Primary Audience Characteristics
Spaces4Learning and American Psychology Association websites present information about the psychological principles that enhance students’ educational outcomes. The Spaces4Learning’s audience is school board members and directors. It focuses on a non-technical audience, mostly parents aged between 35 and 50, who can change a school’s curriculum. Spaces4Learning uses simple language, and the author explains the detail of psychological principles, such as human-centered approach (Bohm, 2017). Since the author is a high school principal who uses contracted forms of verbs and research findings from American sources, most Spaces4Learning’s target audience has no knowledge of psychology, high school education, and employed in white-collar jobs, and live in the US.
On the contrary, the American Psychological Association targets a technical audience. The website focuses on the complex social, psychometrics, cognitive, education, and counselling psychological principles that can enhance students’ learning outcomes (Fenton, 2015). From the information presented on the website, it is evident that the audience has an in-depth prior knowledge of psychological principles such as Lev Vygotsky’s theory of proximal development zone since the author does not explain them. The American Psychological Association audience is aged between 21 and 50 years, has university level education, work in research facilities, and lives in urban American urban centers.
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Secondary Audience Characteristics
Spaces4Learning’s secondary audiences are high school instructors. The author focuses on classroom dynamics, such as seating arrangement, recess breaks, and physical spaces (Bohm, 2017). High school instructors understand these principles since they design the curriculum and organize students’ learning environment. American Psychological Association’s secondary audience is the education authorities, such as the local government officials. The author provides vital psychological principles that government officials can use to revise the education curriculum and direct educators to implement the ideas.
Persuasive Strategies
The author for Spaces4Learning website uses rhetorical appeals to support his claims. Mainly, the author uses ethos to describe his reasoning. Spaces4Learning’s article on educational psychology consists of statements from renowned personalities in American education and research findings from credited learning institutions such as the University of Chicago (Bohm, 2017). Also, the author uses logos to connect with the audience. He uses deductive reasoning since he begins by asserting the general problems in learning environments and provides facts and evidence (Bohm, 2017). Similarly, the American Psychological Association uses both ethos and logos. The author relies on research findings from credible sources, acknowledges the audience’s beliefs, and incorporates insights from highly acclaimed psychologists (Fenton, 2015). American Psychological Association website uses inductive reasoning since the author presents facts followed by general observations. This strategy established a connection with the target audience.
Use of Technical Language
Unlike the American Psychological Association, Spaces4Learning website rarely uses technical language. The article found in Spaces4Learning website does not have any jargon; the only technical term is the human-centered approach which the author explains well (Bohm, 2017). On the contrary, the American Psychological Association uses technical language, including jargons. Some of the technical terms include Piaget’s cognitive theory, Lev Vygotsky’s theory, scaffolding, and formative and summative assessments.
Sentence and Paragraph Structures
Furthermore, Spaces4Learning and American Psychological Association websites have different sentence structures. Spaces4Learning has no consistent sentence structure, but most sentences consist of approximately ten words (Bohm, 2017). Besides, Spaces4Learning’s article has paragraphs with an average of two sentences. From this observation, one can tell this website targets non-technical audience with limited concentration span. Conversely, the American Psychological Association has sentences with approximately twenty words and has a consistent paragraph structure comprising four sentences (Fenton, 2015). Such a structure is standard in professional-level writing, meaning the article is meant for a technical audience.
Writing Styles
While Spaces4Learning uses an informal writing style, American Psychological Association uses formal style. Spaces4Learning uses contract verb forms and first-person point of view mostly used in informal writing settings. On the contrary, the American Psychological Association uses formal writing strategies, such as third-person narrative and well-written sentences.
Use of Adverts
Spaces4Learning has ads that direct the audience to view the latest educational products and services meant for high school stakeholders, including teachers and the board of directors. The ad on the American Psychological Association targets students seeking loans. One can notice that the American Psychological Association's audience is researchers.
Use and Relevance of Tables, Figures, Illustrations, or Images
Spaces4Learning website uses images to describe the outlook of an effective learning environment. The images are colorful pictures of students in the classroom meant to inform the non-technical audience. However, the American Psychological Association does not use any figure, table, or chart.
References
Bohm, R. (2017, November 1). Want to improve student learning? Spaces4Learning. https://spaces4learning.com/articles/2017/11/01/student-learning.aspx
Fenton, N. (2015, September). Using the ‘top 20 principles.’ American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/ptn/2015/09/top-20-principles#
