Assignment 41

ENGL421 Technical Writing

ENGL 421

Technical Writing

Readers and Contexts of Use (Ch. 2, p. 39-63)

Dr. Ulas Kayapinar

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Profiling your Readers (p. 40)

• To develop a reader profile, use the Five-W and How Questions to look at

your readers from a variety of perspectives.

• Who? ………………………………………………………

• What? ………………………………………………………,

• Where? ………………………………………………………

• When? ………………………………………………………

• Why? ………………………………………………………

• How? ……………………………………………………… 3

Identifying your Readers (p. 42)

• Primary Readers (Action Takers). ……………………………………

• Secondary Readers (Advisors). ……………………………………

• Tertiary Readers (Evaluators). ……………………………………

• Gatekeepers (Supervisors). ……………………………………

Check the Writer-Centered Analysis Chart on Page 42. 4

Profiling your Readers’ Needs (p. 43) You can begin viewing your document from the readers’ perspective with their characteristics

in mind:

• Readers’ familiarity with the subject.

• Readers’ professional experience.

• Readers’ educational level.

• Readers’ reading and comprehension level.

• Readers’ skill level.

Check the Reader Analysis Chart on Page 45. 5

Profiling Contexts of Use (p. 45)

• Physical Context : Where to use?

• Economic Context: What economic issues?

• Political Context : What political forces? Micro-Macro

• Ethical Context : What effects on human rights, values,

environment, laws, etc.?

Check the Context Analysis Chart on Page 47. 6

Identifying the Context of Use(p. 46)

International and Cross-Cultural Communication (p. 52)

DIFFERENCES in

• Content : Facts; exchange about families; negotiation; bargaining; interpersonal relationships…

• Organization : Appreciation building bonds; get-to-the-point attitude; contextual info; thank you…

• Style : Factual info; strong relationships; plain language; ornamental…

• Design : Right-to-left; left-to-right; offensive signs; using right hand; symbols like a white

flower symbolizes death or funeral; hand gestures, eye contact; use of graphs/charts…

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Let’s make practice! • In pairs, choose one of the options below, and write a Writer-

Centered Analysis Chart (see p. 61), Reader Analysis Chart (see p. 62)

and a Context Analysis Chart (see p. 63).

• You are writing a handbook for new engineering students.

• You are writing a handbook for new engineers.

• You are developing a website.

• You are developing an online application.

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