Week 4 PowerPoint
Module 1: Discourse Communities
Tuesday, Feb. 23rd
Module 1: Day 3
Check In
Overview
Let’s Review: What is GENRE?
Genre is a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.
What does this mean?? Genres are a specific type of music or literature (texts) that share common elements (characteristics).
Examples of genres in music: HipHop, Country, Pop, Classical, Jazz, Bluegrass, etc!
Examples of genres in movies/ t.v.: Drama, comedy, action, sci-fi, romance, etc.
Examples of genres in literature: poetry, drama (plays), mysteries, romance, biographies, historical fiction, textbooks, essays, academic journals
Genres Share Similar Elements/ Characteristics
Science Fiction Genre (ex. Fahrenheit 451, the Giver, the Uglies):
Fantasy Genre (ex. Harry Potter, Percy Jackson):
Example: Genre of Country Music
Kerry Dirk uses country music as an example of a genre.
The common elements that she says country songs share are:
Let’s Listen to an Example
Well, I tumble outta bed and stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
Yawn and stretch and try to come to life
Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumping
Out on the street, the traffic starts jumping
With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5
Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living
Barely getting by, it's all taking and no giving
They just use your mind, and they never give you credit
It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it
Working 5 to 9, you've got passion and a vision
'Cause it's hustlin' time, a whole new way to make a livin'
Gonna change your life, do somethin' that gives it meanin'
With a website that is worthy of your dreamin'
Well you got dreams and you know they matter
Be your own boss, climb your own ladder
That moment's getting closer by the day
And you're in the same boat with a lotta your friends
Launching ideas you all believe in
The tide's gonna turn, and it's all gonna roll your way
Working 5 to 9, making something of your own now
And it feels so fine to build a business from your know-how
Gonna move ahead, and there's nothing that you can't do
When you listen to that little voice inside you
Yeah, 5 to 9 you've got passion and a vision
'Cause it's hustlin' time, a whole new way to make a livin'
Gonna change your life, do somethin' that gives it meanin'
With a website that is worthy of your dreaming
5 to 9, you keep working, working, working
Working 5 to 9, 'til your dreams, come true
Working 5 to 9, you keep dreaming, dreaming, dreaming
5 to 9, 5 to 9, you can do it
“Navigating Genres” by Kerry Dirk
Key Takeaways
Think about the audience--how can you best reach them or get them to listen?
What features should go in the piece to reach the audience?
How personal should you get?
What rhetorical strategies should you use?
Genre Elements of an Essay Written for Students
Warm, personal style
The tone was primarily conversational
The writer did not talk as an authoritative figure but as a coach
Some writers admitted that they did not know everything (we don’t), and others even went so far as to admit ignorance
Personal anecdotes (personal stories or examples)
What Is Dirk Talking about Here?
“In other words, Bitzer is saying that when something new happens that requires a response, someone must create that first response. Then when that situation happens again, another person uses the first response as a basis for the second, and eventually everyone who encounters this situation is basing his/her response on the previous ones, resulting in the creation of a new genre. Think about George Washington giving the first State of the Union Address. Because this genre was completely new, he had complete freedom to pick its form and content. All presidents following him now have these former addresses to help guide their response because the situation is now a reoccurring one.” (252)
Matching Genre to Rhetorical Situation
“By this point you might realize that you have been participating in many different genres—whether you are telling a joke, writing an email, or uploading a witty status on Facebook. Because you know how these genres function as social actions, you can quite accurately predict how they function rhetorically; your joke should generate a laugh, your email should elicit a response, and your updated Facebook status should generate comments from your online friends. But you have done more than simply filled in the blanks. Possibly without even thinking about it, you were recognizing the rhetorical situation of your action and choosing to act in a manner that would result in the outcome you desired. I imagine that you would probably not share a risqué joke with your mom, send a “Hey Buddy” email to your professor, or update your Facebook status as “X has a huge wart on his foot.” We can see that more than form matters here, as knowing what is appropriate in these situations obviously requires more rhetorical knowledge than does filling out a credit card form.” (253)
Genres are Important!
“In other words, knowing what a genre is used for can help people to accomplish goals, whether that goal be getting a job by knowing how to write a stellar resume, winning a person’s heart by writing a romantic love letter, or getting into college by writing an effective personal statement.” (253)
Back to Our Project!
How is it going? How did proving your DC is a DC go?
Did anyone have to change their DC?
What did you learn about your DC that maybe you didn’t know before?
Share out!
Let’s Look at Another Example of a DC!
What DC does this look at? How do you know?
What is the genre of this piece? How do you know?
What do we learn about the DC (common goals, specific lexis, etc)?
What would be an artifact you might use to talk about this DC?
Project 1: Step 3-Find and Analyze and Artifact
Find one artifact from your Discourse Community. The artifact might provide information about the DC’s mode of communication, values or goals, specific lexis, etc.
It is preferable if the artifact is a primary source. The artifact should provide information about the Discourse Community or be meaningful to the community.
Examples of artifacts: an interview with a member of the community, a song, a speech, an example of the DCs publications (brochure, newsletter), letters, a poem, a book, biography/ autobiography, a tattoo, memes)
Fill out the Discourse Community Artifact Analysis worksheet about your artifact.
Due Thursday 2/25
Primary Source vs. Secondary Source
PRIMARY SOURCES
A document, physical object or a first hand account of a topic from people who had a connection to event/ topic
Examples:
SECONDARY SOURCES
Sources that interpret and analyze primary sources. They are one step removed from primary sources though they often quote or otherwise use primary sources. They can cover the same topic, but add a layer of interpretation and analysis.
Examples:
Most books about a topic, textbooks, Wikipedia
Scholarly or other articles about a topic, especially by people not directly involved.
Documentaries (though they often include photos or video portions that can be considered primary sources).
What Is an Artifact?
Artifacts are items or objects that tell you something important about the Discourse Community
The artifact should provide information about the DC or be meaningful to the DC
The artifact should be a primary source document
Examples of Artifacts
An interview with member of DC
A song
A speech
An example of the DC’s publications (brochure, newsletter)
Letters
A poem
A book
Biography/ autobiography
A tattoo
A meme
Social media page/ twitter feed
A uniform
An important document
Choose YOUR Artifact!
What artifact might you choose? Why are you going to use the artifact?
Describe the artifact and its importance
What does the artifact look like? Where is it?
Why is this artifact important to your DC? How does your DC use the artifact? Describe the artifact and how it is used!
Genre/ Audience / Purpose
What is the genre of the artifact?
Who is the intended audience of the artifact?
What is the purpose of the artifact?
Rhetorical Appeals
Does the artifact contain examples of ethos, pathos or logos? Find it and describe it!
How does the artifact develop credibility?
How does the artifact appeal to the emotions of the members of the DC?
How does the artifact appeal to the logic of the DCs members?
How effective is the message?
What is the voice/ tone of the artifact? (formal, informal, etc)
Homework (Project 1, Step 3) DUE 2/ 25
Find one artifact from your Discourse Community. The artifact might provide information about the DC’s mode of communication, values or goals, specific lexis, etc.
It is preferable if the artifact is a primary source. The artifact should provide information about the Discourse Community or be meaningful to the community.
Examples of artifacts: an interview with a member of the community, a song, a speech, an example of the DCs publications (brochure, newsletter), letters, a poem, a book, biography/ autobiography, a tattoo, memes)
Fill out the Discourse Community Artifact Analysis worksheet about your artifact. Post on OpenLab. Here is the link.
Thursday, Feb. 25th
Module 1: Day 4
Check In
Overview
Strategies for Getting Started
Facing a blank page and a blinking cursor can feel terrifying, especially as the hours, minutes and seconds until the assignment is due loom closer and closer.
There is no one way to get started or right way to get going, however, there are a lot of great strategies to try when you are feeling stuck.
These strategies can also work when you are feeling writer’s block as you write!
We will list them all here, but they focus on each of these different strategies over the course of the semester!
Tip 1 - Just Put Your Ideas Down!
Don’t worry about what you are saying or how you are saying it! Just start writing. You can write a bullet point list of brainstormed ideas, write a paragraph, or just put words down on sticky notes. Just getting words on paper helps.
Remember, NO ONE, has to see your first draft, your notes, your thinking pages. These can be the pages you toss away, your thinking pages!
Just get ideas on paper!
Tip 2 - Don’t Edit or Look for Perfection
At the early stages don’t worry about editing or how your sentences sound. Leave that for your second or third read through. Just worry about getting your ideas out there!
Tip 3 - Talk It Out
Find a mirror, a friend, a classmate, a pet and brainstorm out loud. Sometimes, talking through ideas helps you figure out what you really want to say.
Tip 4: Make a List!
Make a list of ideas!
Try One!
Which of these strategies will you try?
Let me know how it goes!!
Artifacts!
What Artifacts Did You Choose?
Description of Artifact
Genre/ Audience/ Purpose
Rhetorical Appeals
Project 1: Step 4: Write About It!
Let’s Look at an Example!
Here is an example of an analysis of a DC! Let’s read it together and notice what is included!
What Do YOU Need to Include?
Melzer, Dan. "Understanding Discourse Communities." Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 3, 2020.
Audience
Who is your audience? Who do you want to hear this message? Remember, you are writing this for an OUTSIDER of your DC.
How can you best reach this audience? What tone might they respond to best? Formal, informal, casual, academic, humorous, Do you need visuals? How can you best organize the information to reach the audience?
Purpose
What is your purpose in writing this piece? Be specific.
How do you hope your audience with respond/ think/ act/ feel after reading this piece?
Genre: Analysis
You are writing an ANALYSIS. What are the elements of an analysis?
In this analysis you must:
Let’s Make Figure Out What We Have / Need
Your Discourse Community!
What you ALREADY KNOW about your DC
What you WANT to LEARN about your DC
Activity!
CREATE A T- CHART
CREATE A TWO COLUMN CHART
COLUMN 1: WHAT I KNOW
COLUMN 2: WHAT I WANT TO LEARN
JOT DOWN NOTES ON THE CHART!
Additional Questions to Consider!
*Values? Goals? What brings the group together/ unites the DC? Think about the 6 key criteria!
*Does the Discourse Community have a specific way of speaking, lexicon, dialect, language, etc.?
*How does one join the Discourse Community? Are there barriers to entry?
*What is your relationship with the Discourse Community? Has it changed over time? Or do you know other members of the community?
*What is your perception of the community? How does the community view you?
Does DC have a specific way of dressing or presenting itself? (ie tattoos, uniforms)
What is the history of your Discourse Community?
What are the most important genres community members use to achieve the goals of the DC?
Who are the different audiences the DC communicates with and do you adjust your writing for the different audiences?
What conventions of format, organization and style does the DC value?
What specialized lexis (vocab) do I need to know to communicate effectively with DC insiders?
Do the conventions of the DC silence any members of force any members to conform to the community in ways that make them uncomfortable?
What can I add to the DC?
Homework: TASK 4: WRITE ABOUT IT!
DUE March 2nd! Cannot be late if you want me to comment/ review your draft!