Project Plan (draft)

Following the genre perspective developed by Miller, Russell, and Barwarshi, this study will need to describe profiles as a genre in relation to an activity system or discourse community. I hope to make this connection through the use of a combined methodology of content analysis to compile and analyze the linguistic and visual features of a corpus of texts and critical discourse analysis to relate the textual analysis to the larger sociocultural context. In addition, I will check my results with members of discourse communities that produced the texts.

Methodology

The methodology for this research attempts to account for the discursive relationship between genres and recurring situations. Essentially, critical discourse analysis (CDA) links text to ideology, which is the crux of genre theory. As defined by Richardson in his analysis of newspapers, “CDA approaches discourse as a circular process in which social practices influence texts, via shaping the context and mode in which they are produced, and in turn texts help influence society via shaping the viewpoints of those who read or otherwise consume them” (37). The method, particularly as described by Fairclough, stems from earlier theories of Bourdieu and Foucault, who articulate the interaction between discourse and power. For Fairclough discourse refers to written or spoken language, and discursive practices refer to the production, distribution, and consumption of theses texts (Discourse and Social Change, 78). Accordingly, critical discourse analysis links linguistic analysis with social analysis. In Richardson’s description, it incorporates methods of textual analysis (see MacNealy), with discourse analysis of text production and consumption. For the purposes of this study, a content analysis will focus on linguistic and structural features of the texts. As explained by Huckin this type of analysis works well to empirically ground other methodologies as it focuses on “identifying, quantifying, and analyzing of specific words, phrases, concepts, or other observable semantic data in a text or body of texts with the aim of uncovering some underlying thematic or rhetorical pattern running through these texts” (14).

The framework described by Kress and van Leeuwen will extend critical discourse analysis to the visual. Taking the page as the semiotic unit, a layout can be compared from left to right, as given and new; from top to bottom as the ideal and real; and from center and margin as the nucleus of information. For images, the analysis will include gaze as a form of direct address, size of frame and length of body shown in relation to social distance, and angles as displays of power relations. Thus, the grammar of visual design as they title it (1996), is functionally equivalent to grammar in a traditional CDA approach, as a way to uncover the ideological subtext in media production, through description extended by modality clues to the explanation of the composition.

In this framework of three stages, outlined by Fairclough in 1989 and 1995, interpretation and explanation complement the first stage of description of the textual and visual features. These latter two stages respectively involve elements and changes of member resources stemming from what may be called common sense, in order to highlight the function of power and ideology. In other words, as Fairclough restated in Media Discourse in 1995, CDA consists of three levels of analysis. A linguistic analysis of a text focuses on “superficial” features such as vocabulary and metaphor. An intertextual analysis refers to the interpretive art of drawing upon member resources. At the third tier, a sociocultural analysis addresses issues of underlying relations of power and associated ideological effects. Yet, these levels of analysis may not be as separate as they seem. As Fairclough states, “both selections amongst available discourses and selections of particular ways of articulating them together are likely to be ideologically significant choices” (1995a, p. 102). However, for the purposes of better understanding the connections, I will attempt to delineate the steps into data collection, levels of analysis, and project evaluation.

Project Steps

1. Compile a corpus of profiles from approximately 10 universities within a defined region. Both the profiles and university will have similar defining characteristics.

2. Conduct a content analysis to record and describe the textual and visual features of the texts, following Yates and Orlikowski’s division of substance and form, with additional image and design components drawn from Kress and van Leeuwen’s work in reading images.

3. Relate the texts to each other and to other resources such as the university style guide to interpret the conventions of the genre or the member resources of the discourse community.

4. Explain the genre conventions in relation to the discourse community and check the explanation with members of the community, such as the writer or editor.

Project Schedule

June 30, 2008 - Thesis Proposal (committee chair)

December 18, 2008 - Final GS2 Form (Enrolled Services)

January 16, 2009 - Chapter 1

January 30, 2009 - Chapter 2

February 13, 2009 - Chapter 3

February 27, 2009 - Chapter 4

March 13, 2009 - Chapter 5

March 23, 2009 - Complete Thesis (committee)

April 10, 2009 - Thesis Defense (committee)

April 24, 2009 - GS7 Form (Enrolled Services)

April 24, 2009 - Complete thesis (Manuscript Review Office)

May 2, 2009 - Format revisions (Manuscript Review Office)

Executive Summary (draft 2)

As members of organizations, we continuously construct stories about our experiences, and in turn these stories construct the organization and its culture. Specifically, organizations choose to feature individual stories or profiles of community members, vignettes of personal experience that epitomize the culture. Whether internal or external communication, these profiles offer the opportunity for others to view and identify with the organization, and as such the texts are part of the organization’s strategic communication about what it is and what it wants to be. Though both narrative and strategic communication are subcategories of organizational communication, their connection has not been fully explored. This thesis will investigate the use of narrative as a form of strategic communication though the profile genre.

By combining theories of rhetoric and linguistics, genre ecology and activity systems, and visual communication and information design, I hope to conduct a comprehensive analysis of profiles within one industry or longitudinally for a short period of time. The print or web-based profiles will be analyzed using textual or discourse analysis, with a focus on rhetoric and identification. The textual features will be described, analyzed, and finally explained in relation to the social context, and with consideration to overarching issues of identity, ideology, and power, though the theoretical and methodological lens of critical discourse analysis. In addition, I hope it will increase my knowledge of profiles from a writer’s perspective and also lead to suggestions for other communicators and the future of the profile genre.

Proposal Opportunity Evaluation

I developed the following responses during the class workshop on evaluating proposal opportunities, based extensively on the MAPC Handbook thesis guidelines.

Client: MAPC Thesis Committee
Point of Contact (POC): Dr. Susan Hilligoss (Committee Chair, Dr. Sean Williams)
Deadline for Proposal Submission: Summer 2008

Summary of Proposal Opportunity: To research an area of interest within in the fields of professional communication, rhetoric, or composition; To identity a research gap, undertake critical research, and contribute to the field through a study of a topic that is accessible to the public.

Comments and Recommendations: Proposal should be about 10 pages and include a thesis statement, a literature review and working bibliography, and a timeline and probable thesis structure. Specifically, my research will be primarily descriptive, but may conclude with suggestions for further research and suggestions for current practices.

Accept or Reject: Accept on the grounds that this research will fulfill degree requirements for graduation in May 2009.

Executive Summary (draft)

As members of organizations, we continuously construct stories about our experiences, and in turn these stories construct the organization and its culture. Specifically, organizations choose to feature individual stories or profiles of community members, vignettes of personal experience that epitomize the culture. Whether internal or external communication, these profiles offer the opportunity for others to view and identify with the organization, and as such the texts are part of the organization’s strategic communication about what it is and what it wants to be. Though both narrative and strategic communication are subcategories of organizational communication, their connection has not been fully explored. This thesis will investigate the use of narrative as a form of strategic communication though the profile genre.

Project Plan
By combining theories of rhetoric and linguistics, genre ecology and activity systems, and visual communication and information design, I hope to conduct a comprehensive analysis of profiles within one industry or longitudinally for a short period of time. The print or web-based profiles will be analyzed as the following:
• Rhetoric – including Aristotle’s distinction and emphasis on examples or narratives and enthymemes
• Auto-communication – specifically Cheney and Christensen’s concept where external communication turns inward and vice versa
• Image – both the external image of the organization and the images connected to the profiles
In addition, I might consider overarching issues of identity, ideology, and power through the theories of Bourdieu, Burke, Fairclough, and Foucault.

Conclusion and Contributions
This research will describe the features of profiles, while examining their persuasive power in terms of identification. In addition, I hope it will increase my knowledge of profiles from a writer’s perspective and also lead to suggestions for other communicators and the future of the profile genre.

Initial Ideas

For my MAPC thesis, I want to combine my interests in professional communication, linguistics, and creative nonfiction through an in-depth textual or discourse analysis of a single genre. I hope to continue my research on strategic communication, or how organizations present what they are and what they want to be, along with overarching issues of identity, ideology, and power. With those notions in mind, I propose the following thesis topics, one of which will be fleshed out into a full-fledged thesis proposal this summer.

1. Narrative as strategic communication – In this study I would examine the use of narrative as a genre of strategic communication. Though both narrative and strategic communication may be considered subcategories of organizational communication, they have not been considered as one influential form of communication, yet narrative appears to be strategically useful and persuasive. For instance, I’ve noticed that several universities feature student and faculty profiles on their websites, and I would like to analyze how these profiles incorporate identification strategies as articulated by Burke and/or Foucault, or how the narratives function as rhetoric. In particular, I would consider Aristotle’s notions of the example and the enthymeme to explore narratives as examples and how as strategic communication it might constitute enthymematic arguments. Possible avenues of research include discourse analysis of featured profiles on websites, admissions materials, prospective faculty materials, or alumni magazines. In addition to written text, I also hope to focus on the visual design and viewers’ positioning or ability to identify with the subject. For example, if an image accompanies the profile, at what distance is the subject from the viewer and what is the stance between them. As a result, this project would use theories from rhetoric, genre theory/activity systems, and visual design to develop a more complete picture of the strategic use of narratives for a particular industry or type of organization.

2. Image and narrative in organizational change – as a related idea, I would like to analyze image and narrative over time, again through the frame of strategic communication, which in this case would include both internal and external communication. Following previous studies such as Cheney’s dissertation about employee newsletters and Cheney and Vibbert’s analysis of public relations and marketing, this project would result in a holistic analysis of organizational communication surrounding a single issue. In particular, I might expand prior research on the rebranding of the Greenville Transit Authority to Greenlink. At this point, I’ve only analyzed the news headlines associated with the decision and planning processes for the transportation system, but I think a more comprehensive analysis would include the internal communication of the organization, the meeting minutes of the city and county councils, and the public communication of the transit authority.

3. Corporate Social Responsibility Reports – CSR reports are a new trend in corporate communication, and I believe they offer a unique opportunity for research on strategic communication. Like a financial annual report, a CSR report details an organization’s activities for period of time; however, in these documents the focus is on the activities that affect the community or the environment in addition to the bottom-line of the organization. As more companies communicate about their social responsibility, we need to understand why this genre has evolved. Consequently, my analysis would include elements of genre theory and visual design, much like the first proposed study, in addition to considering prior research on annual reports and perhaps environmental impact statements as well. This line of research ties into strategic communication, because recent research identifies social responsibility as an area with few communication-based studies. Specifically, I want to consider CSR reports as a form of Cheney and Christensen’s auto-communication, where seemingly external communication turns inward so the organization is essentially communicating with itself. This view has interesting implications for our conception of CSR reports, particularly if they are meant to speak to the company as much as or more so than to the community or external stakeholders.

In addition to these three topics, I would also consider focusing on brand identity, specifically typography and identity in the university setting. Additional texts of interest include alumni magazines, city magazines, and trade publications, all of which stem from my work experience in university relations and my current position with the extension office. I hope to focus on a topic to which I can apply my experience and also advance my knowledge of the discipline.