Audience Analysis

Audience Analysis
Communicating information that satisfies the needs of an audience (also known 
as readers or users) is one of the basic tenets of professional communication. 
To learn what these needs are, you must analyze your audience as one of your 
first steps in planning a document. You can classify your audience into two 
broad groups: primary and secondary.
The primary audience is the group to whom the document is directed. This group 
consists of the document’s main recipients, who have a direct role in 
responding to the document.
The secondary audience consists of readers who are interested in the document 
or who may use the information in it or both. This group does not have a direct 
role in responding to the document.
Think about your readers’ knowledge of the topic about which you are going to 
write. Think about their education as well as their viewpoint on the topic. 
What is your readers’ basic position, and what will they want to gain from your 
document?
Prepare a memo report addressed to your instructor that describes the audience 
for your final project. 
Refer to Figure 2.1, Audience Analysis Questions, Module 2
Your discussion should include your primary and secondary audience, audience’s 
needs, attitudes, expectations, and use of the document.
Note: Clearly identify your topic in the introduction. Employ the conventions 
of good technical writing such as listing, headings, chunking, and active voice.
Refer to Module 1