Discourses: reading, writing…and more?
As a first year freshemen college student I was required to take a English Composition class. Although this class was challenging I am happy to say that the material taught me more than what I expected and has helped me in other classes.
The first two topics that we were introduced were Cuddy’s idea of “Faking it until you make it” and Gee’s concepts of a “Discourse”. As the semester progressed we learned that Discourses are
“a sort of ‘identity kit’ which comes complete with the appropriate costume and instructions on how to act, talk and often write, so as to take on a particular role others will recognize”
and how it relates to science through the IMRaD structure (used by scientists to communicate and understand research).
We go to a very science based school so there was no doubt that they are going to make the curriculum relate what we learn to science. With this in mind, the understanding of a Discourse has helped me put this idea into practice.
I am originally from Italy and moved to the USA about 6 years ago so I am actually still knew to the Discourse of English! So, how can a concept learned in class help me with the class itself? Well, unexpectedly it did.
At first the articles about Faking it and Discourse were straight forward but as the semester progressed and the concepts expanded the reading became challenging. We started analyzing a research and writing a paper on the Discourse of science and it was then that I realized what a Discourse really is.
If i continue with my studies for Pre-Medical Biology I will have to analyze and understand the ideas and researches other scientists make so it is crucial for me to know that science is actually a Discourse, which is a reason as to why I need to write a paper on it.
In conclusion, his class has taught me more than just reading and writing but analyzing, understanding and relating all the concept to other classes and my major as a whole. Acting like a pre-med student, and talking about science will never make one part of the Discourse if they don’t even know what a Discourse even is.
