It’s interesting to note that when I write, my inclinations are to use scientific principles and logic to make an argument. However, from my work with the Worcester Free Clinic Coalition, I’ve learned that this technique doesn’t always work. I’ve recognized the need to carefully understand your audience, who they are, what knowledge they will come with, and never write for the “general population.”
One piece of advice that I learned from my rhetoric classes is this: when you define your audience as the general public, your audience is actually you. There is no such thing as a true “general public” and so when we think this way, we are actually imagining others through our own lens. Rather, we should carefully consider the audience and stay away from thinking that a piece is written for the “general public.”
One of the most important considerations in writing is the emotional context. As humans, we are not nearly as rational as we would like to think.