Academic Discourse Analysis: Uncovering Disciplinary Writing Styles

Abstract

ENGL 300 Advanced Writing Disciplinary Discourse Analysis Assignment (10%) This exercise is intended to familiarize you with academic discourse broadly, and to prepare you to replicate the style and content of your particular disciplinary discourse. The assignment requires the examination of articles in one issue of a disciplinary journal. For this exercise, you must examine the EBSCO and JSTOR databases to locate journals in your selected field of study. You will select one peer-reviewed journal in your discipline and thoroughly peruse 2 articles published in one issue of the journal. This involves first selecting the journal [e.g. College English], choosing a volume published within the last 7 years [e.g.v.84], and finally selecting one issue in that volume [no.1]. Example: College English, v. 84, no. 1 (2010). Each issue will include roughly 5-8 articles on various topics, from which you will select and review two of these articles. It is imperative that you read each of the two articles in the issue entirely, and examine the style of the articles, paying close attention and taking note of the following: What kinds of para-textual information, if any surrounds the essay? Are epigraphs, acknowledgements, footnotes, or endnotes used? What are the functions of these? The way writers begin their essays, how they introduce their topics, ideas, and arguments The way the writers conclude their arguments – what kind of information is included in the conclusion? (For example, are implications of the argument considered? Are avenues for future research suggested? Are key terms redefined? Is the argument/discussion of the paper placed into a larger, different or practical context? Are there statements about the limitations of the work—what could not be answered or addressed, for instance? Are predictions, recommendations or solutions offered?) The sentence style, including length, frequency of clauses, frequency of citation, formality of...