Definition and purposes of a discourse

• Discourse is a formal and often lengthy discussion of a topic, where

  concepts and insights are arranged in an organized and

  logical manner
• Critique is an example of discourse that states a writer’s opinion about the good and the bad parts of another piece of writing or a work of art
• Diary is another example of discourse that records someones experiences and thoughts
• To inform is a purpose of discourse that provides a descriptive and comprehensive discussion on the topic
• To persuade is another purpose of discourse that tries to convince the readers that the proposed claim or

  solution is better than any other proposal
• To entertain is another purpose of discourse that aims to amuse its readers
• Culture - the beliefs, customs, attitudes, language, and other things that define culture may influence the author’s perspective on several issues
• Social Environment - the author’s physical surroundings and social relationships, as well as the culture of the time may have influenced his or her writing.
• Experiences - personal accounts or firsthand experience of events, though subjective, establish credibility and reliability of information presented in any discourse.