Discourse Community Analysis
Introduction (2 paragraphs): In this section, you have two purposes, First, describe what a discourse community is in your own words. You’ve been practicing with paraphrasing, and this will be your first chance to show me how well you understand this important skill. Second, you will want to describe your individual discourse community. The order in which you do this is up to you.
Methodology (1-2 paragraphs): Here, you will tell me who you intend to interview, the kinds of questions you’ll ask, and what you hope to learn. In addition, you may illustrate some of the words you’ll be defining.
Observation (6+ paragraphs): This will be the longest portion of your essay. You will explain some of the lexis used in your discourse. Most importantly, you must tell me what you observed while at your discourse community. Remember to emphasize the way language is used, not necessarily the actions or behavior. Finally, highlight the most important quotes your interviews said in their interviews. Do not transcribe. Paraphrase what they said.
Conclusion (1-2 paragraphs): What is the importance of this discourse community to you and to the world at large? Why is it important to study this particular discourse?
