FORMAT: Prepare a 1-2 page memo addressing the points shown in the Content section below. You may use a block format, discussing article 1 followed by article 2, or a point-by-point format, discussing both texts simultaneously.
For our genre analysis, we will look at the discourse used in your fields so you can begin to get an idea of what you will do in your Technical Reports. The people who are involved in and communicate about an area in your field (or specific topic, issue, etc) make up a discourse community. In “The Concept of Discourse CommunityDownload The Concept of Discourse Community,” John Swales outlines six characteristics of such a community.
Broadly agreed set of common public goals.
Mechanisms of intercommunication among their members.
Use of participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback.
Utilization and possession of one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims.
Acquisition of specialized genres and a specific lexis.
Threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise. (471-473)
For this next assignment, you will write a genre analysis that considers two articles in your field while considering the discourse community you are working to become part of.
Purpose: To become more familiar with your fields, what the writing will be like in them, and to see how topics in your field are discussed by professionals—and to then write up and share what you have learned in a useful, organized, ethical manner.
Audience: incoming first year students to ERAU in your program, your peers, or anyone interested in writing, researching, or publishing in your field who is below or at the same level as you are.
OBJECTIVE: For this assignment, you’ll read two articles from your intended field – one scholarly/academic and one popular. Then, you’ll write a comparative analysis answering each of the following in a memo (don’t forget to start with an opener):
Look at the information on the journal /publication housing your articles. For each, note the kind of publication information for each. Is the article scholarly and peer reviewed or popular?
For the scholarly article: What are the publication guidelines for the journal the article is published in? What is the scope of the journal? How often does the journal publish articles? How long does it take to have an article reviewed and published? What are you expected to know as the reader? Will this article help you bolster any information if you use it as a source? Why or why not?
For the popular source: What are the publication guidelines for the journal the article is published in? What is the scope of the journal? How often does the journal publish articles? How long does it take to have an article reviewed and published? What are you expected to know as the reader? Will this article help you bolster any information if you use it as a source? Why or why not?
For each article, describe the rhetorical situation of each text, taking into consideration the topic, the author(s), audience, and purpose for each article / report. Are the authors experts in their fields? Credentialed? Experienced? Then, consider the discourse community for the article, and for your field. What conclusions can you make about the discourse community you are becoming a part of?
Consider in each article:
How does the author establish and maintain credibility? Does the author need to? Or is the author automatically assumed to be credible? Does the author use logic? What about emotion? Do you see any fallacies? Discuss. Does the author bring in personal information of any kind? What is the tone of the document like?
For each article identify the most common patterns: consider the type of content (is it academic? Is base information provided or is it assumed you already know it?), language used (formal? Informal?), pronoun use (I? You? We?), active or passive language, structure, design, format, syntax, diction, citations, and visual style/use of graphics. In other words, what do the writers in this discourse community do to reach others? Why do you think this matters? Links to an external site.
For each article, consider the use of sources. What kinds of sources are used? How often are citations used? Are there direct quotes or paraphrases used most? What method of citation is used? Hint: google the publication/submission guidelines for the journal your article comes from…chances are it is not MLA or APA. What kinds of information is cited in the article?
For each article, analyze the meaning of these patterns for the discourse community and the genre of your texts: What do you think the audience already knows/believes? Is this genre inclusive—as in, is the article written so that anyone could read it? Or is it exclusive, meaning anyone who reads it needs to have specific knowledge? Is the information book report-ish? (i.e. provides basic information, definitions, and the like for novices)? Or, is this information geared to professionals in a field? How can you tell? Why do you think this matters?
For each article, consider the design of the text. Is it visually pleasing? Is it easy to follow? What kinds of graphics are included? Where are they located in relation to where they are cited? Are the graphics introduced in the text? Why does this matter? How are graphics cited? Are they introduced a certain way within each article? What impact does this have on you as the reader?
