Discourse Community Analysis
Written January 30, 2006
The purpose of this assignment is to identify my discourse community in regard to my choice of profession. Included are the characteristics (who, what, where), rules, conventions, traditions, and/or assumptions associated with this community.
To obtain this information, I interviewed Michael L. Martin of McCallum Graduate School of Business and found professional documentation via the World Wide Web.
Listed below are the questions and answers documenting the email interview with Mr. Martin on January 30, 2006.
Subject: Michael L. Martin, Communications Specialist
- Did you have to go to college? If so, for how many years? What type of degree(s) did you get, and what were your major(s) and minor(s)?
- This is a tough one right off the bat. Let’s just say that I learned a lot of my HTML skills by being self-taught. However, I have taken several courses specifically in web design since that have expanded my knowledge base considerably.
- What programming languages do you feel are important to learn?
- In my time working in this profession I have found that a strong knowledge of Java and at least a working knowledge of Perl have served me well. I have taken C++ but have never really used it in my web design. As far as Flash... I love the program and I think that the things it is capable of are fantastic. I have not done a lot of Flash based web work, mostly because I haven’t had a need to do so, more than from a lack of interest on my part.
- Did you have to learn C++, Java, Perl, and flash? If so, have any of them been useful to you? Have you ever made flash sites? If so, what is your opinion of flash?
- Java, Perl, and Flash are a must. C++ is also good if you have time to take it.
- I live and die by Java, and Perl is the backbone of all CGI processes for the most part.
- I have never made a professional Flash site again mostly due to not ever coming across work that required what Flash can do. I personally think Flash type (meaning Flash or a future program similar to flash) sites are the future of websites and as more people are moving to high speed internet and the majority switches away from slow dial-up, I think we will start to see more complex sites of this nature.
- Does graphic design play a big part in web design?
- Graphic Design plays a huge part of web design. If you are not someone who at the least has a minimum graphical art talent, this may not be the field you want to work in. To be honest, most places have artists who create graphics; however it is the web designer that must make them work on a page, and even if given a concept idea from the client it is till up to you to create the page in design and function. Personally I think any web designer worth anything should know the basics of the Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc...)
- What scripting languages do you find yourself using the most besides html and xhtml?
- ...JAVA (what can’t I do in Java).
- Do you work for a single company or do you freelance to multiple clients? In your opinion, which is better?
- I do both. I apply my web and IT skills in my day job for a Boston area college. I also sell my services through my own business.
- This is a tough question... I have access to more materials and have had a greater exposure to cutting edge concepts through my job. However, I have more fun and make more money freelancing...
- Do you type raw coding in a text editor, or use a html editor?
- I actually use both. I love the ease an HTML editor give you as a designer to quickly create the pages as you want them. However, no matter how good you are at using an editor, without the knowledge of what the code behind the scenes mean you will never be a professional. Most of the time I use Dreamweaver, as it allows me to see both the code and GUI at the same time; this allows for quick edits on my part and allows me to see what is actually going on in my pages.
- To be a web designer, do you have to be knowledgeable in servers? (like Apache)
- I think this depends. In some companies you might have to be knowledgeable in other areas such as server tech. I personally do not deal with that side of it. At work I have an MIS department to handle my issues and on the freelance side the hosting company I use deals with my technical needs as well.
- As a web designer, are you expected to know how to write your own JavaScript scripts?
- I think this is extremely important as Java is a staple of the web at this time. However, that being said, I cannot remember the last time I actually wrote a script from scratch. I often modify ones I have done in the past, as I have quite a library of scripts.
- What is your opinion of Dreamweaver and FrontPage?
- I love both of these programs for different reasons. I think that they both have some merit as HTML editors. I personally like Dreamweaver as it is more flexible with my needs. However, it has some bad habits that can easily confuse a novice. On the flip side, FrontPage is more user-friendly for beginners and is a bit simpler in set up than Dreamweaver. But again I have both, and I use them both frequently.
- Was learning business and marketing a must?
- I think this is a career choice. If you are going to be a data person grunting away at code then you probably don’t need this side of it. However, most web designers work closely with marketing departments when designing sites or pages. I personally have a title of Communications Specialist; this entails my working closely with both the IT department as well as the marketing department, so in my case I would say yes, and it has served me well.
Listed below are two professional images pertinent to my career choice and discourse community. Their purposes are explained, assumptions/rules identified, and overall effectiveness judged. The reason they are attached as images is due to that each represents a web page. To only include the text of a web page would have taken away the purpose of showing what work goes into the web design.
Image #1 – (attached) Bentley College homepage. This site is the official website for Bentley College, and was created by Mr. Martin. It contains information about school activities, programs, classes, and extracurricular activities. Current or future students can register for classes, and visitors can get a feel for the college through the different events the college holds. A site that is organized well and contains information that is easy to find will prevent visitors from turning away from the site in their browser, and help the college gain more students than a poorly made site would.
Image #2 – (attached) ASAIF web page. Another web site coded by Mr. Martin, although the graphics were made by another. The site addresses an association that was formed in April of 2000. The Association of Specialists in the Assessment of Intellectual Functioning do just that—they evaluate the intelligence in school.
My research reveals the actual work that goes into creating a site. A site may look average or complex, but the knowledge behind it can be even more complex. It is no longer simply Hypertext Markup Language that creates web sites, but a variety of languages to add functionality and purpose.
