Getting to know Gout. FDA Consumer

The articles are talking about gout and its management. The difference in the articles is the audience and the writing style. What is the likely background of the article’s audience? Does the article require that the reader have specialized knowledge? For what basic category of reader is the article written? The first article by Fleiger, K. 1995, has a general audience. The author is writing for the general audience who read the FDA Consumer periodical. They do not require specialized knowledge and are lay audience. The author has given background information and has used attractive graphics in the article. This is the kind of information the audience needs. The article is written for basic readers who can understand and relate information as it is presented. It has a humorous approach to the topic especially the use of the picture to illustrate that gout is a rich man’s disease, (Fleiger, 1995). The second article by Emmerson, T. B. 1996, has a target audience who are medical practitioners and students. The author has written for the audience of the technical journal, The New England Journal of Medicine. They are experts and require specialized knowledge. They are adept readers who understand and can summarize the complicated information. Emmerson does not give background information since the audience already understands gout. The article has a serious approach and goes straight to the topic without picture illustrations, (Emmerson, 1996). What is the author’s purpose? In other words, what is the article intended to accomplish? Flieger’s article aims at educating and informing the general audience about gout. In addition, he explains how it develops; using an illustration, the causes, symptoms and how it is treated and managed. Emmerson’s article on the other hand aims at guiding practitioners and students on diagnosis as well as treatment of gout. How do the differences in audience and purpose affect the following elements in the article? Scope and Organization Flieger’s article has a narrow scope and is organized in importance of information format. The audience easily understands the information. The article starts with an introduction of how gout is perceived as a rich man’s diseases and even gives a graphic illustration of a king with the swollen foot sited outside as he holds a party. The article then goes on to explain why this perception is partly wrong. The article then states and explains the parts that are affected by gout and how it develops, using a picture of a foot. Treatment of acute gout and the drugs used and their reaction is discussed. The author also uses another illustration of a plant used in treatment of gout; autumn crocus. Further the article discusses the classification of gout as form of arthritis. Finally, the article gives common sense measures that the audience can take to prevent, treat and manage gout, (Fleiger, 1995). Unlike Flieiger’s article, Emmerson’s article has a broader...