Misunderstood Concept: Audience
My misunderstood concept is the concept of audience in technical communication. The idea is that different audiences need different approaches for communication to be effective. Although students readily accept this in principle, they often have trouble applying it. Some persist in the idea that there is one good way to write, based on their previous learning experiences.
One way to expand my basic explanation might be to use cooking as an analogy. First, show a photo of a fancy restaurant meal (1) and ask “Who do you think would cook this? What would their skill level be? Who would this be a good meal for?” Then show a takeout meal (2) and ask the same questions and finally a packed lunch (3) and ask the same questions. By probing and prompting, I could get the students to acknowledge that each might be a perfect meal, depending on who is eating.
Then I could go through samples of academic, business, and personal writing and prompt reflection/discussion on who each style is perfect for and why.
[images and excerpts in attached PowerPoint file]
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