Fernando Moreno

Mrs. Consuelo Salas

RWS 3355
4/20/2016
Ethnographic Project Reflective Essay
During this part of the semester, many reading have been given that were building
towards the Ethnographic project, many readings were centralized for the future
authors to be centralized in their discourse community and to make them feel
aware of what to address to their community. From the list of readings that were
given to the class for this project, I think that the most difficult ones for me to
comprehend before the in-class explanation were Swales The Concept of
Discourse Community and Porters Intertextuality. On the other hand, Mirabellis
Learning to Serve helped me to get a focus on how learning from your field can
benefit you in your workplace to become an effective communicator. The example
given in the lecture about the waiters and how knowing the menu can greatly
influence the way waiters talk to the customers when taking their order really gives
an exceptional example of effective communication. I really think these reading
helped to give a background on what to expect from the project, many of the
readings talked about structure while others talked about the discourse community
being addressed, after the reading is explained in class, you can properly relate
them to the ethnographic project.
About the Ethnographic Project, what surprised me the most about my data
collection methodologies was that Marketing does not work without communication
with customers. Since the field is based on satisfying customer needs, if proper
communication is not reached by a company, then their product will not generate
satisfaction and thus, will not generate enough profits. The customers are
addressed by interviews, focus groups, online polls, or any other type of data
collection which is later transcribed into information for the top employers for a
decision. I feel I did accomplish the purpose of this assignment, gathering the
information from the project influenced my view of Marketing. I learned how to work
within my field and how can I improve through the years so I do know how to be an
effective communicator when I enter it. My writing process facilitated my progress
since I was able to choose the most useful information from the data I collected
while focusing on my discourse community and the purpose I had for the
assignment, which was to write for anyone interested in my field. The major
changes I did in my drafts was mostly the arrangement of information so everything
was in its proper place and not repeating information through the paper. Overall, I
think that the project could have been more effective if I gathered more information
to have more credentials for my credibility. I did learn that my workplace is not for
granted after I graduate, I learned that I need to work hard through my studies and

learn the most about Marketing. If Im able to become an effective communicator, I

will make the best out of my job. My sources told me that I will not start at the top
no matter my credentials, they said that I will work on a low position not to
undermine my judgment, but to help me learn about the company from the bottom
to the top.