Kays, Trent2020-09-222020-09-222020-07https://hdl.handle.net/11299/216376University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. July 2020. Major: Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication. Advisor: Laura Gurak. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 104 pages.The Green Pea Galaxy was discovered by a group of Zooniverse discussion forum users in 2007. This dissertation investigates the rhetorical moves and motives of the discussion forum users who discovered the galaxy and how those nonexpert users constructed authority and expertise within the discussion forum to develop criteria for assessing their own discovery outside traditionally trained experts.encase studydigital rhetoricexpertisescientific communicationtechnical communicationwriting studiesThesis or Dissertation