Audience Analysis for Effective Writing

10 Questions

To persuade the reader

To get the reader to think a certain way or do something

Picking a topic that can be well-argued

Have someone pose as the opposition to identify flaws

To achieve what you want your reader to think about you

To inform the reader

Determine the author's purpose and check the essay accordingly

It dilutes the strength of the writing

Ensure the purpose is clear, thesis statement is effective, and main ideas are on point

To wrap up the essay and include a call to action

Study Notes

Consider four key points when writing for a particular audience: the reader's position, perspective, level of knowledge, and what you want the reader to take away.
Identify your primary objective (to inform, persuade, or entertain) and secondary objective (to create a specific impression).

A persuasive essay aims to convince the reader of a particular point of view or action.
It consists of introduction, body, and conclusion, similar to expository and informative essays.
A strong persuasive essay requires thorough research, a clear thesis statement, and a well-structured outline.
The writer should scrutinize the essay from opposing perspectives and proofread for grammar, spelling, and content.

An informative essay aims to share knowledge with the reader, without persuading them.
It consists of introduction, body, and conclusion, with a clear thesis statement, research, and topic sentences in each body paragraph.
The conclusion summarizes the essay and provides a call to action.

Determine the author's purpose: to persuade, inform, or entertain.
Check if the essay meets its purpose: persuasive essays require facts and a thesis, informative essays omit personal opinions, and entertaining essays need a compelling conflict.

Editing involves making substantive changes to improve the content of the essay.
Ensure the purpose is clear, the thesis statement is effective, main ideas align with the thesis, and there are sufficient supporting details.
Organize points well and make sure the essay meets its purpose.

Redundancy in writing dilutes its effectiveness; avoid it by choosing words carefully, avoiding emphasis and fluff.
Use concise writing, vivid images, and varied sentence length for emphasis.

Proofreading involves checking for errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting.
Strategies to improve proofreading include printing a hard copy, reading the essay backwards, and checking for one type of error at a time.
Proofreading is essential for maintaining credibility and producing high-quality written pieces.

10 Questions