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Worksheet/
Analyzing Context for Position Papers
To develop a good sense of your context in writing a position paper, you should answer the
following questions. As is always the case, your understanding of the audience may change as
you work on the assignment. You may, for example, get a clearer idea of what they know or expect,
or you may change your ideas about the sort of format that is appropriate for them. Consequently,
you may want to revise your context analysis as you work on your position paper. For an example of
a student context analysis of a position paper see pp. 226 - 227.
Audience knowledge, values, and needs
- What sorts of experiences (personal or secondhand) have my readers had with my topic?
- How does my topic relate to things my readers know, value, or care about?
- Do my readers have any biases or preconceptions concerning my topic? If so, what are they, and do
I have any information that will correct (or reinforce) those attitudes?
Audience expectations for content
- What kinds of reasons are likely to appeal to the values held by my readers?
- What kinds of appeals (logical, emotional, or ethical) are they likely to respond well to?
- What questions or objections are my readers likely to want to have answered?
- What kinds of information will they see as credible?
Audience expectations for layout or format
- Which reading in this chapter comes closest to looking the way my readers will expect my position paper to look?
- Are there any visual features (for example, photographs, charts, bulleted lists) my readers are likely to expect or appreciate?
- Are there ways in which my position paper will look different from the readings in this chapter?
Circumstances
- Are there any recent events that might motivate my audience to read my position paper? If so, what are they?
- If not, what sort of background information should I provide at the beginning of my position paper?
Purposes
- What purposes am I trying to accomplish in writing my position paper? What overall impression do I want to leave my readers with?
- What sort of voice do I want readers to hear when they read my position paper?
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