Stuck on figuring out how to analyze your chosen discourse community for Project #2?  Here are some possible questions to ask:

--Discourse is governed by rules, some written, but most unwritten.  What are these rules?

--What do these rules indicate about the type/style/character of your discourse community?  What does the DC value?

--How does your DC use language?

--How does your DC communicate?

--How is your DC unique from other DCs?

--Overall, what do these rules/methods of using language or communication/etc. indicate about your DC?  What does it value?

--Look at other articles from this unit that we've read for class.  What did those scholars do to analyze their discourse?  (Note:  these scholars are analyzing a DC in order to make an argument about it.  I'm not asking your group to formulate an argument, but just to analyze the discourse.)

Have any additional hints/tips/questions about how to analyze a DC?  Add them below:

How does your DC communicate?

 Our Discourse Committee communicates either professionally or casually depending on the organization. Camp Fest is a event where organizations comes to BGSU to advertise and promote their business (whether its academic or just having fun). On Facebook and Myspace you can find friends and communicate with them efficiently. Unlike Facebook and Myspace people can get a clear understanding what each organization is about due to its openess to the public and the face-to-face interaction.

-Dan Brandon, Chris, &  Heather

Our DC uses language and communication in a way that is mainly understood to those in the law field, i.e. lawyers, judges, insurance companies, etc…  Many times though, even lawyers have a difficult time understanding the legal mumbo-jumbo and therefore had a difficult time understanding a law brief.  So our DC will use language in a way that is easily understood to our audience and we are going to use examples that most people are familiar with, for example we are going to try to break down a terms and conditions agreement from credit card companies, insurance, etc… and we have even thought about breaking down a tax example. All and all, the language we use will be simple enough for anyone to understand.

Deshon Bradley-legal jargon group

• Fashion Reality TV can communicate to audiences by influencing fashion choices and inspiring regular viewers to take risks when dressing!
• Designers can watch and give feed back and bounce ideas off of each other
• There is a certain language used in fashion that helps it create its own community. Ex: rouging, cross-stitch, hem, empire waistline
• There is a certain time period that designers work under. For example, in the Fall, designers are showing their Spring lines. So- the community always must be looking ahead into the future.
• The reality TV community is generated to a large audience- therefore, much of the style and communication differs depending on where you live in the world

MySpace Rules:

•         Written

–        No postings content should be offensive, illegal, harmful, or threaten the safety of any person.

–        Members are responsible for interactions with other members.

•         Unwritten

–         Don’t post personal information or photos, there are stalkers out there.

–         If someone wants to become friends, but you don’t know them, don’t become their friend.

–        Common Knowledge

Ryan, Alex, Jeff, Julia

How is Facebook different from MySpace?

On Facebook you  can add applications, have multiple photo albums, connected specifically through certain networks (city, college, state) whereas MySpace is anyone.  Facebook is generally just college students.

On MySpace you can have music on your site, and be more creative with the way your site looks (backgrounds, cursors, colors, characters, etc.)  MySpace has been around longer, therefore is more varied of ages of users.

Kaye, Carly, Danni, Sarah