Assignment: For this assignment, you will analyze the audience at whom you intend to aim your final argument paper.
Purpose: The composition of an argument depends largely upon the intended audience. If you know who you are aiming at, you can make the best choices about the type of evidence to use, how to frame it, and which of your own assumptions about the topic your audience will and will not accept.
You will need to answer all of the following questions at some point in your analysis:
1. Who is your audience? Be specific.
2. How resistant is your audience? In other words, where do they stand in relation to your position? Resistant? Undecided/neutral? Remember two things: (a) you must explain why your audience is resistant or neutral, and (b) you cannot write to both resistant and undecided/neutral audiences at the same time because they need to hear completely different arguments. You must pick one.
3. What are your audience's values? (For example: What does your audience care about or believe in? Their children's safety? Right- or left-wing ideals? Scientific advancement? The alleviation of poverty? The necessity of a good education? Preserving the environment? Upholding the Constitution?) Consider the values/beliefs/assumptions that underlie your argument-what values does your audience hold in relation to those things?)
4. Are any of your own values and assumptions different from those of your audience? (It's ok if they're the same, just say so.) If your values are different, how will you provide backing for your own values/beliefs in the argument?
5. Where will you present alternate viewpoints in order to communicate most effectively with this particular audience? How will you answer the alternate views? Be specific.
6. How will you frame your evidence so that it is persuasive and so that it connects to your audience s values?
7 How do you plan to use logos, ethos, and pathos to persuade your audience?
Peer Review:
In order to get full credit for this assignment, you must have a classmate review you're completed analysis. You must attach the peer reviewed draft and the peer review sheet to your audience analysis when you turn it in.