Chapter 5 Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Three steps in analyzing an audience: 1. Identify primary and secondary audiences. 2. Identify basic categories of readers. 3. Identify individual characteristics of readers. 2 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Two categories of readers: 1. A primary audience of people who use your document in carrying out their jobs Focus on needs of the primary audience Ensure their needed information is displayed prominently 2. A secondary audience of people who need to stay aware of developments in the organization but who will not directly act on or respond to your document Information directed at secondary audience is provided in a less prominent place in the document, i.e. an appendix 3 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Another categorization of readers: Experts read to gain an understanding of the theory and its implications. Technicians read to gain a hands-on understanding of how something works or how to carry out a task. Managers read to learn the bottom-line facts to aid in making decisions. General readers read to satisfy curiosity and for self-interest. 4 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Experts: Highly trained Often carries out and communicates research When writing to an “Expert” audience: Include theory Include technical vocabulary Include formulas Include sophisticated graphics 5 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

When writing to a “Technician” audience: Include graphics. Use common words, short sentences, and short paragraphs. Avoid excessive theory. 6 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

When writing to a “Managerial” audience: Focus on managerial implications, not technical details. Use short sentences and simple vocabulary. Put details in appendices. 7 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

When writing to a “General Reader” audience Use short sentences and paragraphs. See Jane run. Use human appeal. Use an informal tone. 8 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Determine readers’ individual characteristics by asking: Who is your reader? What are your reader’s attitudes and expectations? Why and how will your reader use your document? 9 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

What is the reader’s Education? Amount of support material Professional experience? Range of expertise Job responsibility? Address specific concerns Personal characteristics? Age, etc. Personal preferences? Read their work Cultural characteristics? Avoid offensive remarks 10 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

What is the reader’s attitude toward you? What is the reader’s attitude toward the subject (see pg. 76)? What are the reader’s expectations about the document? Type of document Scope Amount of detail 11 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Why is the reader reading your document? Carry out a task Learn an answer to a question Understand broad outline of a subject How will the reader read your document? Skim it vs. study it closely Modify it & forward it What is the reader’s reading skill? Written, oral, computer-based What is the physical environment in which the reader will read your document? Lighting, weather, contaminants (bathroom?) 12 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

If your document may have a variety of readers, consider making it modules. Break the document into components addressed to different kinds of readers. Executive summary for managers Full technical discussion for experts Implementation schedule for technicians Financial plan for budget officer 13 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Prevalent cultural variables: Political Economic Social Religious Educational Technological Linguistic 14 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Hidden cultural variables: Focus on individuals or groups Distance between business life and private life Distance between ranks Nature of truth Need to spell out details Attitudes toward uncertainty 15 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Each variable represents a spectrum of attitudes. The six variables do not line up in a clear pattern. Different organizations within the same culture can vary greatly. An organization's cultural attitudes are fluid, not static. 16 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

When writing for readers from other cultures: Limit your vocabulary. Keep sentences short. Define abbreviations and acronyms in a glossary. Avoid jargon unless you know your readers are familiar with it. Avoid idioms and slang. Use the active voice whenever possible. Be careful with graphics. Be sure someone from the target culture reviews your document. 17 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

To determine the purpose of your document, ask yourself: What do I want this document to accomplish? Inform, convince, persuade, summarize What do I want readers to know or believe? What do I want readers to do? Act, authorize, recommend 18 Chapter 5. Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose