Community Selection
What is one criterion for selecting a community to analyze?
The community should have accessible written examples that can be studied and analyzed.
What is the guiding question for this project?
How do members of a community write within and about their community, and which writing concepts are evident as communication is practiced within that community?
How many pages should the analytical essay be?
The analytical essay should be 5 to 7 pages long.
What types of writing examples might you collect from a community?
Examples might include emails, newsletters, social media posts, websites, or formal documents like reports or meeting minutes.
What is the first step in this project?
The first step is to think about which communities you are already a part of or align with your interests and decide on a few you might analyze.
What is the purpose of the reflection piece?
The purpose of the reflection piece is to convey your thinking and the rhetorical choices made during your analysis.
Is it required to be a member of the community you choose to analyze?
No, it is not required to be a member of the community you choose to analyze.
Name one of the questions you should consider when analyzing the role of the community in the larger world.
What makes it a community, what drives its members to take part, and what does it do?
How many examples of writing from the community must be included in the essay?
Three examples of writing from the community.
How can you use writing examples to illustrate your analysis?
Writing examples can be used to demonstrate how the community communicates and to analyze the effectiveness of their communication in various rhetorical situations.
When should you start collecting examples of writing from the community?
You should start collecting examples as soon as you choose the community you’ll analyze.
How long should the reflection piece be?
The reflection piece should be 2 to 3 pages long.
Why might it be easier to write about a community if you are not already a member?
It might be easier because you won’t make assumptions and can approach the analysis more objectively.
What should you analyze about the writing that occurs in the community?
You should analyze the genres, audiences, purposes, and rhetorical/writing situations involved in the community's communication.
What is the purpose of the 2- to 3-page reflection piece?
The reflection piece is meant to convey your thinking and the rhetorical choices made in the analysis.
Give an example of a type of communication that might occur in a community.
An example could be a community newsletter or an online forum discussion.
What classroom activity can help you choose a community?
Brainstorming with peers and the instructor during classroom activities can help you choose a community.
What should the reflection piece convey about your analysis?
It should convey the reasoning behind your analysis and the rhetorical strategies you employed.
Give an example of a community that might be too broad for this project.
USF as a whole is an example of a community that is too broad for this project.
What are the rhetorical concepts from Project 1 that will be applied in this analysis?
Genres, audiences, purposes, contexts, and the overall rhetorical situation.
In addition to describing the community, what else should your essay analyze?
The essay should analyze the writing and communication that occurs within the community.
Why is it important to choose writing examples that are specific to the community?
Specific examples provide clear evidence of how the community communicates and allow for a more in-depth and accurate analysis.
What ongoing activities should you engage in throughout the project?
You should continuously observe the community, gather writing examples, and refine your analysis as you learn more.
Why is it important to reflect on your rhetorical choices in the analysis?
Reflecting on your rhetorical choices helps you understand your own writing process and the effectiveness of your analysis, which can improve your writing skills and critical thinking.