Exam 4: Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

When working with a reader who is hostile to your subject or to your approach to the subject, you should first state your position, followed by your rationale for that position.

Chapter 4 identifies seven categories of cultural variables "on the surface." One category is political. Which of these is NOT a category of cultural variables that lie on the surface?

You work for a semiconductor manufacturer. You are writing a quarterly report on the activities within your section of the company. One of the people who will read your report is Lila Waltman, divisional vice president. You search online for information about her. Which piece of information is most likely to help you as you write the report?

In some cultures, it would be considered rude to create a document that contains information the audience already knows.

which approach is best when writing for multiple audiences?

One way to learn about the primary reader of your document is to interview people who know him or her. Which of these questions is NOT likely to help you learn useful information about your primary reader?

Chapter 4 discusses certain variables that lead to differences among cultures. Which of these statements about cultural variables is true?

You are writing a report advocating that your company increase its use of social media. Your manager has said several times that she does not like to mix social media and business. She has pointed out several social-media problems that other companies have created for themselves. Which purpose statement would be best for a report to your manager?

You are writing a report about new regulations that affect your company. Your primary audience of company executives is very busy and will read your report quickly, but the secondary and tertiary audiences are likely to read more slowly and carefully. Which of the following options is most appropriate for your situation?

Why are LinkedIn profiles a particularly useful resource for learning about one's audience?

Your company has completed an audience analysis for the manual you are writing for users of a new accounting system. The manual will be given to the 750 employees in the company's accounting department. Some members of the audience are experienced accountants and others are not; some have MBA degrees and others have bachelor's or associate's degrees; some were recently hired and some are long-term employees; some are managers and some are bookkeepers. How might you best accommodate your audiences?

The following passage would be appropriate for a document aimed at a multicultural audience: Two companies found themselves in the financial equivalent of sudden-death overtime. The first to raise the necessary capital would be the one to survive.

Why should you use an audience profile sheet for a writing project?

Chapter 4 lists three specific reasons a writer should analyze his or her audience during the planning phase. One is so that the document appeals to the audience's interests and needs. What are the other two reasons?

Social-media searches can provide an organization with significant information about members of their target audiences.

You are writing a proposal to restructure your department's organizational chart. Your manager was a member of the committee that originally set up the department's current structure. Which purpose statement would be best for a proposal to your manager?

Which of the following mistakes did McDonald's make when it printed takeout bags decorated with flags from around the world?

What mistake did McDonald's make when it printed takeout bags decorated with flags from around the world?

The point of learning about your audience is to use that information to tailor a document to fit the audience's needs.

Chapter 4 describes three categories of audience. What are they?