Blog 8

The Research Plan:

Statement of Purpose

Ethnographic report on cheerleading, particularly the Bayonne Elite Seniors.  I will show the positive and uplifting aspects of a well rounded cheerleading team.

Detailed Statement of Your Research Question

The media portrays cheerleading in a very negative way which in turn, gives cheerleading a bad stereotype.  My project will focus on one team of 23 girls and one boy and how they are positively affected by the cheerleading world.  I will also focus on how their characteristics make the team positive.  Overall, I believe my ultimate questions is what or who makes makes cheerleading a positive experience.  (I have so much information that I could talk about so this focus is still a little rough and most definitely may bloom into something more or different)

List of Information You Need to Gather

First, I will have to agree on a solid focus of this paper.  Once I find this, I can then look at other scholarly papers and find out how they can or cannot correlate to what I am trying to do.  Also, I would have to use a little bit of Swales in my literature review because ultimately, I am still showing how cheerleading is positive as a discourse community.  Once I have all my information set for my literature review, I will then have to physically observe the practices and gather valuable data that will be used within my paper.  Such information may consists of how practice goes, the lexis which is used, body language tones, and how they communicate with one another positively (or even negatively).

A Preliminary List of Resources

I have started looking at other ehtnographic reports that others have done on cheerleading.  I have also started to study closely Swales discourse community.  I think I am on to something.  I just need some more information.

Plan for Gathering Your Information that Includes:

•  Who/What you will be studying?
• I will be studying the Bayonne Elite cheerleading team (seniors).  A team that consists of 23 girls and 1 boy.  I am an advent member of this group and serve as a coach for them.
• Where will you collect your information?
• I will collect my information through observations of the community as well as interviews from the coaches and the girls.
• How many subjects will you study?
• 23 girls, 1 boy, and 4 coaches (I make the 5th coach)

What Methods Will You Use to Gather Your Information

For my project I will use discourse analysis and interviews.

Blog 7

On Tuesday in class, Dr. Chandler counted us off and put us into groups.  I was hesitant at first, not knowing what to expect from each one of us "counting off".  When we were told to find our opposites, I was glad to see Holly, a familiar face.  We were placed in two desks outside the classroom where we chatted about Valentine's Day and "interviewed" one another.  

Considering Holly and myself already knew each other on a name basis, the interview was not so difficult.  Well, the conversation came naturally which, set us off track a bit from the topic of Valentine's Day.  There were brief pauses and no conversation at points when we did not know what types of questions to asked.  We talked to one another about Valentine's Day in Grammar School with the cute cards and candy.  Holly told me that her mom loved making goodie bags for the class which in turn got her into the holiday spirit.  We then talked about how we both worked this previous Valentine's Day and soon got off topic about where we work and other work related stuff.  It was a pleasure speaking with Holly since I have never really said much but a "hey, whats up?'.  I also learned some things which I can use towards the interviews I will do for my research project.

It most definitely takes time and preparation for an interview!  I feel Holly and I had little time to prepare questions for our conversation which is why we had a few quiet spots.  Also, it was really easy for us to veer off topic because we both are not fans of Valentine's Day and would have rather talked about other life events.  I learned that interviews must follow some sort of outline and question to stay as close as possible to the topic at hand.  Also, since we were outside the classroom near a staircase, students would pass by here and there which caused a bit of a distraction.  I think my phone was a little of a distraction as well.  I do highly believe that interviews should be done in a quiet space.

Overall, I think this was a GREAT warm-up exercise and I cannot wait to do it again with my new knowledge on interviewing as well as an ideal set of questions.

Blog 6

Thinking of a research topic is always a tough decision for me to make.  After my conference with Dr. Chandler on Tuesday, I am also positive on a solid topic now!

Of course, I choose something of my liking!  An Ethnography on the Bayonne Elite Cheerleaders!  A thing I am passionate about and a team I am actively apart of!

I want study a cheerleading teams positive aspects because social media portrays cheerleading in a negative perspective.  I want to show that all cheerleaders get a positive outcome out of the experience and although it may not be considered a "sport" it is still and intense, time consuming hobby.

I plan of observing numerous practices of the girls and one boy studying their various lexis' and genres.

I will interview the two captains and ask them how cheerleading has positively affected their lives and what it takes to be apart of a unique team.

I do not have any solid interview questions yet but, I do have some research questions that Ill be asking throughout the course of this project.  Such as:

How is cheerleading positively affected?
What does it take to make a team have a positive and proud persona?
How does this team differ from ones portrayed in other studies?

I can not wait to break ground for this research project!  I am over excited to start! :)

Blog 5

On Thursday in class, Dr. Chandler had us take notes on an ethnographic exercise in class.  The results and findings are quiet interesting and I would like to share them below:


Jottings

• Ariana
• introducing ourselves
• associating with one another
• "fake" talking
• forced talking
• arms crossed
• nervous
• taking notes
• walking around
• mixer
• 2:56 met Melissa

Headnotes

• Forced to have a mixer
• Walked around in a circle
• Spoke to briana, Melissa, holly and ariana
• Everyone had their arms crossed
• It was a bit nervous tension in the room
• Forced to walk around in a way
• Spoke to ariana about peoples body language
• Spoke to holly about peoples arms being crossed
• Dr chandler then took holly away
• Then I met Melissa
• Asked her what sorority she was from
• I told her I was going out for Delta Phi Epsilon
• She told me that was great and how I liked it
• Explained I had no friends at school that why I wanted to join
• I did not attend Meet the Greeks
• She said it was the best time of her life, her sorority performed
• Proud to be apart of her group
• Told story about hoe she met her little
• Were in the same class, were not fond of each other and then it was like love at first sight
• Then the class got really silent and Melissa and I were still chatting
• Told me her and her little were wearing matching letters because they had an event today
• Also told me goodluck with dphie
• Then we were instructed to say goodbye and go back to our seats
• Exclaimed to the class that Melissa and I became friends

Things I Remembered Later

• The whole time I was writing on my cell phone
• Used my hands to talk, it because im Italian
• Did not migrate far only spoke to 4 people that were in my proximity
• Majority of classmates were using their smart phone
• Comfy vs not into it or not comfy
• Some people formed groups some stood still
• Eventually everyone went back to who they were comfy with
• Lack of eye contact
• Hard to start the conversation

Field notes

Dr. Chandler exclaimed to the class to start the exercise and start to mingle.  At first we were forced into groups, talking to people we have never spoken to within the class.  We all walked around in a circle examining who we should talk too.  At first I spoke with Briana, a person whom I was already friendly with, Holly, and Ariana.  We all noted together that everyone had their arms crossed and we felt a bit of tension within the room.  We noticed that there was also a lack of eye contact within the room and most students were paying more attention to their cellular devices.  After the three of us, Briana, Holly, and Ariana, spoke for a bit we were then asked to "migrate" around the room and talk to another set of people.  This is when Dr. Chandler pulled Holly away and took her to another group.  Then I came upon Melissa.  A young student who was wearing greek letters from her sorority.  I greeted her with a big "hi" and asked which sorority she was apart of.  I explained to her that I did not have many friends at school as a commuter and I was interested in joining a sorority as well.  She told me that being in a sorority has become the best moments of her life and she's extremely proud to be apart of the tight niched sisterhood.  As the conversation progressed, Melissa told me a story about her "little" in the sorority and how they were originally not fond of one another until recently joining the sisterhood.  Then all the sudden the class got extremely quiet and all I could hear was my conversation.  Dr. Chandler the exclaimed nicely for everyone to say goodbye and return to their seats.  I said my goodbyes to Melissa saying it was great meeting her and told the class on the way back to my seat that I had made a new friend.  Passing Briana quietly, I returned to my seat.

What I Learned

Ethnographic research is difficult!  Especially when you have to observe and take notes as well as interact and be apart of the community!  There are so many details that need to be watched and written about.  I know for sure I left out certain details and moments just because I could not write and observe as fast as I was speaking.  Overall, I think this exercise was a positive experience.  I know for certain that my ethnographic skills most certainly need some more time before I could become an expert. :)

Blog 4

How is Professor Chandlers class a discourse community? (As per Swales model)

1.  A discourse community has a broadly agreed set of common public goals.

In English 3029, all students have a set of common goals.  The ultimate goal is to pass the class with a high grade and complete a successful research paper.  Also, all students are English majors, so we all have a common goal of getting our degree in the same major.

2.  A discourse community has mechanisms of intercommunication among its members.

Within English 3029, students communicate with:

• email
• blogs
• group interaction and collaboration
• Handouts such as a calendar and syllabus

3.  A discourse community uses its participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback.

Within the English 3029 classroom, students use the conversation and lesson to engage with one other on the particular topic.  It is in the classroom which students provide the most feedback and information to one another.

4.  A discourse community utilizes and hence possesses one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims.

In English 3029, students collaborate with one another providing feedback to one another and feedback to and from Professor Chandler.  Also, as stated above under statement two, the students within English 3029 communicate in various mediums aside from face to face communication.

**NOTE:  This discourse requirement can go either way in being a discourse community.  Students have a more direct line of communication with the professor rather than among themselves.  Why this is seems to be unknown because their are opportunities where students can communicate with one another outside of the classroom.  Each personal blog as well as the "hub" blog has a comments section where other students can comment and make conversation.  Although this never or rarely happens, most students still look at other students blog to see what they have written but fail to leave a comment, opinion, or feedback.  Such observations could make this class on the verge of not yet being a discourse community.

5.  In addition to owning genres, a discourse community has acquired some specific lexis.

English 3029 is a research analysis class which requires a large range of technical terms.  Without knowing the meaning of terms such as research, analysis, rhetoric, and language analysis an "outsider" or "non student" of the classroom would be lost.  Most students go into English 3029 not knowing any terms but because of the classrooms discourse, each student learns the specific lexis in order to conduct and understand the shared common goal of a successful research paper.

6.  A discourse community has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise.

This is also a requirement that could go either way.  The members are only in the class because it is a major requirement in order to graduate.  Towards the end of the semester, each member of the class will know all the content and be almost experts in the field of research analysis.  I believe this requirement is not fully developed yet to be a discourse community.

**NOTE:  Also, the community of English 3029 is constantly changing members.  The members of the classroom community are not the same from semester to semester.  The only thing that stays constant within the community is Professor Chandler.  She is like the "hub" to the class providing the right information to each student form semester to semester.  She gives the members of the classroom the correct knowledges in order to understand the content of the course.  Most students go directly to the "hub" instead of consulting each other as members of the group.  Once again, it is little observations like this that could make English 3029 on the verge of being an actual discourse community.

Overall, I think the class DOES have the potential to be a discourse community.  I just think we are still in the growing stage of getting to know one another and our personal beliefs.  As the semester goes on I can see our class flourishing into more student to student interaction rather then each student connected directly to the hub.

***THESE OBSERVATIONS ARE FROM MYSELF AS WELL AS GROUP MEMBERS BRENDA AND BRIANA.  Our observations are not a definite conclusion. ***  

Blog 3

Throughout the last two weeks of the spring semester, yes only around 2 weeks, we have learned many terms about language and analysis in class.  I have never gone into such details with these terms and I am glad I now have a better understanding and a much broader analysis vocabulary.  Here are just a few of many terms which I have learned in just two short weeks and four short classes:

Lexis (language) - the lexis is another word for language which is used in a particular group or community.  It is this language or lexis which separates the group from any other like them.  It is the level of language that is used.

Analysis - a detailed examination of an element or whole.  Analysis is picking things apart to interpret a broader or smaller meaning of a single picture, object, or term.  It is basically looking beyond what is right in front of the human eye.

Categories -groups that particular objects and items can be placed based on their characteristics.  This tends to come up a lot in analysis because the human mind is constantly comparing and contrasting pre-known knowledge with new knowledge.

Genre - characterized by form style or subject manner.  A genre is a type of category things can be placed into.

Cultural Knowledge - pre-concieved information, skills, beliefs, and value.  A great aspect in analysis when comparing and contrasting.

These a just a few of the many words that I have learned about language analysis.  As you can see, all the words go with one another and work with one another to create on complete thought, idea, or analysis.