discourse community ethnography essay example

Ethnography of a Discourse Community: Golf and the Power of Communication Research Paper

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Introduction

Discourse community and the importance of thick description, the power of the argument chosen by the community, main principles in the golfer’s world, worth of the community, works cited.

Nowadays, diversity is probably one of the most significant factors in the lives of many people. It is not enough to create a society where the vast majority of people support the principles and requirements set and some people argue the correctness of the ideas chosen.

People do not want to make use of language in order to develop communications with the whole world; instead, they use special language, terms, gestures, ideas, and even glance to promote communications within particular groups, now known as communities. Socialization is the process that helps to develop a number of non-home-based organizations where people spend their time, share their interests, and enlarge their knowledge in the spheres they like the most.

Such communities are also called secondary Discourses (Gee 8), and they may be different schools, churches, or communities divided on the basis of personal interests and abilities. In this paper, the Powder Horn Golf Community will be analyzed in order to prove that luxury, comfort, passion to one particular sport game, natural beauty, and properly developed communication may be combined and offered to people within one community. Communication is an essential part of each golf game.

The peculiar feature of the communication process in golf is that golfers may use different gestures or even glances to send information, this is why the chosen community turns out to be a powerful example of how all the necessary information is shared between the members of the community and how successful the combination of comfort and pleasure may be to provide people with an ability to enjoy the conditions offered, to learn the main principles of the community, and to prove that the world of golf is unique indeed, and each person is free to discover this world any time.

There are a number of communities which are based on the passion to golf. Golfers as any other sportsmen have their own system of communication in order to achieve their main purposes and win the game. However, the peculiar feature of such community is that golfers do not always find it necessary to use words; what they use are their gestures, hand movements, and glances. Sometimes, it is even hard to set one clear purpose of golf game as it is not always about victory.

Golfers try to enjoy each second of the game, make use the natural beauty available to them, and introduce a new way of understanding the matter. Golf community is one big group of people that shares the same interests, still, tries to create some new approaches of how to succeed in the game.

To succeed in the evaluation of the chosen discourse community, it is better to use the main principles of the thick description offered by Geerts. In other words, the analysis of the community has to be based on particular details, clearly chosen information offered by the members of the community, and actions which may become more important than words themselves.

Many golfers admit that golf is a combination of a variety of factors. First of all, it is necessary to admit that watching golf and playing golf are the two absolutely different issues. Observing the ball flying when it is you who hit it and being an observer of the game provoke different feelings (Figure 1). This is why to understand the nature of the chosen community, it is possible to find what other people both golfers and golf fans think about the game, its principles, rules, and the skills required.

There are many different reasons which bring people to golf. The point is that it is not possible for a person to play golf perfectly even this person has been playing the game for several years or even decades. There is always something to be improved, and it is always possible to develop the principles of the discourse community.

For example, the members of the Powder Horn Golf community admit that the chosen course is attractive due to the possibility to enjoy the views, be amazed with the natural beauty discovered by the developer, and get a chance to communicate people of different levels (“27 Holes of Golf”).

Many golfers say that it is not always easy to start playing the game in case there are the people who speak different languages. This is why it is very important to provide the players with special guides which help to develop communication on the necessary level.

The statistics shows that there are so many people of different age are eager to join the world of golf. Though the results dated in 2008 are not as bright as they were in 2005 (Figure 2), the popularity of the game is spreading over the whole world. The reasons of why people develop their skills in golf may be of personal or financial characters.

Some people find themselves good at golf, this is why they want to participate in different competitions and prove their worth. Some golfers find it obligatory to support a kind of family passion to golf. And some people just cannot imagine their lives without golf, this is why they use their chances to start a course as soon as possible.

The evaluation of the golf community helps to understand that golfers have a number of rules which have to be followed as well as some personal principles and ideas. Passionate golfers are eager to develop their own system of communication in order to organize the game accordingly. There is always a certain system of signs and rituals with the help of which the game’s success is provided.

Golf community is the place where many new ideas and approaches may appear. The point is that people from different countries may come here to play and enjoy the beauty of the nature around. Of course, each golf community tries to create the best and the most comfortable conditions for people. This is why golfers aim at improving their maturity and communication only without considering the organizational questions or care of environment they are in.

The chosen group of people pays attention to a variety of details in the course. First, much attention is paid to gestures. Even a movement of a golfer’s hand may become a sign of how the ball will be hit. Some players try to create some slogans or phrases by means of which they try to find the necessary contact with the ball.

“You are my friend” or “I am the ball” are the phrases which golfers prefer to say while hitting the ball. A kind of personalization of the ball helps the player be more encouraged and to gain success in the game. This example shows how careful and responsible golfers can be. They are ready to use any methods to achieve the best results in their activities.

It is also evident that special communication practices may be developed within a golf community. Communication practices are not always good ways of players’ communication, still, they have to be recognized as they are important issues of critical discourse. Sometimes even one look may change the situation: people who know each other more or less are eager to develop a system of signs or gestures to improve the quality of the course. It seems to be easier and even more interesting to play the have relying on the practices developed.

The golf community divides players into the categories: the beginners, those who are in golf for several years, amateurs, and professionals. Each group has its own purposes and methods. The level of the game as well as communication practices differs considerable from a group to a group.

Without any doubts, the even the beginners many have different backgrounds: some players may have appropriate theoretical background and several properly developed skills for golf, some players start developing their skills from the zero point, and some players show medium results. In any case, all golfers have to know the vocabulary that is widely spread in communities, and such words like chip shot or dog license should not be some unknown terms.

In general, the evaluation of a particular discourse community, the Powder Horn Golf Community has a number of positive aspects. First of all, it is clear that such community is characterized by a certain portion of background knowledge, a number of values which have to be supported by the group members, and special community practices which are used to improve the conditions under which golfers are able to develop their skills, create new methods to play the game, and enjoy the possibilities available.

In fact, golf is not a game only; it is a world created under certain rules and requirements with the help of which people are free to demonstrate their best skills and ideas and prove their worth by means of playing the game.

“27 Holes of Golf.” The Powder Horn Golf Community. n.d. Web.

Gee, James, P. “Literacy, discourse, and linguistics: Introduction.” Journal of Education 171. 1. (1989): 5-17.

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IvyPanda. (2018, September 11). Ethnography of a Discourse Community: Golf and the Power of Communication. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethnography-of-a-discourse-community-golf-and-the-power-of-communication/

"Ethnography of a Discourse Community: Golf and the Power of Communication." IvyPanda , 11 Sept. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/ethnography-of-a-discourse-community-golf-and-the-power-of-communication/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Ethnography of a Discourse Community: Golf and the Power of Communication'. 11 September.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Ethnography of a Discourse Community: Golf and the Power of Communication." September 11, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethnography-of-a-discourse-community-golf-and-the-power-of-communication/.

1. IvyPanda . "Ethnography of a Discourse Community: Golf and the Power of Communication." September 11, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethnography-of-a-discourse-community-golf-and-the-power-of-communication/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Ethnography of a Discourse Community: Golf and the Power of Communication." September 11, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethnography-of-a-discourse-community-golf-and-the-power-of-communication/.

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Home Essay Samples Sociology

Discourse Community Essay Examples

Discourse community essay is an essential part of academic writing that requires students to explore a specific group’s communication methods and practices. To write a successful discourse community essay, you need to understand the group’s language, values, and beliefs. Here are some tips on how to write a discourse community essay that stands out.

Firstly, before writing, conduct thorough research on the discourse community you wish to write about. Understanding the group’s communication methods, practices, and language is essential. Take time to observe the community’s communication methods and the roles of its members. Conduct interviews with members of the group to gain insights into their communication practices and understand their perspectives.

Next, brainstorm discourse community essay topic ideas that align with your research. This should help you identify the unique aspects of the discourse community that you would like to focus on in your essay. Ensure that your essay is well-structured and well-researched to make it informative and easy to read. You can also use the research to draw comparisons and contrasts between the discourse community you are writing about and other groups.

To make your essay stand out, include relevant discourse community essay examples to illustrate the communication methods and practices you are discussing. This will give your readers a better understanding of the group you are writing about and make your essay more engaging. You can also include personal experiences or stories that relate to the discourse community to make your essay more relatable.

In conclusion, writing a discourse community essay requires a lot of research and attention to detail. However, with the right approach and techniques, you can produce a well-structured and informative essay that highlights the unique communication practices of the group. Always remember to include relevant examples and personal experiences to make your essay more engaging.

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Best topics on Discourse Community

1. The Soccer Discourse Community: Passion, Identity, and Global Connection

2. The Nursing Discourse Community: Shared Knowledge and Collaboration

3. Highly Resistant Hegemonic Discourses in the Sport

4. The Discourse Community Analysis Of A Football Team

5. K-Pop: Unveiling Its Discourse Community and Influence

6. Exploring the Discourse Community of Personal trainers or Fitness instructors

7. The Communities That I Belong To

8. The Goals of the Sociology Discourse Community and the Issues within It

9. The Key Role of Functionalism in a Societal Equilibrium

10. The Theoretical and Practical Application of the Functionalism Theory

11. Conversation as a Target of Discourse and Disciple Analysis

12. A Study of Discourse Community Through BLM Movement

13. Analysis of Nursing Community According to Swales’ Characteristics of Discourse Community

14. School Theatre as an Example of Discourse Community

15. Music in My Life: Being a Part of Musical Discourse

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A Journey through English 101 and 102

Progression as a writer, discourse community.

In Portfolio #3, Discourse community ethnography, the assignment was to introduce the conventions within a specific discourse community, and in result be able to discuss how these conventions made the community its own genre and the value thereof. My essay, The Discourse Community: A Cross Country Team , conveyed to an audience the conventions of a cross country team, specifically VMI’s team, based on personal experience in order to analysis how these conventions made the community its own genre.  Throughout the essay I was able to effectively connect key conventions of the community that gave evidence to the fact that the sport was a discourse community. While I was able to connect these conventions I feel that in some ways I missed the overall goal of the assignment since I focused much more on Cross Country as a whole rather than the more specific community here at VMI. In comparison to Portfolio 1 and 2, it is evident that I am making progress in conducting more stringent proofreading since there are less grammatical mistakes and run on sentences within the essay, yet I am still nowhere near perfection of the practice. I feel this assignment was well placed within the curriculum since it followed directly after Portfolio #2. The skills learned from finding the conventions of a writing genre transferred smoothly to the completion of this final paper and discussion of discourse communities. Overall, my essay thoroughly connected and conveyed conventions of the Cross Country community in order to teach an audience how this made the community a genre and the value thereof, but the essay lacked in its ability to teach the clear purpose of the community in the conclusion since it was focused much more on Cross Country as a whole rather than the specific community here at VMI.

Revision Plan

Portfolio #3’s assignment was to discuss the conventions of a specific discourse community, in order to present the clear purpose of the community, and how these conventions make the community its own genre. My essay, The Discourse Community: A Cross Country Team , effectively connected the conventions of the community yet lacked a clear purpose in the conclusion since I focused much more on Cross Country as a whole rather than a more specific Cross Country team within the community. By focusing more on a specific team I would have been able to use interviews and personal accounts from athletes within the community that would have given more concrete evidence and examples throughout the essay. The essay lacked a methodology paragraph early on in the essay that could have been used as a reference in the conclusion in order to connect how the conventions of Cross Country communities are relevant in giving the community a strong purpose to exist. While I have steadily progressed in revising my essays between drafts I still have grammatical errors and run on sentences within the essay that disrupt the coherence and flow. By using the skill of proofreading out loud I would be able to catch on to the small mistakes that in the end would make the essay much more formal and clear to the audience. By using a more specific community, including a methodology paragraph early on in the essay, and read out loud in order to correct mistakes within the essay, I would be able to present the conventions of the community in a much smoother and formal manner that would also deliver a clearer purpose for the use of the Cross Country community.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Individual and Society — Discourse Community

Essays on Discourse Community

Engaging discourse community essay prompts.

Finding the right prompt can set the stage for an insightful essay. Here are some thought-provoking prompts to get you started:

• Evaluate the discourse within an online forum dedicated to sustainability.
• Analyze the communication patterns of a professional esports team.
• Investigate how a local art collective uses language to build community.

Picking a Standout Discourse Community Essay Topic

Choosing a compelling topic is crucial. Here’s how to make sure you land on something engaging:

• Interest : Opt for a community you’re personally interested in or curious about.
• Originality : Seek out topics that aren’t overdone. The more unique, the better.
• Accessibility : Make sure you can access enough information and resources for your essay.

Examples of Discourse Community Essay Topics

To avoid the usual suspects and spark your imagination, consider these unique essay topics:

• Discourse practices in online coding bootcamps.
• Language and identity in expatriate communities.
• How DIY forums challenge traditional expertise.
• Discourse dynamics in feminist activist groups.
• The role of language in local food cooperatives.
• Communication styles within virtual reality spaces.
• Analysis of discourse in mental health support groups.
• Language use in underground music communities.
• How digital nomads create community through discourse.
• Discourse among members of a city council.
• Cross-cultural communication in international business teams.
• Language and power in academic departments.
• Communication strategies in environmental advocacy groups.
• Discourse in online platforms for language learning.
• Community building in co-living spaces.
• Discourse strategies in political campaigning.
• Role of language in crafting a makerspace identity.
• Online forums as spaces for medical discourse.
• Language evolution in multiplayer online games.
• Building a discourse community in coworking spaces.

Inspiration for Your Discourse Community Essay

Need a nudge to get your writing process started? Let these ideas inspire you:

"Exploring the esports team's communication reveals a complex system of language, symbols, and rituals, highlighting the nuanced ways members create a sense of belonging and identity."

"The vibrant discourse within the feminist activist group not only challenges societal norms but also fosters a strong sense of community and shared purpose among its members."

Diehard Sports Fans: a Discourse Community Analysis

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The game super smash bros. melee's community as an example of a discourse community, the discourse community of hypebeasts, six characteristics that can be used to identify what qualifies as a discourse community, let us write you an essay from scratch.

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A Reflection Paper on Football Discourse Community

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Critical Discourse Analysis and Power Relations

Critical discourse analysis of race and racism, critical discourse analysis: historical origins, analyzing gender stereotypes, and empowerment in the always campaign, gender diffrences in political discourse, discourse community, understanding and examples of a discourse community, "discourse community" by john swales: summary, discourse community practices.

A discourse community refers to a collective of individuals who possess a shared set of discourses, encompassing fundamental values, assumptions, and modes of communication that revolve around common objectives.

A discourse community exhibits distinct characteristics that define its identity and functioning. Firstly, they have a common goal or purpose that unites members and serves as a focal point for their interactions. This shared objective creates a sense of belonging and facilitates effective communication within the community. Secondly, discourse communities have specific language and communication practices unique to their group. These can include specialized terminology, jargon, or even non-verbal cues that enable efficient and meaningful communication among members. Mastery of this shared language is crucial for individuals to participate actively and contribute to the community's discourse. Thirdly, discourse communities often possess established conventions, norms, and expectations regarding appropriate behavior, ethics, and standards of communication. These guidelines ensure cohesion, cooperation, and mutual respect among members. Lastly, discourse communities may have gatekeepers who regulate access and maintain the integrity of the community. These gatekeepers may be experts, mentors, or long-standing members who ensure that new participants meet the community's requirements and contribute positively to its ongoing discourse.

The concept of discourse community emerged as a framework in the field of sociolinguistics and discourse analysis. Although there is no specific historical origin attributed to it, the study of discourse communities can be traced back to the works of scholars such as John Swales and James Gee in the late 20th century. John Swales, a prominent linguist, introduced the term "discourse community" in his influential book "Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research Settings" published in 1990. Swales emphasized the importance of understanding the communicative practices and conventions within specific communities to effectively participate in their discourse. James Gee, another influential scholar, expanded the concept of discourse community and introduced the idea of "situated learning" in his book "Social Linguistics and Literacies: Ideology in Discourses" published in 1996. Gee explored how discourse communities shape identity, knowledge acquisition, and socialization processes. Since then, the study of discourse communities has gained prominence in various fields, including linguistics, communication studies, and sociology.

1. Professional Discourse Communities. 2. Academic Discourse Communities. 3. Hobbyist Discourse Communities. 4. Cultural Discourse Communities. 5. Online Discourse Communities:

Academic Discourse Community: Scholars, researchers, and students within a specific discipline form an academic discourse community. They share specialized knowledge, use discipline-specific terminology, and engage in scholarly writing and discussions. Online Gaming Community: Gamers who participate in online multiplayer games create a discourse community. They use game-specific jargon, communicate through forums or chat platforms, and share strategies and experiences related to gaming. Professional Discourse Community: Professions such as medicine, law, or engineering have their own discourse communities. Professionals within these fields communicate using technical terminology, share professional experiences, and adhere to specific codes of conduct. Sports Fan Community: Fans of a particular sports team or sport create a discourse community. They engage in discussions, debates, and analyses of games and players, often using sports-related slang and terms. Social Media Community: Users of social media platforms form discourse communities based on shared interests, such as fashion, food, or photography. They communicate through hashtags, comments, and posts, creating a unique community around their shared topics.

Social Construction of Reality, Situated Learning Theory, Communities of Practice, Genre Theory.

The study of discourse communities holds significant importance as it sheds light on the intricate ways in which individuals and groups interact, communicate, and form shared understandings within specific contexts. Understanding discourse communities allows us to recognize and appreciate the diversity of social groups and their unique discursive practices, values, and goals. Exploring discourse communities helps us comprehend how language shapes social interactions, knowledge construction, and the formation of identities. It allows us to identify the power dynamics and hierarchies that exist within these communities and how they influence individuals' access to resources and opportunities for participation. Moreover, discourse communities play a crucial role in the transmission and dissemination of knowledge, expertise, and cultural practices. By studying discourse communities, we gain insights into how knowledge is constructed, shared, and preserved within specific fields or domains.

The topic of discourse communities is a compelling subject for an essay due to its relevance and wide-ranging implications in various fields of study. By delving into discourse communities, one can explore the intricate ways in which language, communication, and social interaction shape our understanding of the world. Writing an essay on discourse communities allows for an in-depth examination of how different communities form, develop shared understandings, and create meaning through their discursive practices. It offers an opportunity to analyze the power dynamics, norms, and values that influence communication within specific groups. Furthermore, studying discourse communities provides insights into knowledge transmission, expertise, and identity formation. It allows for a critical exploration of the role of language in shaping social relationships, access to resources, and opportunities for participation within specific communities.

1. Gee, J. P. (1996). Social linguistics and literacies: Ideology in discourses. Routledge. 2. Swales, J. M. (1990). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings. Cambridge University Press. 3. Johns, A. M. (1997). Text, role, and context: Developing academic literacies. Cambridge University Press. 4. Prior, P. (1998). Writing/disciplinarity: A sociohistoric account of literate activity in the academy. Routledge. 5. Bazerman, C. (2004). Speech acts, genres, and activity systems: How texts organize activity and people. Routledge. 6. Miller, C. R. (1984). Genre as social action. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 70(2), 151-167. 7. Bhatia, V. K. (2004). Worlds of written discourse: A genre-based view. Continuum. 8. Barton, D., & Hamilton, M. (1998). Local literacies: Reading and writing in one community. Routledge. 9. Paltridge, B. (2001). Genre, frames and writing in research settings. John Benjamins Publishing. 10. Johns, A. M. (2017). Discourse communities and communities of practice. In T. Johnstone (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of discourse studies (pp. 257-273). Cambridge University Press.

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• What Is Ethnography? | Definition, Guide & Examples

What Is Ethnography? | Definition, Guide & Examples

Published on March 13, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on June 22, 2023.

Ethnography is a type of qualitative research that involves immersing yourself in a particular community or organization to observe their behavior and interactions up close. The word “ethnography” also refers to the written report of the research that the ethnographer produces afterwards.

Ethnography is a flexible research method that allows you to gain a deep understanding of a group’s shared culture, conventions, and social dynamics. However, it also involves some practical and ethical challenges.

Table of contents

What is ethnography used for, different approaches to ethnographic research, gaining access to a community, working with informants, observing the group and taking field notes, writing up an ethnography, other interesting articles.

Ethnographic research originated in the field of anthropology, and it often involved an anthropologist living with an isolated tribal community for an extended period of time in order to understand their culture.

This type of research could sometimes last for years. For example, Colin M. Turnbull lived with the Mbuti people for three years in order to write the classic ethnography The Forest People .

Today, ethnography is a common approach in various social science fields, not just anthropology. It is used not only to study distant or unfamiliar cultures, but also to study specific communities within the researcher’s own society.

For example, ethnographic research (sometimes called participant observation ) has been used to investigate  football fans , call center workers , and police officers .

Advantages of ethnography

The main advantage of ethnography is that it gives the researcher direct access to the culture and practices of a group. It is a useful approach for learning first-hand about the behavior and interactions of people within a particular context.

By becoming immersed in a social environment, you may have access to more authentic information and spontaneously observe dynamics that you could not have found out about simply by asking.

Ethnography is also an open and flexible method. Rather than aiming to verify a general theory or test a hypothesis , it aims to offer a rich narrative account of a specific culture, allowing you to explore many different aspects of the group and setting.

Disadvantages of ethnography

Ethnography is a time-consuming method. In order to embed yourself in the setting and gather enough observations to build up a representative picture, you can expect to spend at least a few weeks, but more likely several months. This long-term immersion can be challenging, and requires careful planning.

Ethnographic research can run the risk of observer bias . Writing an ethnography involves subjective interpretation, and it can be difficult to maintain the necessary distance to analyze a group that you are embedded in.

There are often also ethical considerations to take into account: for example, about how your role is disclosed to members of the group, or about observing and reporting sensitive information.

Should you use ethnography in your research?

If you’re a student who wants to use ethnographic research in your thesis or dissertation , it’s worth asking yourself whether it’s the right approach:

• Could the information you need be collected in another way (e.g. a survey , interviews)?
• How difficult will it be to gain access to the community you want to study?
• How exactly will you conduct your research, and over what timespan?
• What ethical issues might arise?

If you do decide to do ethnography, it’s generally best to choose a relatively small and easily accessible group, to ensure that the research is feasible within a limited timeframe.

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There are a few key distinctions in ethnography which help to inform the researcher’s approach: open vs. closed settings, overt vs. covert ethnography, and active vs. passive observation. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Open vs. closed settings

The setting of your ethnography—the environment in which you will observe your chosen community in action—may be open or closed.

An open or public setting is one with no formal barriers to entry. For example, you might consider a community of people living in a certain neighborhood, or the fans of a particular baseball team.

• Gaining initial access to open groups is not too difficult…
• …but it may be harder to become immersed in a less clearly defined group.

A closed or private setting is harder to access. This may be for example a business, a school, or a cult.

• A closed group’s boundaries are clearly defined and the ethnographer can become fully immersed in the setting…
• …but gaining access is tougher; the ethnographer may have to negotiate their way in or acquire some role in the organization.

Overt vs. covert ethnography

Most ethnography is overt . In an overt approach, the ethnographer openly states their intentions and acknowledges their role as a researcher to the members of the group being studied.

• Overt ethnography is typically preferred for ethical reasons, as participants can provide informed consent…
• …but people may behave differently with the awareness that they are being studied.

Sometimes ethnography can be covert . This means that the researcher does not tell participants about their research, and comes up with some other pretense for being there.

• Covert ethnography allows access to environments where the group would not welcome a researcher…
• …but hiding the researcher’s role can be considered deceptive and thus unethical.

Active vs. passive observation

Different levels of immersion in the community may be appropriate in different contexts. The ethnographer may be a more active or passive participant depending on the demands of their research and the nature of the setting.

An active role involves trying to fully integrate, carrying out tasks and participating in activities like any other member of the community.

• Active participation may encourage the group to feel more comfortable with the ethnographer’s presence…
• …but runs the risk of disrupting the regular functioning of the community.

A passive role is one in which the ethnographer stands back from the activities of others, behaving as a more distant observer and not involving themselves in the community’s activities.

• Passive observation allows more space for careful observation and note-taking…
• …but group members may behave unnaturally due to feeling they are being observed by an outsider.

While ethnographers usually have a preference, they also have to be flexible about their level of participation. For example, access to the community might depend upon engaging in certain activities, or there might be certain practices in which outsiders cannot participate.

An important consideration for ethnographers is the question of access. The difficulty of gaining access to the setting of a particular ethnography varies greatly:

• To gain access to the fans of a particular sports team, you might start by simply attending the team’s games and speaking with the fans.
• To access the employees of a particular business, you might contact the management and ask for permission to perform a study there.
• Alternatively, you might perform a covert ethnography of a community or organization you are already personally involved in or employed by.

Flexibility is important here too: where it’s impossible to access the desired setting, the ethnographer must consider alternatives that could provide comparable information.

For example, if you had the idea of observing the staff within a particular finance company but could not get permission, you might look into other companies of the same kind as alternatives. Ethnography is a sensitive research method, and it may take multiple attempts to find a feasible approach.

All ethnographies involve the use of informants . These are people involved in the group in question who function as the researcher’s primary points of contact, facilitating access and assisting their understanding of the group.

This might be someone in a high position at an organization allowing you access to their employees, or a member of a community sponsoring your entry into that community and giving advice on how to fit in.

However,  i f you come to rely too much on a single informant, you may be influenced by their perspective on the community, which might be unrepresentative of the group as a whole.

In addition, an informant may not provide the kind of spontaneous information which is most useful to ethnographers, instead trying to show what they believe you want to see. For this reason, it’s good to have a variety of contacts within the group.

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The core of ethnography is observation of the group from the inside. Field notes are taken to record these observations while immersed in the setting; they form the basis of the final written ethnography. They are usually written by hand, but other solutions such as voice recordings can be useful alternatives.

Field notes record any and all important data: phenomena observed, conversations had, preliminary analysis. For example, if you’re researching how service staff interact with customers, you should write down anything you notice about these interactions—body language, phrases used repeatedly, differences and similarities between staff, customer reactions.

Don’t be afraid to also note down things you notice that fall outside the pre-formulated scope of your research; anything may prove relevant, and it’s better to have extra notes you might discard later than to end up with missing data.

Field notes should be as detailed and clear as possible. It’s important to take time to go over your notes, expand on them with further detail, and keep them organized (including information such as dates and locations).

After observations are concluded, there’s still the task of writing them up into an ethnography. This entails going through the field notes and formulating a convincing account of the behaviors and dynamics observed.

The structure of an ethnography

An ethnography can take many different forms: It may be an article, a thesis, or an entire book, for example.

Ethnographies often do not follow the standard structure of a scientific paper, though like most academic texts, they should have an introduction and conclusion. For example, this paper begins by describing the historical background of the research, then focuses on various themes in turn before concluding.

An ethnography may still use a more traditional structure, however, especially when used in combination with other research methods. For example, this paper follows the standard structure for empirical research: introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion.

The content of an ethnography

The goal of a written ethnography is to provide a rich, authoritative account of the social setting in which you were embedded—to convince the reader that your observations and interpretations are representative of reality.

Ethnography tends to take a less impersonal approach than other research methods. Due to the embedded nature of the work, an ethnography often necessarily involves discussion of your personal experiences and feelings during the research.

Ethnography is not limited to making observations; it also attempts to explain the phenomena observed in a structured, narrative way. For this, you may draw on theory, but also on your direct experience and intuitions, which may well contradict the assumptions that you brought into the research.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Degrees of freedom
• Null hypothesis
• Discourse analysis
• Control groups
• Mixed methods research
• Non-probability sampling
• Quantitative research
• Ecological validity

Research bias

• Rosenthal effect
• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Selection bias
• Negativity bias
• Status quo bias

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English Composition 2089: Researching Discourse

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What Is Discourse?

Discourse analysis, discourse communities, examples of discourse communities, tips on choosing a discourse community to analyze.

• Discourse Community Analysis/Ethnography
• Analyzing Multiple Discourses
• Research Refresher--Finding articles, books, and more!
• How Do I Find Different Genres?
• How Do I Find Images and Media?
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Essentially, discourse is an act of communication between a composer and audience for a particular purpose.  This communication can take a variety of forms. 

Here are some common forms of discourse:

• newspaper article
• scholarly journal article
• radio or TV broadcast
• published report

However, also think beyond textual discourses, for example:

• advertisement
• emojis or memes
• architecture or design, e.g. 9/11 Memorial
• clothing styles

You are encouraged to think expansively about what counts as a discourse so that your work in English 2089 reflects the diversity and richness of 21st century discourses and communication practices.

When considering any form of discourse, in addition to understanding WHAT is being said, also focus on WHO is creating the text, WHY they are doing so, and HOW the resulting discourse impacts or has impacted the issue.

Ask yourself the following questions to ANALYZE discourse:

• Who is the intended audience?
• What is the purpose of the information presented? (inform, persuade, entertain)
• What types of evidence are used to support the claims of the information?
• How is information shaped by a particular genre? (Consider the audience, layout, space, style, conventions, etc).
• How literate, biased, and/or credible are those producing this discourse?
• To what degree is the discourse mainstream (understood by the broad audience) or considered non-traditional or even avant-garde?

Analyzing the discourse on an issue is different from arguing a position on an issue.  See the chart below for an example of these differences:

A discourse community is a "social group that communicates at least in part via written texts and shares common goals, values, and writing standards, a specialized vocabulary, and specialized genres." Anne Beaufort, College Writing and Beyond .

Different discourse communities will often discuss the same topic in very different ways. The concept map below shows some discourse communities involved in conversations related to obesity.  

Professional:

• emergency room nurses
• prison guards
• political aides

Be careful to sufficiently narrow your focus so you are not trying to analyze a community with millions of members who have vastly different discourse practices (i.e. “scientists” or “business people”)

• activist organizations (PETA, NRA, Sierra Club)
• a specific ethnic group (Amish, Native Americans living on reservations, Cajun)
• a campus club or organization
• charity organizations

Be sensitive to stereotypes if you analyze a community associated with race, religion, etc.

• the PTA or similar school groups
• political action groups
• fan groups (Trekkies, Potterites, the BeyHive)
• Civil War re-enactors
• game clubs (Dungeons & Dragons, Magic Cards, etc.)
• Choose communities that are in conversation on a particular topic or problem.
• Select key communities that represent various perspectives on a topic.
• Choose an organized or connected community that has a common purpose; for example, the animal rights group PETA.
• Be specific: instead of Cincinnati Reds fans, choose members of the RedsZone or the Rosie Reds.
• Focus on the discourse of an entire community, not on a specific person.
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Ethnographic-based discourse analysis: Uses, issues and prospects

2008, Advances in discourse studies

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iris Manor-Binyamini

The purpose of this article is to present a methodological model for analyzing the ethnographic discourse of an interdisciplinary team, which I have developed during research that examined such discourse in a special education school. This methodological model includes a processing tool for mapping and organizing data, as well as an applied methodological tool for analyzing discourse results in the form of a scheme of key-words. The analysis of discourse results is conducted along two axes of comparison: the meaning of the key word for the professional who uses it, and the meaning of the same key word for his/her interlocutors, that is, professionals from other fields. In addition, the article addresses the specific issues of collection, mapping, and analysis of data in this combined method.

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Discourse analysis as a method of inquiry has improved our collective understanding of teaching and learning processes for at least four decades. This chapter provides some historical context for understanding the emergence of discourse analysis within educational research, describes some of the different ways that discourse analysis continues to be used and useful in educational research, and synthesizes scholarship that has influenced how discourse analysis has enhanced educational research. It explores key contributions in the study of discourse, including how underlying social systems shape (and are shaped by) interaction, how identities are constructed in and through talk, the relationship between interaction and learning in both formal and informal educational contexts, and how embodiment, multimodality, and virtual spaces offer new sites of analysis, which raises important questions about what new modes of communication imply for discursive methods of research and representation. It also covers four major approaches to discourse analysis in education – anthropological, narrative, classroom-based, and critical – and shows that the study of language and discourse in education has blossomed into a dynamic and interdisciplinary endeavor. Although educational researchers using discourse analysis as a method/tool of inquiry continue to wrestle with questions of context, definitions of “text,” and notions of discourse, this approach to inquiry remains extremely useful and influential. After describing recent advances in the study of discourse within educational research and the problems and challenges that remain, the chapter concludes with a discussion of future directions and suggests recommended additional reading.

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Drawing on the perspectives of ethnography and discourse analysis, this paper first gives an overview of the emerging body of research bringing together the epistemologies and the methods of these two perspectives. It then presents a novel analytical framework for computer-assisted ethnographic discourse analysis. The paper outlines how close analysis of discursive practices – in this case journalistic writing practices – can provide insights into struggles over meaning and hegemony in contemporary knowledge work. The case study explores the production of a financial news story about the supply of gas to French consumers, and the way the practices in question subtly write Russia as a threat.

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This review presents theoretical underpinnings supporting microethnographic-discourse analytic (ME/DA) approaches to studying educational phenomena. The review is presented in two parts. Part 1 provides an analytic review of two seminal reviews of literature that frame theoretical and methodological developments of microethnography and functions language in classrooms with diverse learners. Part 2 presents two telling case studies that illustrate the logic-of-inquiry of (ME/DA) approaches. These telling case studies make transparent how theoretical considerations of cultural perspectives on education inform decisions regarding research methodology. Telling Case Study 1 makes transparent the logic-of-inquiry undertaken to illustrate how microanalyses of discourse and action among participants in a physics class provided an empirical grounding for identifying how different groups undertook a common task. This case study shows how ethnographically informed discourse analyses formed a foundation to theoretically identify social processes of knowledge construction. Telling Case Study 2 makes transparent multiple levels of analysis undertaken to examine ways that creative processes of interpretation of art were communicated and taken up in an art studio class across multiple cycles of activity. Taken together, these telling case studies provide evidence of how ME/DA provides a theoretically grounded logic-of-inquiry for investigating complex learning processes in different educational contexts.

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Adriano Duarte Rodrigues

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This review presents theoretical underpinnings supporting microethnographic-discourse analytic (ME/DA) approaches to studying educational phenomena. The review is presented in two parts. Part 1 provides an analytic review of two seminal reviews of literature that frame theoretical and methodological developments of microethnography and functions language in classrooms with diverse learners. Part 2 presents two telling case studies that illustrate the logic-of-inquiry of (ME/DA) approaches. These telling case studies make transparent how theoretical considerations of cultural perspectives on education inform decisions regarding research methodology. Telling Case Study 1 makes transparent the logic-of-inquiry undertaken to illustrate how microanalyses of discourse and action among participants in a physics class provided an empirical grounding for identifying how different 903121R REXXX10.3102/0091732X20903121Review of Research in EducationGreen et al.: OverTime Construction of Knowledge in Educational Settings research-article2020

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Community of Discourse

This essay about discourse communities explores how groups of individuals with shared interests or goals communicate and interact within various fields and online spaces. It highlights the importance of specialized language, communication norms, and genres within these communities. Additionally, it discusses the challenges of access and inclusivity that some discourse communities may pose. Overall, the essay emphasizes the role of discourse communities in shaping how we communicate, collaborate, and construct knowledge.

How it works

In the vast landscape of human interaction, there exists a concept that resonates deeply with the way we communicate and connect – the discourse community. A discourse community refers to a group of people who share common goals, interests, and ways of communicating within a particular field or area of interest. From academia to online gaming forums, discourse communities shape the way we perceive and engage with the world around us.

One of the defining characteristics of a discourse community is its specialized language or discourse.

Every community has its own jargon, terminology, and communication norms that serve as markers of inclusion and belonging. For example, within the realm of medicine, professionals use specialized terminology like “diagnosis,” “prognosis,” and “treatment modalities” to communicate effectively with one another. This shared language not only facilitates communication but also reinforces the community’s identity and expertise.

Moreover, discourse communities often have specific genres or types of communication that they employ. These can range from academic papers and research articles in scholarly communities to memes and hashtags in online fandoms. Understanding and mastering these genres is essential for members to participate fully in the community and contribute meaningfully to ongoing discussions. For instance, in the world of journalism, reporters use formats such as news articles, opinion pieces, and investigative reports to convey information to their audience effectively.

Furthermore, discourse communities are not limited to physical spaces or traditional institutions. With the rise of the internet and social media, virtual communities have become increasingly prevalent. Online forums, social networking sites, and niche interest groups provide platforms for individuals with shared interests to connect and engage in discourse. These digital spaces often blur the boundaries between formal and informal communication, allowing members to interact in ways that are both structured and spontaneous.

However, while discourse communities offer numerous benefits, they can also pose challenges, particularly regarding access and inclusivity. Membership in some communities may be restricted based on factors such as education, socioeconomic status, or cultural background, creating barriers for those who do not meet certain criteria. Additionally, newcomers to a community may struggle to navigate its norms and conventions, leading to feelings of exclusion or marginalization.

In conclusion, discourse communities play a significant role in shaping how we communicate, collaborate, and construct knowledge within various domains. Whether in academia, professional fields, or online spaces, these communities provide platforms for individuals to exchange ideas, share expertise, and form meaningful connections. By understanding the dynamics of discourse communities and actively participating in them, individuals can enhance their communication skills, expand their networks, and contribute to collective learning and growth

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• Corpus ID: 142548421

A study on Ethnography of communication: A discourse analysis with Hymes speaking model

• Manashi Ray , C. Biswas
• Published 21 October 2011
• Linguistics, Sociology
• Journal of Education and Practice

24 Citations

Multicultural and multireligious understanding, introducing “emoling” as the missing link in ethnography of communication: a complement to hymes’ speaking model.

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The cultural conversational pattern of Ifemelu in Adichie’s Americanah

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• Discourse Community

Discourse Community Ethnography: Yazaki

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Discourse communities are a part of people’s lives whether they identify themselves in a discourse community or not. Throughout people’s lives, they acquire new skills or preferences that lets them join a certain discourse. To identify whether a community is a discourse, one must follow Swales six characteristics to see if a community qualifies. Following these six characteristics, I examined whether the Yazaki North America, Inc. could be categorized as a discourse community. In my research and after conducting interviews, I concluded that Yazaki followed all six characteristics of Swales and therefore can be identified as a discourse community.

When people talk about discourse communities, they all have different definitions to the term. If one dissects the term, discourse is the act of speaking or writing about a subject or topic and community is a set of people that share something in common. John Swales (1990) defines discourse communities as “groups that have goals or purposes, and use communication to achieve these goals”, this means that people can form part of many different discourse communities throughout their life.

A way to identify whether someone is a part of a discourse community, it is best to identify the six discourse communities Swales uses. By using these qualifications, it is safe to assume a person forms part of a discourse community. The discourse community I am going to be analyzing in this paper is the Yazaki North America, Inc. This is a company that makes automotive parts and, although I mainly focused on the North America companies, it is a worldwide corporation that originated in Japan. I decided to analyze the Yazaki that is located in Buenaventura, Chihuahua, therefore I interviewed the quality manager and based on the responses I would then conclude whether Yazaki North America, Inc. is a discourse community.

Literature Review

There is a wide variety of articles that define discourse communities differently, but the one definition that will be the focus of this paper, will be the one provided by John Swales. “The Concept of Discourse Community” starts by providing the definition of a speech community to avoid misunderstandings and mixture between that community and discourse community. A speech community merely means a linguistic community in which every person is born into (Swales, 1990).

A discourse community, as defined by Swales, is one that shares a common set of goals and to achieve them, the members use intercommunication with their own jargon and follow their own set of rules. Swales gives six characteristics that serve as a guide and define discourse communities. He explains that a discourse community has a broadly agreed set of common public goals, has mechanisms of intercommunication among its members, uses its participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback, utilizes and hence possesses one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims, has specific lexis and has different levels of members (Swales, 1990).

On the other hand, James E. Porter’s “Intertextuality and the Discourse Community” (1986) talks about how discourse communities all come from one discourse community, because they share texts and borrow ideas from each other. He gives two different types of intertextuality which are iterability and presupposition. Iterability is the repetition of certain things that are based on culture and presupposition are “assumptions a text makes about its referent, its readers, and its context” (Porter, 1986). They both give different meaning to what a discourse community is, but they do have in common that for something to be cataloged as a discourse community, it must have communication in between its members.

To fully understand the concept of discourse communities , I decided to observe the discourse community my dad is a part of. I observed the Yazaki North America company which is a company that makes automotive parts. I choose to observe this company because my dad has been part of this community for over 30 years and it is a community that not many people are going to be able to learn about due to the location.

To get a better overview of what goes on in this community, I observed for about two hours and then I interviewed my dad. On a Friday, I drove to San Buenaventura, Chihuahua, to my dad’s house and asked him if I could shadow him while he was working. Once I entered the building, I realized that people from different places and economic status work here. This is because San Buenaventura is a really small town and since Yazaki is a big corporation in need of a lot of workers, there are a lot of buses that are transporting people from the towns near to work in the assembly line in the mornings and afternoons which is when the shifts switch. They recruit new people by advertising throughout the town and different locations by putting banners that state that they need personnel, donation to schools and open house activities. Also, since it is a corporation with origin in Japan, there is a lot of Japanese workers that are brought to oversee the work that is being done at all the different locations.

Once I was ready to start shadowing my dad, I was not allowed to do so because there are a lot of risks by me not being trained or prepared to be near the heavy machinery that is used in the building, so I had to hang out at my father’s cubicle for about two hours and therefore my observation were very limited and had to solemnly rely on the interview questions.

I distinguished the different ranks there were as I saw them walking past me and seeing their attires. The managers, such as my dad, were wearing a collared shirt with the Yazaki logo, trousers and well-polished shoes. This gave them a tidy, more formal look making them stand out from all the other workers. The rest of the workers were wearing polo shirts and jeans. I also noticed that almost everyone knew each other already and this was due to the fact that the town is very small, and there are not many jobs around but the ones the Yazaki corporation offers meaning that a lot of people.

The Yazaki North America, Inc. has a very specific set of goals. These goals consist of quality, cost and delivery. Yazaki makes harnesses for automobiles such as Honda, Toyota, Ford, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Mazda and many more. Thus, quality is very important because if the company does not deliver quality harnesses, the car itself will not work. This is because the harnesses send electrical signals which is the way the car performs all its different mechanisms. It can be “comparable to the human nervous system, distributing electricity and information to all other systems, components and features of the vehicle” (Yazaki, n.d.). Their goal is also cost and delivery, which means that the company tries to always stay in schedule with the production, so they do not lose money and be late on deliveries. I have seen how my dad works overtime when a problem is faced at the factory because when they have a delay, they try to work into finding a solution fast and stay on schedule for deliveries to the next assembly line.

Yazaki’s quality personnel, have different types of intercommunication. They mostly rely on video chat to communicate with each other because most of the members are always traveling and it is rare that they are all in the same place at the same time. They hold daily meetings where they talk about what has been done that day and how the production is going. They hold these meeting from Monday through Thursday. When they face a problem with the assembly line or other Yazaki locations such as the ones in Chihuahua, Chihuahua or Ignacio Zaragoza, Chihuahua, they communicate via Skype or by phone call to address the issues. Sometimes, depending on the issue, they travel to the place, so they can have a verbal, face to face conversation and find a solution to their problems and meet what the company targets.

In Yazaki, the way they provide information and feedback is through their daily meetings. There, they go over everything that has been done throughout the day and then they analyze what could have been improved. Then they email this information to the supervisor, so they can be alert that the people that work in the assembly line follow the protocol that is to be used to make their wire harnesses the best quality possible.

The company uses quality reports, e-mails, training manuals, procedures and work instructions as their way of keeping record of everything that goes on in a daily basis, so when they face a problem with the assembly line, they can quickly now what went wrong and fix it right away. By using these genres, it makes it easy for them to identify a problem and the way it should be approached.

In Yazaki, they use a lot of wire harness technical terminology that not many of us would know. They use terms such as, alternating voltage, ALS, abrasion resistance, vw-1, conductor, conduit and many more. This lexis helps them communicate and have a precise name to each of the parts that are used to create a wire harness. In life, not many people will come across these terminologies unless they form part of this community or pursue a carrier as an engineer.

6. “A discourse community has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discourse expertise” (Swales, 1990, p.473).

In Yazaki, there are many different positions one can be hired for. It can be as low as a janitor or as high as a supervisor or manager. To be able to get in one must have completed at least middle school. These people would be considered as the lowest level of membership, the new hired employee. Once a person wants to move up the ranks, that person needs to go through a course and be certified in a certain area. To be able to become a supervisor or manager, the person must be an exemplar employee. This means that one must obey company rules, willing to help and go beyond their assigned duties.

All in all, the Yazaki North America, Inc., follows all six characteristics that Swales states to be part of discourse communities. The Yazaki corporation has a set goal that is sought by intercommunication of its members to provide information with its own lexis and genre, and have different levels of members. It is safe to assume that Yazaki is a discourse community because it follows the qualifications set by Swales in “The Concept of Discourse Community”.

• Porter, J. E. (1986). Intertextuality and the discourse community. Rhetoric Review, 5(1), 34-47.
• Swales, J. (1990). The concept of discourse community. In E. Wardle, & D. Downs, Writing about Writing (pp. 215-223). Boston, New York: Bedford/ St. Martin’s.
• Yazaki. (n.d.). Wire harnesses. Retrieved from http://www.yazaki-na.com/products-capabilities/wire-harnesses/

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Discourse Community Ethnography: Yazaki. (2021, Jul 27). Retrieved from https://artscolumbia.org/discourse-community-ethnography-yazaki-170136/

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