SENSE OF AUDIENCE AND THE ADULT WRITER - A STUDY ACROSS COMPETENCE LEVELS

The purpose of this research was to investigate five audience-related constructs impacting on the written expression of adult writers who de monstrate varying degrees of literacy competence. Four specific groups of adult writers were targeted for this study, including 35 college-a ble writers demonstrating learning disabilities, 22 writers with learn ing disabilities attending a rehabilitation vocational training progra m, 35 remedial English college writers, and 35 normally achieving coll ege writers. A primary trait scale was developed to investigate five m ajor constructs identified in the literature as impacting on audience. These constructs included general characteristics, organization of te xt, analyzing/constructing the audience, construct differentiation of voice, and execution. The results of this research indicate that the p opulation of adult writers demonstrating learning disabilities have di fficulties with certain aspects of the writing process that may impact on the audience (reader). Implications for assessment and instruction are discussed.