Find two additional social networking or blog sites.
Explain how each function as discourse communities and give examples of some of their genres.
How do these genres and lexis help the community achieve their shared goals?
If one doesn't appear to be a discourse community, discuss why.
Write a two-hundred-word response and post in the discussion board under
Include the URL for the other sites you examined even if you choose not to discuss them.
One social networking site that functions as a discourse community is LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com). This platform is primarily used for professional networking and career development. LinkedIn users join groups related to their industries or interests where they can engage in discussions and share knowledge. This platform facilitates the exchange of ideas and expertise through its various genres, such as group discussions, articles, and job postings. For example, in a group dedicated to entrepreneurship, members can share their experiences, ask questions, and provide advice. The use of professional lingo and industry-specific lexis in these discussions helps the community achieve their shared goal of knowledge-sharing and professional growth.
Another example of a discourse community is Tumblr (www.tumblr.com), a blogging platform that allows users to create and share multimedia content. Tumblr users form communities around shared interests like photography, music, or social justice, and contribute to these communities through the creation of posts and reblogging. The genres on Tumblr include text posts, images, gifs, and videos, where users can express their ideas, opinions, and experiences. For instance, in a social justice community, users may share informative articles, personal narratives, and artwork related to activism. The use of hashtags and specific Tumblr jargon (e.g., "reblog," "askbox") help navigate and contribute to the community's shared goal of raising awareness and promoting change.
One social networking site that does not appear to be a discourse community is Snapchat (www.snapchat.com). While Snapchat allows users to communicate through multimedia messages, it lacks the characteristic features of a discourse community. There is no centralized space for discussions or the exchange of ideas in Snapchat's design. While users can engage in conversations through private messages, those conversations are not visible to the wider community. The absence of public forums or genres for knowledge-sharing on Snapchat makes it less conducive to functioning as a discourse community.
To find two additional social networking or blog sites, you can start by doing a quick search on popular search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo. You can also explore app stores like Google Play or Apple App Store for mobile applications specifically designed for social networking or blogging.
One example of a social networking site functioning as a discourse community is Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/). Reddit functions as a platform where users can participate in discussions and share content on various topics. The way it functions as a discourse community revolves around its subreddit system, which organizes communities based on specific topics of interest. Each subreddit acts as a mini-community with its own set of rules, guidelines, and shared goals. Examples of genres within Reddit can include discussion posts, questions & answers, news articles, memes, and personal stories. The lexis used in these genres helps the community achieve their shared goals by allowing users to communicate effectively and convey their thoughts, opinions, and experiences within a specific topic or community.
Another example is Medium (https://medium.com/), a blogging platform that functions as a discourse community for writers and readers. Medium serves as a hub for discussions on various topics through written articles. Genres within Medium can include opinion pieces, how-to guides, personal narratives, informative articles, and research papers. The lexis used in these genres helps the community achieve their shared goals by providing a common language and structure for presenting information, educating readers, and fostering meaningful discussions.
If one of the chosen sites does not appear to be a discourse community, it could be due to the lack of shared goals, guidelines, or interactive features. For example, a photo-sharing app like Instagram may not function as a discourse community as it primarily focuses on visual content rather than fostering detailed discussions or sharing written content. While users can engage in comments and direct messages, the emphasis is more on visual storytelling rather than prolonged discourse.
Remember to post the two-hundred-word response on the discussion board and include the URLs of the examined sites, even if you choose not to discuss them in detail.
Two additional social networking or blog sites that function as discourse communities are Reddit and Tumblr.
Reddit functions as a discourse community by providing a platform for people with similar interests to engage in discussions, share information, and form communities around specific topics. Each topic on Reddit has its own subreddit, which serves as a separate community with its own set of rules and norms. For example, the subreddit r/Science functions as a discourse community for those interested in discussing scientific topics. Some genres within this community include peer-reviewed research articles, breaking news in the field of science, and AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions with experts. These genres and lexis help the community achieve its shared goal of promoting scientific knowledge and facilitating discussions among peers.
Tumblr is also a discourse community where users can create blogs centered around specific interests and connect with others who share those interests. Users can reblog and comment on posts, creating a sense of community and sparking conversations. Different genres that can be found on Tumblr include fan fiction, poetry blogs, art blogs, and personal diaries. These genres and lexis help the community achieve its shared goals by providing a space for self-expression, creativity, and connection with like-minded individuals.
While both Reddit and Tumblr can be seen as discourse communities, it is important to note that not every aspect of these sites may contribute to the formation of a discourse community. For example, on Tumblr, some users may solely use the platform to share personal photos without engaging in conversations or forming communities. In such cases, the platform may not function as a discourse community because it does not foster active participation or a shared goal among its users. Nonetheless, the majority of users on Reddit and Tumblr engage in discourse and contribute to the formation of communities.