Imagine needing to make a phone call but not knowing what number to dial. Beginning a communications project without first establishing your audience is a lot like that phone call without a phone number. If you don't first know who you are communicating with, you can't determine what information they need and in what format. In this unit, we walk through the steps of audience analysis to determine who we are writing to, what they know, what they need to know, and the best ways to reach them.
When we first take on a writing project, we must first consider who we are communicating with. We should ask ourselves who they are, what they know, and what they need to know to take action.
After we conduct this audience analysis, the next steps in the process apply this analysis to writing choices. Different audiences require different approaches to word choice, tone, and formatting. We also use our audience analysis to anticipate issues and any concerns or questions the audience might have after accessing the communication we have created.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 7 hours.
Read Section 3.4. Pay attention to the key takeaways regarding the ways to better understand your audience. Complete Exercise 1 to analyze yourself as an audience. Then use the same approach to identify an audience you may encounter professional or personally. How do their demographic traits influence their thinking and your ability to persuade or inform them?
In the workplace, oftentimes the person requesting that you prepare a document isn’t the intended or final audience for the communication, just as the professor in a class isn’t necessarily the final audience for a document. Once you have read this document, think of a recent time when you needed to communicate information or directions. Use your experience of this communication to answer the questions listed under "How Do I Identify My Audience and What they Want from Me?" Based on this analysis, what information did you need to provide to the audience for the communication to be effective?
Watch the video. Pay close attention to how the speaker breaks down what might motivate or be important to the intended audience for your message and how that might contrast with your own motivations or beliefs. Make sure you pause the video as needed to practice your understanding during the "Apply Your Knowledge" activities.
Review this section, which you read earlier. This time, focus on the suggestions on how to apply audience analysis to your writing task.
This video explores the third leg of the rhetorical triangle: purpose. The purpose of a piece of communication is determined by its audience. Note the four purposes for professional communication: consulting, informing, valuing, and directing. Make sure you pause as needed to practice your understanding during the "Apply Your Knowledge" activities.
In two paragraphs (150–250 words), examine two examples of communications you received in the workplace this week or those that you prepared – which of the four purposes applied? How does the purpose impact the content of the communication?
In this assessment, you will conduct an audience analysis on two hypothetical letters, both soliciting donations. Answer these questions to plan for different audiences, and then compare your work to the sample responses to assess your own writing.
In this assessment, you will write a description of the type of tone, language, and format that an advertisement should take to engage its intended audience. Afterwards, you can compare your work to sample responses to assess your own writing.
In this assessment, you will write a revision to a policy change proposal that reflects value, power, and social differences. Afterwards, you can compare your revision to sample responses to assess your own writing.