Other Universities

I viewed the Biology/ Microbiology sections of other universities' websites as if I were a prospective student looking at their programs.

Site 1: The University of Alabama  http://bsc.ua.edu/site/ugrad.htm
I really enjoy UA's website; it is easy to maneuver and search for what I am looking for.  Their Biology page is self explanatory and makes it very simple for the prospective student to gain a strong understanding of what pursuing a degree there entails.

Site 2: The University of Tennessee   http://web.bio.utk.edu/micro/default.htm
UT's website was very unappealing; their use of gray and dull orange colors are not very exciting.  Also, I found it very difficult to find what I was looking for related to academic studies.  Eventually I was able to locate the major description and a list of general courses for a microbiology degree.


I noticed that it could be considered a norm for the science departments at universities to discuss and attempt to draw students in by discussing the current exciting time in science.  This is certainly a true statement.  Students who are serious about pursuing a degree within the field of science are looking for universities that offer the best possible education and research opportunities.


1. What are you writing?   A brochure that will attract students interested in majoring in my selected profession.
2. What prompts you to write?  This assignment is required by my ENG 333 class.
3. What outcome do you desire?   A brochure that is appealing to prospective students.
4.  What outcome does your reader desire?  An appealing source of information that pertains to their major of interest.

1. Who is your primary reader?  My instructor
2. What is your reader's relationship to you?  Someone who is looking to obtain information that I can provide.
3. What are your reader's job title and responsibilities?  The theoretical reader's responsibility would be to look heavily into what the brochure is offering and take all things into consideration.
4. Who else might read your communication?  Colleagues and fellow students.
5. How familiar is your reader with your subject?  Moderately.
6. How familiar is your reader with your specialty?  This would depend on who the reader is and what they are looking to get out of reading the brochure.
7. Does your reader have any communication preferences you should take into account?  Readers usually enjoy seeing photographs of the program being advertised.  Receiving visual aids helps students make decisions.
8. Should you take into account any other things about your reader when writing?  Colors, font, and level of writing.

What events and circumstances influence the way you should write?
          Where my writing is being published/ where it is going to appear.  Also, who I know is going to be reading it.

1. What are the key questions your reader will ask while reading?   What can I get out of this?
2. How will your reader search for the answer?    Key terms.
3. How will your reader use the information you provide?  Attempt to determine how the information you provide will affect him or her/ Attempt to determine how the information you provide will affect him or her.


1. What is your reader's attitude toward your subject? Why? What do you want it to be?  I want the reader to share a common interest in the subject so much so that they are considering my university to obtain a high level of education.  Their current attitude is probably that of interest and in search of how they can benefit from my provided information.

2. What is your reader's attitude toward you? Why? What do you want it to be?  They are probably indifferent.

1. Who are stakeholders in your communication? Myself, my boss, my colleagues.
2. How will they be affected by it? If I am writing a brochure that is to draw prospective students in, my colleagues would be affected because those students may, in fact, end up attending our university.

What expectations, regulations, or other factors limit the way you can write?  By being familiar with other sources of similar information, the author should keep in mind and use parallel strategies of writing.