ABSTRACT
Determining the right text and technology for your message means you need to think rhetorically about your audience and the messages you want to write. Using specific examples from the past and present, this chapter provides suggestions for writing different kinds of messages, such as email messages. Readers will learn how to make messages accessible by considering Universal Design principles and cultural differences. Not only do different cultures use different technologies, but they also write differently based on their cultural practices. Crafting messages according to audiences’ cultural expectations for writing will help readers be more successful in their communication. Likewise, while it is important to be sensitive to differences, readers will also learn another strategy for writing messages to various audiences by thinking about what those audiences have in common and building texts around those commonalities. Many countries share similar expectations for writing, and building on these similarities can help readers establish a relationship with their audiences based on their familiarity with their writing choices.
