1. CHAPTER 4
Audience Analysis

2. The Self-Centered Speaker
Focus on self

3. The Audience-Centered Speaker
Focus on audience

4. Audience Analysis
The process of gathering and analyzing information about audience members with the explicit aim of adapting your message to the information you uncover about them.

5. An audience-centered approach
You are more likely to engage and maintain your listeners’ attention if you let their interests and background guide you in the writing of your speech.
Do not abandon your own convictions on your topic in your attempt to reach your audience; pandering to your audience’s whims undermines your credibility.
If an audience can identify with your material and ideas, they are more likely to tune in vs tune out!

6. Identify listener disposition
Uncover audience feelings or expectations towards:
the topic of the speech
you as the speaker
the speech occasion

7. Audience Knowledge

8. a Audience Knowledge Audiences that know a lot about the topic
How should you handle audiences that know a lot about your topic? Your listeners will be bored and resentful if you waste their time on information that everyone already knows. Instead, give them new ideas and concepts. Early in your speech, reassure them that you will cover new ground. For example, if you are speaking to an audience of advanced skiers, tell them in your introduction that you are not going to spend much time on the well-known, nearby ski resort. Instead, you will give them tips on some good out-of-the-way ski resorts that many skiers don’t know about.

9. Audience Knowledge
Mixed audiences a r

10. Using demographic data
*Think about your topic ideas and the
attitudes, beliefs, and values your classmates may have about them.
*All about APE….
*This can help determine what is going to relevant, meaningful, & appropriate.
*Put yourself in the audiences shoes….as they’re
captive

11. Demographic characteristics
Age
Socioeconomic status
Religious/Political affiliation
Gender
Disability
Ethnic/Cultural Background

12. More on Demos Grouping & affiliations Income Educational Attainment
Career/Occupational position
Standpoint

13. Target Audience
>The individuals who are more likely to be influenced by your message.
>Product marketers use demographic data in determining how to design commercials and ads.
>Generational identity impacts what examples,
TV shows, or songs will
connect with your listeners.

14. Gender stereotyping
Gender is more than being male or female; it includes our psychological understanding of what it means to be male or female.
Sexist language casts
males or females into
stereotyped roles.
Our goal should be to
include, not exclude

15. Cultural differences
The goal of any speaker is to be as inclusive as possible (a speech that is inviting, not offending).
A speaker must also consider how the audience member cultural backgrounds influence how each may respond to the message.

16. Techniques for Analyzing your Audience
Interviews
Surveys or questionnaires
Observation of audience members on basic demographic characteristics
Published sources that have already analyzed large sample populations based on the six demographic characteristics.

17. Analyze the Speech Setting
Size of audience
Location/physical setting
Time of day
Length of speech
Rhetorical situation/context