QRGs: the Genre

In this blog post, I will discuss and explain about what a Quick Reference Guide (QRG) is as a genre. Also, I will answer questions pertaining different properties associated with a QRG.

Duke University Archives. "Perkins Library Reference Desk, 1970s." 03/04/2011 via Flickr.
Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike 2.0 Generic License.

1. What do the conventions of this genre - the Quick Reference Guide - seem to be?

• subtitles are often written as questions
• the subtitles therefore serve as a lead or a transitional tool
• it is easier to scan over the article; the reader can pick and choose what he or she would like to read
• it offers a "story-telling" aspect 
• can reflect the frequently asked questions
• use of images and visual content
• presents evidence in graphic form
• evokes emotional response
• contextualizes data
• short paragraphs
• easy to read, pleasing to the eye
• simplifies and specifies
• directs the reader to the purpose
• social media references
• informality
• appearance of universal theme or topic
• attract certain audience
• provide additional evidence and support
• hyperlinking
• additional information sources listed to give background and context
• makes it easier for reader and writer
• gives credibility to writer; shows that writer did his research
• substitution for citation
• context
• one-stop source
• includes others opinions
• answers who, what, when, where, how and why

2. How are those conventions defined by the author's formatting and design choices?

The author of a QRG follows these conventions by:

• writing paragraphs 2-3 sentences in length
• breaking chunks of text up with a visual image or source
• using large, easy-to-read font
• hyperlinks are in a different color
• side-bars with even easier to read information

3. What does the purpose of these QRGs seem to be?

The QRG's purpose is to be written as a brief research source that includes all the information one would need to know on a certain topic. It is not supposed to overwhelm the reader, but rather attract it's audience. The reader should finish the article within five minutes, but should be able to access more information if necessary. A QRG's purpose can be found in the title itself. 

4. Who is the intended audience for these different QRGs? Are they all intended for similar audiences? Or different? How and why? 

The intended audience for QRGs are ordinary people with an ordinary intelligence level of the specific subject. The authors are mainly writing informally, gearing towards a younger, less professional audience. The audiences for each of these QRGs are very similar, because they all use the same basic styles and conventions.

5. How do the QRGs use imagery and visuals? Why do you think they use them in this way?

There are many different types of media sources in each QRG. The author embeds videos, various photos, graphs and data charts to give further explanations for his or her topic of interest. They provide a new way of visualizing the information provided, and now the reader has a deeper understanding. 

--Jenny Bello

REFLECTION:

Many of my classmates and I shared the same "conventions of a QRG" list, as we had come up with a clear list in class. However, we demonstrated our knowledge and perception of these conventions in different forms. For example, Lauren put an emphasis on the importance of the visual images and media sources that are included in a QRG, while Katherine focused on the importance of short and direct paragraphs. I really appreciated Hannah's thorough response, and her list that covered all the major conventions, while not repeating any. She did a really good job giving a detailed description into each convention.

With my personal list, I do not think that I included enough main conventions. If I could go back and change it, I would forgo the "context" convention and change "subtitles are usually written as questions" into a convention that simply says subtitles are necessary. Then, I would have a very accurate list of QRG conventions.