61 Tabetha Glomb – My Discourse Community: The Animals and Earth Club
Tabetha Glomb is a transfer student from Ivy Tech Community College and is completing her first year at Indiana University East. She is majoring in Environmental Sustainability. She is the Treasurer of the Animals and Earth Club and is a member of the Indiana University Climate Action Plan Implementation Committee (CAPIC). She was raised in Richmond, Indiana. In this report, she explains what a Discourse Community is according to John Swales’s definition. She wrote this report for the English w131 Writing and Inquiry course, with Instructor Sharon Lucero, in the fall of 2023. Professor Sharon A. Lucero notes, “She wrote an exceptional report.”
My Discourse Community: The Animals and Earth Club
According to John Swales (1990), “A discourse community is a group of people communicating with one another with common goals and interests”, the discourse community I have chosen to explore in this assignment is The Animals and Earth Club. This is a club that I am a part of at Indiana University East in Richmond, Indiana. My focus is to display how the members of the Animals and Earth Club communicate with each other to accomplish their goals. To begin with, John Swales speaks of six defining characteristics (pg.220) that I am applying to my discourse community.
I. Has a broadly agreed set of common public goals (shared and clear purpose).
Our goal of The Animals and Earth Club is to help improve the well-being of our environment and help the animals, both domestic and wild. The club has held events to pick up trash in our community, and informational events about animals and the best ways to help them. They have volunteered at animal shelters to help walk dogs and play with animals that do not have a home. They have also taken fun trips to places in our environment such as caves, forests, zoos, and State or National Parks to learn about the ecosystem and its inhabitants. As a result, club members may gain hands-on knowledge about the environment, and we can learn how to help make it a better place for all inhabitants.
II. Has mechanisms of intercommunication among its members (keeping in touch).
The club has once-a-month meetings to plan events or things we can do together that involve being out in, or teaching others about the environment and helping the animals. After, Dr. Clapp-Itnyre sends out an email to all the club members summarizing the meeting. Her emails also include reminders of plans for events, along with the date, time, and location for our next meeting.
III. Uses its participatory mechanisms to provide feedback (feedback up the chain & down).
Like other clubs, Animals and Earth Club has lead members. The order of the club officers is as follows; Co-Advisor- Dr. Alisa Clapp-Itnyre, Co-Advisor – Professor Sam Krerowicz, President- Michelle Black (student), Vice President- Taylor Hartman (student), Treasurer- Taegan Eiler(student), Secretary- Paige Strothman(student). The co-advisor positions do not change. However, the student positions change every year due to students graduating, not being in the club anymore, or other reasons that make the position available. The club members vote to decide the student positions, or they are given by Dr. Clapp-Itnyre. Our emails and plans must be approved by the co-advisors of the club and once approved Dr. Clapp-Itnyre, sends an email with the updates.
Fri 10/20/2023 12:49 AM
Dear “active” A&E Club members!
I wanted to welcome two new members, Tabetha and Jackson, who came to our meeting last week and gave us some really good ideas for the rest of the semester!
I also wanted to confirm our leadership: Michelle Black, president; Taylor Hartman, VP; Taegan Eiler, treasurer; Paige Strothman, secretary.
Here are the events as we have planned so far—if you have ideas, please share back!
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THIS coming Thursday, Oct. 26th, 10AM: meet at the WZ Patio for a Walk in the Woods—OUR woods on campus, led by advisor Prof. Sam Krerowicz. Weather looks good! Let us know if you can come!
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Next meeting, Tues. Nov. 14th: 11:30-12:30pm, bring food for cats/dogs AND your old Halloween pumpkins! We intend to feed the deer in our woods, possibly with a good-old pumpkin smashing! We can go late as I know people are coming from class?…let me know best times for you!
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HELP the Animals of Richmond: Friday, Nov. 17th, meet at the animal shelter anytime 12-3pm to play with the cats and walk the dogs if you’re trained! Let us know if you can come!
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Also, very tentatively, we are suggesting a visit to the migrating cranes at Brookville Lake and the Wolf Sanctuary in Brookville, IN, on Saturday, JANUARY 20TH. What are your thoughts? Interested in both? One? Good day?
We’d appreciate your feedback (sometimes can be changed, etc.) and then your attendance!
Have a great weekend,
Alisa
Co-advisor, Animals and Earth Club
This email includes all club members but is addressed to the active members because some of the club members have graduated and are no longer active in the group activities, but once a member, always a member. This email shows that another member and I joined the same day. It also explains the club’s leadership and future events.
IV. Utilizes and hence possesses one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims (special document types).
Emails are a critical form of communication for the Animals and Earth Club. Not all members are available to come to meetings and events, therefore we email each other to communicate. For example, the above is an email sent by our club advisor, Dr. Alisa Clapp-Itnyre, to all club members regarding what happened during a meeting and the plans the club has for events. As you can see, emails are vital to our club communication. This is how we keep members updated on meetings and events. It is the best way to engage in communication because the club members all have different schedules and are not always able to attend meetings or events. This gives everyone an equal opportunity to participate in the events.
V. Has some specific lexis (special vocabulary).
When attending meetings for the Animals and Earth Club we use a special vocabulary. We use words structured around the environment, for example, global warming, climate change, environmental sustainability, recycling, and animal migration. This vocabulary is centered around nature and ways we can help improve our environment. Such as when we speak of climate change, we talk about the weather. For example, on November 14, 2023, we had a meeting, our meeting took place outside, in the sun, without coats. The temperature outside was 59 degrees with light and variable winds. Even though we enjoy the nice weather and being outside, it is abnormal weather for this time of year. Normally, the ground would be frozen by this time of year, it would be cold enough to wear coats, and there is usually snow falling.
VI. Has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise (mix of experts and novices).
Although I am one of the newest members of the club and have only attended two club meetings and events, the club has a mix of experts and novices. The club co-advisors are Dr. Alisa Clapp-Itnyre and Professor Sam Krerowicz. They are both professors at Indiana University East. They help the student members of the club come up with ideas for events and help advertise the events. They could be considered the managers of the club. Animals and Earth club has club officers, and they are Michelle Black the club president, Taylor Hartman the vice president, Teagan Eiler the club treasurer, and Paige Strothman the club secretary. I am unsure of the job requirements to be one of these members. However, during my second interview, I was offered the job of club treasurer because Teagan will be graduating in December and therefore will be available for events. Teagan will forever be a member, just not an active member. I have accepted the position and will begin being the treasurer in December.
Interview One
I recently interviewed club co-advisor, Professor Krerowicz, where I asked questions about the Animals and Earth Club. Here are the results.
First, I asked, “What is the mission of the Animals and Earth Club?”.
According to Professor Krerowicz, “The goal is to raise awareness to others and contribute to helping fix issues with the environment and animals, both domestic and wild.” (personal communication, November 09, 2023).
Then, I asked, “How long have Animals and Earth Club been established?”.
To which Professor Krerowicz replied, “I have been a member and co-advisor since 2021 and I would guess it has been almost ten years but ask Alisa for sure. Alisa is the one who would know best. I do know it was established pre-Covid.” (personal communication, November 09, 2023).
Next, I asked, “How often do the Animals and Earth Club have events and meetings?”.
Happy to answer my question, Professor Krerowicz replied, “We have meetings once a month and we try to have events once a month.” (personal communication, November 09, 2023).
Our conversation was starting to flow quickly at that point, and I asked my next question, “Who decides the trip destinations for the club to attend?”.
Professor Krerowicz nodded in thought, then replied, “Advisors assist with ideas; however, events are voted for or by consensus, which means three to four people agree.” (personal communication, November 09, 2023).
Eager to learn more about the inner workings of the club, I then asked, “What is your job as co-advisor?”.
He folded his hands pyramid-like as he explained, “For now it has been most of the footwork and advertising to help make events happen. The student members of the club are often too busy with schoolwork or have jobs outside of school and therefore I help where needed.” (S. Krerowicz, personal communication, November 09, 2023).
I nodded in understanding, and then I asked him, “What made you want to join the Animals and Earth Club?”
Professor Krerowicz was excited to explain, “I have always enjoyed nature. I traveled with my parents to see many State and National Parks when I was younger. I also got to attend a Liberal Arts College for Environmental Sustainability. When I was first starting my job here (referencing Indiana University East), I received an email about a co-advisor position for Animals and Earth Club and I immediately responded with interest.” (personal communication, November 09, 2023).
Now, I began to slow the interview down. I asked, “How many members are in the Animals and Earth Club?”.
He seemed to understand that I was nearing the end as he explained, “There are about ten members in the club. Around five consistently show up to meetings and events and there are about five who show up here and there.” (S. Krerowiscz, personal communication, November 9, 2023).
Next, I asked, “How often do positions in the club change?”
He smiled kindly and replied, “The positions change yearly due to students graduating, availability, and so forth.” (S. Krerowiscz, personal communication, November 09, 2023).
Lastly, I asked, “Who’s idea was it to begin the Animals and Earth Club?”
To which he responded, “Possibly Alisa, but I am not exactly sure. If you want to know, it is best to check with her.” (S. Krerowiscz, personal communication, November 09, 2023).
Finally, I wrapped up the interview with Sam, I thanked him for his time, and I left his office.
Interview Two
A few days later, I did a short interview with the Animals and Earth Club co-advisor, Dr. Alisa Clapp-Itnyre, to ask her about some of the questions that Professor Krerowiscz was unsure of. She was delighted to answer my questions.
First, I asked, “When was the Animals and Earth Club Established?”
Dr. Clapp-Itnyre enthusiastically explained the history of the club. “The Animals and Earth Club was established in the Spring of 2019. It used to be called just Earth Club, and the Animals part was recently added. Red Wolf Students and I established it. In 2019, the Red Wolves and I did many events. We went to Brookville to see the Red Wolves Sanctuary, we did an event to inform others about Red Wolves, and we did a climate march. And then Covid hit us in 2020 and we all had to quarantine. Since life has returned to normal, we have been working very hard to bring the Animals and Earth Club back to its original state of activity. In the Fall of 2021, the Animals and Earth Club joined the Environmental Education Association of Indiana (E.E.A.I.).” (personal communication, November 14, 2023).
Next, I asked, “Is there any special vocabulary that is used by club members?” I read to her what I wrote for this assignment before she responded.
Dr. Clapp-Itnyre quietly reflected on my question for a moment and then she answered. She said, “I would agree with what you wrote. We do use words like global warming, environmental sustainability, and animal migration, and we discuss the climate around us. I think what you used is good and explains our vocabulary well.” (personal communication, November 14, 2023).
She then reflected on the meeting we just had before this interview. She said, “Like today, it is mid. November, and we just had a club meeting outside in the sun. It is unusually warm for this time of year and most people just think, “Hey this is great weather we are having”, little do they realize the bad effects this could have on our climate. Some people used to dispute climate change, but now it really is undisputable, and we now have so much science to back it up and we see it more and more in the weather changes from year to year.” (Dr. A. Clapp-Itnyre, personal communication, November 14, 2023).
Lastly, I asked, “How many members are there in the club? Your emails show eighty-five plus members.”
She nodded in agreement with a kind smile as she explained, “Yes, I can see the confusion, and our meetings always have a different number of attendees. When I send emails to the club members I address them to the active club members, however, it is sent out to all members who have joined the club in the past also. It allows them to know the club still exists and what we are doing. As a matter of fact, our treasurer, Teagan, whom you met today, will be finishing her schooling in December. Would you be interested in being our club treasurer?” (Dr. Clapp-Itnyre, Personal communication, November 14, 2023).
Without asking what the job requirements are, I excitedly accepted. While saying, “Thank you for the opportunity”, I ended the interview.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I used John Swale’s (1990) “Concept for a Discourse Community” to research a community I am a part of. I explained what makes the Animals and Earth Club a discourse community. I also explained how the Animals and Earth Club uses various forms of communication to achieve their goals.
References
Clapp-Itnyre, A. email, October 10, 2023
Clapp-Itnyre, A. email, November 13, 2023
Clapp-Itnyre, A., personal communication, November 14, 2023
Krerowicz, S., personal communication, November 09, 2023
Swales, John (1990). The Concept of a Discourse Community. In Genre Analysis: English in academic and research settings, ppl 21-32. Cambridge UP.