Jeanna Heater
Logan Bearden
ENC1102-48
19 January 2015
FSU Academic Community
One can find communities, a group of people who believe in or have a common
interest, almost everywhere they go. Within each community lies categories or groupings
also known as genres. These communities and genres allow people to communicate
efficiently within the group and to those outside of it. Since August 2014, I have been
part of the FSU community. Within Florida State University there are endless sub
communities. Being a full-time student, I strongly identify myself as part of the academic
community. Throughout everyday, we students use multiple textual genres as means of
communication with one another, our teachers, and people in the professional work
world. Class of 2018 Facebook Page, class assignments, Blackboard, Outlook emails, and
transcripts are all important genres used in the FSU academic community. Each of these
written or electronic mediums allows members of the Florida State community to
participate in the current and future.
The Class of 2018 Facebook Page was one of the first ways I was able to become
involved in the community and I have come to find out it is also one of the most
resourceful. I, along with a lot of other students, am an active participant on the page. We
are able to communicate with fellow students, help one another with various challenges,
and receive feedback on different aspects of FSU and Tallahassee. It provides us with
pier outlooks and opinions that are especially helpful with the acclimation process into
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college life. Over the summer before school started, the Facebook Page was the vehicle
for many people looking for roommates. Members were able to view profiles in search of
common interests and use messaging to ask if anyone is interested in living together. In
addition, at the beginning of each semester, many students use this page to broadcast used
books they are selling which is extremely helpful for college students on a budget. At the
beginning of this semester, user Jake posted “selling ENC 1101&1102 The Brief
McGraw-Hill Handbook custom edition for FSU and HUN1201 The Science of Nutrition
2nd Custom edition for the low low”. Recently, I have seen a number of posts by people
subleasing their apartments for the coming summer. Stephania Guerrero advertises her
apartment as follows:
Personally, I have used the Facebook Page for other student’s opinions and
knowledge of what is happening on campus. From local cuisine to teacher
recommendations, one can find an existing post or post their own question about almost
anything and receive a response. As participants, we can comment on other’s posts, like
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them, post images or links and even attach our current emotions to a post. It gives
students the ability to find piers with common interests and connect with them. This is
especially important for those coming from out of state without any connections or time
spent in Florida. The Facebook page allows them to become more comfortable with the
next big step before diving into it. All together, this page is one of the most useful
resources I have come across for personal help and a means of participation and
communication with both old and new friends. Our assignments as students include a
broad spectrum of research papers, group projects, lab assignments, in-class activities,
essays, and so on. Each and every one of these genres is a medium for us as students to
express our intelligence and in some cases personality. Teachers use assignments to
instill time management, work ethic and comprehension capabilities. Specifically,
research papers and labs explore our writing and observations abilities. Through research
papers, we explore our subject through the paper’s content and implementation of works
cited, parenthetical citation, and a word limit. A works cited backs papers with reliability
and resources. It shows that we have don't the “research” required of the assignment.
Parenthetical citation of our sources provides a within essay proof of credibility and
research. Both a works cited and parenthetical citation are essential for writing a proper
research paper. Within these guidelines, we write with our course mentor in mind.
Coming from a student, they would be looking for increased knowledge and proof of that
knowledge. Word choice may also change dependent upon the course yet remain within
the educational standard. Labs are another interactive assignment where participation is
the means of completion. Through labs, students follow their lab manuals for guidelines.
Connecting concepts are homework assignments that instill critical thinking and
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reiteration of learned concepts. In dissections, we work in groups with tools to perform an
intricate task. In such an active course, our daily assignments are thoroughly monitored
by our professor as well as worked on in unison with our professors on occasion. This
creates a partner-to-partner environment that is more casual than other classroom settings.
Group work entitles contribution from each person and creates a flow where students are
able to think off of other’s ideas. Our participation in these class assignments as students
are part of the process in preparing us for the real working world after college where we
will need time management, expertise, and people skills every day.
The center of Florida State Academics lies electronically through Blackboard.
The Community uses this site to post information regarding numerous academic links and
materials. It serves to gather details and communicate throughout school. After enrolling
in classes, each teacher has a page with different tabs that give each student access to
several portals. The syllabus portal in particular provides students with an entire
semester’s guidelines. Made up of rules, regulations, and expectations, the syllabus is a
way for the teacher’s to make a first impression on their students. Standard across
University syllabus’s is the honor policy statement along with a note about plagiarism. A
syllabus is stuffed with a course calendar of the entire semester and grading policy. All of
the main aspects of a course syllabus lie the impression. A professor writing to his or her
students demonstrates their expectations and leaves it up to the student to determine their
potential capabilities. A syllabus is often written in a stringent authoritative standard. The
teacher’s syntax displays ethos and establishes a mentor to pupil feel. Classes also have a
course materials portal for students to access materials and resources. Through this tab, a
range of assignments, power points, and test preparation displayed through links and
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posts by the course professor. Students who receive these resources can put them to use
through participation with class credit our outside of class group studies. Often times
piers can often communicate with others through these assignments through giving their
personal feedback. Course materials form a connection with students if you are able to
see other assignments and comment on them. Electronic participation is a useful
incorporation in this century by both the teacher and student. Blackboard has been the
most useful part of the Florida State Academic Community thus far, due to the endless
tools it provides each student with in order to help him or her succeed.
Outlook email is a school wide, teachers and students, means of connection. This
school email is used the same as any other personal email can be used. Students are able
to ask their teachers questions and vise versa. At orientation, each student is assigned a
Florida State email address through Outlook email that coincides with his or her FSU
username. Many students use Outlook email to communicate with other students.
Through Blackboard we have the access to all of our classmates’ emails. With this
information available to us, many students use Outlook to send notes if someone was
absent, create study groups, and ask for help on class lectures. Different departments
within the University employ Outlook as a way to spread news about their organization
or undergraduate major opportunities. As a business major, I have received countless
emails regarding service hour options, ways to get involved in the business community,
and internship openings. Alishia Piotrowski, a mentor in the Business department at FSU
recently sent a mass email announcing the Annual Career Fair, “This is your chance to
meet with some of the best companies in the industry and a great networking experience.
Companies are offering both internships and full-time positions where you’ll gain life
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lessons that will help to kick start a successful career in hospitality.” Emails are an
essential electronic way to communicate easily across the Florida State Academic
Community.
All of the work students put into their courses here at Florida State University
show in accumulation through our transcripts. The instillation of schooling across the
nation has given people the ability to judge a person’s intelligence, work ethic and
participation through a single letter. Over the years of having middle school, high school
and now college transcripts, it has been increasingly emphasized how important that
single letter or rational number GPA can be. It held a large significance in my acceptance
into FSU and I anticipate my college transcript will have the same influence on a future
boss’s first impression of me as a potential employee. The result of our transcripts allows
us to participate in several other communities as a secondary effect. With a substantial
grade point average, one can be part of the honors college, join a coed honor fraternity,
and be given a position in the professional world.
So what: Participating in each of these genres teachers a student several forms of textual
writing, printed and electronic.