The document outlines the importance of identifying one's discourse community before commencing research to effectively communicate with the audience using appropriate language. It includes guiding questions for analyzing various discourse communities, their discussions, knowledge creation, language usage, and documentation practices. The assessment emphasizes understanding the dynamics of these communities, including conflict resolution and interactions with other groups.

1. Instructions
Analyze: Discourse Communities
Evaluation Title: Discourse Communities
Before starting a research project it is imperative to recognize
your discourse community. This will lead you to suitable places
to conduct your research and will assist you in communicating
with your audience in a language that they recognize and relate
to.
To complete this assessment, consider the discourse
communities or groups of people with whom you share common
interests. Consider the individuals that discuss topics important
to the group.
List all learning and social discourse communities that you are a
member of.
Respond to the questions below in an essay that provides an
analysis of your discourse communities.
What topics of discussion, issues, problems, or concerns keep
these communities together? What constitutes new knowledge
for your group? Is it created experimentally, through discussion,
or through a combination of these two and other methods?
How would you characterize the kinds of language which each
of these communities uses? Is it formal, informal, complex,

2. simple, and so on? How are the community’s reasons for
existence you listed in the first question reflected in
their language?
When you entered into the community, did you have to change
your discourse, both oral and written, in any way, to be
accepted and to participate in the discussions of the community?
Does your community or group produce any written documents?
These may include books, professional journals, newsletters,
and other documents. What is the purpose of those documents,
their intended audience, and the language that they use? How
different are these documents from one community to the next?
How often does a community you belong to come into contact
with other intellectual and discourse groups? What kinds of
conversations take place? How are conflicts and disagreements
negotiated and resolved? How does each group adjust its
discourse to hear the other side and be heard by it?
Validate your statements and opinions with supporting evidence
(citations and references) in APA form.