Learn about your readers by looking for clues about their needs, interests, and expectations. Follow the steps below. Enter your responses in the space provided.

Step 1:        Pay close attention to the assignment's purpose to locate clues about your audience. Is any specific audience identified? Write what you learn in the editing box below.

Step 2:         Look for terms such as reader and audience. Then examine the surrounding text for clues about your readers' expectations. What kinds of sources or reasoning might they expect you to use? Write what you learn in the editing box below.

Step 3:         Identify clues about the assignment's genre. Look for terms such as essay, report, argument, article, or Web site. Write what you learn in the editing box below.