Audience, Context, and Purpose

Definition: Who will read, see, or hear the communication.
Considerations:
- The author's relationship with the audience.
- The audience's values and beliefs concerning the topic.
- What the audience already knows about the topic.
Audience Scope: Can be very narrow or broad.
Example: Carol Dweck's Brainology
- Target Audience: Teachers or parents, not graders.
Importance:
- Influences the type of language used.
- Determines the amount of summary or information provided.
- Speaking to an audience familiar with the topic requires less summary.
- Speaking to a broader audience may require more extensive summaries.
Key Questions:
- Why should this communication matter to the reader?
- What will be most important to the reader?
- What type of language should the author use?
- Is the language formal or casual?

Example: Writing a proposal about recycling:
* The language would differ significantly when addressing a city council versus a grade class.

Definition: Where and when the audience will receive the communication.
Considerations:
- How the context shapes the audience's response.
- Recent events that might affect the audience's response.
Examples:
- Delivery Method: Receiving information via video versus reading it on paper.
- Recent Events: The impact of September 11th on airport security proposals.
  - In August 2001, a proposal to cut back on background checks for flights might have been acceptable.
  - After September 11th, the audience would likely reject such a proposal due to the changed context.

Definition: The author's reason for communicating.
Key Questions:
- Why is the author doing this? What are they hoping to achieve?
- What type of relationship is the author hoping to build with their audience?
- What should the audience think, feel, or do when they are finished reading?
Beyond Assignments: Consider the purpose beyond fulfilling an assignment.
Reader Perspective: What is the reader trying to get from the writer?
Example: Carol Dweck's Brainology
` * What was Dweck's purpose in writing the article? What did she want the reader to take away?
Takeaway: What the author wants the audience to think, feel, or do after reading or watching.

Audience, context, and purpose are interconnected.
They form a triangle, where each element influences the others.
Who you're writing to (audience), why you're writing to them (purpose), and how you are delivering the information (context) are all related.

Students should consider these elements when writing, especially for assignments.
Think about how the reader is receiving the information (e.g., at home, in a library, on their phone).
Consider the audience:
- In this case, primarily the teacher and classmates.
- What defines a Butte College student?
- What mindsets might the audience have?
Always keep the purpose in mind:
- What do you hope to achieve through the writing?
- How do you want to connect with the audience?

These three questions of who, how, and why need to be considered when creating any kind of written work.