Meaning: What effect do the words have on the reader?

Given what you know about Gainley’s written statement regarding the city council’s vote against Canyon Cove Chemicals’ plan for expansion, what do you think of Gainley’s chosen mode of expression—written words—and his decisions about how to present those words? Do you think his letter had the desired effect?

In an essay for his communications class, student—and Springfield resident—John Nikolakakis wrote an analysis of Gainley’s letter.

Analysis of Gainley’s public letter

When you analyze written words, it’s important to consider the composer’s choices of document type, font, and formatting. These choices may enhance or work against the composer’s intended message. As you develop your own interpretation of the overall meaning of the text, think about how genre, features, purpose, and intended audience affect the reader’s experience.

Activity 1: Your understanding of written texts

Related topics:

Genre: In what kind of document do the written words appear?

Features: What do the words look like?

Purpose and audience: Why and for whom are the words created?

Designing documents