Readers Don’t Search for Meaning. They Expect It.
“Our (REA seminar) attendees have commented that his approach makes them rethink the way they were taught to write, and wonder why they didn’t learn Dr. Gopen’s powerful and clear approach from the beginning.”
— Anne Brown, MD, MHD
Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Professionalism, Duke University Medical Center
About George Gopen’s Reader Expectation Approach (REA)
The Reader Expectation Approach is a framework for writing more clearly and persuasively in English. It was developed by Dr. George Gopen, Professor Emeritus of the Practice of Rhetoric at Duke University. REA explains how readers use the placement of information within a piece of writing to interpret meaning and decide what matters. REA holds that readers of English look for critical information in specific structural locations within sentences and paragraphs, and that misalignment between writer placement and reader expectation is the primary cause of miscommunication — regardless of the quality of the ideas being expressed.
Instead of writing tips and tricks, REA directs writers to anticipate their reader’s expectations. This helps writers to gain practical control over clarity and impact—without sacrificing nuance, complexity, or individuality. This makes REA especially valuable for professionals writing complex, high-stakes material in science, law, and policy. It is particularly useful to writers for whom English is a second language.
Watch REA Introductory Video
“The [REA] seminar was one of the most valuable twelve hours I have ever spent.”
— Nell Beatty Cant, PhD
Associate Professor Emeritus of Neurobiology, Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
Is the Reader Expectation Approach Supported by Science?
REA is consistent with research in cognitive psychology, linguistics, and psycholinguistics. Dr. Gopen’s concept of the “stress position” is mirrored by research on the recency effect. The recency effect is described as the phenomenon in which a person will recall the last items in a series to a greater extent that they recall the first or middle items in the same series.
In 1966, Glanzer and Cunitz explained that the recency effect occurs because the information at the end of a sequence sits in short-term memory where it is most immediately available to the reader. For more scientific corroboration of REA principles, visit the Research page.
Who Benefits from Using The Reader Expectation Approach?
REA training programs are essential in every profession that relies on clear writing to succeed. Scientific researchers cite dramatic increases in the success rates of their grant applications; lawyers report an enhanced ability to persuade. The medical departments at Duke University have reported hundreds of millions of dollars in funding as a result. Billions have been secured across industries.
“The two days spent in the [REA] writing seminar were among the most profitable professional training days I have known.“
— Katherine Bartlett
Kenneth Pye Professor Emerita of Law, Duke University Law School
Many leading institutions have improved their talent pool with lectures and workshops on REA. George Gopen’s notable clients include:
- Harvard Law School
- Johns Hopkins Medical Center
- Eli Lilly
- American Bar Association
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
- National Institutes of Health
Download Gopen’s full roster of more than 200 current and former clients.
How Can My Team Access Reader Expectation Approach Training?
The principles of REA can be learned through Dr. Gopen’s revelatory instructor-led training.
Custom training packages may include a combination of one or two eight-hour seminars, small-group workshops, and e-learning programs. Dr. Gopen also offers a limited number of one-on-one consultations for individual high-stakes projects. Schedule a complementary call today.