Entering Discourse Communities

In an essay of one to two paragraphs, respond to the following prompt and answer the questions below:

Research writing, at the college-level, involves active, critical, and respectful participation in a discourse community. A “discourse community” is a group of people involved in and communicating about a particular topic, issue, or in a particular field. It has a few defining characteristics, which are, briefly: a common set of goals; processes and mechanisms for communication among community members; and, an ability to communicate in multiple genres using language that is both effective and understood by all members of the group. As a student enrolled in this class, you are a member of this discourse community. Further, as a student enrolled in one of the City Colleges of Chicago, you are a member of an even larger discourse community. Moreover, if you are a professional or are a member of a neighborhood or family, that too makes you a member of specific discourse communities. So, you can see that it is possible to belong to multiple related and un-related discourse communities simultaneously.

1. How do you balance your responsibilities as a member of multiple discourse communities? Do your discourse communities overlap or are they completely separate? How has becoming a member of the discourse community that is this class impacted your ability to participate in other discourse communities to which you belong? And, finally, do you see yourself as an emerging expert on your chosen social problem/issue? Why/why not?

2. Select one of the video profiles at PBS Nova series, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/secretlife/video-profiles/
Then, write briefly about how the scientist/engineer you’ve chosen bridges the gap between their two discourse communities.

The definition for “discourse community” was adapted from What is a Discourse Community?