A discourse community basically speaks for itself and the people involved in that community. It is the way that people within a specific group communicate about common topics of interest. In this paper I will compare the numerous differences between two types of discourse communities. There is an academic discourse that involves more detailed terminology and ideas, and deals with a more specific detailed body of knowledge. Academic discourse is more for the interest of people that are experts or studying a certain field or profession. Then on the other hand, there is popular discourse that deals with more everyday issues and uses more of a basic language that almost anyone who can read can understand. Aiming to grab the attention of teenagers, young adults, and some adults, popular discourse magazines use eye-catching appeals to grab the reader's attention instead of logical information. I compared the two discourse communities and analyzed the different languages and word presentation used throughout the material that I read. All in all I compared the informative information that each had to offer a reader and as to what appeal if any was used to draw a reader in.
When first picking up the material, I noticed that even the covers of the books differed in extreme ways. For an academic discourse community I used a journal entitled American Psychologist and noted right away the cover, a very dull, navy-blue cover with semi-bold gothic type print reading "American Psychologist" across the top. At the bottom right side in smaller print, line-by-line it reads: "Volume 43, number 12; December 1988: Published monthly by: The American Psychological Association." For the popular discourse community I used URB, a popular magazine for younger readers. Noting the more colorful, eye-catching cover that reads in large bold-face print across the top "URB," and then underneath it in much smaller print, "September/October '99, Issue 68." The cover has a large eyeball with bold white lettering across it that reads, "Are We Too High?"
Flipping through the pages of URB I also noted the several bright, "trippy" advertisements that would easily catch the attention the reader. The magazine advertises new and upcoming record releases, d.j. equipment, different kinds of speakers and lights, and other computerized equipment. The article headings are in bold, flashy, computerized, new-age print. In American Psychologist, there are no adds, no fancy colors, and no exciting forms of print. The pages are all white, and the print is all black, page after page, after page.
The language usage throughout the two different completely, simply showing that the two are directed at different types of community group, age and education wise. URB is meant to relate directly to the younger generation in today's society. The topics and word usage is easy to follow and understand. Slang is used freely throughout the magazine and the articles do not seem to discriminate against moral issues such as drugs, sex, types of music, and partying; has a kind of an "anything goes" attitude about ...