1. Stevenson/Whitmore: Strategies for Engineering Communication 1 of 8 Rhetorical Situation

2. Stevenson/Whitmore: Strategies for Engineering Communication 2 of 8 Negotiating Rhetorical Demands  Verify your emphasis  Clarify your goal  Analyze your audience

3. Stevenson/Whitmore: Strategies for Engineering Communication 3 of 8 Audience Analysis Who is my audience?  What is their economic, social, and educational status?  What are their political beliefs?  What value is placed on education, environment, religion, and work?  How old is my audience? What are the common values or beliefs of this age group?

4. Stevenson/Whitmore: Strategies for Engineering Communication 4 of 8 Audience Analysis Cont’d How does the audience relate to the subject?  What issues make the audience angry or defensive?  How can I present unpopular ideas?  What authorities will convince them?  Would stories and analogies help?  How can I appeal to their values?  What concerns and fears must I address?

5. Stevenson/Whitmore: Strategies for Engineering Communication 5 of 8 Audience Analysis Cont’d What Is the audience’s level of expertise?  What does the audience already know?  What level of technical information is appropriate?  What content and conventions do they expect?  What terms must be defined or are understood?

6. Stevenson/Whitmore: Strategies for Engineering Communication 6 of 8 Audience Analysis Cont’d How does the audience relate to me?  What are the power relations?  Given this relationship, how do I present myself?  Am I an expert?  How do I demonstrate that I am honest, trustworthy, and sympathetic?

7. Stevenson/Whitmore: Strategies for Engineering Communication 7 of 8 Audience Analysis Cont’d How do I relate to the audience?  Do I respect the audience’s opinions and points of view?  Am I committed to telling them what I believe to be true?  Have I made things easy for them?

8. Stevenson/Whitmore: Strategies for Engineering Communication 8 of 8 Write or Speak?  Is the topic controversial?  Are you emotionally involved?  Is the other person angry, upset or frustrated?