Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Chapter 5

Presented By:
Rachel Harkness Steven Butts Jon Band Chris Cordell
June 6, 2006

 Types of Readers

Characteristics of Readers Cultural Factors

Multiple Audiences, Purpose, and Management

Analyzing an Audience
Thinkingtake what you know and like
Listeningtalk to others Classifyingbased on their knowledge on the subject

Types of Readers

Identifying Audiences
Primary Audiencehave a direct roll in responding
Use the document in their job Evaluate the document Act on your recommendations

Secondary Audienceneeds to stay aware of developments

Types of Readers

Basic Categories
Experthighly trained, theoretical and practical understanding Technicianbuilds, operates, maintains Managerlong range concerns; broad picture

General Readerself-interest
Types of Readers

 Types of Readers

Characteristics of Readers Cultural Factors

Multiple Audiences, Purpose, and Management

Individual Characteristics
Who is your reader?
What are the readers attitudes and expectations? How will the document be used?

Characteristics of Readers

Who is your Reader?

The Readers Education
The Readers Professional Experience The Readers Job Responsibility

Characteristics of Readers

Who is your Reader?

Personal Characteristics
Personal Preferences Cultural Characteristics

Characteristics of Readers

What Are Your Readers Attitudes and Expectations?

Attitude Towards You
Attitude Towards Subject Expectations of Your Reader about the Document

Characteristics of Readers

Why and How Will Your Reader Use Your Document?

Reason for Reading the Document
The Way the Document will be Read Reading Skills of Your Reader

Physical Environment of the Reader

Characteristics of Readers

 Types of Readers

Characteristics of Readers Cultural Factors

Multiple Audiences, Purpose, and Management

Communicating Across Cultures

Society and workforce are becoming increasingly diverse, both culturally and linguistically.
Effective communication requires understanding of cultural beliefs, attitudes, and values that motivate behavior.

Cultural Factors

Understanding Cultural Variables

Communicating effectively with people from another culture requires understanding a set of variables that lie on the surface.
Political Economic Social Religious Educational Technological Linguistic

Cultural Factors

Writing to Other Cultures

Guidelines for Approaching Readers of Another Culture
Limit Your Vocabulary Keep Sentences Short Define Acronyms and Abbreviations in a Glossary Avoid Jargon Avoid Idioms and Slang Use the Active Voice Whenever Possible Be Careful with Graphics Have Someone from the Target Culture Review Your Document

Cultural Factors

 Types of Readers

Characteristics of Readers Cultural Factors

Multiple Audiences, Purpose, and Management

Dealing with Multiple Audiences

Will there be multiple types of readers using your document? Modular Document

Multiple Audiences

Audience Profile
Helps Analyze Your Readers Example on page 88

Multiple Audiences

Determining Purpose
What is the document accomplishing? Verbs can help define purpose.
To describe To inform To outline To define To assess To propose To evaluate

Purpose

Gaining Managements Approval

Are you on the right track? Do those with the final say agree?

Management