To: Nancy Myers

From: Ryan Collins

Date: April 1, 2022
Subject: APLED 121-Chapter 5 Summary

CHAPTER 5
AUDIENCE RECOGNITION

Audience Recognition
 Knowledge of Subject Matter-What does the audience know about the subject matter? It’s
important to know because it molds the language used. A few basic questions to ask before
writhing are
o What is the reader’s background?
o What is the reader’s level of understanding?
 Writing for Future Audiences-Its critical to keep future readers in mind. The paper could be
used for task ranging from, training new employs to being in the hands of the judge to decide a
case. Some important questions to ask yourself are,
o Will you still have the same readers
o Will the readers have the same level of understanding months or years later

Defining Terms for Audiences

 Defining Terms Parenthetically-Define terms that could lead to confusions. For example, write
CIA (Cash in Advance) rather than CIA.
 Defining Your Terms in a Sentence-Provide the fallowing if you provide a sentence definition:
Term + Type + Distinguishing characteristics
 Using Extended Definitions if One or More Paragraphs-Consider using examples, procedures
and descriptions.
 Using a Glossary-If terms are not defined in a sentence, or in a paragraph, a glossary should be
used.
 Providing Pop-Ups and Links with Definitions- Pop-up screens should be used online. The use of
pop-ups allows the reader to have the original document and the new document on the same
screen at one time.

Audience Personality Traits- It's important to keep the audience's personality in mind. Doing this can
improve many aspects of the document such as,
o Proper tone
o Better visual aids
o Correct writing style

Biased Language-Issues of Diversity- You should be concerned about the use of biased language for
reasons such as
o Diversity is protected by law
 o Respecting diversity is the right thing to do
o Diversity is good for business
o A diverse workforce keeps companies competitive

Multiculturism
 The Global Economy- S&P 500 companies generate about half of their sales outside the U.S.
Some examples of this can be seen with General Motors and Taco Bell. Both companies
generate more sales in China than they do in the United States.  
 Cross-cultural Workplace Communication-Multiculturalism will affect you on a global scale. This
even includes communication in your own city and state.

Guidelines for Effective Multicultural Communication

 Define Acronyms and Abbreviations-These cause most readers problems. In other languages
the same term can be called many things leading to confusion.
 Avoid Jargon and Idioms-Words and phrases that are common expressions in English could be
meaningless outside our borders. Some examples of phrases that don’t translate well are,
o Face the music
o Pass the buck
o Through the roof
 Distinguish Between Nouns and Verbs-Many words are both nouns and verbs which can lead to
confusion. Examples of these are,
o File
o Boot
o Paste
 Watch for Cultural Biases/Expectations-Be mindful things such as colors and images that
represent one thing can mean another elsewhere. This can be seen with the fallowing,
o Red in the United States means danger, while in China it has a positive connotation
o Black often implies death, yet “in the black” suggest finical stability
 Be Careful When Using Slash Marks
 Avoid Humor and Puns-Humor is not universal.
 Realize That Translations May Take More or Less Space -Be mindful of the length, the
translation might not fit on paper or digital.
 Avoid Figurative Language -Sports images are often used to illustrate points, this can cause
confusion if the reads don’t fallow the same sports.
 Be Careful with Numbers, Measurements, Dates and Times-The same measurements are not
used worldwide, be sure to label them if used. Dates in the United States tend to be MM/DD/YY,
other parts of world use other formats such as DD/MM/YY.
 Use Stylized Graphics to Represent People-Use abstract images such as stick figures to avoid
offending people.

Avoid biased Language

 Ageist Language-Avoid language such as elderly because it can create a negative connotation.
 Biased Language About People with Disabilities-Avoid using language like handicap because it
can create a negative connotation.
  Sexiest Language-Sexiest language creates problems through omission, unequal treatment, and
stereotyping, as well as through word choice.
 Audience Involvement-Draw the readers into your writing and keep them interested.
 Personalized Tone-Right letters to another person, companies do not write letters to
companies.
 Reader Benefit-Give readers what they want to read to improve audience involvement.

The Writing Process at Work

 Prewriting- Brainstorming
 Writing- Write your paper
 Rewriting- Proof read and edit