Sketching Your Audiences Identity

Instructions: To help you identify an audience for your Writing Project 3 persuasive essay,
complete the following worksheet1. Keep in mind the following concepts.
Audience: Like the term author, the term audience is a fairly loose term.
Audience refers to any recipient of communication. Audiences can read, hear, see, or feel
different kinds of communication through different kinds of media. Also like authors,
audiences are humans whose specific activities are affected by specific backgrounds.
Backgrounds: The same sorts of factors that affect authors backgrounds also
affect audiences individual backgrounds. Most importantly, these factors affect how
audiences receive different pieces of communication; what they assume about the author;
and the context in which they hear, read, or appreciate what the author states.
Audience-Targeted Claims: An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must
begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the claim must be something that
people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your claim is something generally
agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no need to persuade your audience.

What is your primary claim and supporting reasoning in Writing Project 3?

Example: ___________ is___________, because___________, ___________, and ___________.

Apples are better than oranges, because they are easier to eat, have greater nutritional
value, and come in a greater variety of flavors.

Completing this worksheet will help you identify the primary dimensions of your audience.
Demographic Analysis: Who is in your audience? What are their individual and group
characteristics?
Psychological Analysis: What does your audience know and believe? What do they
think about your topic? What does your audience need to learn in order to understand your
argument?
Contextual Analysis: When and where are you presenting? Why is this audience
listening to you?

1 Based on Six Minutes: Speaking & Presentation Skills and the OWL Purdue
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What is your target audiences implicit demographic profile?

Criteria Analysis of Your Audience How does this knowledge help you
tweak your message?

How old are they? People in college or older Helps me reduce my audience to
(17+) people who are somewhat informed
about my topic.

Men? Women? Mixed Its knowledge everyone should know

Mixed?

Race, culture, or Everyone My topic is a global topic that affects

ethnicity? everyone.

Primary language? English

Profession? Profession In Medical Field Reduce to people who are 100%

related with my topic.

Religion? Everyone My topic is a global topic that affects

everyone

Educational level? College and Beyond Have some sort of understanding.

Organizational None
membership?

Personality type? None

Other relevant Maybe people who have Experienced first hand what medical
qualities? e.g. marital medical conditions. technology can do
status, avid readers,
cell-phone users,
marathon runners

Homogenous or either
heterogeneous
audience?

Size of audience? Big , but reduced to college Again, they understand the topic more
level and medical specialists than other audiences

Key similarities or Same Major People interested in a medical career.

differences with you?

Peers? Superiors? Anyone

Subordinates?
Remember: Dont be disappointed if few criteria yield useful insights. Even one content tweak to
align with your audience may make your message more impactful.

What is your target audiences implicit psychological profile?

Criteria Analysis of Your Audience How does this knowledge help you

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tweak your message?

What do they know Medical Technology has a Brings in another perspective.

about your topic? negative economic aspect
What dont they
know?

What do they want to How medical technology Creates additional information for the
know? What do they changes the medical field and audience to take home.
need to know? how it can also affect the
economic status of a country
or its medical services.

What specialized Simple medical term, nothing Makes the message easier and more
terminology are they too advanced flexible to communicate.
familiar with?

What concepts, The process to be able to see Provides easier understanding of the
processes, or tools the connections between the thesis.
are they familiar argument.
with?

Do some in audience Yes, people that are already Makes me know that there could be
know more about the professionals in the same area some other information or perspective
topic than you? that my topic is in. that I can add.

Are they neutral, or They can remain neutral in Makes my essay sound more
do they agree with or the beginning l but choosing persuasive and strongly supported.
oppose your the pro side I argue is the
message? best-case scenario

What are the most Understanding both sides. Perspectives are equally discussed
important values to
the audience?

What problems do Need to choose a side Essay is about making a stand

they have?

Is their attendance
voluntary or
mandatory?

What have they been Political Issues such as the Brings in problems people face.
through in recent economy and Healthcare
days or weeks? issues.

What style of Compare and Contrast in a Provides vast amount of detail in the
presentation does the analytical fashion paper.
audience expect?
Remember: Dont be disappointed if few criteria yield useful insights. Even one content tweak to
align with your audience may make your message more impactful.

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What is your target audiences implicit contextual profile?

Criteria Analysis of Your Audience How does this knowledge

help you tweak your
message?

Is their attendance Voluntary Provides a way to convey the

voluntary or message to only the ones who
mandatory? are really interested

What have they been

through in recent
days or weeks?

What style of Compare and Contrast Shows perspectives with vast

presentation does the amount of information
audience expect?

What are people Casual Clothing Information is for everyone

wearing?

What time of day are Day

you speaking?

What distractions Outside distractions.

exist in the room (or
elsewhere) for you to
contend with?
Remember: Dont be disappointed if few criteria yield useful insights. Even one content tweak to
align with your audience may make your message more impactful.