1

Discourse Community: University Honors Program

Discourse Community: University Honors Program

Alejandro Rincon
Stephanie Hernandez
The University of Texas at El Paso
RWS 1301
September 14, 2016

2
Discourse Community: University Honors Program

Introduction
As Helen Keller once said alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
Discourse communities are groups of people that share common goals or purposes that use
communications in order to achieve them. As humans, we tend to be part of different discourse
communities, usually having to do with personal interests and goals. These communities usually
make humans feel as if they are part of something important, as well as giving us a sense of
belonging, higher intelligence, and helping us to learn. So with that in mind, what exactly defines
a discourse community?
According to John Swales (1990), there are six main characteristics that help define a
discourse community: sharing common goals, communication with each other, and involvement
with the community. The characteristics of a discourse community help us not only to be part of
a group, but also to challenge our self, and learn from the experience of other people. These
characteristics are what differentiate a normal community from a discourse community. As a
group, we have investigated the University Honors Program and compiled research in order to
ensure that all characteristics previously mentioned are met. The reason we chose the University
Honors Program as a possible example of a discourse community is that we think it meets the
criteria that Swales described in the article. These six criteria or characteristics can be applied to
this program, and we believe that all of these characteristics are, in the end, met with the given
example.

3
Discourse Community: University Honors Program

Literature Review
In The Concept of Discourse Community, written by John Swales, he defines
exactly what a discourse community is. According to Swales, a discourse community has a
broadly agreed set of common public goals. It also has mechanisms of intercommunication
among its members. They use its participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information
and feedback. It utilizes and hence possesses one or more genres in the communicative
furtherance of its aims. In addition to owning genres, it has acquired some specific lexis.
Furthermore, it has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content
an expertise. Lastly, it develops a sense of silential relations (Swales, J (1990)).
The characteristics that Swales gives pretty much explains that a discourse
community has to have people involved who have a specific common goal. All members
must have a common goal in mind, no matter how broad the goal in common might be.
Additionally, Swales explains that these discourse groups are created by accident or on
purpose (Swales, J (1990)). Communications between its members is imperative in order for
the community to classify as discourse, as networking makes a goal more effective. Lastly,
these characteristics only help to make the common goals and values between members
easier and eventually more effective. Discourse communities tend to be a more advanced
way of connecting with people that have the same interests as you.

4
Discourse Community: University Honors Program

Discussion
The University Honors Program is consisted of a group of university students that want to
achieve a higher or more prestigious way of education. This program encourages students to take
perhaps more difficult courses, maintains a high GPA, and get involved with their community/
university environment. Participation in honors course work offers students a richer more
intense and more challenging academic experience as well as closer, more personalized contact
with faculty and peers Program, U. H. (n.d.). Right off the bat, this meets the first characteristic
that a discourse community should have a common set of goals. The ultimate goal of this group
of students, although it may seem broad, is to graduate from university with a more challenging
academic experience and to have a better connection with peers. This is also shown in, Students
in the honors program also have the opportunity to be part of a tightknit learning community,
providing support for one another emotionally, academically, and physically (Jacobs, B. C.
(2015). Next, the way that the mission statement is worded explains that a common goal is to
communicate with other peers. This deals with the characteristic that Swales talks about
involving discourse communities. They provide information and feedback to each other when
they are exchanging said information that perhaps one member did not know before. For
example, when students need extra help with homework assignments or help studying the
Honors Program help them by getting together creating a group study in order to achieve their
goal.

5
Discourse Community: University Honors Program

Next, the genre in which a University Honors Program deals to communicate with the
members is mainly by electronic communication, such as text messaging or emails, as well as
with group meetings. For example, once a week the Honors program will meet to discuss their
goals, plans, or just to give update on events happening. Owning said genres gives it lexis within
the community and the threshold level of members makes it ultimately, as Swales defines it, a
discourse community. In order to be part of the Honor Program all members must have a GPA of
at least 3.3 or higher and be enrolled in certain courses that makes them a part of the community
or group. Another Characteristic that shows that Honors program is part of a Discourse
community is that students need to be involved with the activities, meetings, and community. In
the end, the characteristics previously mentioned by Swales are met and thus proves that the
University Honors Program is a discourse community after all.
Conclusion
In the end, with the research done, it is shown that any University Honors Program is within
the realms of the definition of a discourse community giving by the article written by John
Swales. It is shown here that all of these members share the common goal of graduating with a
high GPA while being involved with the community and that they all require a certain
characteristic to be considered as part of the program. The way that these members communicate
emphasizes the importance of said communication in order for their goal to be met.
With the research done, we believe that it is confirmed that an Honors Program in the
university setting is and can be considered a community of discourse. The goals of these people
can ultimately all be the same. Once having analyzed all of these characteristics, discourse

6
Discourse Community: University Honors Program

communities can be found in many places. The University Honors Program will be helpful for
anyone who wants to achieve a higher level of education and networking. In conclusion, this
discourse community will help students become better learners and more engaged with the
community.

7
Discourse Community: University Honors Program

References

Program, U. H. (n.d.). About & Process. Retrieved September 14, 2016, from

http://academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=73738
Jacobs, B. C. (2015). Expanding an honors program in the midst of institution
consolidation. Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council, 16(2), 155-159.
Retrieved from http://0-search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1081197&site=eds-live&scope=site
Swales, J. (1990). The concept of discourse community. In E. Wardle & D. Downs (Eds.),
Writing about writing: A college reader (p. 212-227). Boston, MA: Bedford/ St. Martins.