Audience Analysis: Worksheet
Directions: You will perform an analysis of a group of 7-8 individuals in your class. Your
aim is to get an idea of how your audience regards your issue before you write your essay.
Your aim is to help your audience members become interested in reading your paper and
perhaps even change their minds.
Part 1: Survey your audience (Conduct in class on ___________)
Ask open-ended questions regarding your issue. Keep a record of the answers to your
questions. You might ask:
 What is your present position on this issue?
 What do you already know about the issue?
 How significant is this issue to your life?
 What values and beliefs do you have regarding this issue?
 What is your age? Gender? Level of education?
 After stating your position, ask: Can you accept this position (claim, thesis, etc.)?
Part 2: Analyze your audience. (Due ___________) After you have gathered the requisite
data, write a 2-3-page essay that incorporates/answers the following questions. I suggest
you attempt to complete this assignment within a few days after your surveys, while the data
is vivid.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Describe your issue.
What is your audience’s present position on your issue?
Do some audience members not accept your issue position? Why?
How significant is your issue to the audience? If not considered significant, describe why
it is significant to you, and talk about ways you can make it more significant to the
audience.
5. How involved are audience members in the ongoing conversation about the issue? What
do they already know about it?
6. How will you build common ground? What beliefs and values do you and your audience
share about your issue? What motivates audience members in regard to your issue?
7. What have you learned from this analysis to help you plan your appeal to this audience?
Include values and motives in your discussion. Include possible warrants. Include what
types of appeals to logic you think your audience will need.
Points: This essay is worth 50 points. (Note: Although short, DO NOT take this assignment
lightly. I require a critical analysis of your peer review results—not just a summary of the
responses and not superficial responses to the questions above.)
Due: __________________This is your only draft. Edit carefully.