Item 1 of the Portfolio: Report on the Communication in My Field of Study (due in week 2)
For this assignment you will complete a form, providing information about 4 things:
- The program (discipline) you are studying (examples: Intelligence Studies or Criminal Justice).
- Some ways you learned about folks in your discipline (looking at journals, websites, organizations, books, blogs, podcasts, etc.).
- Tips for communicating with folks in your discipline gathered from Artificial Intelligence (AI).
- YOUR tips for communicating with folks in your discipline (merging AI observations with your own).
Read the information below for a broad understanding of the purpose of this assignment. Refer to the attached template for more specific details on what to do.
What is a discourse community?
You learned earlier that writing does not exist in a vacuum, that it is a conversation between writer and reader. One scholar, Erik Borg, says that “We do not generally use language to communicate with the world at large, but with individuals or groups of individuals…these groups are gathered into communities.”
Each of us belongs to a number of these groups (called discourse communities). If you stop at a coffee shop routinely, you are a member of that community. Members know what the “rules” are for communicating with each other, what kind of greeting is used, what the standard length of comments is, what kind of comments are acceptable, and what kind are not. Other discourse communities might be related to activities with children, fitness, or church. You can probably think of examples of a conversation topic or a greeting that would be acceptable at the gym but not at church. In this assignment, you are going to look at the communication that occurs in one of your discourse communities, the one formed by an interest in your field of study (major, program, or discipline).
How do I learn about the discourse community in my field?
What will you be looking for? You will be looking at the kinds of reading and writing members of the community do; the expectations and rules (conventions) for the communication; the way they communicate with each other online; and other tips that help you understand this group.
Here’s an easy way to gather this information.
- Click the link in the classroom to the APUS Library.
- Click the link Subject A-Z.
- Click the alphabet letter that starts the name of your degree program (N for Nursing, F for Fire Science, A for Accounting, etc.).
- Click the name of your degree program (Nursing, Fire Science, Accounting, etc.).
- Look through the many choices listed there, including databases, multi-media, podcasts, websites, career, associations, government agencies, and social media. Click numerous links in these choices and see what you can learn about how these professionals communicate with each other and those outside the field. Look at how these professionals write by reading items in the sites as well as tips offered for persons new to the field.
Once I’ve learned about my field’s discourse community, what do I do with that information?
After you have looked at your program in the library’s page, do the following steps.
- Go to a generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) site, such as ChatGPT or Google Bard, and type a question like this into the site’s chat box:
What style of writing do professionals in the field of ___(type in your program)___ use?
Example questions to ask AI:
What style of writing do professionals in the field of nursing use?
What style of writing do professionals in the field of sports fitness use?
Copy and paste the answer from AI into a Word document. Be sure to write in the name of the AI tool you used to get these results. You will be pasting this information in the template to be turned in.
(NOTE: This site is a comprehensive catalog of AI tools: Futurepedia, The Largest AI Tools Directory. It is updated daily. Do a search for General Writing to get started.)
- Open the template for the assignment and save it as a Word file with the title “(Your last name) Report on Communication.”
- Answer the questions on the template with the information you have gathered and the analysis you have done.
- Save your file and submit it before Sunday midnight of week 2.
**Field of study is economics**
**Example and template attached**
STOP
Information in this sample is to help you, not to do your work for you. Copying and pasting info from this sample into your assignment violates the university’s academic integrity standards and could constitute plagiarism.
Beginning of the Report on the Communication in My Field of Study
Name:
1. This is the program I am studying:
Geology
2. Here are some ways I learned about professionals in my field:
I looked at numerous websites about earth science and history. One was particularly helpful as it had lists of publishers for earth sciences, as well as a citation tool. Some publishers had info about what a submission should look like. Many podcasts shared intriguing info about earth science. The associations I checked out were most helpful, as many talked about careers in this field. One had a mentoring program and another had tools to help geologists talk to students. Government agency websites were very informative about careers in earth sciences.
3. I used this Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool:
ChatGPT
4. Here is what this AI tool said when what writing style do professionals in my field use:
Professional geologists typically use a clear, concise, and scientific writing style that conveys complex geological information accurately and effectively. Here are some key characteristics of the writing style commonly used by professional geologists:
1. Technical Terminology: Geologists use specialized terminology and jargon that is specific to the field. This terminology helps to accurately describe geological processes, formations, and phenomena. However, they also ensure that their writing is understandable to other geologists and potentially to a broader scientific audience.
2. Objectivity and Precision: Geologists aim to present their findings and observations in an objective and precise manner. They avoid personal opinions and emotions and focus on presenting data, evidence, and interpretations in a logical and factual manner.
3. Clarity and Coherence: Clear communication is essential in geological writing. Geologists use well-structured sentences and paragraphs to present their ideas and arguments logically. They use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to organize information and make it easy for readers to follow.
4. Scientific Method and Evidence: Geologists emphasize the scientific method in their writing, which involves making observations, formulating hypotheses, conducting experiments or fieldwork, and presenting evidence to support their conclusions. They detail the methods they used to collect data, the equipment used, and any analytical techniques employed.
5. Citations and References: Like in any scientific discipline, geologists rely on existing research and literature to inform their work. They provide proper citations and references to give credit to previous researchers and to provide readers with the opportunity to explore the sources further.
6. Data and Illustrations: Geologists often use charts, graphs, maps, diagrams, and photographs to visually represent data and geological features. These visual aids help readers better understand complex geological concepts and findings.
7. Avoiding Ambiguity: Geologists strive to eliminate ambiguity in their writing. They define terms clearly and provide context to ensure that readers can accurately interpret their work.
8. Conciseness: While geology involves intricate details and processes, professional geologists aim to convey information concisely. They avoid unnecessary repetition and tangential discussions, focusing on the main points and findings.
9. Passive Voice: Passive voice is commonly used in scientific writing, including geology, to emphasize the process or action rather than the individual performing the action. This lends a more objective tone to the writing.
10. Peer Review and Publication: Geologists often publish their work in peer-reviewed scientific journals. This ensures that their writing undergoes rigorous evaluation by other experts in the field before being accepted for publication.
Overall, the writing style of professional geologists is characterized by its emphasis on accuracy, objectivity, clarity, and adherence to scientific principles. The goal is to effectively communicate complex geological concepts and findings to both fellow geologists and the broader scientific community.
5. Here are MY tips for communicating with professionals in my field (a combination of my observations and the information I got from the AI tool):
From looking at the items mentioned above, I determined that communicating in the geology field involves having a solid knowledge base and using correct technical terms when talking to other science professionals. It’s important to be clear and precise, explaining how conclusions are reached. It also seems important to be careful about talking “above” people not in this field and to take time to explain things that might be new to them. Slang and profanity aren’t appropriate for communication in this field. Knowing how to write in a more formal, accurate way is important to maintain a professional image. It’s helpful to read materials put out by a publisher or organization to understand just how formal or casual the language should be.
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Beginning of the Report on the Communication in My Field of Study
Name:
1. This is the program I am studying:
2. Here are some ways I learned about professionals in my field:
3. I used this Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool:
4. Here is what this AI tool said when I asked “What writing style do professionals in my field use?”:
5. Here are MY tips for communicating with professionals in my field (a combination of my observations and the information I got from the AI tool):