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
• Thinking—take what you know and like
• Listening—talk to others
• Classifying—based on their knowledge on the
subject
Types of Readers
Identifying Audiences
• Primary Audience—have a direct roll in
responding
– Use the document in their job
– Evaluate the document
– Act on your recommendations
• Secondary Audience—needs to stay aware of
developments
Types of Readers
Basic Categories
• Expert—highly trained, theoretical and practical
understanding
• Technician—builds, operates, maintains
• Manager—long range concerns; broad picture
• General Reader—self-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 reader’s attitudes and
expectations?
• How will the document be used?
Characteristics of Readers
Who is your Reader?
• The Reader’s Education
• The Reader’s Professional Experience
• The Reader’s Job Responsibility
Characteristics of Readers
Who is your Reader?
• Personal Characteristics
• Personal Preferences
• Cultural Characteristics
Characteristics of Readers
What Are Your Reader’s 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.
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Political
Economic
Social
Religious
Educational
Technological
Linguistic
Cultural Factors
Writing to Other Cultures
• Guidelines for Approaching Readers of Another
Culture
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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.
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To describe
To inform
To outline
To define
To assess
To propose
To evaluate
Purpose
Gaining Management’s Approval
• Are you on the right track?
• Do those with the final say agree?
Management