Introduction
In scientific writing, manuscripts are important in providing an overview of the researcher’s field of study, target audience and significance of the work. A comprehensive knowledge of the target audience is an important requirement when writing a manuscript for publication. In this paper, an analysis of the audience for the reference article is developed. The analysis will consider the important points of the author’s audience and considerations for a manuscript submitted for the reference article.
Identification of the audience for the article: The most important point when developing a manuscript
In this article, Hartwig, Dunville, Kim, Levy et al (2009) aimed at addressing specific issues related to the effectiveness of health promotion programs under the “Healthy People 2010” framework. The aim was to provide a detailed description of the effectiveness of “microgrant” program offered to aid agencies and groups with funds they needed to promote public health at the local levels.
As such, it is evident that the primary audience for the article consists of policy makers and leaders in the public health, especially those involved in promoting healthcare at the local levels (Cargill & O’Connor, 2012). The purpose of targeting this group of users is to ensure that they have some firsthand information from research, which enables them to determine specific strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and areas that require additional effort or focus in promoting public health.
Key elements of writing for an audience
Purpose of addressing the audience
The purpose of the study or the article should be predetermined. In this case, the purpose of carrying out the study is significant. A study should be carried out with a purpose, which should be designed to address a current problem or issue or provide evidence that a certain issue exists (Cargill & O’Connor, 2012). In this case, the purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the programs under the “Healthy People 2010” initiative. The authors wanted to determine whether the programs had attained their goals. In addition, they wanted to show the degree of success that these programs yielded in addressing the identified health problems.
What does the audience belief or know?
The audience’s belief is an important aspect when preparing a manuscript for a scientific study. The target audiences vary in knowledge, belief and experience. For instance, for a large audience (such as the public), the researcher should choose an effective method of communicating the research findings to ensure that every person understands the contents (Meredith, 2011). However, most scientific studies aim at communicating the results to a specific group of individuals. In most cases, the target includes individuals with prior knowledge in the topic or field of study. Thus, scientific language is used because the target group has some experience. In the case of the reference article, the target audience is a specific group of individuals in healthcare sector. In fact, it targets individuals in the public health sector, where promotion of public healthcare at the local region is one of the main objectives of the “Healthy People 2010” project.
Directing the audience’s attention
In writing a manuscript for the audience, it is important to determine how the author will attract and direct the attention of the audience. Evidently, the purpose of reporting the findings of a scientific research is to ensure that the author convinces the audience that the study identifies or addresses a problem, identifies a solution or develops a method for solving a certain problem (Meredith, 2011). In this case, the authors attempted to direct the audience’s attention by using transitions from one point to another. For instance, they have used bold topics to connect ideas. In addition, they have used statistical analysis to show the progress of the study and the process of coming up with the reported results.
References
Cargill, M., & O’Connor, P. (2012). Writing Scientific Research Articles: Strategy and Steps. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Hartwig, K. A., Dunville, R. L., Kim, M. H., Levy, B., et al. (2009). Promoting healthy people 2010 through small grants. Health promotion practice, 10(2), 24.
Meredith, D. (2011). Explaining Research: How to Reach Key Audiences to Advance Your Work. Cambridge, MA: OUP.