Academic discourse involves discussing information related to a specific area of study, and those involved are known as a discourse community. Discourse socialization is the process of acquiring the knowledge needed to be part of a community. Informal discourse occurs through conversations or emails, while formal discourse is through journals and peer-reviewed publications. Academic conferences provide opportunities for both formal and informal discourse and networking.
Academic discourse refers to the particular ways of thinking about and discussing information related to a specific area of academic study. Those involved in the discourse of a particular area of study are known as a ‘discourse community’. The academic discourse of a field of study includes both informal and formal forms of communication.
A discursive community is made up of people who share enough common knowledge and assumptions to have a meaningful conversation about a given topic. For example, someone who is part of the discursive linguistics community will be familiar with basic linguistic jargon, the most common theories of language development, and the major movements related to linguistic thought. Members of the linguistic discourse community will also have a similar understanding of the purpose and goals of the language, which may be different from those shared by the English discourse community. The process of acquiring the knowledge needed to be a part of a given academic discourse is known as discourse socialization. Discourse socialization ensures that people within a discipline do not have to explicitly state all of their assumptions about a topic or provide extensive background information before initiating a conversation.
Informal academic discourse occurs through a variety of mediums. It can consist of conversations or emails between researchers where they discuss current research or brainstorm ideas for future research. This type of discourse often takes place thanks to the networking between students, professors and researchers linked to universities.
Formal academic discourse, on the other hand, is a more public form of communication. The most common type of formal discourse is through journals and peer-reviewed publications. Peer-reviewed publications are vetted by editors and review committees who assess the credibility of the proposals before they can become part of the discourse. These editors screen and filter contributions based on what is most relevant or necessary within their discipline.
Both formal and informal academic talks can occur during academic conferences. Academics are invited to present peer-reviewed papers at these conferences. Much informal discussion and networking also takes place during conferences, providing cross-pollination of ideas between researchers within a given discipline.
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