01645nas a2200193   4500008004100000245007200041210006800113260000900181300001400190490000700204520111800211653001201329653001001341653001501351653001001366100002201376700001901398856003401417       1998                        eng d00aThe Role of Genre in Shaping Our Understanding of Digital Documents0 aRole of Genre in Shaping Our Understanding of Digital Documents  c1998  a559–5660 v353 aInteracting with documents in the digital domain is challenging many of our notions about discourse and its boundaries. Hyperlinked documents on the World Wide Web defy easy categorization and evaluation - making the role and value of digital documents difficult to assess. Most importantly, in such fluid and complex environments it is difficult to understand the nature of the interaction between users and information resources. This paper argues that notions such as navigation are limiting our understanding of these complex information spaces. Instead, what is needed is a broader framework of analysis that can embrace these concepts, and incorporate extended issues relating to shared understanding, relevance, and style. In the present paper we explore the utility of the intersection of genre theory and cognitive psychology in providing a meaningful framework for analysis and design purposes. In so doing we report the results of our latest research into the elements of genre that influence users of digital documents and provide examples of the usefulness of this analysis in web-based environments.10adigital10agenre10anavigation10astory1 aVaughan, Misha, W1 aDillon, Andrew  u<Go to ISI>://000077585300054