Scott 1

Alexandra Scott"
ENC1102"
06 April 2015"
Unit 4 Assignment"
Introduction!
"

Recently, I have developed some interest in the way that my sorority works, i.e.

the mechanics behind it. Because I am coming to the end of my second year at the Eta
Theta chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, I am curious about some of the policies and
procedures. Specifically, I am interested in how positions are met and chosen. I know
that this cannot be completely understood unless I have the interest to dive deeper to
investigate why each person is chosen. From everyday conversations with my sisters, I
can discern that those people who get picked for positions, within the sorority, are
usually very social, organized, and bright. Although I know that this observation is a
great start as a hypothesis for my research, I realize that it is based only on a vague
understanding of the women who take positions. So, my goal, for this present research,
is to have an even deeper understanding of what makes a good leader in Theta. I want
to investigate the qualities needed and to explore both arguments and
claim

counterarguments to provide a detailed description of a good leader. "

"

"

This paper contains 9 different sources that allow me to present that in-depth

description. Because the sorority system is such an old tradition, an evaluation

involving an extensive time span is required. In order to keep the information as concise
and clear as possible, this paper will be organized so that each source builds on the
ideas of its previous source and ends in a conclusion based on all of the sources. "

Scott 2
"

The fifth source (new member manual) will be presented and explained by

means of the "activity systems pyramid". This is done to provide an understanding of the
backbone for my research so that details added later would make more sense. The
questions that I would like to be able to answer at the completion of my research are as
follows:"
1. How can someone of new standing rise above those with seniority to a position of "
"

authority? "

2. Could too much identity hinder an individual's ability to rise to an authoritative " "
"

position? "

research
questions

3. Would the choice to voice too many opinions or to show too much emotion diminish "
"

that individual's chances?"

"

By the end of this paper the reader should have an understanding of how my

research supports the identity and authority associated with members of the Kappa
Alpha Theta sorority who take on positions within the sorority."

"
Discussion on Discourse Communities and Genres!
!

John Swales, a professor of linguistics, cites criterions that he believes are the

basics of a discourse community. Of course, a discourse community is made up of it's

general members. Some often overlooked requirements for a discourse community are
explained by the "six defining characteristics of a discourse community". (Swales) "
"

1. The community shares a common public goal/goals. "

"

2. The community has specific mechanisms/methods to communicate between "

"

"

members."

Scott 3
"

3. These mechanisms/methods are used between members to provide " "

"

"

"

4. The community makes use of several types of genres to communicate. "

"

5. The community speaks with an acquired, specific lexis."

"

6. The community has members ranging from novices to experts."

information and feedback. "

"
"

My chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority satisfies all of these requirements. "

1. A sorority has public goals, such as recruiting new members, as well as more ""
"

beneficent goals, like raising money for our philanthropies. Personal goals are "

"

important too. Each member embodies the goal of striving to be the best type of "

"

Theta that she can be from the moment that she accepts her bid from the ""

"

sorority. "

2. As a sorority, we have a way of communicating with everyone. Our interchange is "

"

often through emails. We even have a Facebook group, which is only available "

"

to girls in the sorority. Our community has weekly chapter meetings. It also "

"

accommodates the meeting of groups within the sorority regarding their " "

"

participation in different events. "

3. During our weekly chapter meetings, members are afforded the opportunity to
provide

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"
"

"

Scott 4
"

feedback and information for the coming week."

4. The main genres of communication utilized by this community are the use of " "
"

Facebook, weekly emails, and chapter meetings. These represent the modes "

"

through which members communicate and give ideas. "

5. A certain Jargon is known and used by a sorority member. This lexis may "

"

"

"

sound odd or not be understood by someone outside for the sorority. A prime "

"

example would be the use of the word PNM, which means potential new ""

"

member. This word is used to describe a girl going through recruitment, who has "

"

not yet received a bid to a sorority. "

6. Through the course of time, the composition of the community changes. Girls " "
"

graduate or drop, while new girls get recruited. The total membership and the "

"

quality of the girls is ever-changing. Some members (experts) have positions that

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

command respect and authority, within the sorority, from new members (novices)."

spacing issue

"
"

Another well known linguist, Ann Johns, describes a discourse community

differently. She suggests that a community be categorized as political, social, or

recreational. "
"

I believe that Theta is a social community simply because most of the activities

within this community are social. Also, members are charged with the task of being

Scott 5
social within the larger community of UCF. Johns explains that the type of community
that you are in helps to develop your identity within that community. She explains that
an individual is expected to act a certain way and that those who are able to act and
speak within the social norms of that community are able to gain identity within it. She
also explains that, in addition to identity, costs, power struggles, and gatekeeping all
provide lenses to further analyze a discourse community."
"

An example of Costs, in our chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, is the dues each

member is required to pay. A more personal example would be the burden of having to
change the minds of people regarding the stereotype of greek life. A member sacrifices
her ability to act like a normal college student because of the scrutiny of the general
student population. Those who watch you may be jaded in their interpretation, and
perceive "a greek" being stereotypically immature and dumb. "
"

An example of power struggle may occur between an authority figure within the

sorority, i.e. the president, head of recruitment, head of finances, or many of the other
positions in the hierarchy, and a non position holding member of the sorority. These
positions are chosen by the whole chapter and are modeled after those of the
government of the United States. This method of choosing the people in authority
positions addresses the concept of gatekeeping. It is important to keep those who do
not possess the qualities required for leadership out of a decision making position.
These individuals must not have the opportunity to have a weighted influence in the
sorority. "
"

I intend to prove, by utilizing these two methods of evaluating discourse

communities, that my chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority is a valid representation of

Scott 6
a discourse community and is worthy of my research. With just a simple analysis of the
community, questions arise with regards to authority and identity.They also touch on
how these two contribute to gatekeeping in the community. "
"

An import component of Amy Devitt's work is Genre. She explains the concept of

genre so that I am able to interpret it's meaning. Genre, to me, represents the means by
which an idea is conveyed to an audience. An example that I used for genre, in my
research, is the new member manual given to the new members in the sorority. This
manual is useful in my research because it provided a quick summary of the qualities
associated with ideal members of the sorority in the midst of providing the general
overview for new membership. The manual addresses the fact that, in essence, new
members are just being introduced to the opportunity to understand the qualities
needed to form an identity and gain authority in the sorority. Before continuing to
discuss the manual itself, and it's exemplification of genre, the Activity Theory must be
more thoroughly explained. I chose to explain this genre by using a component of the
Activity Theory called the Activities Systems Model. Wardle uses Activity Theory to
explain membership. She explains that, in order to be an active member, the "neophyte"
must be active within the community. They must learn what it means to be part of the
community. This may involve learning what type of rituals are used, or how to act/write
like members. When she refers to these ideas, she specifically alludes to two specific
topics regarding this concept: Identity and Authority. She is also able to provide a story
to back up her claims. Her ideas do address the possibility that there are more factors
that solidify membership within a community. It is suggested that one can have
individualism and authority and that this will be the only way to succeed in being a

Scott 7
contributing member of the community. A member could act the same as a member
that came before and possibly evade notice as a "successful" member. This means that
a member could just learn the bare necessities, not contribute new ideas to the
community, nor form a solid identity. (Wardle 522)"
"

long paragraph consider breaking

Wardle , my fourth source, explains identity as the ability for an individual to be a

member of the community while still keeping their past experiences.(Wardle 524) One
might introduce new ideas, values, or ways of doing things. In a extreme example, a
new employee who may have come from a very religious background might be offended
by a very "touchy" co-worker. This may cause the company to have a new contact rule
in the office. Someone's past experiences may also strongly influence how they act.
Someone with a Latino background may be very loud and be quick to provide their
opinions, while a more quiet person may be apprehensive to express the same
opinions. Identity helps someone stand out within a community, therefore, helping to
improve the community as well. A community with many identified individuals can
change and adapt to the ever-changing world and problems. (Wardle 524)"
"

Authority, within this passage, is described as the ability to quickly pick up on

certain practices within the chosen community. (Wardle 526) Wardle explains that there
is a grace period during which the new members must adjust to rules, regulations, and
expectations of the community. Those who are still struggling, after the grace period, are
considered to lack authority within the community. Another aspect associated with
authority is the ability to provide identity in ones work. That is to take the expectations/
"base" and add one's own thoughts to it. The expectations of the community should
serve as a starting point for one's authority to add/improve upon the bare necessities of

Scott 8
the

community. (Wardle

526)"

"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"

Scott 9

"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"

spacing issue

In the PDF version of the Kappa Alpha Theta new member manual there is also a

fair amount of content that is not related to ritual that can be utilized to describe the
need for identity and authority within the sorority, and more importantly within those who
take positions. "
"

The manual is separated into sections that can throughly inform a new member

regarding the attributes that a sister of the sorority should have. These qualities are
what are evaluated when a member is asked to take a position within the sorority. "
"

The first of these sections addresses a brief history of the sorority. Within this

section, it is discussed what it means to be a "Leading Women". This is referenced as

one who "commands us to be nobler women, to lead ourselves to personal excellence
and to lead others there as well. It commands us to set the bar high...not only have the
chance to lead on our campuses, in our communities, and in our professions, but we

Scott 10
also have the chance to effect real change."(New Member Manual, 46) Those women
who are able to excel, and embody this concept of a leading woman, tend to hold
positions. This is because an individual who is described in this excerpt is one who has
a strong knowledge of their identity and is not afraid to show it in the face of adversity.
This woman would possess the strong authority to push past the glass ceiling to, in
summation, become a "Leading Woman"."
"

The second section discusses academic excellence. It explains how girls need to

be aware of their schooling and try their hardest to be the best that they can be. In order
to hold a position in the sorority, one must have a GPA of 3.5. (New Member Manual,
54) Those who have a very strong academic identity, by excelling in the classroom,
through being confident in their work, and expressing academic concerns, are the ones
who meet the GPA requirement, and therefore hold a position in the sorority. In order to
have a good identity, one must be authoritative and stand their ground in an academic
situation. This could be exemplified by something as simple as taking the lead on a
group project. "
"

The third module explains about leadership potential. This is a great quality for

those in a position to have. Without leadership potential, there is no authority over the
non-position holding members of the sorority. This module first explains to new
members about leadership opportunities on campus and in class. An example could be
taking leadership opportunities on a group project (used before) or going as far as
attempting to attain a position on SGA. The second section explains how one can build
upon those opportunities to try and get a leadership position in theta. (New Member
Manual, 61). Identity plays a role in leadership. Those who don't see an individual's

Scott 11
Is this supported by evidence? Do you have data to back this up?

identity are sometimes weary to follow them. In order to show great leadership potential,
one must posses a strong presence through showing identity and authority. "
"

I feel that this article is directly related to my topic questions of 1. How can

someone of new standing rise above those with seniority to a position of authority? 2.
Could too much identity hinder an individual's ability to rise to an authoritative position?
3. Would the choice to voice too many opinions or to show too much emotion diminish
that individual's chances? This manual provides a springboard to discuss how to
evaluate my questions. This manual explains the use of identity and authority within the
process of choosing."

"
"
"

Spacing issue

Supportive Arguments!
!

My sixth article is a PDF journal article that I found entitled "Women 'Take Care,'

Men 'Take Charge' Stereotyping of U.S. Business Leaders Exposed". This article is not
directly related to sorority dynamics, but exemplifies a good understanding and brings
up topics that are not explained in the new member handbook, as well as situations that
may go unnoticed.!
"

It also brings up the issue of stereotyping that often befalls leading women. As

explained in the quote, "Gender-based stereotyping is alive and well in businessmen

AND women do it."(Women "take care"...,4) One topic addressed is the thought that
women were meant to "take care" not to "take charge". It is also thought, "Because
women leaders are stereotyped as relatively poor problem-solvers, their power to

Scott 12
motivate followers may be seriously undermined." (Women "take care"...4) Women are
associated with feminine qualities, like being friendly and sensitive. This can be
perceived as less important, or possibly even detrimental regarding leadership. For the
most part, the majority of traits used to describe men are considered dominant, thus
skewing evaluations of women to be more negative in comparison. The main point that
is emphasized is that people grew up with these preconceived notions. "Because most
people are not aware of how their thinking and behavior are automatically influenced by
stereotypes, they conclude their perceptions come from objective observations. This is
why stereotyping is so difficult to addressall of us do it, but we often dont realize or
believe that we do."(Women "take care"...6) Most women, in the sorority, may fall victim
to this way of thinking. This may cause them to become apprehensive to take a position.
do you
have Some
evidence
of this?

qualities that are expected for people who want to take a position directly

contradict the stereotypes of leading women. "

"

The article dives deeper into the statement that women "take care" and men

"take charge. To better provide information and support the assertions made, the article
presents some common words associated with taking care and explains how they can
actually contribute to making a great leading woman. The words include supportive",
which is tied to actions such as "Encouraging, assisting, and providing resources for
others". "Rewarding" is associated with "providing praise, recognition, and financial
renumeration when appropriate"(Women "take care"...10). "Mentoring" is "Facilitating
the skill development and career advancement of subordinates"(Women "take care"...
10). The article goes on to include about four more key terms. These terms actually
prove that, although "taking care" is intended to hurt a leading woman's creditability, it

Scott 13
actually affirms that she is more qualified. It explains how these women can work
around problems and create a better solution. In fact, these qualities encourage a
woman to be a fair, just, and understanding leader and allow her to pursue a more
democratic way of doing things. "
"

This article refers back to a sorority dynamic like that of theta by giving examples

of common stereotypes for women. If a women is brought up to believe these

stereotypes, how can society expect her to have the qualities, which are based on
having a strong sense of identity and authority, required to be a leading woman. Unless
someone is able to open their mind to them, they won't be suitable to run. Most women
will look at the stereotypes in a bad way and try to change themselves to be more like
the "perfect leader". The women that are able to take those stereotypes, see something
positive, and use those qualities to better themselves and their peers, are the ones that
have identity and authority in the sorority. These are the leading women who hold
positions. It's not just about what a women is told to strive to possess, its about working
with what one already has, as well. Thats why leading women have embraced these
stereotypes and used them to their advantage. "

"
"

Draw on primary research in addition to secondary research

My seventh article is also from the Forbes online website. This one takes a

completely different position than the one previously referenced. In The Most
Undervalued Leadership Traits OfWomen the author, Glen Llopis, uses his
experiences with the women in his hispanic family to influence the reader and draw
attention to some overlooked characteristics of women leaders. This article emphasizes

Scott 14
many qualities that exhibit identity and authority that women in the sorority may possess
giving them at an advantage to take a position."
"

He starts off the article by explaining that, within his family, the women were the

ones who stayed at home and took care of everyone. He explains that, because of this,
the women where able to learn qualities that made them fit for leadership. Like many
who grow up with a Hispanic upbringing, I was surrounded by strong-willed,
hardworking and purpose-driven women. ( Llopis, 1) Qualities like having the ability to
handle problems well, organization, and being well-balanced are stressed."
"

He goes on to provide a list of overlooked qualities. The first is the ability to be

opportunity driven. He explains that women, when faced with a seemingly impossible
problem will not allow themselves to give up and start over. Instead, they posses the
glass half full versus glass half empty mentality. They will try and work as hard as they
can to fix what is seemingly broken and tend to come up with solutions to every
problem. This is a very important quality to have in the sorority. Problems come up day
after day. The ability to solve them quickly and not back down is crucial. An example
might be when a member of the Panhellenic community (all of the sororities collectively)
serves as a bad example for greek life. It is the presidents responsibility to assure other
members of the UCF community that this behavior is not what her specific sorority
emphasizes or condones. She must be apologetic for that members actions. This
represents a solution to a problem rather than throwing in the towel and taking the
stance that there should be no more greek life because of the impropriety of one
person. "

Scott 15
"

The second quality he mentions is the ability to be strategic by any means

necessary. He explains that women are questionable creatures. A womans lens of

skepticism oftentimes forces them to see well beyond the most obvious details before
them. They enjoy stretching their perspective to broaden their observations. Many

condense this

women are not hesitant to peel the onion in order to get to the root of the
matter. ( Llopis, 1) This is important when dealing with discipline. A leader who just
accuses and doesnt listen, not putting herself in the shoes of the accused, is not the
right kind of leader. Sometimes, by discussing the actions and putting herself in the
accused shoes, she can better understand why the problem occurred. She may
unearth the information she needs to change things to prevent the problem from
happening again. If she were to just punish without understanding, she wouldnt have
the materials to fix it for later. Another aspect of being strategic is thinking in future
terms. The author asserts that women are great at predicting possible outcomes and
making sure that they are ready to deal with each one. Planning ahead is a great quality
in a leader. An example within theta is the choice to have a risk committee check in
each guest when it comes to bringing your date events. The committee checks ID to
make sure underage attendees are marked and of age attendees are banded pre
venue. This serves to combat the issue of underage drinking before it can become a
problem later. "
"

The third quality introduced is the fact that women are passionate. Yes,

passionate is a way to describe feeling. He warns, dont be fooled, passionate leaders

are the best kind. When a leader is passionate, she is dedicating herself to that cause.
She will make sure nothing goes wrong, never give up, and support her values no

Scott 16
matter what. This is a great thing to have in the sorority. If a leader doesn't care about
the values and goals created by the founders, she will not try to uphold those standards.
Passion is the glue that keeps it all together. Without an interest and passion, the
sorority dynamic will fall apart and have no purpose. "
"

My eighth source was an interview with the president of the Eta Theta chapter of

Kappa Alpha Theta, Taylor Aldrich. My main focus for this interview was to ask about her
feelings regarding her presidency, what qualities she feels make a good leader, and
how she handles situations. After those preliminary questions, I went on to ask her my
exact research questions."
"

Her answer to the first question was, that it's hard, but is definitely a rewarding

experience. In theta, the president serves for a full year (or two semesters). She starts
off in the spring, when the work load is less. Taylor explained how she is still getting
used to her position. She remarks,"a new situation or paper or form pops up everywhere
I turn". "Balancing school and the presidency is hard work", she laments. She explains
how she feels like the "under the radar" member by saying that she knows everything
that goes on the sorority. "I've dove into Theta, not dipped my feet in, DOVE. It's a lot at
once", she tells me. You don't fully understand how much there is that goes on within
the sorority until you are in charge. All of the things that seem to run smoothly require a
lot of hard work, she explains. "
"

When asked what qualities make a good leader many were attributes previously

referenced. She goes on to say, "you have to really love your sorority, since you've seen
both sides of it", "understanding...if you don't have the ability to understand the situation,
you are not guiding the chapter into a better direction. People make mistakes and they

good
primary
source here

Scott 17
should have the opportunity to fix them and move on". Lastly, she describes a new
concept, patience. "If I wasn't patient, I would have been kicked out before I knew it. You
have to be able to take what is thrown out at you and turn the other cheek. Girls lash out
when threatened or hurt. If you are unable to sit and listen to it all, then you will never
get down to the main business. Girls are more willing to confess and tell the truth in a
less pressured and more understanding situation. That's why we have risk meetings
with the girls." Risk meetings are places where an accused girl gets to discuss the
situation she is in and ,as a group, they discuss punishment, if punishment is even
needed, afterwords. "
"

Taylor mentioned a great situation where she handled a situation well. She told a

story about her first big hiccup in the sorority during her presidency. It was the end of
late fall, after she had been voted to be the succeeding president. The seniors for that
semester decided to plan a bar crawl for a last little hoorah. "The night was going well..."
until one of the girls became extremely intoxicated. She was so inebriated that she
couldn't stop puking in the bathroom. Instead of causing a big commotion, Taylor
decided to quietly sit with this girl until she was able to get into the car to be driven to
the nearest hospital. The way things work is that any extreme incident must be reported
to OFSL. Because she handled the situation with ease and minimal frustration she was
able to mark this as not a huge problem. Therefore, she did not have to report the
incident to OFSL, who, as we know, is very quick to hand out punishments for incident
reports. "
"

Taylor answered the question about someone of new standing rising above

someone of seniority by explaining that the way girls rise to positions doesn't have to do

Scott 18
with the amount years in the sorority, instead it has to do with their involvement in
addressing issues and problems that occur. "
"

In her response to whether too much identity hinder an individual's ability to rise

to an authoritative position, she answered that she felt that when these girls are
constantly showing their faces around the house, they are the ones that are more likely
to be chosen, because they are the most recognized. Members see them as successful
in the past and trust they are the correct ones to lead them. She also brought up that
when members are in the public eye too much for the wrong reasons, like getting called
to standards too much, It will turn those members off or put a distaste in their mouths.
This hinders their chances to rise to an authoritative position. "
She answered the final question about showing too much emotion or voicing too much
opinion diminishing an individual's chances of taking a position by saying that she could
see someone being so passionate about one issue and not realizing that it may be her
pet project. It may not benefit the sorority as a whole. Members of the sorority may not
choose a person with too much emotion because they are concerned she will not
appropriately exact punishments at standards. "

"
Counterargument!
!

My final source wasn't a source utilized for supportive ideas for my paper. It was,

instead, a way for me to evaluate opposing ideas on the matter. I researched qualities
that women have that would make them bad candidates. This article, from Forbes
online website, explains the "3 Reasons You Don't Want Women Leaders". It begins by

this is some
interesting
primary data
work with
this more

Scott 19
explaining that there is no genetic difference between men and women that would make
a women be unable to lead. "
"

The first point the article asserts is the fact that, in order to have a woman lead,

you have to change the way things work. It is alleged that everything in society is made
with a man in mind. The good thing about the sorority system is that it was made with a
woman in mind. The difficulty of changing the way things are run in the sorority is not an
issue. It is already run with regard to the ideas of women. If a girl was raised with the
idea that leadership is a quality attributed only to men, it may be hard for her to adjust to
the ideas and to adapt to the ways sororities are run. Being close-minded can only hold
her back from gaining a position. "
"

The second point is that women favor other women. Well, one might think that

this argument has no point in an all women sorority leadership. But it did make one
ponder the possibility that women might favor some women as opposed to others. In
short, girls will sometimes pick the popular candidate. Popular could mean a candidate
that shows more identity. This could be either a good or a bad thing, depending on the
type of identity and authority a candidate exudes. If the popularity contributes to the
qualities of leadership she possesses, it could be a good thing. But if the popularity
highlights how bold and opinionated she is, this could sway votes for the wrong
reasons. "
"

The final thought is that women are too caring and meek to be in a leadership

position. That is true, at times, but, I feel that there is a link between the level of identity
and authority you have and the level of meekness you possess. Someone with a strong
amount of identity will speak what is on their mind and say what they think is right. In

Scott 20
voicing their opinions, they gain authority. But too much identity and authority can
actually harm an individual. An individual must have a sense of caring in order to have
great leadership potential. While speaking their mind, they should also care about what
they say and how it will effect others. A good leader knows when to talk and not to talk. "
"

Although this article has a bias toward not having women take positions, it

actually served to highlight reasons why women don't often take positions. A girl who
does not realize her potential or sees herself as not worthy to be a leader of a sorority
would not try and run for a position and someone who is outspoken and opinionated
would likely not hold the position as well. All of these reasons are why some girls that
may have seniority in the sorority do not hold positions. They may be too loud or too
quiet. With new girls coming in each semester bringing with them new ideas and more
progressive opinions, we are seeing more new members possessing the qualities often
attributed to a leader. We encounter new members better able to show identity and
have authority. This is what gets them positions over members with seniority. "

"

This feels like a long lit. review. I'd rather see you draw on specific genres or observations from your community to
arrive at these conclusions.

Conclusion!
!

Overall, the articles I chose for this paper, all unearthed and highlighted qualities

that can be used to describe a good leader, minus the inclusion of Wardle's source, in
general. I chose to include that article because I feel it is important to be reminded what
identity and authority are. This is especially useful when it comes to answering my
research questions: 1. How can someone of new standing rise above those with
seniority to a position of authority? 2. Could too much identity hinder an individual's
ability to rise to an authoritative position? "

Scott 21
3. Would the choice to voice too many opinions or to show too much emotion diminish
that individual's chances? The process of understanding and answering these questions
revolves around the need for a good understanding of authority and identity. Once one
does have that understanding, then they realize that the qualities mentioned in the new
member orientation guide, the women "take care" article, the interview with Taylor, and
finally the article on the under appreciated values of women are all qualities ascribed to
leading women. From there, the reader is able to understand these qualities are the
ones of the women who take positions within the Eta Theta chapter of Kappa Alpha
Theta sorority. Along with enabling the reader to sense a correlation between these
qualities and mannerisms associated with a strong identity and authority, this further
proves the answer to my first research question. In each of these articles, the women
that have these qualities and backgrounds are prepared to take positions over/istead of
those with seniority that are attempting to gain these qualities rather than possessing
them before. The article on reasons why women make bad leaders gives examples of
women in the sorority who don't take positions, whether it be due to the way that they
are brought up, the fact that they lack identity and authority in the sorority, or just
possess less, making them timid or weak. It also mentions women who have too much
identity, and turn people off ,thus hindering their changes to take an authoritative
position. All of these can be seen in new members of my sorority , but for the sake of
my research, I pointed out these qualities in girls with seniority. My interview with Taylor
reiterated that a woman with too many opinions or who shows too much emotion may
actually worsen her chances for a position by alienating members. Sometimes, I have
seen a senior member try to dominate the person giving them orders. More recently,

Scott 22
newer and younger girls have been taking positions. Sometimes girls with more
seniority, that are older, will challenge this. When the girl with the position handles this
situation well, it both enforces her right to be in that position and highlights that the girl
with seniority shouldn't be in that position. On the flip side, there are girls who are older
and have more seniority as well, but lack identity and authority. Those timid and meek
girls merely do what they are told. "
"

In general, I feel that my presentation of the articles was able to be perused in a

way that information from one built upon the next. I explained the idea, built upon the
idea, then created counterarguments, and finally explained them in association with the
research ideas. "

"
"
"
"
"
Works cited !
Kappa Alpha Theta Nationals. Member Orientation Facilitators Guide. Indianapolis, "
"

Indiana:Kappa Alpha Theta Nationals, 2014. PDF."

"
"Women 'Take Care,' Men 'Take Charge': Stereotyping of U.S. Business Leaders
Exposed." Catalyst, 2005. 4-10. Print."

"

Scott 23
Pynchon, Victoria. "3 Reasons You Don't Want Women Leaders." Forbes. Forbes "
"

Magazine, 14 Sept. 2012. Web. 20 Mar. 2015."

"
Llopis, Glenn. "The Most Undervalued Leadership Traits Of Women." Forbes. Forbes "
"

Magazine, 03 Feb. 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2015." "

"
Wardle, Elizabeth. "Identity, Authority, and Learning to Write in New Workplaces". "
"

Writing About Writing a College Reader. Eds. Elizabeth Wardle, Doug Downs. "

"

Boston: Bedford/ St.Martin's, 2011 520-537. Print. "

"
Aldrich, Taylor. "Interview President." Personal interview. 06 Mar. 2015."

"
Kain, Donna, and Elizabeth Wardle. "Activity Theory: An Introduction for the Writing "
"

Classroom." Writing about Writing: A College Reader. Ed. Elizabeth A. Wardle "

"

and Doug Downs. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 273-281. Print."

"
Dirk, Kerry. "Navigating Genres." Writing about Writing: A College Reader. Ed.

"

"

Charles Lowe and Pavel Zemliansky. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. N. "

"

pag. Print."

"
"

John Swales . "The concept of Discourse Community" Writing about Writing: A College Reader.
Ed. Elizabeth A. Wardle and Doug Downs. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 466-478 . Print."

"

Scott 24

"
"
"
"
"
"
"