Lecture 10. Audience Analysis and Written Communication The Concept of the Audience Types of Professional Readers 1 Problems of Writing Process Resulting from specific situation:   There is no fast feedback on written communication;   You cannot make use of non-verbal communication;   Written message is often aimed at a large group of people 2 Problems of Writing Process How people learn to write and speak:   People learn to write after learning how to speak;   People have little practice in written communication 3 Problems of Writing Process Other reasons:   Informative texts are a heterogeneous group;   The writer has many different tasks to carry out before he can start writing;   The text must meet many various demands of the reader 4 The Concept of the Audience   Various Readers => various application purposes   Biography data => why and how the text is used   Various purposes => various expectations 5 Audience   Common application purpose and common expectations   Reader’s needs = applications and expectations 6 A key to the audience needs Level of knowledge about the subject   How much information should be included   Which information should be included Purpose of reading   How to organize the information 7 Types of Professional Audience   Experts   Technical workers   Managers • ↓ Level of knowledge • ↓ Purpose of reading • ↓ Needs in reading 8 Experts Level of knowledge   Very high level of knowledge Purpose of reading   To keep and expand their professional knowledge   To get particular answers on research questions   To evaluate the technical content of the plans and proposals 9 Experts: Needs in reading   Do not give detailed explanation to the source information and definitions;   Include all details connected with any process described in the document;   Use graphs and diagrams and figures to show these connections, give sources of these figures;   Use titles, contents, sections and subsections to classify and organize information;   Make sure all pages are numbered   Be sure to give citations to the sources 10 Technicians Level of knowledge   How and why the process occurs, why the device works or does not work;   General technical terms to describe process or device they know well;   Do not know well the technical terms beyond the field of their activity   Do not know abstract or general concepts of a process or a device operation 11 Technicians Purpose of reading   Learn how to do the task connected with professional activity;   Learn to solve particular problems connected with professional activity;   Learn about new devices connected with professional activity;   Get new skills and knowledge to improve their work results 12 Technicians Needs in reading   Introductory and preliminary information should be presented in short   Use graphs and tables;   Give instructions, where possible   Sections and instructions must be short   Section numbers and references   Give short definitions, examples or explanations to unknown terms, devices, instruments, etc. 13 Managers Level of knowledge   Often have general knowledge of the subject;   Rarely have technical knowledge in some field;   May not know of new concepts and achievements in the field 14 Managers Purpose of reading   Get the information for decision making;   Realize the current situation;   Foresee future tendencies or development in the field;   Retain their level of general knowledge;   Estimate success and efficiency of projects and workers 15 Managers Needs in reading   Provide key information in short generalization;   Give information in order of its importance;   Emphasize the information to facilitate the decision taking;   Provide enough initial information in the introduction;   Generalize all recommended measures and conclusions;   Use graphs, etc. in generalizing;   Explain unfamiliar and technical terms;   Expand explanations in appendices at the end 16 Audience Analysis   Studying the documents   Defining the audience expectations 17 Genres   The formats of presenting the information   Particular purpose   Particular order = particular purpose 18 Three Key Schemes to Define Genre   Ethos   Logos   Pathos 19 [...]...Ethos Authenticity or trustworthiness Attract and hold attention Prove your services: • • ↓ What should I do to win and hold the reader’s attention to have him read my work? ↓ What should I do to make the reader believe that my work is professionally written and information is worth paying attention to? 20 Ethos: aspects • • • • 21 ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Vocabulary... emotions regarding the topic? ↓ If so, how bright or ostentatious should these emotions be? Pathos: aspects Vocabulary Comparisons Examples: More abstract = less emotional Aloofer = less emotional 25 Audience Analysis: conclusion First define   Genres Purpose Then define       26   Ethos Logos Pathos . Lecture 10. Audience Analysis and Written Communication The Concept of the Audience Types of Professional Readers 1 Problems. situation:   There is no fast feedback on written communication;   You cannot make use of non-verbal communication;   Written message is often aimed at a