How to Analyze Your Reader by Caitie Tanner

The key to analyzing your reader is to know the needs of your reader. The goal of the writer is “to create a common ground between the reader and the writer.” Here are three areas that a writer should consider before writing:

1. Knowledge:
   The question the writer needs to ask is “How much does the reader know?”
   Do you think that your reader is familiar enough with the background of your topic to understand you in the first place?
   The goal of Knowledge is to determine how much you want the reader to know. If you think that the reader is not familiar enough with your topic, then you need to inform your reader prior to them reading your piece of writing. This is the most important thing you could do to benefit the reader. This not only benefits your reader, it also helps to achieve your initial goal of writing the piece.
   



2. Attitude:
   The next question to consider would be “What do you want the reader’s attitude to be after reading your piece of writing?”
   We need to first consider if the reader already has a perspective or attitude towards the specific topic you are proposing them to read. If the reader’s attitude differs from that of your paper that means you need to do more to make the reader see where you are coming from.
   



3. Needs:
   The final question you need to consider is “How can you adapt to the reader to fulfill his needs?”
   A readers needs are completely different from his knowledge and his attitude. A person who is not familiar with your field of work or the purpose of your paper does not want to read a textbook, they merely want you to adapt to his or her needs and tell them the purpose of your paper.

Referances:

http://www.csus.edu/englishta/TA/Readings/FlowerKnow.pdf