The Writing Triangle Writer Audience Text. Writing Context Writer Audience Purpose

The Writing Triangle

Writer

Audience Text

Writing Context

Writer

Audience Purpose

Who is the writer? How is he/she related to his/her subject?

• Does the author have a reputation for honesty, thoroughness, fairness and knowledge?

• Is the author an expert?• Is the author associated with any

group, organization or belief system?

Who is the author’s audience (how does he/she understand them?)?• Popular audience• General, but well educated• Specialized• Others: culture, belief/religion,

membership in an organization, etc.

• How does the author expect his/her audience to react?

What is his/her purpose in writing?

• To Inform• To Persuade• To Entertain• Combination of these

What can you guess about the writing context of our 3 Space Dust articles?

The Elements of Style

Content

• Sources• Facts• Statistics• Anecdotes• Examples• Graphics/illustrations

What kind of evidence will you need to support your ideas? How much background information will your readers need?

What differences are there in the content of these three articles? How do you explain these differences?

Content 2: Metaphorical Language

What comparisons and specific images might you use to clarify difficult concepts or engage your readers’ interest?

Do any of these authors use metaphors? If so, why?

Organization

• In what order should you introduce ideas?

• Which subjects should be discussed at length?

• How might you guide readers using transitions, headings, subheadings?

• How might formatting – Quotation Marks, Italics, Capital Letters – be used?

What techniques will you need to use to guide your readers through your document?

What differences in organization stand out? Can you explain them?

Style 1: Word choice

• Level of diction (formal or informal)• Connotative/denotative meanings• Jargon/Doublespeak

What synonyms have a different connotation?More Positive:• Notorious• Fat• Politician• Old• Reckless• Cheap

More Negative:• Child• Persistent• Thin• A large group• Scholarly• Trusting• Quiet

What language will be most effective for your audience and purpose?

How do these three authors use language differently? Why?

Style 2: Attitude/Tone

• What Attittude do you wish to convy (positive, negative, neutral)?

• What Tone will be appropriate --how will your voice come across in the piece of writing?

Style 3: Sentence Structure• Simple• Expanded simple sentence• Compound (two or more

independent clauses)• Complex (at least one independent

and one dependent clause)• Fragments

What kind of sentence structure will be most appropriate for your audience?