Discourse and Culture

Writing Essays in a New Culture

• Understand the purpose of essay writing in the culture
• Understand the values attached to different communication styles
• Understand your responsibility as a writer
• Understand the shared cultural expectations around structure and language choice
• Understand the specific assignment guidelines

Why do students write essays?

• To express common beliefs of the society
• To persuade others to agree with their individual perspective on issues

What's most important in communication?

• The information that is expressed
• The relationship between the people communicating

Writer Responsibility

• Consider your audience and what they need to know
• Consider the question that your readers might ask and answer those questions directly!

Questions the Reader Asks:

• What? What evidence shows your thesis is true?
• How? How does your thesis stand up to a counter argument?
• Why? Why does this matter?

Look at Your Essay

• Does your essay answer these questions?
• Do your transition statements state directly which question you are answering in that paragraph?

According to the "anti-rhetorical" theory of Utilitarian discourse, how is academic writing a deception?

Elaborate Writing v. Plain and Logical Writing

In the 16th and 17th Centuries, the scientific community changed the basis upon which something could be proven. Which of these ways of proving something was rejected?

• Basing proof on one's own observations
• Quoting someone with authority and expertise
• Basing Proof on Experiments

Agree or Disagree

Agree or Disagree

Individualism

• The reading indicates that discourse systems similar to the Confucian discourse system prefer common phrases, formulaic language, and shared rhetorical devices in writing. The goal is to express common values, rather than the individual author.
• The purpose of writing in Utilitarian discourse systems is to express a unique self
• According to the reading, in Confucian discourse systems, the "true self" is a person's place in society.
• Utilitarian discourse systems prefer originality

How does this relate to plagiarism?

Untitled Slide

• Principle: creates the idea
• Author:
• Animator: