Class Notes

What kinds of details does she provide in the Setting
Located in Washington DC
GAO is a "midsized" organization
1200 written reports
Professional staff "well educated"
Employs about 5000, 14 regional, 2 overseas
Headquarters-divided into four program and three technical divisions
Basic work unit (assignment team) includes primary writer and 2 levels of supervisors

Location
Size: # of employees, Offices (concentration in one geographical area)
Staff education: Level of education, types of subjects
Structure of working teams: personal and each one's role.
Decisions about staffing/ structure of teams
Number and types of reports produced

Why provide those types of details? Why does she want readers to know about these types of info.
Mentioning the location can provide more insight into the company's involvement with outside affairs. The company is located in Washington DC. To me as a reader, this means that they are a company that is heavily involved with our government in someway. This is backed up by later statements that the company helps Congress.
Mentioning the size of the company helps visualize the company. This company is important enough to have several offices in different locations. This company must be important.
Mentioning the number of reports and the type of reports help characterize the company as hard working and versatile. The author mentions that the topics are "wide-ranging" and were created by people who hold well educated advanced degrees.

Intertextuality-How a text pulls in voices from other texts
The writer the agency; writer controls the intertexual references
Intertexual references do important rhetorical work

Slate:
From Harold and Kumar: They pick a clip that explains the movie in about 15 seconds
Pulled the clip out to point out that there is no plot.
Used "Josh" to play up the dramatics. Choosing to use that makes it seem he was making fun of the serious criticism
Referring to them, 2 great American icons.

Direct Question
Indirect Question
Mentioning a person/idea
Comment/evaluation of an idea or text
Referring to general ideas of a subject/person