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Target Group Analysis
Thomas L. Warren, ProfessorTechnical Writing ProgramOklahoma State University
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Overview of Talk
• Approaches to target group analysis
• Compare in school and on-the-job• Preparing a document• Comparison of two audiences• Sample• Conclusion and questions
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Audience analysis
• Three approaches to audience analysisDemographicOrganizationalPsychological
Simple
Complex
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Approaches
• DEMOGRAPHICWhat you can ask aboutWhat you can count
• ORGANIZATIONALRole of individual in a companyLevel of influence
• PSYCHOLOGICALInformation processingInformation needs
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Approaches
DEMOGRAPHICWhat you can ask aboutWhat you can count
• ORGANIZATIONAL
Role of individual in a company Level of influence
• PSYCHOLOGICAL Information processing Information needs
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Demographic
• Education• Sex• Income• Address• Children
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Approaches
• DEMOGRAPHIC What you can ask about What you can count
ORGANIZATIONALRole of individual in a companyLevel of influence
• PSYCHOLOGICAL Information processing Information needs
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DEC’s
• Novice• Someone familiar with another
operating system• Someone familiar with a previous
version of the product
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USER OF OTHER PREVIOUS USERINFLUENCE NOVICE SOFTWARE THIS SOFTWAREIllustrations: Type Obvious Sophisticated Number Many Few Complexity Simple ComplexCoverage Depth/Breath Overview In depth on (general) topics of daily How to use concern.Vocabulary Concrete Abstractions Short sentences Long sentences
Monosyllables
SOURCE: Personal Computer: Documentor's Guide,DEC,I-1-7
DEC’s READERS
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HierarchyD ep artm en ta l O rg an iza tion
R oss G e ld erR esearch er
C h an d le r B in gE d ito r
S a lly Taylo rC h ie f W rite r
N e ils C ra inH u m an S u b jec ts C oord in a to r
D ap h en e M oonQ u a lity C on tro l
W a lly S im p sonC h ie f S c ien tis t
Je rom e D eaconS an ita tion
R ob ert P rio rG lass Tech n ic ian
K im S ett leL ab S u p erviso r
Joh n S m ithM an ag er
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Approaches
• DEMOGRAPHIC What you can ask about What you can count
• ORGANIZATIONAL Role of individual in a company Level of influence
PSYCHOLOGICALInformation processingInformation needs
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Three Questions
• What does my reader NEED to know?
• How can I help my reader to UNDERSTAND?
• What do I want my reader TO DO with the information?
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Three Questions
• What does the reader NEED to know?QuantityContent
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Three Questions
• How can I help my reader to UNDERSTAND the material?DefinitionsVisualsSentence and paragraph length and
structureBackground informationQualitative details (technical)Clear statements of purpose/function
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Three Questions
• What do I want my reader TO DO with the information?ApproveDisapproveAccept a recommendationTake some kind of actionBe informed onlyRespond to my requestOther
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Audience Analysis
• In your own group• In close proximity• Elsewhere in organization• Outside organization
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Audience Analysis: Comparison with School
Audience School On-the-JobIn own group
Classmates Co-workers; group leader; support staff
Close proximity
Professors; Lab assistants
Managers
Elsewhere Dept. heads; V-P
Outside Customers; government
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Reader’s Purpose
READER PURPOSE IN READING
Lay Personal: what’s in it for me? What things do.
Executive How will topic affect company? Decide. Effects of decisions
Expert How, why things work. Theory. Methodology
Technician
How to do something; practical
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Readers Reading
Sender Message Receiver
Content Form
Format Structure Specifications
Will your reader be familiar with all the elements in the message?
Type of report
Layout Organization
Type of English
Style Manual
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Document consists of
Technical Information Requirementsprocess about subject
Know what Data about Specifications data to use. Subject. Reader expectations Collect it. Unique toAnalyze it. this assignmentOrganize itProcess similareach time use it
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Document consists of
Technical Information Requirementsprocess about subject
Know what Data about Specifications data to use. Subject. Reader Collect it. Unique to expectations Analyze it. this Organize it. assignmentProcess similareach time use it
Reader’s need for information
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Lay vs. Expert: I*
CATEGORY
LAY EXPERT
Education Elem. To Ph.D.
Advanced degrees; experience
In/Out Subject Out In
Theory/ Application
Application Theory
Why Read? Practical, Personal
Learn; verify
* Based on Pearsall, Thomas E., “Introduction” to Audience Analysis for Technical Writing, (Beverly Hills, CA: Glencoe Press, 1969), pp. xii-xxii.
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Lay vs. Expert: II*
CATEGORY
LAY EXPERT
Technical data
Avoid Body/Appendix
Background Full; simple Sources
Analogy Lots; narration; examples
Not necessarily
Definitions Lots Special terms only
* Based on Pearsall, Thomas E., “Introduction” to Audience Analysis for Technical Writing, (Beverly Hills, CA: Glencoe Press, 1969), pp. xii-xxii.
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Lay vs. Expert: III*
CATEGORY
LAY EXPERT
Style Plain; S-V-O 90%; 15 wds/sent; 40 wds/paragraph
Complex; S-V-O <85%; 25 wds/sent; 150 wds/paragraph
Graphics No tables; simple other forms
All OK
Math None to very simple
No problem* Based on Pearsall, Thomas E., “Introduction” to Audience Analysis for Technical Writing, (Beverly Hills, CA: Glencoe Press, 1969), pp. xii-xxii.
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Summary: How do You Adapt Text for Different Readers?
1. Ways to adapt texta) Vocabulary—complexity of ideas
presentedb) Assumptions about prior
knowledgec) Author’s purpose; reader’s goald) Sentence length and structure
2. Used how/when?
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Contact Me
Thomas L. Warren, ProfessorTechnical Writing ProgramEnglish Department, M205Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK [email protected]
www.okstate.edu/artsci/techwr
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