After reading the categories of audiences and types of contexts of technical writing, your work can effectively influence the proper type of person accordingly. The several types of categories explained in Chapter 3 are to benefit the writer to be more aware of the potential individuals evaluating their work. It is important to keep everyone in mind while completing a piece of work because often many people write unintentional inappropriate things. The type of audience that I was most concerned about was the tertiary reader. I feel that I speak for most people when I say that this is the most underestimated group of evaluators. However, ignoring the tertiary reader ironically has some of the most harmful effects. For example, a simple mistake from not paying attention to the tertiary reader can cause the document to be used against a company involved in a heavy lawsuit. This can be avoided by understanding that there are several categories of audiences involved in technical writing that the author may not be aware of.
The chapter also divided technical writing into four contexts of use: Physical, economic, political, and ethical. The author of the book suggests that the most obvious is the physical context involved in technical writing. Though I believe that in some cases the most misjudged context is the physical characteristics the technical work is responsible for. Many people, including myself, ignore the idea of potential changes in physical settings where the work will be read. Technical writing is commonly written in a general formal method typically appropriate for most settings. But focusing on minor deviations of possible physical context can influence the audience corresponding to the goals being accomplished. An example would be writing a document that has the intention to be passed around for assessment. What approach about assuming the physical context would be most beneficial to its ultimate goal?
I like how you brought up the
I like how you brought up the notion of the tertiary reader and how in some senses they maybe one of most underestimated group of readers. While the primary and secondary readers are very important, what you said about ignoring the tertiary readers can be the most harmful to yourself or the company is a very good point most people don't think about. While the primary and secondary readers are usually reading your document for its intended purpose, there are many reasons tertiary readers may be reading your document. The fact that some people may read your writing looking for things to use against you or your company is something many writers might not consider.
Patrick Griffin
pgriffin@purdue.edu
Reading Response
I concur with your comments toward the profiling context of use, in specific the physical context points. Most people find themselves forgetting to identify where the physical setting will be take place when your audience is reading your document. Why is this? I think in all cases most people find it difficult to visually see the setting of their audience reading the document. Properly predicting the physical setting of which the audience is going to be reading your technical document could be a difficult matter. If your deliverable to a firm was a slideshow, I would insure I had an Microsoft Office 03’ and 07’ file. This precautionary step would insure my slideshow would be presented based on the physical setting.