Exam 5: Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose

Chapter 5 suggests that, in addition to education, you should consider five other individual characteristics of readers. What is one other individual characteristic listed in the chapter?

a good way to learn about your readers' preferences is to read documents they have written.

Which of the factors listed below did the writer of the following memo fail to take into account? TO: University Faculty Advisers FROM: David Gates, Ph.D., Department of Psychology SUBJECT: New course offered-PSYC 499, Self-Fulfillment in a Global Society Enclosed is a flyer briefly describing PSYC 499. After you read through the flyer, post it in a conspicuous place, e.g., on your door. Or, better yet, make copies and hand it out in your class. The course will explore how our society can maintain a sense of self in these increasingly uncertain times. So tell students in your courses and your advisees about this new timely course.

Interviews are great for learning from your audience but not for learning about your audience.

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?

Why are graphics especially useful when communicating with people from other cultures?

Which of these is a cultural variable "on the surface" that is easily observed?

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.

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

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?

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?

Chapter 5 lists seven categories of cultural variables that lie "on the surface." Two of these categories of variables are political and economic. Name two more.

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.

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?

Which terms below are used in Chapter 5 to describe types of audiences?

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

how do public agencies use social-media data?

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

Your supervisor might have several purposes in mind as he or she reads your documents. Which of the following describes one possible purpose?