Transcript Evaluating Author`s Purpose

Evaluating
Author’s Purpose
Why is identifying the author’s
intent so important?
Perspective

Why might two different people give
different versions of an event?

What effect does the author's perspective
have on a piece of writing?

Why is it important to know the
background of an author?
Author’s Purpose
Think about P.I.E.
 Authors write a story
for three reasons:

Persuade
 Inform
 Entertain

The steps in identifying and
evaluating :
 Read
 Read
the passage carefully.
 Evaluate
 Evaluate
whether the author has selected the best
way to present and write about his/her topic.
 Accuracy
 Consider
whether or not the author’s information is
accurate by looking at the sources.
 Decide
 Decide
if the text informs, persuades, or
entertains.
Persuade

When an author tries to persuade the
reader, they want you to think the way
they think.

Visiting museums are a great way to
learn. At the museum you can read about
facts while looking at different exhibits.
Everyone should visit a great museum
once in a while.
Inform

When an author writes to inform a reader,
they are giving the reader facts and
information.

Elmont is located in New York State. New
York is on the eastern coast of the United
States of America. Some students in
Elmont attend the Covert Avenue School.
Things to look for when determining
if the informative text is valid:
“This is why…” (and it sounds like an opinion
statement)
 “research shows…,” but with no supporting
evidence
 ALWAYS Consider the source


Count the number of corporate and
government sources versus the number of
progressive, public interest, female and
minority voices.
Entertain

When an author tries to entertain the
reader, they want you to enjoy what you
are reading.

My brother came charging at me with the
pie in his hand. He smashed it right into
my face. Laughing, I picked up his bowl
of cereal and dumped it on my kid sister’s
head. Then, mom came into the kitchen.
Why did the author write this
paragraph?

Every time I go to sleep, I hear a noise
under my bed. I think it is a monster, but
I am not sure. I call out to my mother
and father, but all I hear is silence.
Quickly, I pretend it’s nothing and pull the
covers up over my head.
The author wrote this paragraph to
ENTERTAIN us.
Consider Author's Purpose in Fiction
Passages
Most often, the purpose of fiction is to entertain
 .
the reader…but not always.

Sometimes, however, the author uses fiction to make a political
statement, such as "A Modest Proposal," a satire by Jonathan Swift.
Other times, the author wants to persuade readers to take action or
contribute to a specific cause. In poetry, an author's purpose is to
most likely elicit a specific feeling in the reader, such as sympathy,
joy or love. Poets and fiction writers alike often attempt to create a
specific mood in their writing which may include humor, suspense,
suffering, or curiosity.