The document must fully meet the target audience’s needs for the author to convey information correctly. Expert and non-specialist audiences have significant differences that must be considered when creating a document. Therefore, in this report, the characteristic methods used by the authors to target different audiences will be revealed in the example of two articles.
The Document for Expert Audience
Document Design
A text for an expert audience should contain an introduction, main body, and conclusion. In this case, the introduction to the article provides a brief historical overview of the popularity of corn, bean, and squash in the United States. It is also essential that the authors set aside a separate block to clarify terms, which helps avoid misunderstandings in interpretations. As illustrative material, the article presents a table with an additional description of its content.
Style and Tone
Since the article “Historical Indigenous Food Preparation Using Produce of the Three Sisters Intercropping System” is targeted at an expert audience, it should meet the requirements of a formal text. For this target audience in the text, the objectivity of the analysis, the accuracy, and the conciseness of the statements are essential. In addition, argumentation, the persuasiveness of statements, and the logical presentation of information are also necessary.
Sources Usage
References to authoritative sources are mandatory for documents intended for an expert audience. First, the reader has extensive specialized and external knowledge of the subject. Second, it also follows the purpose of the text. In the analyzed article, the authors set the goal “to consolidate literature on historical foods prepared from the products of the Three Sisters planting system” (Ngapo et al., 2021, p. 526), which requires the use of a large amount of additional literature. Moreover, the use of additional sources of information adds scientific significance to the document.
Targeting Non-Specialist Audience
Document Design
The article “The Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, and Squash: How to Plant a Three Sisters Garden” is aimed at a non-specialist audience, so it is maximally adapted to the reader’s needs. The text is designed in such a way as to help the reader better understand the information. The article is divided into a short introduction and three logical blocks with lists, thanks to which it looks structured and will be better perceived by the audience. The author uses visual materials such as pictures and videos to illustrate his words.
Style and Tone
In texts for a non-specialist audience, the style and tone of writing should be clear to the reader. The author can express a subjective opinion about what is described, as in the paragraph “the three sisters provide both sustainable soil fertility as well as a healthy diet. Perfection!” (The three sisters: corn, beans, and squash, 2022, para. 11). There also may be “tips,” “notes,” and recommendations for the reader. At the same time, it is also crucial that the text does not lose its informativeness for the audience and has practical application.
Sources Usage
A non-specialist audience is not highly aware of the document’s subject matter, and its primary need is to obtain knowledge for its practical application. Therefore, in texts for a non-professional audience, it is unnecessary to use scientific sources or refer to well-known researchers in the field. Nevertheless, in the article “The Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, and Squash,” along with using his knowledge and experience, the author also provides the audience with additional materials. At the end of the article, there is a YouTube video, thanks to which the reader can learn more about how to plant a three sisters garden.
References
Ngapo, T.M., Bilodeau, P., Arcand, Y., Charles, M.T., Diederichsen, A., Germain, I., Liu, Q., MacKinnon, S., Messiga, A.J., Mondor, M., Villeneuve, S., Ziadi, N., & Gariépy, S. (2021). Historical Indigenous Food Preparation Using Produce of the Three Sisters Intercropping System. Foods, 10(3), 524-543.
The Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, and Squash: How to Plant a Three Sisters Garden. (2022). The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Web.