Chapter 2: Writing for Your Readers Essentials of Technical Communication Chapter 2: Writing for Your Readers

To Connect Reader, Purpose, and Context You Want Your readers need to understand your meaning exactly in the way you intend. Your writing should achieve its goal with designated readers. To keep the goodwill of those with whom you communicate.

The Heart of Planning: Understanding Your Readers Determine who will read what you write. Know goals your writing is to achieve. Know the business context in which you need to communicate. Understand your role in the organization. Understand how your role should be reflected in what you write. Determine content by considering your readers’ frame of reference and your purpose in writing.

Anticipate Key Questions Your Reader May Ask: • What is this? • Do I have to read it? • How does it affect me? • What will I have to do? • What are the main ideas? “Your readers cannot climb into your mind and know your thoughts.”

Answer Your Reader’s Questions by Asking Yourself These Questions: • Who will read what I write? • Who will act on what I write? • Who else may read what I write? You will have three kinds of readers: primary readers, secondary readers, and unknown readers.

Questions That Help you Determine Your Readers and Their Perspectives How much do your readers know about your topic? Do your readers have expertise in this area? Do you know, or can you estimate your readers’ educational levels? Do you know your readers’ cultural backgrounds? Will your readers have interest in what you write?

More Questions about Your Readers What kind of relationship do you have with these readers? Do you know the readers’ attitude toward you, the subject matter you need to communicate, the job you have, and your area within the organization? Do you have credibility with these readers? Who else might read what you write?

Even More Questions about Readers Why is each person on the distribution list receiving a copy? How much does each person on this list know about your topic? What situation led to the need for this document?

Determining Your Purpose Do you know why you need to write this document? What do you want to achieve with your document? “Purpose always relates to readers.”

Is it possible to know too much about your readers Is it possible to know too much about your readers? Example from a Comprehensive Audience Analysis conducted by a US government agency USDA Web Presence Initiative: Audience Analysis www.usa.gov/webcontent/documents/USDA_Audience_Analysis.pdf “To develop a high-level sketch of each user group, the document describes each composite customer group including audience size and identified demographics. It examines the group’s current methods of interaction with USDA, as well as the information the users seek during those interactions. Finally, the document assesses each group’s readiness to leverage electronic government (eGovernment) initiatives that use Internet-based technology to ease interaction with the government, reduce costs, and streamline citizen-to-government communications.”

Planning Content What ideas should you use to achieve the goals of the message? What ideas should you omit? How should you arrange your ideas? How do you want your message to sound?

Manage the Composing Process analyze the situation (reader, purpose, and context) choose/discover content arrange content draft revise edit the finished draft NOTE: Repeat each step as necessary until you get it right or you run out of time.

Revise for logic completeness style visuals document design Note: Multiple revisions may be necessary.

Edit several times, once each for: mechanics the document as a whole sources and citations

A Comprehensive Audience Analysis This analysis focuses on the following key customer groups: • producers, • agribusinesses and cooperatives, • low-income families and individuals, • children and caregivers, • rural communities and businesses, • researchers and the academic community, • landowners and conservationists, • policymakers and influencers, • national and local media, • the general public, and • USDA employees.

Elizabeth Tebeaux and Sam Dragga Essentials of Technical Communication Oxford University Press