Academic writing and reader connection: crafting content with your audience in mind

Although academic writing is usually a solo activity, it is not a personal endeavor. The writing is as much about the reader as the writer.

In my collaborative writing workshops and academic writing retreats, I encourage participants to envision their ideal reader to guide the scope of the content and how they communicate their ideas. For instance, The Economist explains, in its Professional Communication course, that it targets a dentist in Wisconsin. Knowing this aids journalists in writing for an audience without a background in economics or finance.

We applied this exercise during a Book Sprint with scholars writing a book on AI auditing, the process of ensuring AI doesn't cause harm through bias. (for an example of how it can harm, see the study in Science, about a predictive healthcare algorithm in the U.S. which ignored black patients needing care).

How to identify an audience for academic writing

This group took the exercise seriously. One participant shared a story about a manager at a tech company they had encountered while conducting an AI audit. The manager lacked knowledge about how AI could create inequality but was curious and willing to learn to help his company avoid bad publicity.

This story helped us create a persona for the book's target reader: Geoff, a middle-aged, educated, white male in a senior corporate position. The book aimed to help Geoff convince decision-makers to invest in AI audits. This focus influenced many of the writers’ decisions including numerous examples of AI causing harm and a chapter explaining audits.

Over the week, the writers asked questions like: "Would this make sense to Geoff?",
"Do you think he would care?" and,
"Are we speaking Geoff's language?"

Geoff became integral to the writing process and the writers maintained an emotional and mental connection with this persona.

Exercise: identify your target reader

If you were to think about your reader similarly, what would emerge? What do you know about them? Some factors to consider include their profession, education, values, interests, communities they belong to or identify with, and reading habits. The more you know, the easier it is to imagine how best to reach them. Should you use logic or reason to appeal to them? Would they appreciate metaphors and anecdotes? Will they appreciate diagrams or find them distracting?

Knowing your reader not only informs the content and language of your writing but also enhances the writer's experience. Shifting focus from what you know to what the reader needs to know can alleviate some of the personal pressure.