Your audience, or your readers, may or may not be defined in your assignment. Consider the following examples:
| ASSIGNMENT 1 | Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of home-schooling. |
| ASSIGNMENT 2 | In a letter to parents of school-aged children, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling. |
See more on planning for your readers. See more on revising for them.
If your assignment defines an audience, as the second example does, you need to think about how to approach those readers and what to assume about their views. For example, what points would you include in a discussion aimed at parents? How would you organize your ideas? Would you discuss advantages or disadvantages first? On the other hand, how might your approach differ if the assignment read this way?
| ASSIGNMENT 3 | In a newsletter article for teachers, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling. |
Audience Characteristics and Expectations
| General Audience | College Instructor | Work Supervisor | Campus Friend | |
| Relationship to You | Imagined but not known personally | Known briefly in a class context | Known for some time in a job context | Known in campus and social contexts |
| Reason for Reading Your Writing | Curious attitude and interest in your topic assumed | Professional responsibility for your knowledge and skills | Managerial interest in and reliance on your job performance | Personal interest based on shared circumstances |
| Knowledge About Your Topic | Level of awareness assumed and gaps addressed with logical presentation | Well informed about college topics but wants to see what you know | Informed about the business and expects reliable information from you | Friendly but may or may not be informed beyond social interests |
| Forms and Formats Expected | Essay, article, letter, report, or other format | Essay, report, research paper, or other academic format | Memo, report, Web page, e-mail, or letter using company format | Notes, blog entries, social networking, or other informal messages |
| Language and Style Expected | Formal, using clear words and sentences | Formal, following academic conventions | Appropriate for advancing you and the company | Informal, using abbreviations, phrases, and slang |
| Attitude and Tone Expected | Interested and thoughtful about the topic | Serious and thoughtful about the topic and course | Respectful, showing reliability and work ethic | Friendly and interested in shared experiences |
| Amount of Detail Expected | Sufficient detail to inform or persuade the reader you envision | Enough sound or research-based evidence to support your thesis | General or technical information as needed | Much detail or little, depending on the topic |
Audiences may be identified by characteristics, such as role (parents) or occupation (teachers), that suggest values to which a writer might appeal. As the chart above suggests, you can analyze preferences, biases, and concerns of readers to engage and influence them more successfully. When you consider what readers know, believe, and value, you can aim your writing toward them with a better chance of hitting your mark.