Comparing and analyzing the two discourse communities (english and social work)
Introduction/Rationale:In this project, you will be exploring how to read, analyze, and use the professional and scholarly genre of the peer-reviewed journal article. This project will provide you with experience that will help prepare you for writing and communicating within professional and scholarly discourse communities. This project builds off the work of Project 1 while at the same time preparing you for the more extensive research project you will conduct in future weeks.Assignment Prompt:Building on your work in Project 1, we will use the library resources to choosepeer-reviewed articles from the “English” discourse community to read and analyze as a group. You will compare that article with one peer-reviewed article published in your aspirational discourse community or a similar one. First, youwill identify representative peer-reviewed articles in the discourse community of your choice, then choose one, and begin to perform an analysis of how the articles we read in classdiffer, overlap, and mirror the article you select from the discourse community of your choice. Your project will contain three major sections: Identification, Analysis, and Reflection. Below are some questions and suggestions that serve as possible prompts for writing each section.Identification:The “Identification” section is purely descriptive (there should be no analysis). It should describethe following aspects:•Message/ Purpose (What is the argument of the article?)•Structure (What are the sections of the article? How are they ordered? How do they compare in size? What does each one contain?)•Additional sections (Is there an abstract? An acknowledgments section? An epigraph? A note about the author?)•Stylistic features (What are some examples of terms that you feel are typical of the lexis of the discourse communitythe article addresses? Optionally, students can also describe other stylistic features such as the use of active/passive voice, tables, graphs etc.)•Evidence (Is there primary research? If so, what form does it take: ethnography/ interviews/ survey/ experiments/ text analysis etc. Is there secondary research?)•Citation style (MLA? APA? Etc. In each source that is cited in the bibliography, what is the first thing that appears after the name of the author and is therefore emphasized? Is it the publication year? The title? How old are the sources?)When students are done identifying these aspects in one article, they should do the same for the other article. This is probably the easiest way to structure the “Identification” section but it is fine if students describe both articles at the same time as they go from aspect to aspect (describing the purpose of each before going into the structure of each etc.).Analysis:In the “Analysis” section, students should take the same aspects one by one (message, structure etc.) and explain what goal/value of the discourse community each aspect supports. Students should make clear and explicit this relationship between each aspect of an article and a goal/value of the discourse community that particular article addresses. •What do the different citation styles suggest about the values, goals, or agenda of the discourse communities? •What do you think the different (or lack of) sections, order of sections, or size of sections indicate about the discourse communities? oFor instance, how do the individual sections of the article connect to the goals/values of the DC? Is there a section devoted to theory? Then, it is clear that that section demonstrates the value of theory (of drawing on previous knowledge) in the community. Is there also a section simply presenting data? Then it is clear that that DC values objectivity (letting the reader know the data before any analysis of it is done). Is there a section devoted to methodology? Then it is clear that that DC values transparency (letting the reader know how results were arrived at) etc.•What do the different stylistic features of the texts begin to indicate about the values, goals, or agenda of the discourse community? •How do additional features of the article add to the writing,and why might they be included in some articles but not others?•Consider the author’s use of ethos, logos, and/or pathos; how does the author use some or all of these rhetorical strategies to achieve the discourse community’s goals/values.When students are done analyzing one article in this way, they should do the same with the other article. Alternatively, they can analyze both articles at the same time as they go from aspect to aspect.Reflection:Here the student should talk about what they have learnedabout the two discourse communities and/or about discourse communities in general after completing this genre analysis. A great way for students to answer this question would be to look at the differences and/or similarities they have found between the two DCs in terms of their goals and values. Also, in this section, students should talk about what they have learned about the genre of the peer reviewed article and/or about genres in general. •What can you begin to say about discourse communities after having completed your analysis? •How do genres (in this case the peer-reviewed article) help shape the values, goals, and agenda of discourse communities in general? •Based on this limited sample size, what have you learned about discourse community and professional genres?Minimum Requirements:•1000-1500 words(double spaced, standard, 12-point font, 1-inch margins)•Identify, analyze, and reflect on two peer-reviewed journal articles as described in the assignment prompt •Assignment should be formatted in the dominant style of your discourse community.Suggested Unit Readings (available on Canvas):The Wadsworth Guide to ResearchChapter 2: Writing ProcessesChapter 4: Finding Resources Through Secondary Research Chapter 6: Rhetorically Reading, Tracking, and Evaluating Resourceshttps://canvas.wayne.edu/courses/84482/files/folder/Project%202/English%20DC%20Articles?preview=3406304 this is the link to use for the english discourse community you have to find one for the social work discourse communtiy.
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