Choose a group and determine how that group “counts” as a discourse community by analyzing how the defining characteristics apply.

ASSIGNMENT PROMPT

Background and Purpose

Select a group of people you believe meets John Swales’ six defining characteristics and answer this question:

How does the group you chose exhibit the characteristics of a discourse community?

Present your conclusions in a document showing that you understand the six characteristics of discourse communities and know how to apply them to groups as defining criteria.

This assignment will help you understand what a discourse community is and how one of them functions.

You will learn to think deeply about the use of written communication within a group, and you will examine how that group uses writing to achieve its goals.

Objectives

Understand how language practices mediate group activities
Examine the discourses and texts of different communities
Understand how language plays a role in discourse and community
Identify the relationship between language and identity
Acquire tools for successfully responding to varied discourse conventions and genres in different classes

For this assignment, you will need to review the information on Discourse Communities presented in the Module 3 Content, including the LibGuide.

Choose a group and determine how that group “counts” as a discourse community by analyzing how the defining characteristics apply.