Identify the purpose and target audience of a visual text, using clues in the words, images and design to work out why it was made and for whom

What this dot point is asking

SEAB wants you to work out the purpose of a visual text (why it was made) and its target audience (who it is aimed at), using clues in the words, images and design. These are common Visual Text Comprehension questions in Paper 2. The purpose might be to inform, persuade, warn, advertise or encourage an action; the audience might be children, teenagers, parents or the general public. The skill is to read the clues in the poster, decide the purpose and audience, and back your answer with evidence from the text.

The answer

Purpose: why was it made?

Every visual text has a purpose. Ask what the maker wants to happen. Common purposes are to inform (give facts), to persuade (change a view or behaviour), to warn (alert to danger), to advertise (sell something), or to encourage an action (donate, recycle, attend). The headline and the overall message usually reveal the purpose. A poster saying "Save Water" has the purpose of persuading people to use less water.

Target audience: who is it for?

The target audience is the group the text is aimed at. A visual text is designed to appeal to a particular group, so its style and content are chosen to suit them. Ask: who would notice and respond to this poster? Children, teenagers, parents, drivers, the general public? The design points to the answer.

Reading the clues

The clues to the audience are in the style, language, images and content:

• Bright cartoons and simple words suggest young children.
• Trendy images and casual language suggest teenagers.
• A poster showing students in uniform is likely aimed at students.
• Where the poster would be displayed (a school, a clinic, a bus stop) is another clue.

Match the clues to the group, and you have the audience.

Back it with evidence

Like inference, your answer needs evidence. Do not just state the purpose and audience; point to the words, images or design that show them. "The audience is young children, shown by the cartoon characters and simple words" is a complete answer.

Examples in context

Example 1. A health campaign. A poster showing an older person exercising, with the headline "Stay Active, Stay Strong" and gentle, clear text, has the purpose of encouraging older adults to keep exercising. The target audience is older people, shown by the image and the clear, supportive style chosen to suit them.

Example 2. A school event. A poster for a school talent show, full of musical notes, bright colours and the words "Show Your Talent!", has the purpose of encouraging students to take part. The audience is students, shown by the lively design and the school setting where it would be displayed.

Try this

• Cue. A poster uses cartoon animals, big simple words and shows children washing their hands. Who is the audience and what is the purpose? Young children; the purpose is to encourage them to wash their hands, shown by the cartoons, simple words and the image.

• Cue. A student says "the audience is everyone". Why is this usually weak? Visual texts are designed to appeal to a particular group; the clues (style, images, language) almost always point to a specific audience, not everyone.

• Cue. Explain why your answer about purpose needs evidence. Stating the purpose alone is a guess; pointing to the headline, message or image that shows it proves your answer is based on the visual text.