blog 25

I have started to draft my essay, I posted my data a couple days ago though my data is still a work in progress i wish to get at least one more interview. this is the outline/draft for my ethnogrpahical study on the sub community royal snapping artists.   

         the age old saying a picture is worth a thousand words remains a motto with a thousand meanings. Pictures can communicate in many different ways, they are also a way to communicate without using words. in this new age where people want instant gratification and everyone is a visual learner its important to be able to express and communicate through images.

In his book Genre Analysis, English in academic and research setting, John Swales discuses many topics in literature and communication. One aspect he touches on is the discourse community. This kind of group can be may things, but one thing it is not is simple. There is a vast array of aspects that qualify a certain group as a discourse community, these are means of communication as well as its own terminology.

swales quotes plus brannick

methods To conduct research, apart from being a member of the group (and therefore being privy to knowledge someone outside the group may not have) I interviewed two members of the group(hopefully will get that second one in)

how to get into the group? should I include this

instagram is a worldwide community with numbers reaching the millions.

the Royal Snapping, according to Richter, “is a community which supports and promotes its members”.

goals- My Own personal goals when joining RSA was to promote my own photos, but I also enjoy seeing the beauty of other places. We have a variety of members from around the world to represent their own area, I along with a couple other people represent New Jersey. When Dan originally joined this community he says it was to become a better photographer, then once he had accomplished an experienced level of picture taking he now promotes himself more.

mechanisms for communication- liking following and comments

communication feedback

genres Sean Branick describes genres as text that helps facilitate communication between people (Wardle 559). these also include ways of communicating which further the aims of the community.

lexis- terminology according to swales: hashtag instameet handle  define plus give examples

conclude findings

conclusion

answered questions

How would you define this community?
RSA is an acronym for "rural snapping artists" it is a community which promotes and supports members who all enjoy taking pictures of rural america, and sharing those pictures with other people who love nature.
How do you feel about being in the community?
I have loved being apart of instagram since the first time a follower told me I inspire them. he lives in the city and usually posts pictures of archetecture and buildings though had never sat to watch the sun rise, but now he posts pictures of the beautiful skies all the time. another person i know lives int he dessert he was amazed at the lkush forrests and wildlife that we have.
How does being a member of this community affect your personal life?
if it wasnt for instagram I wouldnt have a social life. my boyfriend and I spend most of our time taking pictures and posting them, doing challenges.
what are some difficulties/struggles you face within the community?
theres spam
How do you and other members of the community solve the problems you face?
we often rally against the makers of instagram to do more about the spam but really it doesnt bother me. spam is a fake computer liking people pictures and commenting things like go to this website and pay money for followers, so advertistments on your pictures.
How do you communicate with the members of your community?
through following, liking, commeting, i also communicate with the captoin i write for my picture. most people write different captions some quote some tell elaborate stories. i like to write nothing, or make up my own unique hashtag, i feel the picture says 1000 words
 What are the pros and cons of being a member of this community?
well like i said before theres a lot of spam. but as always theres also a lot of hate and people trying to start drama with strangers. but i love instagram, i met a girl form philly who sends me letters all the time and emails just to say hi. i met her through instagram. she cant walk because she has something wrong with both her feet and she enjoys my beautiflu pictures of nature. she says shes my number one fan and thinks im a great person because i appreactie the beauty around me. i was so happy to know there are so many people out there appreciating and sharing beauty on instagram.
In what ways do members of the community judge each other?
we dont, we are a family we only siupport one another. no one starts ddrama in the group RSA
How has the community/communication within the community changed over the years?
instagram is only about two or three years old. RSA is less than a year so communication hasnt changed yet. but we are starting to get together and have meetings face to facce so that we may communciate better
Which of the ways your community uses to communicate works best?
i really think the best way to communciate is to like a photo or follow someone because then your not speaking to them directly but instead telling them though indirectly that you enojy their gallery that you want to see more. you like what they like essentially usually the person will return the like and follow
What do you see in the future for the community?
the community of rsa will grow without ever stopping, the people will continue to grow and support one another sharing seecrets and comepeting in challenges
Terminology used in your field what role do you play in the community?
hashtag- a way to categorize photos for instance #nature#insta_sunsets#RSA_rural is a group of tags for a photo.
instameet- an instagram group meeting in public
theres so much
What rules and regulations are enforced in the community?
there is no nudity or violence, no cussing, we are all adults mostly

How does your community differ from similar social networking apps?
I believe all social networking sties allow you to grow and communicate with individuals but none better explify the discourse community than the RSA of instagram. we are rtuely a family that thrive on knowledge and empowerment through our photos. we support one another as well as learn something and communicate our knowledge,

interview 1

Data

Common goals- to become a better photographer
Learn new tricks of the trade
Promote own pictures

Mechanisms for communication
Likes comments follows are all ways to communicate with other members of the groups.

These mechanisms also provide feedback as well as ways to continuously communicate and assist the goals of its members

Genres comments profiles features

Lexis terminology hash tag instameet handle

blog 20: in class

Paper will be an ethnography focusing on Instagram. Chose to focus on a subcommunity of Instagram called the RSA. (royal snapping artists)

The RSA is a group on Instagram which posts and discusses photos of a country setting. Rural background.

The question will be this subgroup of Instagram (or any subgroup) can be considered a discourse community. Calls it a literary community, does it meet the standards of the DCs we considered in class. Does it have the goals and features.

Ethonography, subcommunity of instagram

s- a smaller group within a larger

Her subgroup – RSA Royal Snapping . Rural, country setting

Question of if it’s a discourse community, goals, features, . a literary community

 

Swales’ 7 points of a discourse community. May focus on particular features.

we discussed the layout her paper will take:

introduction to discourse communities

the discussion of swales(lit )

Introduce larger group

Subcommunity

state research Question

My methods

The goals, terminology

present data: interviews from various members including myself about how instagram is a community

discuss findings: swales defines a dc very distinctly and the rsa does match all of them. she will list the 7 features and use her interview answers as support

 

conclusion: instagram is a dc and why

 

interview protocol

1.Lead This interview is to establish the social networking app Instagram as a Discourse Community. A discourse community is termed by John Swales and is defined as a group of people who share similar beliefs and ways of communicating among other indicators. I’m here with “name” to discuss his/her personal relationship with Instagram.

2. When did you join instagram?

What other social networking sites do you belong to?

What sort of photos do you “like” most often?

what sort of people do you follow /what kinds of things do they post?

What is your relationship to the other people on Instagram?

3. In what ways do you give or receive feedback on Instagram?

4. How do you feel about Instgram as a community?

Do you connect with any individuals within the community that you wouldn’t connect with otherwise?

5. Closing: Is there anything else you would like to add about Instagram?