Tip 8: Understanding audience and purpose when writing papers

This week’s topic is evaluating how well students understand their audience (i.e., those who will read your work) and purpose (i.e., the main reason you are writing whatever it is you are writing and what you would like your audience to learn) when writing papers.

Instructors, by this point in the semester, your students should be working on their final research paper draft. Thus, if there is a computer lab with a printer that you can reserve—or if your classroom is equipped with computers and a printer—tell your students to print their final paper draft and these two guides: Transitions Quick Guide (PDF, 86KB)opens in new window and Discussion Phrases Guide (PDF, 144KB)opens in new window.

Provide your students with an overview of what these guides are and then explain how important it is to the continuity and flow of their paper for them to include transitional terms effectively. After this discussion, ask your students to mark up areas of their paper with a pen, pencil, or marker where transitional words and phrases would improve the paper’s readability.

Once your students finish adding transitions to their paper, tell them to go to the conclusion section of their paper. Then ask them to take a sheet of notebook paper (or provide them with paper) and handwrite the label “Revision Notes” at the top of the notebook paper. Tell them to place the Revision Notes sheet next to their paper on their desk/table area and to leave their things by their desk/table—taking only the personal items they do not feel comfortable leaving unattended.

If your students want an electronic version of the Revision Notes sheet, they can create a Word document on the personal technological device they use in general to type their class notes and leave the document open for their peers to type their comments in it.

With a writing utensil in hand, for those who plan to handwrite comments, and the Discussion Phrases Guide, request that students move to a seat where another peer’s paper is present—this activity will be somewhat like musical chairs except done as a paper review exercise.

After each student has moved to someone else’s draft, ask them to read the conclusion of the paper and provide comments to help improve the content—using the Discussion Phrases Guide as a reference. How long students have to review a draft depends on the duration of the class; please note several students should review each student’s draft, so ask students to move to someone else’s paper at least three times to help the author receive an array of feedback.

If you have students who for some reason could not access the required materials to complete this activity, you can ask them to write about why they do not have the materials to receive class participation credit in lieu of this activity.

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