Typically, information in academic writing follows one of the following (or a combination of both) patterns:
Start with the known information, like what research has already been done on a topic, and then move into the new information that your paper/study/research is providing. This is typically the approach that reserach papers take.
Start with a broader explanation of the topic and narrow down into the focus of your paper. This paper will likely work best with a broad to narrow approach.
You can also think of it as an hourglass, if visuals help:
Starts off broad: overview of the community, genres in the community, and the genre you plan to analyze
Narrow in the middle: detailed analysis of the genre, including audience, purpose, and at least three conventions.
Broad at the end: how the genre functions in the community and then wraps up the analysis in a conclusion
This is not the required organization, just an example of an organization/outline that would work well for this assignment.
Introduction, example 1 (two-paragraph intro)
Intro Paragraph 1: Introduce your discourse community and how your discourse community communicates on the website/social media platform you are focusing on.
Intro Paragraph 2: Introduce the different styles of posts/sub-genres in your community, and describe a little about each. Then, as your thesis, state which style of post you will be focusing on (for example: "This paper will focus on analyzing mash-up videos in this community.")
Introduction, example 2 (one-paragraph intro; best for communities without multiple genres, like Discord, or that don't need a lot of background)
Introduction paragraph: Introduce your discourse community, platform/website, and the genre you will be analyzing.
Body Paragraphs
Description of the Genre in the Community (the specific style of video you are focusing on).
Provide an overview/description of the genre. Discuss the purpose of this genre and why it is important within the discourse community. Analyze the intended audience and the role that the audience plays in shaping the genre.
Notes:
These sub-topics can be covered in one paragraph or separated out into 2-3 paragraphs. Consider how much you have to say about the audience and the purpose to help you make that decision.
While the overview/description of the genre should be covered early in the paper, the purpose and audience sub-topics could work well here or later in the paper also.
Conventions of the genre: Convention #1
Pick one of the primary conventions of this genre to analyze.
Include a description of the convention and use direct evidence from your samples to support your point.
Analyze how these features make the genre effective or ineffective for its purpose.
Conventions of the genre: Convention #2
Pick another significant convention of this genre to analyze.
Include a description of the convention and use direct evidence from your samples to support your point.
Analyze how these features make the genre effective or ineffective for its purpose.
Conventions of the genre: Convention #3
Pick another significant convention of this genre to analyze.
Include a description of the convention and use direct evidence from your samples to support your point.
Analyze how these features make the genre effective or ineffective for its purpose.
Note: The following are optional topics to cover the prompt "How the genre functions in the community". You do not need to cover each of these. I recommend picking one to two that make the most sense to discuss for your genre and community (or choose your own approach for how the genre functions in the community).
How the Genre Functions in the Community (1-2 paragraphs)
(Option) Context and Circulation:
Explore how and where this genre is used in the community.
Discuss whether the genre is used in formal or informal contexts, and how it is shared (e.g., in person, via email, on social media).
(Option) Interaction
Explore how members of this community interact with this genre. Look at comments, sharing, etc. What does the interactions and/or types of interactions show us about the community?
(Option)Values and Norms of the Community:
Analyze what this genre reveals about the values, norms, goals, and/or expectations of the discourse community.
Discuss how the genre helps reinforce these shared beliefs or behaviors.
(Option) Broader Implications:
Reflect on the larger significance of the genre in shaping communication within the discourse community.
Discuss what this analysis of the genre suggests about how genres function more generally in discourse communities.
(Option) Something else:
If you have something else that you want to discuss about the relationship between the genre you analyzed and your community, feel free to come up with your own sub-topic (or two) for this section.
Conclusion:
Summarize your key findings from the analysis.
Reiterate how the genre contributes to the goals and functioning of the discourse community.