Question

Discourse Analysis (500 to 550 words)

The conventions and constraints associated with blogs are difficult to pin down because of their short history and the multiple purposes to which they can be put. Even the distinction between filter‐type blogs and diary‐type blogs discussed here is not hard and fast; many blog entries combine features of both types. The advantage of analysing blogs is that they give us an opportunity to observe a newly emerging and dynamic genre, which has the potential to fulfil many different kinds of communicative purposes for many different kinds of discourse communities.

In order to understand something about this variety, go to one of the social media apps (like Twitter) and compare entries from accounts from two different categories. The categories you can find include: entertainment, business, sports, politics, autos, technology, living, green and science. Use the following questions to guide your analysis:

• What are the discourse communities these blogs serve? How do you know? In what ways do they fulfil Swales’s defining characteristics of a discourse community (see the attached file) and in what ways do they deviate from these defining characteristics? How do the blogs you have chosen contribute to defining and maintaining these discourse communities?

• What are the communicative purposes of these blogs? How do they differ?
• How are the move structures of the two entries that you have chosen similar or different? Do they resemble diary-type blog entries or filter-type blog entries, or do they constitute a different type altogether? How do the moves and the ways they are structured contribute to the realization of the overall communicative purposes of the two entries?
• How are the blog entries that you have chosen linked to other texts or genres in either genre chains or genre networks? How are they situated within larger textual ecologies? What other genres do they resemble?

Answer 1

Discourse community : Swales outlined six characteristics of discourse communities

1) Common public goals

2) Methods of communicating among members

3) Participatory communication methods

4) genres tat define the group

5) a lexis and

6) a standard of knowledge needed for membership

The discourse communities these blogs serve are from entertainment, business, sports, politics, autos, technology, living green and science. These discourse communities have common public goals and a standard method of communicating among members and in these ways fulfill Swales's defining characteristics as well. Rare but happens that blogs deviate from Swales's defining characteristics. These discourse communities follow an unwritten code of conduct and ensures maintenance of standard of discourses in blogs

A blog is a communication tool that anyone can use. Like radio, newspaper and television, a blog is tool you can use to communicate, educate and inform. It's easy for any person to set up their own blog where they can post their personal thoughts.

There is so much happening on the social network scene that organisations or companies now have no option or choice but to be present in these channels.

Blogging happens to be one of the easiest and simplest methods of establishing raport with a prospective or existing customer base.

Conclusion : Blogging is not only about you talking about yourself or about your product. It is always a two way communication. You get to listen and understand all about the audience or customers too.