The document explains the concept of discourse communities, defining them as social groups that communicate through written texts while sharing common goals and specific vocabulary. It outlines six characteristics of discourse communities as proposed by John Swales, such as having public goals, intercommunication mechanisms, and specialized genres. Additionally, it describes an assignment involving mapping 3-5 personal discourse communities and writing an essay about them, including submission guidelines.

1. Discourse
Communities

2. Discourse
Communities
 Discourse Community:
 “A social group that communicates, in part, using
written texts but also shares common goals, values,
writing standards, specialized vocabulary, and
specialized genres” (GFC, 2013, p. 742).

3. In "The Concept of Discourse Community," John
Swales proposes six defining characteristics of
discourse communities:
Defining
Discourse
Communities
 A discourse community has a broadly agreed set of
common public goals.
 A discourse community has mechanisms of
intercommunication among its members.
 A discourse community uses its participatory
mechanisms primarily to provide information and
feedback.
 A discourse community utilizes and hence
possesses one or more genres in the
communicative furtherance of its aims.
 In addition to owning genres, a discourse
community has acquired some specific lexis.
 A discourse community has a threshold level of
members with a suitable degree of relevant content
and discoursal expertise. (pp. 471-473)

4.  Conventions:
Conventions
 “The traditional, commonly
understood, unspoken, or official guidelines or rules
of communication or behavior in discourse
communities” (GFC, 2013, p. 742).
 Conventions can include rules governing language.

5.  Genres:
Genres
 “Different kinds or categories of writing,
composition, or production” (GFC, 2013, p. 742)
 In this class, genre does not mean fantasy, sci-fi,
horror, etc.

6.  Family
 Friends
 Clubs, frats, sororities,
etc.
 Work
 School
Discourse
Communities
 Hobbies (crochet,
knitting,
woodworking, etc.)
 Fantasy football
 Church
 Online communities
 Military
 Bands/Music scenes
 Online Games
(MMORPGS)
 Book clubs
 Video Games
 Comics/Manga
 Sports

7. Discourse
Community:
Lolcats

8. The
Discourse
Community
Map &
Response
 This is a two-part assignment:
1.
2.
Create a map of 3-5 discourse communities you
belong to.
Write a 2-3 page essay (double spaced, 12 point
Times New Roman font) that describes your
discourse communities.
 This assignment is worth 30 points, which is 3% of
your grade.

9.  Prezi.com
Resources for
Creating Your
Map
 easel.ly
 bubbl.us
 Microsoft Word (or openoffice)
 Microsoft Powerpoint

10.  Turn in your map and response on Blackboard
through the Week 3 learning module by midnight
on Monday, February 3rd.
To Turn in
Your DC Map
and
Response
 After clicking “Assignment: Turn in DC Map and
Response Here,” click “Browse My Computer” and
select the file for your response. Make sure to save
your response as a .doc or .docx (please no .pages!)
and to include your last name and first initial in the
document name.
 Click “Type Submission” and paste the url for your
map. Make sure your map is publically viewable.
You can also post your map as a separate document
if it is not online.