Begin by taking a look at your writing situation. Consider your subject, your purpose, your audience, available sources of information, and any assignment requirements such as genre, length, document design, and deadlines (see the checklist at the bottom of this page). It is likely that you will make final decisions about all of these matters later in the writing process—after a first draft, for example—but you will become a more effective writer if you think about as many of them as possible in advance.

Purpose

In many writing situations, part of your challenge will be determining your purpose, or your reason, for writing. The wording of an assignment may suggest its purpose. If no guidelines are given, you may need to ask yourself, “Why am I communicating with my readers?” or “What do I want to accomplish?” College writers most often write for the following purposes:

Audience

Analyzing your audience can often help you determine how to accomplish your purpose—how much detail or explanation to provide, what kind of tone and language to use, and what potential objections to address. The choices you make as you write will tell readers who you think they are (novices or experts, for example) and will show respect for your readers’ values and perspectives. The checklist at the bottom of this page includes questions that will help you analyze your audience and develop an effective strategy for reaching your readers.

note: When you write e-mail messages to instructors, classmates, or potential employers, respect your reader by using a concise, meaningful subject line; keeping paragraphs brief and focused; proofreading for careless errors; and paying attention to your tone. Don’t write something that you wouldn’t feel comfortable saying directly to your reader. Finally, avoid forwarding another person’s message without permission.

Genre

Pay close attention to the genre, or type of writing assigned. Each genre is a category of writing meant for a specific purpose and audience—an essay in a writing class, a lab report in a biology class, a policy memo in a criminal justice class, or a case study for an education class. Sometimes the genre is yours to choose, and you need to decide if a particular genre—a poster presentation, an audio essay, a Web page, or a podcast, for example—will help you communicate your purpose and reach readers.