Who do you want your work to reach? Who are the relevant stakeholders, and how do/should they shape your work?
I would like for my work to reach not just young adults ages eighteen to twenty-five but to anyone who is willing to understand and learn more about water conservation. These stakeholders should shape my work by making me pay close attention to the formatting and the words used to describe the methods I took in collecting data as well as what the data means and being sure to elaborate deeply on certain terms that may be unfamiliar to them such as “codes” and “dissemination.” Water conservation is not an issue that affects only one generation or one community. It is a practice that has influence in many fields and areas of life such as households, businesses, farmers, policymakers, and future populations. Because of that, my work should be understandable and meaningful to a broad range of readers, not just people who are already familiar with technical research language.
My primary target audience are a particularly significant audience because they are at a stage in life where habits, beliefs, and civic awareness are still developing. Many people in this age range are beginning to live independently and begin to pay utility bills and learn more about the importance of how they use resources. If my work can help them better understand why conservation matters and what practical steps they can take, then it has the potential to create long-term impact. At the same time, I am aware that there are others who would also benefit from learning how to make more informed decisions about water use. Homeowners, community leaders, educators, and local governments are also stakeholders, and they may rely on clear information in order to design policies or change behaviors.
Because my audience is so broad, these stakeholders should strongly shape how I present my work. They push me to pay close attention to my formatting, word choice, and explanations. Academic writing can easily become filled with specialized vocabulary that makes sense to researchers but confuses general readers. For example, terms like “codes” or “dissemination” may be common in research environments, yet they might be unfamiliar to someone outside of that context. If I use words like these, it is my responsibility to slow down and explain what they mean, why they are important, and how they relate to the results I am presenting.