1. “Why did they write this?”
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 or occupy 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. The Test 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

18. Try a few… Entertain Persuade Inform
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. Author’s Purpose
To INFORM
To PERSUADE
To ENTERTAIN