genre approach needed to be something
anyone could see and would want to read. Personally, I feel that people
would be more inclined to read a quick graphic or image that could easily be
shared through social media, text message, email, blogs, etc. than take time
to observe a genre that was heavily linguistic. My audience is quite large,
which is why I believed the efficiency of something that is visual was my best
bet to work with.
These genres ended up being an infographic and a comic strip. An
infographic is an accumulation of information that is displayed in an eyeappealing manner, designed to be laconic and efficient. A comic strip is a
compilation of drawings, usually short, that is designed to entertain or inform

Brian Huitt
UWRT 1104-029
December 4, 2016

the reader. The infographic is composed of more factual based information,

whereas the comic strip is more comical; hence, one appeals to the logos of
the reader while the other appeals to their pathos. Both, however, are highly
visual modes of communication. For this reason, they can be found and
shared anywhere, especially with their technological identity. The
timelessness of the genres, and their content, will most likely be quite
expansive as they are formatted in an accessible, engaging, easy-to-read
manner while describing a topic that is quite popular and controversial.
Overall, I feel like my genre pieces would resonate well with my target
audience, but may not completely sway them. My infographic gives a brief,
but compact, description of GMOs and their pros, while my comic strip takes
a comedic route that includes a combined four facts about the pros of GMOs.
The volume of information I provided on such a controversial topic might not
completely sway pro-organic people to my side, but I think it could attract
people who are on the fence about GMOs to supporting them.

Brian Huitt
UWRT 1104-029
December 4, 2016

Works Cited
@Decodedscience. GMOs: Benefits and Negative Effects of Genetically
Modified Food. Decoded Science, 19 July 2013,
www.decodedscience.org/gmo-food-pro-and-con/23179.
FDA. Consumer Info About Food from Genetically Engineered Plants.
Consumer Info About Food from Genetically Engineered Plants, 19 Oct. 2015,
www.fda.gov/food/ingredientspackaginglabeling/geplants/ucm461805.htm.
Edwards, Terrell et al. Negative Impacts on GM Foods: GMO, 2005,
classes.soe.ucsc.edu/cmpe080e/spring05/projects/gmo/negative.htm.
The Economic Argument Against GMOs: a Top Ten List. The Inspired
Economist, 26 Mar. 2015, inspiredeconomist.com/2013/02/26/economicargument-against-gmos/.

Brian Huitt
UWRT 1104-029
December 4, 2016