RunningHead:SENSITIVITYINWRITING

SensitivityinWriting
MarissaG.Kochan
AntiochUniversitySantaBarbara


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Gettingaddictedtodrugsoralcoholdoesntalwayssendapersondownadismal
pathstraighttotheirgrave.Sometimes,allapersonneedsistofeelsupportand
compassioninordertoescapethegripofthistrulycripplingdisease.Whenapersonhas
issuessurroundingaddiction,theyusuallyharborshameabouttheirbehavioralready.
Inordertocommunicatewithpeoplesuchasaddictswhocantrulybenefitfrom
mindfulness,itsimportanttobesensitivetotheirneedsatalltimes.Thisisalsotrue
whencommunicatingthroughwriting.Therearemanyinstancesinwhichawritermust
besensitivetotheirpotentialaudience,especiallywhentheyaretryingtoappealto
peopleduringaparticularlydelicatetimeinlife.TheorganizationIexamineduses
ethos,pathos,andlogosintheirwritingtohelpgettheirargumentsacrosseffectively,as
wellasusingtoneandconventionstomaketheirwritingappealingtovarioustypesof
audiences.
TheCouncilonAlcoholismandDrugAbuseinSantaBarbara,orCADA,usesa
favorableapproachtoexpresssensitivitytotheiraudiencewhilestillprovidingvital
informationabouttheirservices.AccordingtoLunsfordandRuszkiewicz(2012),being
sensitivetotheneedsofreadersinvolvesMaintain[ing]theyouattitude,be[ing]
polite,emphasiz[ing]thepositive,andus[ing]biasfreelanguage(p.209).CADAmust
cultivatesensitivityintheirwritingbecausetheyareconstantlycommunicatingwith
addictsorfamilymembersofpeoplewhoareaddictedtodrugsoralcohol.Established
in1949,CADAhasgrowntohaveastaggering91employeesonstafftoday.Withso
manydifferentprogramsandopportunitiesbeingoffered,theheavywritten
communicationloadisdividedbetweendepartments.Becauseeachdepartmenthead


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withinCADAisinchargeofhisorherowndocumentstheirdepartmentreleases,many
ofthemlookandreadquitedifferentfromeachother.Forexample,theYouthServices
departmenthasmanypicturesofsmilingkidsontheirpage,andshowsinformation
aboutaFridayNightLive/ClubLiveprogramforteens.Tryingtogetteenagerstobe
voluntarilyinvolvedindrugandalcoholpreventionprogramsisprobablymoreeffective
whenyoumakeitsoundmoreenticingbyusingthewordclubinsteadofprogram.On
theotherhand,theAdultServicespagesimplyshowsonestagnantpictureofoneof
CADAsfacilities.TheAdultServicesdepartmentdidincludeinformationabout
programstheyoffered,suchascrisiscounseling,andprojectrecoverytreatmentcenter.
Althoughtheygetthisinformationacrosstothereader,thepagelooksboringand
uninvitingoverall.Thedirectorsforeachoneoftheseprogramsarethepeoplewho
comeupwiththesummationsforthedifferentprograms,saidSusieLoza,directorof
CADAshumanresourcesdepartment,thenwesendittodevelopmentwhichisour
marketinggroup,andtheyoverseemakesurethewritingisprofessionallydoneand
marketable.Althoughmanyofthepageswithinthewebsiteexpressasimilartoneto
theiraudience,thereareacoupleofpageswhichdoappealtoamorenarrowaudience,
liketheYouthServicespage.
Gettingthepointacrosstoreadersdoesntneedtoinvolveaonesidedorbiased
opinion.Showingunderstandingofallsidesofanargumentnotonlymakesan
argumentmorecredible,butitwilllikelystrikeachordwiththereaderslogicalside.
Losh,Alexander,Cannon,andCannon(2013)understandthat,Agoodargumenthasto
getbeyondproandcondebatesbetweenoversimplifiedopposites.Complex


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conversationsarentjustaboutrightandwrong(p.150).Appealingtoyouraudience
throughlogicalassertionsassertionscanhelpmakewrittencommunicationlookmore
deliberateandlessemotionallycharged.ItsevidentthatCADAuseslogosthroughout
alloftheirwrittenpiecesbyincludingstatisticsandconcisefactsabouteachprogram
andtheirpurpose.Also,byusingtestimonialsandpersonalquotesfrompeoplewho
havereceivedassistancefromCADA,itslikelythattheiraudienceunderstandswhy
theirservicesarenecessaryinaidingpeoplewithaddictionproblems.
AlthoughCADAisntliterallytalkingtotheiraudience,theykeepasensitivetone
inordertolettheirreadersknowtheorganizationisnttheretoshamethem.Basically
ourservices,inmostallregards,werealifelineforsomebodybyoneresourceor
another,Lozasaid,thatsthewaytheywriteitsopeopleunderstandthatnomatter
whatourservicesare,wereheretohelppeoplesurviveandprogresstothenextlevel.
Withaheavyuseofpositivewordssuchasimprove,healthy,andcommunity,CADA
expressesasensitivetonethroughtheirwriting.Iftheorganizationusedotherchoice
wordsforexamplebad,unhealthy,orshamefultheywouldbereflectingamore
negativetonewhichmaymakepeoplewanttoshyawayfromtheirservicesinsteadof
utilizethem.Thedifferentpageswithintheirwebsiteexpandonvariousprogramsthat
theyoffer,butthetonestayssensitiveandrelativelypositivethroughouteachpage.
Losh,et.al(2013)state,Yourtoneshouldengageyouraudienceinawaythatwill
invitethemtofeelreceptivetoyourmessage"(p.129).CADAhasobviouslydonean
incrediblejobatmakingtheiraudiencefeelinvited.Since1949whenthefirstsmall


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CommitteeonAlcoholismstartedmeetinginSantaBarbarasInformationCenter,CADA
hasgrownintoasuccessfulnonprofitwithfivetreatmentanddetoxcenters.
Adaptingtheirtonetoappealtomanydifferentaudienceshasbeeneffectivefor
CADA,especiallywhentheycanusepathostohelptheiraudiencefeelinclinedto
supportorvolunteerfortheorganization.CADAhasdevelopedasuccessfulmentoring
program,inwhichadultsarematchedupwithkidswhomaybeinneedofsomesupport
orguidance.PartofthereasonthisprogramwithinCADAhasbecomesostrongis
likelythroughtheireffectiveuseofpathosinthewebpagededicatedtoproviding
informationaboutthementorprogram.Wordslikehelp,support,andencourageare
pepperedthroughoutthisspecificpage,whichalsokeepstheirsensitivetonealive.
Alongthesidelineofthispage,thereisalsoacompellingtruestorydescribinga
successfulmentor/menteerelationship.Thisparticularstoryappealstotheaudience
throughpathos,becauseitmakesthereaderfeelthestruggleandultimatesuccessof
thischildwhosobadlyneededguidancefromanadult.Duringourinterview,Loza
mentioned,Thementorwebsiteistoletpeopleknowthatweneedpeopletohelpthese
kids,tobealifelinetosomeofthekids.CADAscompellinguseofpathosispossibly
thebestwaytheycanappealtoreadersand,ultimately,gainvolunteersfortheirmentor
program.
Makingtheaudienceawareoftheauthorscredibilityisimportantingettingthe
readerstotrustthewriter.CADAdoesaspectacularjobwithusingethostoshowtheir
audiencethattheyarereliable.Forexample,thereisadonationpageonwhichthe
donorcanchoosebetweensevendifferentprogramswheretheirmoneygoes.Thereis


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alsoanoptiontodesignatemygiftwhereitismostneeded.Givingthereaderthis
optionnotonlyallowsthemtoallocatetheirmoneywherevertheylike,butitshowsthat
CADAisrespectfultotheiraudiencebyconsideringtheirwantsorneedsofmakinga
particulardonation.AsnotedbyLunsfordandRuszkiewicz(2012),Oneeffective
meansofbuildingcredibilityistoshowrespectforyourreadersorviewers,especiallyif
theymaynotagreewithyou(p.96).Somepeoplemaynotthinkitsagoodideato
simplyforoverhardearnedcashtoagrouphelpingstrugglingaddictsbutgiventhe
optiontochooseiftheywouldinsteadliketodonatetothementorprogramfor
examplemightmakeitmorelikelythattheywoulddonate.
AppealingtoanaudiencethroughethosisagoodwayforCADAtoshowtheir
readerstheyhavethenecessaryqualificationstoteachpeopleaboutaddiction.Along
withbeingMediCalcertified,CADAshowstheiraudiencespecificcredentialsand
awardstheyveearnedovertheyears.Thereisanentirepagededicatedtoshowingnot
onlytheircertifications,butalsotherecognitionandawardstheyveearnedfromthe
stateofCaliforniafortheirwork.CADAscredentialspagealsostatesthattheyare
membersoftheNationalCouncilonAlcoholismandDrugAbuseaswellasthe
CommunityAntiDrugCoalitionsofAmerica.Additionally,CADAeffectivelyusesethos
whendescribingaprogramtheyoffercalledtheSantaBarbaraCountyTeenCourt,
whichservesasanalternativetocriminalpunishmentforsometeens.Aimedatteensor
parentsofteenswhocommittedafirsttime,nonviolentoffense,thepageincludesa
directquotefromTheHonorableJudgeThomasAdamsstating,Teencourtputsanend
totherevolvingdoorandempowersouryoungpeopletotakeresponsibilityfortheir


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actionsandtheactionsoftheirpeers.Thisaddedquoteappealstotheaudience
throughethos,becauseitshowsthataverycrediblesourcesupportstheirTeenCourt
program.Peoplewhoarestrugglingwithaddictionneedtrueprofessionalhelpand
guidanceandreaderswhoarethinkingaboutputtingtheirfutureinCADAshands
mightbemoreinclinedtotrusttheorganizationifithasdocumentationsuchasthekind
theyshareontheirwebsite.
Themaingoalofmostwrittencommunicationistomakeanargument,and
ultimately,persuadeyourreadertoagreewithoratleastthinkaboutyourargument.
OnCADAshistorypageintheirwebsite,itismentionedthat,TheCouncilsprograms
ofprevention,referral,education,andtreatmentdirectlytouchthelivesofover12,000
individualsandfamilies.Adjustingparticularpiecesofwritingisalwaysmost
successfulwhentheintendedaudienceis,forthemostpart,knownondeeperlevels.
Becausetheyareactivelyawareofwhotheirintendedaudiencesare,CADAeffectively
reaches,andgetssupportfrom,amassiveaudienceofpeoplefromalldifferent
demographics.AsexaminedbyLunsfordandRuszkiewicz(2012),Mostargumentsare
composedwithspecificaudiencesinmind,andtheirsuccessdepends,inpart,onhow
welltheirstrategies,content,tone,andlanguagemeettheexpectationsofthataudience
(p.96).Throughtheirwrittencommunication,CADAshowsthattheyknowwhotheir
intendedaudienceismostlyaddictsandtheirlovedones,orteensinneedofsupport.
Usingthisknowledgetoeffectivelypersuadepeopletoutilizetheirservicesisan
excellentexampleofmakingcertainchoices,suchaschoiceofwords,togainnewclients
inneedofhelp.


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ThestaffwhocomposeCADAswrittencommunicationareallwritingtosupport
thesamecause,thegenresvaryslightlyduetodifferentconventionswithineach
distinctwritingartifact.Forexample,EdStonefelt,PresidentofCADA,hashisownpage
dedicatedtoalongmessageforthereaders.Hekeepsasensitivetoneandusespathosto
appealtotheaudiencewhenhetalksabouthiswife,Sally,andtheirthreekidswhoall
grewupinSantaBarbara.Thispersonaltieintohisownlifecanmakethereaderfeel
morecomfortablearoundhim,whichcanappealtotheirlogicalside.Asassertedby
Dirk(2010),Knowingwhatagenreisusedforcanhelppeopletoaccomplishgoals,
whetherthatgoalbegettingajobbyknowinghowtowriteastellarresume,winninga
personsheartbywritingaromanticloveletter,orgettingintocollegebywritingan
effectivepersonalstatement(p.253).TheconventionsutilizedbyCADAintheir
writingarewhatmaketheirwebsiteandotherwritingartifactsflowtogethereven
thougheachwritingartifactiswrittenforadifferentpurpose.Alloftheirwriting
artifactsprojectaformaltone,buttheyalsocontinuetoprojectthatpositiveand
friendlyvoice.Iftherewasapagewithintheirwebsiteoraflyerthatwashandedout
whichsaid,Heyyoupeople,drugsandalcoholarebadandyoushouldfeelbadfor
participatingintheuseofthesethings,theywouldthrowthereaderoffbecausethis
particularsentenceisunlikeanyotherintheirwriting.Theywouldalsolosetheir
credibilitywithmuchoftheaudience,becauseoftheemotionallychargedandnegative
wordchoice.Consequently,itseemsmostrationalforCADAtokeepthatsensitivity
towardtheiraudiencebyputtingtheirneedsfirstandespeciallybynotincluding
belittlingorridiculingstatements.


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Therearemanytimeswhenbeingsensitivetoyouraudiencemeansleaving
certainopinionsorideasoutofyourargument.IfCADAspokeaboutaddictionasifit
weresomethingtobeashamedof,itslikelytheirpotentialaudiencewouldbe
completelyturnedoffbytheircondemningstance.AsmentionedbyGraffand
Birkenstein(2007),Ultimately,yourjudgementsabouttheappropriatelanguagefor
thesituationshouldalwaystakeintoaccountyourlikelyaudienceandyourpurposefor
writing(Pp.127128).IfCADAhappenedtobelesssensitivetotheiraudience,and
addressedthereadersinacriticizingtone,theirreaderswouldntexperiencethesame
feelingofsupport.
Beingsensitivetotheneedsandexpectationsofyourintendedaudienceisthe
mosteffectivewaytowriteapersuasiveargument.JustasCADApowerfullyapplied
theirawarenessabouttheiraudience,allwriterscaneffectivelygainalargeraudienceby
beingsensitivetotheneedsoftheirreaders.Utilizingknowledgeaboutyouraudience
canhelpyousuccessfullycraftmeaningfulmessagebecauseithelpsyouhaveahigher
understandingofwhatconventionsbelonginthegenreintendedforaparticular
audience.Adjustingyourtone,aswellaseffectivelyusingtoolslikeethos,pathos,and
logoswillbemucheasierwhenyouknowwhoyourmessageisaimedtoward.


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10

Dirk,K.NavigatingGenres.InWritingSpaces:ReadingsonWriting(Vol.1,pp.249262).
Graff,G.,&Birkenstein,C.(n.d.).TheySay/ISay:TheMovesThatMatterInAcademicWriting
(pp.127128).
Losh,E.,Alexander,J.,Cannon,K.,&Cannon,Z.(n.d.).UnderstandingRhetoric:AGraphic
GuidetoWriting(pp.129150).

Lunsford,A.andRuszkiewicz,J.InEverythingsanArgument(p.209).