Author’s Purpose

1. Author’s Purpose “Why did they write this?”

2. Objectives • Students will be able to analyze a piece of writing to determine the author’s intended purpose of the piece. • Students will be able to apply the knowledge of author’s purpose to their reading material and use that to evaluate the details of the material they read.

3. 3 Basic Reasons • To INFORM • To PERSUADE • To ENTERTAIN

4. INFORM The MAIN purpose of texts that are written to inform is to enlighten the reader or provide the reader with information about a topic. Examples of Texts That Are Written to Inform Expository Essays or Articles Instructions or Directions Encyclopedias or Other Reference Texts Newspapers (parts of them)

5. PERSUADE In a text that is written to persuade, the author’s MAIN purpose is to compel readers to take action, convince them of an idea through argument, or to reaffirm their existing beliefs. Examples of Texts That Are Written to Persuade Advertisements Campaign Speeches Persuasive Letters or Notes

6. ENTERTAIN The MAIN purpose of texts that are written to entertain is to amuse readers. This does not mean that the text must be happy; the text could be a tragedy, but the main reason for writing the text is to amuse oroccupy the readers. Examples of Texts that Are Written to Entertain: • Stories • Poems • Dramas • Songs

7. A Quick Note… MAIN PURPOSE A piece of writing may have some of each element, but you will want to look for the MAIN purpose of each piece.

8. Is the text a poem, play, or story? • Yes = entertain No=try another question • 2. Does the text provide a lot of facts and information? • Yes = inform No=try another question • 3. Is the text trying to get the reader to do or believe something? • Yes = persuade No=try another question The Test

9. Try a few… A story about a family trying to stick together and survive through the Great Depression in the Midwest in the 1030’s. • Entertain • Persuade • Inform

10. Try a few… A section in a history book describing the conditions and causes of the Great Depression in the Midwest in the 1930’s • Entertain • Persuade • Inform

11. Try a few… A poem expressing the idea that the IPOD is the greatest consumer electronic device ever made. • Entertain • Persuade • Inform

12. Try a few… An instructional booklet describing how to operate an MP3 player. • Entertain • Persuade • Inform

13. Try a few… An article where the author argues that an IPOD music player is better than a ZUNE. • Entertain • Persuade • Inform

14. Try a few… The story of a young athlete who takes steroids and his life and future fall apart. • Entertain • Persuade • Inform

15. Try a few… A medical report describing the effects of steroids on the human body. • Entertain • Persuade • Inform

16. Try a few… A speech written by Jose Canseco listing the negative effects of steroids and urging young athletes to not use steroids. • Entertain • Persuade • Inform

17. Try a few… A booklet containing the school rules and the consequences for violating those rules • Entertain • Persuade • Inform

18. Try a few… A story written about a young boy who moves to a new school and is bullied, but he gains self-confidence by joining a sports team and learns to stand up for himself. • Entertain • Persuade • Inform

19. To INFORM • To PERSUADE • To ENTERTAIN Author’s Purpose