In college writing, your instructor will read your essay, of course, but most instructors play multiple roles while reading. Their first and most obvious roles are as coach and as evaluator. But they are also intelligent and objective readers, the kind of people who might reasonably be informed, entertained, or called to action by what you have to say and who want to learn from your insights and ideas.

Some instructors specify an audience, such as readers of a local newspaper, a hypothetical supervisor, or peers in a particular field. Other instructors expect you to imagine an audience appropriate to your purpose, subject, and genre. Still others prefer that you write for a general audience of educated readers—nonspecialists who can be expected to read with a critical eye.