DISCOURSE COMMUNITY MAP

DISCOURSE COMMUNITY MAP

For the presentation portion

• Identify 1-3 communities for your selected character.
• Develop a graphical representation of the discourse community map. (optional)

Then answer

• What are the different discourse communities’ goals?
• Who are the members (this is similar to the subjects in the activity system) within the discourse communities you identified?
• What are the purposes for communicating in these discourse communities?
• How does that communication usually take place? Are there specific modes that are
• preferred or ignored?
• How does technology impact the communication practices? How does technology impact the goals? (Technology is also a tool as identified in activity systems) What are the topics discussed in these discourse communities?
• What are the conventions (guidelines and/or rules) of the discourse community? (These are similar to the rules in activity system)
• What specialized language is used? Why? Provide examples.
• How did your character become a member of this discourse community?

In groups of 3-4, explore these six defining characteristics of discourse communities as proposed by Swales. You will examine how they relate to a fictional character of your choice. First, you will develop a discourse community map for this character. Next, you will develop a short presentation that explains the community(ies), whether or not they meet Swales criteria for discourse communities, and provide examples that show why or why not.

Explore how communication is structured by the communities in which it takes place. John Swales (1990) proposed the following six defining characteristics of discourse communities as they relate to the communication within a particular group:

1. They have broadly agreed sets of common public goals.

2. They have mechanisms of intercommunication among its members.

3. They use participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback.

4. They utilize and hence possess one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims.

5. In addition to owning genres, they have acquired some specific lexis.

6. They have a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise.

Sample Map 1.2: Single Discourse Community

Map (multiple): Single Discourse Community

Sample Map 1.3: Single Discourse Community

Sample Map 1.1: Single Discourse Community

DISCOURSE COMMUNITY QUALIFICATIONS

1. They have broadly agreed sets of common public goals.

2. They have mechanisms of intercommunication among its members.

3. They use participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback.

4. They utilize and hence possess one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims.

5. In addition to owning genres, they have acquired some specific lexis.

6. They have a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise.

Presentation

Identify 1-3 communities for your selected character.

Develop a graphical representation of the discourse community map. (optional)

Be sure to answer

• What are the different discourse communities’ goals?
• Who are the members (this is similar to the subjects in the activity system) within the discourse communities you identified?
• What are the purposes for communicating in these discourse communities?
• How does that communication usually take place? Are there specific modes that are
• preferred or ignored?
• How does technology impact the communication practices? How does technology impact the goals? (Technology is also a tool as identified in activity systems) What are the topics discussed in these discourse communities?
• What are the conventions (guidelines and/or rules) of the discourse community? (These are similar to the rules in activity system)
• What specialized language is used? Why? Provide examples.
• How did your character become a member of this discourse community?

10 extra credit pts