ISP100 Dr.

Yulia Smirnova

Assignment 2: Discourse Community Analysis (DCA)

DCA Workflow Document

Step 1. Select a discourse community (DC) you would like to analyse: Refer to the DCA Guidelines.

Step 2. Describe specific features of the community by answering the following questions (takes notes/draw
mind map/chart/bullet-point list, etc.  you can use the space on both pages of this document):

Setting:
 Where is the community “located”?
 How and where does it function? Is it entirely local? Focal? “Folocal”?

Content/Discourse:
 What topics/issues is the DC concerned with?
 How do the members of the DC circulate related information? What media (e.g., speaking, writing,
electronic/Internet-based, mixed media, etc.) do they use? What genres and vocabulary do they use?

Participants:
 Who participates in the DC? Under what circumstances?
 Are there different “levels” of membership (e.g., hierarchy, power relationships)?
 What means of participation are available to members of the DC?

Goals:
 What are the broadly agreed upon goals of the DC?
 What counts as “good” work within this community? What counts as “good” communication? Where
do people disagree?

Adapted from Devitt, Reiff, & Bawarshi (2018) and Seeley (2023)
Tip: If you have trouble providing specific answers to these questions, you should see me (e.g., attend my office
hours or talk to me in class) to discuss whether your DC is appropriate for this assignment.

Step 3. Identify communicative and social patterns within the DC:

 What type(s) of language (e.g., vocabulary, grammar, and tone/degree of formality) is(are) valued or
devalued within the DC?
 How is social life organized within the DC? What expectations, goals, and values are common?

Step 4. Begin organising your essay:

a. Draft an introduction that offers context, defines key terms, and states a clear claim:
By now, you know a lot about discourse community theory (e.g., recall the relevant course readings),
so you’re required to apply what you’ve learned to analyze a specific DC. This means reviewing and
reflecting on all the ideas you’ve generated through your note taking processes in Steps 2 and 3 above.
Ask yourself: Which parts of Swales’ (2016) framework will help you to write something interesting
about the DC you’re exploring? Your answer to this question will be key for crafting your claim.

b. Develop paragraphs that support the claim:

Draw on the course readings about discourse communities or sources you identified through
independent research to develop paragraphs that support your claim. Each paragraph should start with
a central, guiding idea that is stated clearly.

c. Conclude by showing readers why your ideas matter:

Consider the following questions: How does an understanding of your specific DC contribute to your
audience’s understanding of communication in general? Is your DC unique or comparable to others?
How can the ideas you’ve developed be applied in other contexts?

To help you with the drafting process, I recommend reviewing the sample DCAs as they show how other
student writers have completed the assignment.

Adapted from Devitt, Reiff, & Bawarshi (2018) and Seeley (2023)