Analyzing My Audience

My Audience is the Class of 2020 entering the College of Engineering this fall. These bright, young students are full of new ideas, but a majority of them will share the same viewpoint when it comes to analyzing argumentative articles. Due to this, I as an author, can assume their views and exploit them to teach how to analyze arguments made in the scientific community.

Kmeron. "Audience @LeWeb 11 Les Docks-9306" 12/09/2011 via flickr.com Attribution 2.0 Generic

1. Who am I writing for? What are the audience's beliefs and assumptions?
• The audience I am writing this analytical essay for are the incoming freshman who will be entering the College of Engineering this fall. My audience's believes and assumptions about analyzing an argument made in engineering are that the argument solely lies in the realm of science. They also assume that these arguments are driven by mathematical proofs, sound models, and large experiments performed by various universities. These freshmen believe that an argument in engineering does not take into account the cultural monetary and social impacts of new systems developed by engineers. 
2. What position might they take on this issue? How will I need to respond to this position?
• Incoming freshman might take the position that arguments made in the field of engineering are solely debated from a scientific viewpoint. In my paper, about deconstructing an argument made in the field of engineering, I will respond to the position of incoming freshman by exposing them to the cultural, monetary, and social views that new systems created by engineers are looked at through. By providing these examples, incoming freshmen will realize that engineering is a part of a larger world, and that everything is connected. 
3. What will they want to know?
•  They will want to know how the author constructed their argument, what rhetorical strategies were utilized to convey the author's point, the position the author took on the subject, and how that position framed their argument. 
4. How might they react to my argument?
• I am arguing that opinionated, scientific articles, written by established engineers, do not simply view their subject through a scope of science but appeal to their reader using a variety of views and a mixture of logical, emotional pleas.  The audience will react to the argument with a mixture of hesitation. 
5. How am I trying to relate to or connect with my audience?
• I try to connect with my audience by affirming their beliefs, and then adding my own. That way, my audience finds my deconstruction of the article to be logical and credible, as well as informative. By relating to my audience I can gain their trust and then expand upon their original view. 
6. Are there specific words, ideas, or modes of presentation that will help me relate to them in this way?
• Emphasizing the author's heavy use of logic in the article
• Using specific engineering jargon to engage eager to learn freshman

Edit:
I commented on Clay and Mark's posts. Both posts were excellent and were well developed. Although mine was just as well developed in comparison to their posts; they did an especially good job when it came to what words, ideas and modes of presentation they would use to connect with the audience. Mark, in particular, is going to write his paper in an academic tone and in the style of high school essays to engage the new freshman in familiar way. Clay, on the other hand, is going to use technical words and logic based ideas to engage his audience. Each post prompted me to go back and re-examine how I can use similar or other ideas, words and modes of presentation to connect with my audience. In conclusion, Clay and Mark did an excellent job on their posts and in turn, helped inform me on better ways to connect with my audience.