ENG 1020-Jankens
Essay #3: Analysis Essay: How are genres used in a particular discourse community? What can I learn from
working through an analysis of these genres?
To read before beginning this assignment: Devitt, Bawarshi, and Reiff, “Materiality and Genre in the Study of
Discourse Communities”; Devitt, Reiff, and Bawarshi, “Reading and Writing Within Public Scenes” p. 521-530.
For this assignment, you will gather texts from the discourse community that you are studying. These texts should
represent those texts used to accomplish the community’s goals. For example, Reiff describes a student, Susan,
who collects case briefs in order to understand the law community (556). Susan works through interviews,
observations, and genre analysis in her mini-ethnography. For this project we will work through the analysis, and I
will ask you to reflect on what other methods might give you a more complete understanding of the discourse
community as we progress through the semester.
What kinds of texts might I focus on?
Think through the kinds of texts you have encountered so far in your research into the discourse community this
semester.
Other examples from previous students
Discourse community: substitute teachers Texts: written protocols from school districts describing the job
Goal: to discover how the districts present the duties of the substitute teacher to applicants
Discourse community: chemistry students Texts: scholarly articles in chemistry journals
Goal: to discover how these articles are organized and what is valued in these papers to be able
to write a scholarly article successfully
Discourse community: CLLAS students
Texts: CLLAS informational materials (brochures, website, etc.)
Goal: to discover how CLLAS chooses to present itself to potential students
Discourse community: Buddy’s pizza employees, customers
companies
Texts: terms of use policies of several similar
Goal: to understand how a terms of use policy functions for a company
These are just a few examples to get you thinking. Your writing in Reading Response 3 will get you started on the
paper.
For the project, choose 2-4 texts on which to center your analysis.
After you have gathered sufficient materials, you will work through an analysis of the texts, working to understand
what information is being communicated, why, how it is structured, what impact the message has on the receiver,
on those who use the texts, etc. To do this analysis, work through the following steps.
How do I generate ideas for this paper?
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Begin with description. What do these texts look like? What is the content? How is it formatted? This
piece of the assignment is objective, describing what you see without inserting your opinion or analysis of
the text, genre, or message.
Think about context. When, how, and why is this text used? Who is the creator? Who is the audience?
Then, read a little deeper. What is the goal of the text; that is, what is trying to be accomplished in this
text? What are the “underlying beliefs, values, and ideals” you see evidenced in the text?
What is the lived experience of those using the texts? That is, how do these texts actually function when
in use?
Work through a similar analysis with each of the texts you are analyzing for this project.
Then, work through some synthesis: How do these texts, together, function to accomplish the overall
goals of the discourse community? What further questions or issues does this analysis raise for you in
terms of how the discourse community works to accomplish its goals?
Finally, do some reflecting: What other methods could you use to find out more about how the discourse
community works?
How should I organize this paper?
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In terms of an introduction, you should include a brief description of the discourse community you are
examining and an indication of the texts you have selected, why you have selected these texts, and what
you will show through this examination/analysis (this last part is your thesis).
In many ways, the questions above can be used as an organizing tool for the body of your paper. For each
text you are analyzing, offer a description of the text and your analysis.
Then, work through synthesizing your analyses. Discuss the implications of your analyses. What
conclusions can you come to? What questions about the discourse community does working through the
analysis raise for you?
In a closing reflection section, discuss what other research methods might give you a more complete
understanding of the discourse community.
The final draft of your paper, including the works cited page, should be 1500-2000 words long.
What do I need to know in terms of citation?
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Write a properly formatted works cited page.
Quote where necessary; cite any paraphrased, quoted, or reported information using in-text citations.
How does this paper fit into the larger context of the semester?
This project may lead to your work on the evaluation/proposal argument essay.
For example, last year, one of my students began to examine the no-smoking initiatives on the Crittenton
Hospital campus, including the training manual for volunteers and no-smoking signage, and considered
how texts and spaces like the admission documents and the hospital’s information televisions might
provide additional outlets for the transmission of this non-smoking campus policy.
Another one of my students examined the Pre-Professional Medical Society’s mission statement and
website and compared this to the website of other chapters on other campuses, thinking through how the
PPMS, through a simple shift in focus, and through stronger use of its website, might be more beneficial
to its members.
What important due dates should I keep in mind?
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As part of your reading response to Devitt, Bawarshi, and Reiff, you will do some discovery writing for
your essay. The reading response is due to your blog at the beginning of class time, Monday, October 8.
This will likely include a rough introduction of the pieces you’re selecting, and some initial analysis
commentary. Shoot for at least 500 words of discovery writing in this part of the response.
A minimum 1000-word draft of your essay is due Wednesday, October 10. Bring one copy, printed out, to
class. Upload another copy to Blackboard by 11:59 p.m. for my feedback.
The final copy of your essay is due to Blackboard Monday, October 22, by 11:59 p.m.
How will this paper be evaluated? I will evaluate your paper using the following rubric (we will also use this to
work through peer review on Wednesday, October 10). The essay is worth 100 points, with your consideration and
addressing of the rhetorical situation worth 30 points, your description and analysis worth 40 points, and your
writing style, organization, and citation worth 30 points.
Concept
Excellent
Acceptable
8-7
Needs Significant
Revision
6-5
Poor/Not
Demonstrated
4-0
(Rhetorical
Situation) The essay
centers on an
analysis of 2-4 texts
from a particular
discourse
community.
-The introduction
includes a brief
description of the
d.c., and indication
of the texts being
analyzed, and a
thesis statement
clarifying what will
be shown through
the analysis.
-A closing
reflection section
indicates what other
research methods
may give the writer
a more complete
understanding of the
discourse
community.
-The essay is 15002000 words long.
(Content)The essay
includes
descriptions of the
texts being analyzed,
thoughtful analysis
10
7.5
6
4
2-0
7.5
6
4
2-0
2
0
5
15-14
13-12
11-9
8-0
15-14
13-12
11-9
8-0
of the context and
underlying values of
the texts being
analyzed,
and an assessment
of how these texts
function for the
discourse
community.
(Organization) The
essay contains
focused, developed,
and coherent
paragraphs.
Transitions between
paragraphs connect
ideas.
(Style) Sentences
are clear and
coherent. The essay
displays minimal
error. Vocabulary is
appropriate to the
subject being
explored.
(Citation)The works
cited page and paper
heading is written in
MLA format.
Paraphrased, quoted
or reported
information is cited
in MLA format.
10
8-7
6-5
4-0
15-14
13-12
11-9
8-0
10
8-7
6-5
4-0
2
0
5