Whenever we write, whether it be a paper for class or an email for work, we tend to focus on the details of the message we are trying to convey. However, the message will be clear only if we direct the details to the intended reader. Before writing, we should ask, “What information does the reader need to know to understand my writing?” When writers consider the reader, they value writing as a shared communication experience. Using POLKA as an acronym, students can determine purpose, occasion, length, knowledge, and audience during the prewriting phase. Keeping these five items in mind before researching will make the drafting process much easier. It will also allow the reader to engage with the writing through explanations and an intentional message aimed at them. 

Purpose

When we consider the reader during the prewriting phase, we should determine the purpose: why we are writing. Several purposes exist in writing, but most academic writing falls into a few categories. For example, narrative writing tells the reader a story. A student can create a picture for the reader by using sensory details in descriptive writing. Academic writing can also be expository, using facts to explain or inform. Finally, students will use argumentative or persuasive writing to persuade the reader to agree with a particular claim.

One piece of writing can contain more than one purpose, but the word choice the author uses should relay the main purpose. For example, if students are tasked to write a summary, the purpose of the writing would be to inform the reader of the main ideas from the source, with the      assumption that they are unfamiliar with the material. Therefore, they would need to define any terminology for them and maintain an objective tone throughout the summary, omitting any opinion about the source. When writing a proposal, the writer’s job is to persuade the reader into approving the proposal, so the words the writer chooses should deliberately do just that. 

Writing conventions identify a writer’s purpose and guide the reader through the discourse. For example, Flower (1988) explained that texts provide purpose “with a preface, an introductory paragraph, or a problem/purpose statement” and organize that purpose through “previews, transitions, and indicators of key points and conclusions” (p. 531). As a renowned rhetorical analyst, Flower is best known for developing a cognitive model of the writing process; the conventions described by Flower guide the reader into a better understanding of the text’s message. 

Occasion

Occasion comes from the Greek term Kairos, which refers to the opportune time or moment. When determining what to include in a draft, students should ask themselves, “What am I writing for?” Visually, a reader should understand the occasion a writer has written for. When determining the occasion of a written text, a writer will also keep in mind the situation in which they are writing, intertwining purpose with format. A writer must keep the rhetorical situation in mind when determining what information to include in the message. For example, a text to a friend saying “CU@8” would be appropriate for that occasion, while the reader of a research paper expects the omission of contractions and cliches. 

Length

Often, the instructor predetermines the required length of a written assignment. An outline can help students visualize how much content they should dedicate to their main points based on the required page length. For example, a three-page paper might dedicate one paragraph to each main point without the need for headings. A longer paper, on the other hand, could benefit from using many headings and subheadings to organize the main points into sections for ease in reading. Additionally, the longer paper might use two introductory paragraphs to help develop the topic, which would be superfluous for a shorter paper. 

Knowledge

When developing the main points of a paper, the writer should consider what information they know (and need to know) about the topic. They also want to consider what the reader knows. Myhill (2020) explained, “One aspect of authorial intention is the capacity to anticipate or envision how a real or imagined reader of your writing will interpret what you have written” (“Awareness of Reader Needs”). Determining the extent of knowledge on a topic will help students discern how much research is needed to develop and support their main points. It can also help determine which details to include within the argument. For example, “The inclusion of background information about a topic at the beginning of an essay prepares a reader who does not have special knowledge” (Cho & Choi, 2018, p. 29). Keeping the reader’s knowledge in mind solidifies that writers are cognizant of their reader within the discourse.

Audience

Once writers have determined what a reader knows about their topic, they can flesh out to whom they will target their message. The values and responses of the audience can help determine other perspectives when developing an argument. More than writing to an instructor for a grade, students should ask, “Who is my writing geared towards?”  As Purdue University Global (n.d.) explained, the audience for an informative paper is usually a reader who knows about the topic but “they want to know what you have learned about this topic of common interest” because the writer has done more research than them (para. 5). So, the purpose, here, would be to teach the audience about the topic. However, for an argumentative paper, the audience has the same knowledge as the writer about the topic, but they have a different opinion. Therefore, the purpose would be to convince the reader of the flaws within their opinion, thereby strengthening the argument.

Sometimes called the stakeholder, a target audience is a member of the readership who can create change based on persuasion. Students should ask themselves what information their audience needs to know in order to persuade them. If students are drafting an e-mail to a friend, the word choice and tone will be very different from sending an e-mail to a boss or instructor. Grabe and Kaplan (1996) explained that “some definition of the person(s) expected to read the writing has a major influence over the discourse of the written texts” (as cited in Cho & Choi, 1998, p. 36). Researching the audience demographics (e.g., occupation, educational background, and political affiliation) can help when determining the extent of information they need to know.

Conclusion

Keeping the reader in mind will guide a writer during the prewriting and drafting process, providing a pleasurable reading experience where the reader feels connected to the writer and their message. According to Carvalho (2002), a writer must “consider the readers, the knowledge he or she shares with them and, depending on that, to decide what has to be expressed” (p. 272). POLKA can help students determine the necessary information to effectively convey their message in their writing. 

References

Carvalho, J.B. (2002), Developing audience awareness in writing. Journal of Research in Reading, 25: 271-282. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.00175

Cho, Y. & Choi, I. (2018 July). Writing from sources: Does audience matter? Assessing Writing, 37: 25-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2018.03.004 

Flower, L. (1988 September). The construction of purpose in writing and reading. College English, 50(5): 528-550. https://www.jstor.org/stable/377490 

Myhill, D. (2020). Writing like a reader: Developing metalinguistic understanding to support reading-writing connections. Springer EBooks. 

Purdue University Global (n.d.) Reaching your audience. https://campus.purdueglobal.edu/article/reaching-your-audience