Part 4: Rhetorical Modes

Though there are as many ways to write a paper as there are papers, it is helpful to categorize different types of writing under specific names or genres. This section defines the most commonly used types (called modes) of writing that you may encounter in college and beyond. Each describes the way the piece is written, so that you can choose this form as a writer or identify it quickly as a reader. Knowing each mode helps organize thinking and writing to make concentrating on content a swifter, more instinctive process.