Who is the article for? This question is supremely important because the audience for a piece of writing affects the style, content and approach the article takes to its subject. This may be revealed by the publication (journal or book) in which the article appeared. You can get an idea by looking at the reference list or by skimming the first couple of paragraphs. The first couple of paragraphs, by convention, will contain the rationale for the research that’s being reported. You’ll get an idea of the audience level from identifying the scope of the paper’s focus. In general, the more specific and detailed the focus, the more specific and expert the audience.