Analyzing My Audience

In the blog post below I have provided detailed answers to the six bulleted questions in the "Identifying Your Audience" section of Student's Guide.

ransomtech. "Understanding". June 8, 2011 via flickr.
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Who am I writing for? What are the audience's beliefs and assumptions?

• There are two distinct audiences I am writing for, one of them with more significance than the other. The primary audience is new and incoming students in the science/engineering field. They are not entirely sure what to believe, but they are looking to better the environment through science. The secondary audience are those who care about the environment or believe in conspiracies. Together these groups believe in bettering the world without putting themselves at risk and wish for the government to assist them in this vision.

What position might they take on this issue? How will I need to respond to this position?

• They are likely to be against the use of geoengineering, and will likely side with author Murphy's position. I can respond to this viewpoint by emphasizing the points Murphy brings up about the dangers of geoengineering. 

What will they want to know?

• The audience will want to know what the effects of implementing such methods will do to the environment. They will also be interested to know how the government is involved and how it will impact their lives.

How might they react to my argument?

• They will likely support my argument that Murphy's rhetorical approaches were successful. His use of expert opinions and display formats really help to carry out his point that geoengineering has a corrupt purpose and that the government doesn't care.

How am I trying to relate to or connect with my audience?

• I am trying to relate to my audience by showing them we have the same beliefs and concerns. We want to create a better world, but in the correct way and not just for money.

Are there specific words, ideas or modes of presentation that will help me relate to them in this way?

• The use of words such as "negative health effects" and "money grubbing officials" will help connect me to my audience. By showing them that I am truly invested in the betterment of the world will allow them to place their trust in me.

Reflection:

After looking through the posts of Mira and Andrea I saw that we were all focusing on somewhat similar topics. All of the texts we've chosen to analyze deal with climate change in some way, whether it be in support or against it. Mira clearly identified her audience of environmental scientists and explained how she would focus on their beliefs to aid her argument. On the other hand, Andrea went with a broader approach of all engineers, so it may be a bit harder to develop an effective argument. Looking back at my own post I feel like it was well developed. However, I realize that it is less important to mention the secondary audience in this post, although it should still be addressed in my actual draft.