Before beginning any writing task, it is important to identify your audience and purpose in order to write a quality paper. Audience and purpose can influence
You want to make sure readers will understand your ideas.
Think about it like this: An article on the importance of proper hand-washing written for doctors would be very different than one written for children.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Students often assume their audience is their instructor; however, it is always a good idea to ask. Instructors might want you to write to a more general audience to assess your understanding of the material by seeing how well you can explain it.
As a writer, you are trying to achieve a specific purpose. Even when texting a friend, you have a reason for doing so, such as deciding on a movie to see. Knowing your purpose lets you think critically about the information you need and how to share the information in an effective way. Below are some examples of purpose and some questions to help you think more critically about what you are trying to achieve:
Your instructor will often give you a purpose for an assignment. Look for action words, such as "describe," "analyze," and "explain," to help you understand the intended purpose of an assignment.