ENGL 105, Academic Writing (Ron Sweeney)

The following information has been taken from Ron's English 105: Assignments Guide. For more information, refer to this guide in your online course. 

Research Project 

"In this essay we will be approaching topics through a cultural studies / discourse community analysis approach to construct an essay that analyzes and then makes an argument about some aspect of popular culture or a community in which you are a member."

Possible Questions:

• Analyze a community you are a part of and consider a problem facing that community. This problem may be internal or external. You will want to look at the background of the community, consider what it provides for its members, and what its main benefit is. You may want to look at sociological concepts such as that of the “third place.” This community can be one that gathers in-person, or it could be an online community.
• Consideration of a popular cultural topic or a particular trend. You will need to analyze a discourse community attached to the topic or trend, the community reactions to the topic, or the problems of the trend. Consider the cultural significance of anything from a video game, to a tv show, or a social media space.
• What issues is your local community (or university) deal with right now? What challenges do you deal with as a member of that community? Are there people overlooked or ignored in that community? Research the history of these problems and consider what solutions and responses are possible.

Find examples of a specific discourse community and analyze their modes of communication. This will typically involve analysis of a community’s posts you find on social media (Instagram, Reddit, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube).

Additional Guidelines:

Secondary sources are required and should be cited using MLA or APA formatting. MLA-style.

You will need to use a minimum of four sources. At least two of these must be peer-reviewed journal articles. A convincing argument may require further academic or popular research.