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Lecture One: Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Diction
Purpose
Why do we write?
The primary reason to write about something (i.e., a topic) is to communicate our thoughts to others. In order to deliver your message,you must decide upon a topic and a purpose for writing about that topic before you write. Some purposes (or reasons) to write include the following.
- Expressive--to express an opinion
- Informative/Expository --to inform the reader about or expose a given topic to them.
- Persuasive/Argumentative --to persuade the reader to accept an argument about or opinion on a given topic.
- Creative --to create a new experience for the reader.
The purpose of most college and business writing is either informative or persuasive.
More often than not, you will be assigned a specific topic or given some guidance
about choosing an appropriate topic.
We'll talk more about choosing a topic the next time we meet.
Audience
After deciding what and why you want to write about, you must consider for whom you are writing, i. e., your audience.
Ask yourself:- for whom are you writing?
- why should or would they be interested in what you have to say?
- and what can you assume about your readers ? For example, what do they already know about your topic? What type of readers are you trying to reach?
Most of the time, you can assume that your professor or boss knows a lot more about their subject matter than you do, but essays and tests are designed to uncover what you have learned.
Thus you should strive to provide as many
concrete, relevant details
about your topic that suit your purpose and the requirements listed in the assignment.
We'll go over how to do just that in future class sessions.
Tone and Diction
Next, you must choose the tone you will use to deliver your message to your chosen audience, which will help you select the right diction to make your point.
The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms defines tone as "The reflection of the writer’s attitude (especially towards his readers), manner, mood, and moral outlook on his world; even, perhaps, the way his personality pervades the work" (Cuddon 698-9).Diction, Lynn Quitman Troyka says, is "the term for [the] choice of words" (362) one uses to convey one's ideas. Those types include formal, informal, colloquial (or regional), and slang.
In order to express yourself effectively in academia and in most workplaces,
strive to write essays that come across as being somewhere between
overly formal or inappropriately informal.
Can you think of reasons why you should be careful about the tone you use? Think of how your tone of voice affects the outcome of your daily conversations (or arguments!).
Experts in communications speak of "The General English Style," the use of which, for the following reasons, should result in an essay that is not too formal nor too informal (i. e., professional without being professorial).
|
Pros |
Cons |
| You'll strive to let "the real you" speak, not to hide behind a mask that doesn’t fit your personality. | By doing so, you might risk being too friendly in an academic setting. |
| Your language will not be stilted; rather, it will personable and inviting. | However, if your language is too informal it may be inappropriate or misinterpreted. |
| You will be concise, and your essay will lack redundancies and unnecessary words. | You must take care to use words accurately, so they convey you want to say. |
| Unique usage of grammar and punctuation can be effective, if you know how to use it correctly in the first place. |
Many times, unique usage of grammar and punctuation, or misuse for the sake of effect, is simply unsuitable in most academic settings, like in this course for example. "Why?" you ask. Keep reading! |
| Breaking away from formalism can be refreshing. | Nevertheless, the simple truth is that formalism is still the rule rather than the exception in academic and business settings. |
| Colloquialism can lend charm. | But colloquialisms only work if reader is familiar with them, and many of them reflect a close relationship with the reader that probably doesn't exist. |
| For those with extensive vocabularies, this type of writing often seems easy. | Those without extensive vocabularies often find this type of writing challenging. |
Avoid these quick and easy ways to lose your readers' interest or trust.
- Fightin' words--like sexist, racist, ageist, classist, religionist, or other culturally insensitive forms of speech.
- Colloquial or Regional words--like redd up, gumband, an'at, etc.
- Slang words--like, you know, whatever!
- Sarcasm--without your facial expressions or gestures, sarcasm rarely comes across well.
- Jargon--the "specialized vocabulary of a particular group" (Troyka 371) that often confuses readers who are not part of that group.
- Clichés--"worn-out expressions" (370) that have been overused. It makes your essay seem as stale as the cliché itself and can annoy your readers.
- Euphamisms--words that "attempt to avoid the harsh reality of truth" (372) that can cause confusion or dilute your message.
- IM abbreviations--BION, IYKWIM, CYA and spell it out!! These abbreviations have no place in academia or in formal business documents.
Reference
Cuddon, J. A. A Dictionary of Literary Terms. Rev. ed. New York: Penguin, 1979.
Troyka, Lynn Quitman. Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers. 6ht ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Simon & Schuster, 2002.