Writing for the Academic Audience 

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To the Professor ... and Beyond

Many students understand their audience as their professors.  Certainly, all academic writing should be written to the professor receiving the assignment, as appropriate.  You should know his or her interests by the material addressed in class.  You will also know your professor's biases as the semester goes on, and know their expectations either through the syllabus, written instructions, or careful questioning.

But consider the audience beyond your professor as well.  He or she reads more than student papers. Would your work be appropriate for a scholarly or literary journal?  Could it be submitted to public policy makers or grant-authorizing foundations?  Would it be suitable to submit your writing to a board or vice-president of marketing?  While still maintaining faithfulness to the parameters of the assignment, consider the next level up in your field.  Look beyond class to the professional level and begin to understand and address that audience as well.

Here are some values held by the academic audience:

- careful research
- insightful analysis
- respectful tone/mature voice
- well supported arguments
- clarity
- accurate grammar and careful proofreading
- accurate source documentation

Note that these values also translate into professional fields beyond academia. 

 

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Writing for the academic audience is an exercise of learning how to carefully craft, support, and exchange ideas.  This life skill pays dividends in all aspects of professional and personal life.