Academic Discourse: An Overview

Academic Discourse: An Overview Academic Discourse In order to understand the concept of academic discourse one, must know what the meaning academic discourse is. Discourse is a common word. The word of discourse can be interchanged with discussion or conversation in everyday speech or writing (Washington State Libraries). Discourse is a formal discussion of a subject with using speech or writing using the communication of words. Discourse is a written or spoken method of a subject which is handled or discussed at length (Washington State Libraries). The discourse between individuals needs to have some of the same characteristics. For example they need to speak the same language (Elbow). However more goes into the discourse between these individuals than just the same language. The discourse has shared assumptions and the same cultural values, even shared slang. Groups of people that share these qualities are called discourse communities (Washington State Libraries). Doctors, scientists, law officials and mechanics make up their own different discourse community. Usually to be accepted in the discourse community one will have to be able to communicate in the certain professions lingo (Elbow, 137). Discourse communities have certain lingo, norms and common understanding when communicating with in the community. This especially goes for writing. If two articles are compared, one from the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation and an article from the International Journal of Police Science and Management, the differences can be easily depicted. The discourse of a journal also means how it is set up. In the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation the articles are set up in a certain way. In the top left hand corner of the article is where the type of article is shown. In the case of the Article â€Å"Scaling from field to region for wind erosion prediction using Wind Erosion Prediction System and geographical information systems† the type of article is called â€Å"Applied Research†. Right under that is the Title of the article in bold black print that is a larger font than the rest of the article. Under the title is the list of the authors, which is usually double, spaced from the title of the article. Another two spaces is the â€Å"abstract†. The â€Å"abstract† is a short summary paragraph of the article; after the â€Å"abstract† are the â€Å"key terms† of the article. Double spaced from the â€Å"key terms† is the â€Å"introduction†. The introduction’s fir st sentence of the article is bolded in black. The rest of the article is then broke up into â€Å"materials and method†, â€Å"results and discussions† and â€Å"summary and conclusions†. In the â€Å"methods and materials† part of the article is just the tests and materials used in the experiments. There are usually graphs and tables in the â€Å"methods and materials† too. Each of the graphs and maps are labeled, figure 1 or figure 2, it matters the orders in which they appear. Each one also has a short description of what the figure represents. The â€Å"result and discussion† part of the article just explains the results from the experiments done and discusses how the results came about. The â€Å"results and discussions† also has figures that show the results of the experiments and test. The â€Å"summary and conclusions† is the how and why bit of the paper. In this part of the article they explain why some of the results came out the way they did and then it makes conclusions from all the information of the â€Å"results† part of the article. The article always has figures that show and back up the conclusion presented. Once the â€Å"summary and conclusions† is finished the article has â€Å"acknowledgements†. The â€Å"acknowledgements† give praise to the companies and people who funded the research presented in the article. After the â€Å"acknowledgements† is the â€Å"references† in which the authors give other authors and people recognition for the ideas and information they used for the article. In the Journal of Police Science and management set their article up a little different than that of the natural resources journal. In the top left corner of the first page the article gives the journals name and the volume of it. They center the â€Å"title† which is bolded in black and the font is larger too. Right under the â€Å"title† is the author’s names addresses and email addresses. Also there is the date in which the article was received, edited and accepted in the journal. Under this information are the â€Å"key words† of the article. After the â€Å"key words† is information on each of the authors. This information includes the author’s education, career, position and achievements. They have this information for each author. After all the information about the authors is the â€Å"abstract† which is a one paragraph quick summary of the article. In this journal the â€Å"abstract is italicized. After the â€Å"abstract is the â€Å"introduction† to the article. The rest of the paper is broken up into subtopics that is bolded in black and is in larger font so it is easy to follow. The article does have information that is presented in graphs and tables and each one is labeled in figures. Under the labels is the description of what each graph is presenting. At the end of the article is the â€Å"conclusion† in which the authors make conclusions from the information they presented in the article. The â€Å"references† is after the â€Å"conclusion†. The â€Å"references† part of the article is where the authors give recognition to the people in whom they took ideas and information from. The information given about the two different journal articles shows that each of these discourse communities have different ways in which they convey information to their community. Each of these discourses even cite their references different. Not everyone can read an article out of the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation and understand all that is said. This is because the journal in the natural resource uses vocabulary and lingo that is not commonly used or seen. Some one that would understand these articles of the natural resources will either be in this field or have some knowledge of this discourse. Even if one knows definition to certain words in the article, the words could have a different meaning in which they are commonly defined by. The article in the Journal of Police science and Management is much easier to read and follow. The article flows well, kind of like a story or explanation. This article does not split up into parts that have tests and materials. These arti cles in this journal usually use common vocabulary that anyone can read and won’t have to have much knowledge of the profession. This journal uses APA style to cite sources while the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation uses the style of CBE. In conclusion discourse in the two professions use different lingo and jargon in their discussions of a subject. This is the same for any two different discourse communities. Discourse is a style of writing and conversation of a formal subject (Washington State Libraries). References: Washington State University Libraries. (2006). What is Discourse? Retrieved March 8, 2008, from http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/electric/trainingmods/gened300/Academic_Disciplines/discourse.htm Feng G. Sharratt B. (2007). Scaling from field to region for wind erosion prediction using the Wind Erosion Prediction System and geographical information systems. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 62, 321-328. Elbow P. (1991). Reflection on Academic Discourse: How It Relates to Freshman and Colleagues. ProQuest Education Journals, 53, 135-155. Holgersson S. Gottschalk P. Dean G. (2007). Knowledge management in law enforcement: knowledge views for patrolling police officers. International Journal of Police Science Management, 10, 1, 76-88.

Women and Art

All art is political. Every slap of paint on canvass, every sculpture, every graffiti, drawing, and so on is a product of another individual's particular sentiment, ideology and persuasion. Every work serves as an arbitrary reflection or extension of the artist or individual who created it. All art is able to evoke and communicate the aforementioned ideology and persuasion of its artist, whether or not the artist in question explicitly intended to do so. As far as the politics of art and conveying meanings and messages are concerned, however, women, it would appear, are often on the receiving end of conceptual constructions or deconstructions, and general influences necessarily afforded by society, culture, and art. And no art form is capable of eliciting the most influence and affecting generally accepted social constructs and norms, than that of advertising. Of course, while most hardly regard advertising as an art form, but instead a field or medium which peddles products and ideologies through art, which is one aspect of it; the manner by which advertising makes use of art is perhaps, to a certain convoluted degree, one of the most crude but simultaneously honest as well. Honest because its audience, or the general public on the receiving end of such art are aware of its intentions, aware of its function to peddle or sell whatever product, philosophy or worldview they are tasked to peddle at the moment. Unfortunately, this awareness doesn't always translate to lack of vulnerability and unaffectedness on people's part. As previously mentioned, women are often on the receiving end of influences and constructs, as far as characteristics, roles, and unavoidably, stereotypes of the supposed weaker sex are concerned. In recent years, the prescribed image of what a woman is: how she should look, should feel, should think, should necessarily conduct, behave, engage, and apply herself within the family, other social institutions, and society at large is greatly dictated and shaped by commercial advertisements present in television, the radio, magazines, the internet, newspapers, and virtually the whole of mass media. While the stereotypical view that women are generally emotional and fragile has ceased to become breaking news, similar concepts and standards of what a woman is persists through commercial advertisements. Advertisements which define women based on her physical parts, as opposed to her ideas, convictions, what she has the capacity for, and what she can actually do, how she works, and a myriad other things which comprise her as a human being. In commercial ads for clothes, perfumes, accessories, and so on, for instance, the aesthetic is given the highest regard, and women are reduced to the crudeness of waist lines, bust sizes, and weight, among other things. While one could argue that the opposite sex are also on the receiving end of such attacks on identity and gender, and that the same premise applies to men; the prescribed standards and social constructs on women are far more predominant and palpable as evident in every magazine cover, billboard, and television commercial which runs in public view on a daily basis. It also appears especially and particularly evident in the images which follow, images which appear in public view across the globe under the heading of advertising. It doesn't take a radical feminist perspective to realize and be conscious of the reality that something is infinitely wrong and contrived with the way women are being defined and depicted in advertising. Advertising not only coaxes peple into buying prodcuts they supposedly need, it also influences and conditions views regarding normalcy and what should and should not be deemed acceptable, in terms of how people should look, think, and behave in society. Women in turn, are encouraged, if not obliged to be beautiful, to assume the â€Å"responsibility† of being aesthetically pleasing by losing weight, having smooth skin, full lips, big breasts, however fake or artificial, in order to fit into the mold of what advertising deems â€Å"beautiful,† which every â€Å"normal† woman is expected to assume and become. Both the stereotypical domestic housewife and working career woman are affected and subjected to society's concept of the ideal woman. Despite the manner by which some form of art, mainly photography in advertising, affords a view of women which serves to demean and disparage them, there exists other art forms which depart, if not, largely contradict the contrived ideology and perspective that was previously discussed concerning women. Such opposite, and perhaps, positive constructs and view on women are evident in the philosophy and art of Barbara Kruger. The American artist famous for her conceptual art which weaves and incorporates words and images together in seeming subversive and opinionated collages affords individuals who view her art, a refreshing perspective on relevant social constructs which affect every individual. Kruger's art interestingly comes across as the negation of commercial advertising. What she evokes and communicates through her art is the presence of social constructs which exists and abounds inescapably in the society we live in and belong to. Kruger presents these constructs and creates satirical or mock interpretations of the realities which every individual is immersed in. Kruger's perspective on what constitutes a woman is made evident in her collages and illustrations which depict women, for instance, incapacitated by pins stuck across their body, concluded by an ironic message written in bold text in the middle of the illustration which pronounces, â€Å"We have received orders not to move† (Untitled 1982). And another of a woman's face split vertically in two parts, one perfectly distinct and ideal, and the other muted in negative art, aptly entitled, â€Å"Your Body Is A Battleground. † Kruger's photographs and illustrations present social constructs in a tone and platform which effectively conveys her aim to deconstruct them. The manner by which Barbara Kruger's art differs from that which is presented in advertising exists in the reality that Kruger, as an artist, and as a woman is communicating and expressing an extension of herself, her ideals and perspective on women and how they are portrayed are translated into the aforementioned art forms, whereas commercial advertisements are products of a market which intends to peddle an â€Å"ideal† version of women, one which exists as a facade, and in less organic and realistic forms. Ultimately, as Barbara Kruger has already aptly put it, every woman's body is a battleground, women should not only be aware of the roles, standards and definitions being set regarding who or what a woman should be, but also take necessary steps in challenging and breaking free from these constructs. If not for every woman's sake, then for individuality, and the preservation of it.

The Issues Facing Our Society Today - 1378 Words

What is the role of the individual in helping to solve some of the problems we face in our society today? What are some of the problems we face in our society today? In today’s society we are currently facing ten major issues according to toptenz.net and should these problems be considered as individual or social responsibilities? â€Å"Now that we are well into the new Millennium society has begun to recognize serious concerns with issues that kids have to deal with today. Some issues have always been there but are now coming to the eyes of the public to find solutions. Other issues are new trends as society begins to adapt to a faster pace of life (Standberry).† Here are some of the issues facing our youth today: single parent households, drug/alcohol abuse, growing up to fast, and violence in schools, materialism, obesity, education disparity, shifting economy, and loss of national pride. So how do we fix just one of these problems, do we come together for a common purpose or do we stand alone and try to make a difference. This is a hard question to answer, and I believe that it takes society and individuals to fix what is crumbling in our society. However, someone has to be willing to start. It is scary to think of what our world will be like in fifteen years, especially if you are a parent who worries if they are providing their children with the moral standards, social growth, and economical opportunities that they could face in our society today. While it is hard toShow MoreRelatedIssues Facing America737 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Issues facing America America is among the super powers in the world but this does not prevent it from having problems. Just like other Nations America struggles with some issues. The list of the problems is endless however there are some issues that are of importance as compared to others. 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Violent Video Games Should Be Banned - 1089 Words

1. Topic and Stance: The topic that I’m researching and debating about is the concern of whether violent video games should be banned or not, and the stance that I’m taking is that they should be banned. 2. Background Information: There have been many concerns about violent video games and whether or not it’s the source of people’s violent behavior and the recent mass shootings. There have been many instances within the past decade where there have been mass shootings, such as the Aurora movie theater massacre and the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, and many more. Apparently, many of those murderers would play violent video games regularly. This caused a great deal of concern in the public and led people to believe that violent video games were the culprit in influencing their criminal behavior. Many now believe that playing violent video games can teach people how to commit heinous crimes and because of that, they should be banned. 3. Reasons (Support): Violent video games should be banned because children could imitate what they see. It’s very possible for children to copy what they do in the video game. A famous study was done by Albert Bandura, where children would watch a video of others beating up a doll and they would reciprocate their actions when they were presented with one (and weren’t given any orders). What would happen if a child were to play a game with a character wielding a lethal weapon? Studies have also shown where children have increased aggressionShow MoreRelatedViolent Video Games Should Be Banned Essay1432 Words   |  6 Pagesof violent video game become more and more advanced. The effects of media violence on video games has been increasing in people’s daily life. It is still be an issue and have a lot of debate on whether or not violent video games should be banned. 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