Reaching The Reader’s Mind
Learn to use Reader Expectations and transform your complex
expertise into writing that wins funding, cases, and decisions.
Credited with reshaping scientific writing, George David Gopen, JD, PhD and Duke Professor Emeritus in Rhetoric has trained tens of thousands of professionals in his Reader Expectation Approach to writing in the English Language. Explore workshops→
Proven Methods, Unrivaled Impact
George David Gopen’s Reader Expectation Approach to writing in the English Language (REA) is based on how readers look for critical information in specific structural locations within sentences and paragraphs. Misalignment between writer placement and reader expectations is a primary cause of miscommunication.
REA is is validated in peer-reviewed literature and consistent with research in cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics. George’s clients report publishing success, courtroom victories, and billions in grant funding.
REA was first introduced to a wide audience in George’s 1990 article “The Science of Scientific Writing” co-authored with Judith A. Swan and appeared in American Scientist. It is the second most frequently visited of any article published on the American Scientist website. Since 2017 alone, it has accumulated 148,000 views.
“My very dear brother George is one of the most masterful teachers, erudite scholars and decent human beings I have ever encountered in the Academy!”
— Dr. Cornel West (Author of Race Matters and Democracy Matters)
“Dear George — With admiration and gratitude. I thought of your work with every sentence I wrote here.“
— Alan Alda (referring to his book If I Understood You Would I have This Look On My Face?)
Trusted By Over 200 Leading Organizations
Research Institutions
Communicate complex research clearly to increase grant funding and publication.
Law Firms
Strengthen briefs and documents to be precise and persuasive.
Businesses
Produce documents that build consumer confidence and make it easier to audit decisions.
Professional Development Programs
Customized for Your Goals
“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
“George gave me my life, my career, my future. He gave me my dreams. I owe him everything.”
— Victoria Seewaldt, MD, Department Chair, Population Sciences, City of Hope Cancer Center
Jefferson College of Health Professions at Thomas Jefferson University
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
is the single most highly rated faculty development program offered at Indiana University.”
Former Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Leadership at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
free of obfuscated meaning and consequent misunderstanding.“
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Discover why The Reader Expectation Approach is a great fit for your organization
Request a complimentary 20‑minute discovery call to fashion a training program for your team’s professional development or high-stakes project.
REA FAQ
- What is The Reader Expectation Approach?
REA is a framework for writing more clearly and persuasively in English by explaining how readers use the placement of information within a piece of writing to interpret meaning and decide what matters. - What are reader expectations?
Reader expectations include finding answers to four questions in each sentence: Who’s story is it? What is happening? What information needs extra emphasis? How does this sentence link to its neighbors? - Who is the program for?
Universities and scientific research departments; governmental agencies and non-profits; corporations and businesses; law firms and legal departments; professional associations; leadership and graduate programs. - What happens during the discovery call?
We will discuss how our training options align with your organization’s training goals, schedule, and budget. - How is training typically delivered?
Instructor-led training delivered via a combination of live seminars and small-group workshops. An online e-learning series can also be accessed. A limited number of one‑on‑one consulting appointments are available.
Can you really afford to be misunderstood?
