Ten Audience Analysis Exercises - EFL Classroom 2.0

B. How does the technique--the organization, the genre, description, style,
and so forth--compare? What similarities and differences do you notice?
C. Finally, take a look at the document design. If you just looked at the three
articles, without reading them, would you know that they were from the
same magazine? What visual clues does the magazine use to provide
continuity from one article to the next?
After you gather all your observations together, write a paper that analyzes the
similarities and differences between the articles and draws conclusions about their
relationship to one another and to the larger magazine as a whole.
[TEACHING TIP: You may need to give students guidance in choosing their
articles. The assignment provides the widest range when students work with
unrelated articles. The magazine a student is working with may have a section of
related pieces (for instance, a news story on a recent happening, an interview with
someone who was involved in the event, and an editorial commentary that
considers the significance of the event). Urge students to work with only one of
these three articles, choosing their other articles from another section of the
magazine.]
6. Write a letter to the editor, responding to one of the articles or issues that is
covered in the magazine. First, you'll need to go through the magazine and choose
an article that catches your attention. You need to choose an article that covers
something you are interested in and can say something about.
Next, gather your ideas for the letter by completing these sentences:
o
o
o
I am interested in this article because _____________________.
I feel _______ about this article because it _____________________.
In response, I want to say _____________________ to the editor.
With your ideas gathered, you can begin shaping your letter. The letter should
begin by indicating the article that you're responding to and a brief statement of
the reason that you're writing. The letter should then explain each point that you
want to make to support your argument. Turn to the letters included in the issue of
the magazine you have for examples. Remember that you need to follow letter
format, beginning with "To the Editor" and ending with a signature block.
[ALTERNATE ASSIGNMENT: Students might write a letter to an author whose
article appears in the magazine.]
7. You're an editorial assistant working for a publisher. The publisher is interested in
launching a new magazine, and your job is to examine the competition to help the
publishing company focus their efforts. Write a complete analysis of one of the
competing magazines. What themes, ideas, or issues are the main arena of the
magazine? What do the articles cover? What kind of depth and detail does the