1. 2 © 2005 Thomson South-Western PLAN FOR YOUR AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE TECHNICAL WRITING FOR SUCCESS Meeting the Audience’s Needs Planning Your Document’s Purpose, Scope, and Medium Meeting the Audience’s Needs Planning Your Document’s Purpose, Scope, and Medium

2. Chapter © 2005 Thomson South-Western 2 DETERMINE how to meet the needs of a select and multiple audience PLAN a document’s purpose, scope, and medium 1 1 2 Goals Plan for Your Audience and Purpose

3. Chapter © 2005 Thomson South-Western 3 Technical writing is written for an external audience. Technical writers must know who the members of their audience are, what they already know, and what they need or want to know. In technical writing, one rule dominates: the needs and wants of your audience dictate every decision you make as a writer. 1 1 2 Meeting the Audience’s Needs Plan for Your Audience and Purpose

4. Chapter © 2005 Thomson South-Western 4 A select audience is a specific person or a select group with a common interest. Consider the following characteristics of a select audience: –Knowledge Level –Role –Interest –Cultural Background –Personality 1 1 2 Meeting the Needs of a Select Audience Plan for Your Audience and Purpose

5. Chapter © 2005 Thomson South-Western 5 A multiple audience is an audience made up of multiple interests, with members whose needs and wants sometimes conflict with one another. A multiple audience can be divided into two groups: –Primary audience—who you are responsible for first –Secondary audience—who you are responsible for after you have met the needs of the primary audience 1 1 2 Meeting the Needs of a Multiple Audience Plan for Your Audience and Purpose

6. Chapter © 2005 Thomson South-Western 6 Early in your writing process, determine –The purpose of your document –The scope of your document –The medium for your document 1 1 2 Planning Your Document’s Purpose, Scope, and Medium Plan for Your Audience and Purpose

7. Chapter © 2005 Thomson South-Western 7 In technical writing, the purpose is to inform or persuade or both. To determine the specific purpose of your writing assignment, ask yourself these questions: –What do I want to inform my readers about? –What do I want to persuade or convince them of? –What do I—or the person asking me to write—want to happen as a result of this document? 1 1 2 Purpose Plan for Your Audience and Purpose

8. Chapter © 2005 Thomson South-Western 8 The scope is what the writing will and will not cover. To determine scope, ask yourself: –How thorough will my coverage be? –What information do I include and leave out? 1 1 2 Scope Plan for Your Audience and Purpose

9. Chapter © 2005 Thomson South-Western 9 The medium is a means by which information is conveyed. To determine what medium you will use, ask yourself: –Is the medium appropriate for my audience? –Is the time and money required to produce the medium worth the possible outcome? –What media are available to me? 1 1 2 Medium Plan for Your Audience and Purpose