Gramling ENG 105 Essay 2 Prompt – Fall 2019 Fall 2019: English 105 Essay 2: Making Conversation (Focus Group) Length: @ 5 pages Focus Group Questions / Rough Draft due: At conference (Week of Sept 30th – Oct 4th) Focus Group Summary due: Monday, October 7th Revision Draft due / Peer Review: Friday, October 11th Final Draft Due: Wednesday, October 16th (Note: This is the day before fall break. If you are absent that day, you are still responsible for turning in your essay on time.) Essay Prompt: One of the oft-stated goals for travel is to encounter difference: different cultures, ways of life, and experiences. While not specifically focused on traveling, Kwame Anthony Appiah’s “Making Conversation” asserts that in contemporary society such encounters with difference are “inevitable” as the world becomes more interconnected both online and off (xxi). For that reason, he encourages his readers to actively engage in conversation with others in order to “develop habits of coexistence” (xix). For Essay 2 you will choose a topic and research question related to travel, cosmopolitanism and/or globalism. This may come directly from Appiah’s essay or from your own interests. To explore this topic & question, you will convene a small focus group (4-8 people) and stimulate/facilitate a discussion with them. During the focus group you should ask thoughtful questions and record the groups’ responses; however, as facilitator you should remain neutral to encourage an open and free discussion. For a more dynamic conversation, try to get a diverse mix of participants (rather than a group from a single club or geographical location, for example). You will also need written, signed permission from each member of your focus group (A possible form is posted on Blackboard under Assignments.) The first part of the process for this essay will be a 1:1 conference with me the week of Sept. 30th. You will need to bring 2 things to the conference: 1) Rough draft – at least 1-1 ½ pages in which you discuss your interest in your chosen topic, your background knowledge of your topic, and the ideas you want to explore in your focus group (this should form the beginning of your essay); and 2) Sample questions – at least 5-8 possible questions for your group (we will discuss how to construct good questions in class). You need to conduct your Focus Group between September 30th and October 6th. On Monday, October 7th, a summary of your focus group responses is due in class. The responses will be the evidence for your final essay in which you present both an overview and an analysis of the results. Rather than simply presenting a transcript, you should highlight specific themes and perspectives from the group. As with Essay 1, your analysis should focus on specific aspects of the conversation that you find intriguing and which would be interesting and/or important for your readers. Running head: FOCUS GROUP SUMM ...

1. Gramling ENG 105
Essay 2 Prompt – Fall 2019
Fall 2019: English 105
Essay 2: Making Conversation (Focus Group)
Length: @ 5 pages
Focus Group Questions / Rough Draft due: At conference (Week
of Sept 30th – Oct 4th)
Focus Group Summary due: Monday, October 7th
Revision Draft due / Peer Review: Friday, October 11th
Final Draft Due: Wednesday, October 16th (Note: This is the
day before fall break. If you are
absent that day, you are still responsible for turning in your
essay on time.)
Essay Prompt:
One of the oft-stated goals for travel is to encounter difference:
different cultures, ways of life,
and experiences. While not specifically focused on traveling,
Kwame Anthony Appiah’s
“Making Conversation” asserts that in contemporary society
such encounters with difference are
“inevitable” as the world becomes more interconnected both
online and off (xxi). For that reason,
he encourages his readers to actively engage in conversation
with others in order to “develop
habits of coexistence” (xix).
For Essay 2 you will choose a topic and research question
related to travel, cosmopolitanism
and/or globalism. This may come directly from Appiah’s essay
or from your own interests. To

2. explore this topic & question, you will convene a small focus
group (4-8 people) and
stimulate/facilitate a discussion with them. During the focus
group you should ask thoughtful
questions and record the groups’ responses; however, as
facilitator you should remain neutral to
encourage an open and free discussion. For a more dynamic
conversation, try to get a diverse
mix of participants (rather than a group from a single club or
geographical location, for
example). You will also need written, signed permission from
each member of your focus group
(A possible form is posted on Blackboard under Assignments.)
The first part of the process for this essay will be a 1:1
conference with me the week of Sept.
30th. You will need to bring 2 things to the conference: 1)
Rough draft – at least 1-1 ½ pages in
which you discuss your interest in your chosen topic, your
background knowledge of your topic,
and the ideas you want to explore in your focus group (this
should form the beginning of your
essay); and 2) Sample questions – at least 5-8 possible
questions for your group (we will discuss
how to construct good questions in class).
You need to conduct your Focus Group between September 30th
and October 6th. On Monday,
October 7th, a summary of your focus group responses is due in
class. The responses will be the
evidence for your final essay in which you present both an
overview and an analysis of the
results. Rather than simply presenting a transcript, you should
highlight specific themes and
perspectives from the group. As with Essay 1, your analysis
should focus on specific aspects of

3. the conversation that you find intriguing and which would be
interesting and/or important for
your readers.
Running head: FOCUS GROUP SUMMARY
FOCUS GROUP SUMMARY 3
Focus Group Summary
Name
Course
Tutor
Date of Submission
Questions for the focus group
1. How many social media platforms do you have
2. Which of the platforms do you interact with the most? How
can you define the type of people you interact with in terms of
their culture?
3. Do you tend to understand the people you interact with? What
do you discuss about more often?
4. Have you ever found yourself in a position that you did not
agree with someone cultural beliefs and practices? How did you
approach the issue?
5. Has cosmopolitanisms been promoted by the use of social
media.
6. Have you ever travelled to a foreign country? If yes, what

4. was your first reaction when you interacted with their culture
such as food and lifestyle? Was it a surprise or you had the
information? If yes, where did you get the information from?
7. What are some of the new cultures you have learnt from
friends and appreciated? If any have you ever tried practicing
those cultures, you find attracting.
8. How does making conversation improve diversity? What role
has social media played in making conversations?
My focus group comprised of five students from different
colleges. I chose individuals from different genders, races, and
social backgrounds to ensure that I could collect as many
diverse views as possible. The students came from 3 various
colleges within the US. Two of them were males an African and
European, while the remaining three were females; a Chinese,
Mexican, and American.
All 5 students admitted to using more than one social media
platform. They indicated that it all depended on what they
wanted to do. The females stated that they were fond of
Instagram when it came to posting pictures while the male
seems to be just fine with using Facebook to chat with friends.
The Chinese student confessed that interacting on social media
had allowed her to learn about diverse cultures. It was through
such an understanding that she developed a desire to study in
the US. The African male also said that social media helped him
learn a lot about American culture and made it easier for him to
adapt. Even though the others did not give life experiences, they
said that they have interacted with diverse people, which has
helped them appreciate each other. The American and the
European student said that they always try to find out more
when they get themselves in a position they do not agree with a
particular practice.
The Mexican and African said that sometimes they prefer not to
judge other people’s culture and sometimes feel too inferior to

5. talk about their culture. The Chinese admitted that she had
found some cultures strange, but she has learned to live with it.
The American and European students confirmed that they have
tried Chinese food in their restaurants and were excited at how
delicious the food was. The Chinese and Mexican said they
were addicted to the American music that they could listen to
any time they were not studying. The African student admitted
that he admired the American lifestyle and had started imitating
their fashion. All of them agreed that social media had
promoted cosmopolitanism; however, the African suggested that
some people feel too inferior to talk about their cultures. All the
students seem aware of the varying cultures across the board.
They admit to having interacted with these cultures on social
media. It is, therefore, not a surprise when they come across
conflicting practices. They also confirmed that conversation has
made it easier for diverse people to understand each other well,
thus promoting unity among students.
Running head: 2nd DRAFT
2nd DRAFT 3
2ND Draft
Name
Course
Tutor
Date of Submission
TOPIC: THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA
RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the impact of social media on
diversity among college students?
Geographical and historical studies about the earth reveal how
vast the world is. There is a variation in people's culture, race
and ethnicity, among many other issues. Even with the
differences that exist, we still see that people can travel from
one place to the other, near and far. Some have been in a
position to adapt to the culture of others, while some cultures

6. have been appreciated. Some cultures have been condemned and
in some cases, abolished due to critiques. Students of different
races can interact and share ideas; language has evolved as
people find ways to communicate with each other. The critical
question that we should ask ourselves as we carry out this study
is; why are people interacting freely with each other in recent
years than it was in the past? We find out that social media has
played a significant role in effecting these changes. Students are
in a position to converse with each other irrespective of their
locations. Facebook is an example of a social media platform
that allows an individual to make friends globally. People can
interact and share ideas about their countries, creating more
understanding of people's culture.
From Appiah's definition of cosmopolitanism, we realize that
the existence of social media has made it possible for
conflicting cultures to reconcile with each other. The issue of
condemning other people's point of view has reduced, and
problems are being addressed in a more neutral and
understanding manner. The realization that no culture is perfect
has downed in the minds of individuals, thus curbing
unnecessary arguments. Many teenagers are travelling to foreign
countries for an education because they have interacted online
and have gained the trust of visiting other countries and interact
physically. Sometimes the beautiful sceneries posted on
Instagram triggers foreigners to visit a country. Many
researchers describe the world as 'a global village' this has been
attributed to the fact that people can exchange ideas and educate
each other. It takes conversation for all these to happen, and
with the distance, we need a medium through which we can
communicate effectively.
Even though the argument that social media has promoted
diversity, it is debatable whether it has supported travel and
cosmopolitanism. A case where some students might feel
ashamed of their culture and try to imitate others to conceal
their identity is popular. Social media has a way of swaying
people towards a certain direction that the other. They might

7. provide false identities, making it difficult to interact with the
real culture of an individual. Many people are afraid of visiting
disaster-stricken areas such as places of wars, hunger and
drought-stricken region. With such information on social media,
it might discourage people from visiting such areas. It is not a
bad idea as it prevents disaster from happening. Discussing
these issues will help us explore both the positive and the
negative consequences that come with the use of social media.
We will be able to appreciate the developments that have been
brought by the use of platforms such as Facebook and
Instagram. It will be possible to tell whether people from
different cultures can live in harmony with each other without
intimidating and humiliating one another based on who they are.
The focus group has been useful in determining whether,
indeed, social media has played a significant role in promoting
diversity among students. We can attest this to the fact that
social media is indeed popular among many students. All the
students, irrespective of gender or nationality, admitted to using
social media to interact with their peers. The fact that they all
confirmed to have friends all over the world is an indication
that they get to learn from others.
Response from the Chinese and African students about social
media helping them learn about the Americans, which helped
them decide to study in the US, is a confirmation that students
get to learn a lot about a country or people. It sometimes makes
them desire to interact with the experience. The African
respondent says that learning about the US culture helped him
adapt. Such comment makes it clear that social media is a
source of information, and through making conversation with
other people; an individual can learn from others. It makes it
easy for students to study or live in any part of the world.
Despite the differences that within my focus group, one can
realize the similar responses when it comes to whether or not
social media is an excellent platform for interacting. We can as
well note the same reaction on how they respond towards a
different culture. They admit that such cases do exist, and while

8. some choose to make more inquiries, some decide not to
question but instead learn to live with it. Inquiring calls for
more conversation about culture and creates more
understanding. Realizing why individuals engage in certain
practices is an excellent way of either adopting the lifestyle or
advising them otherwise.
Appiah, in his writings, for example, asks valid questions such
as, why should foot binding among the Chinese or female
circumcision among the Africans be criticized, but ear piercing
and tattooing among the Americans be acknowledged? All these
communities perform these activities because they believe it is a
sign of beauty. Appiah’s illustration is just but an example to
show how meaningful conversations are. The student from
America and Europe also pointed out how they react to new
cultures creating sense to Appiah’s works on cosmopolitanism.
The research on the issue will be incomplete if we fail to note
the disparity that social media create at times. Social media
sometimes makes some cultures appear so minor to the extent
that people from such a culture fear to talk about them. African
and Mexican students say that sometimes they prefer not to talk
about their cultural setting because they feel inferior. Even
though they admit that social media is good, they think that it is
not the best platform where they can freely talk about their
culture. Historically, Africans and Mexicans were associated
with a primitive culture, and people from a lower social status.
Even though the world is evolving and people are learning about
each other. Such histories still seem to have an impact on how
some people view others. It is quite disastrous that sometimes,
social media seem to widen such gaps rather than lessen.
Results from the focus group indicate that there might be a few
complaints about the impact of social media, but from a general
perspective, it has promoted diversity. They all admit that a
conversation is a valuable tool, and it is the only way to solve
differences. One does not need to approve another person’s
culture, but it is more compelling one gets to understand why a
particular culture or practice exists.