A discourse community (similar to a “community of practice” or “community of inquiry”) is a term often used in writing studies to refer to a group that uses communication to work toward a common goal. James Porter defines a discourse community as “a group of individuals bound by a common interest who communicate through approved channels and whose discourse is regulated" (38-39). Following him, John Swales identified 6 characteristics of discourse communities. According to Swales, a discourse community shares common (1) goals, (2) methods of communication, (3) participation among members, (4) genres (i.e., types of communication), and (5) terminology. In addition, (6) they have “a critical mass” of members with shared discursive and content expertise (31-32). (A major field or discipline could be seen as an example of a discourse community, as could some club, hobbyist, fan, or sporting communities.) Dan Melzer’s UNDERSTANDING DISCOURSE COMMUNITIES provides a clear introduction to the concept for people who are new to the study of discourse.