Author’s Purpose Ms. Sierra Toppel

What are the four reasons that authors write??

 To inform  To entertain  To persuade  To explain

To inform  When writing to inform, it is the author's goal to teach the reader about things that are real or factual. Few opinions are expressed.  The facts in an informational passage are used to teach, not to persuade. Examples of informative texts include: textbooks, historical accounts, science, social studies, and newspapers.  Text Features: They may have pictures, captions, maps, charts, graphs, headings, and subheadings. They may have pictures, captions, maps, charts, graphs, headings, and subheadings.

To entertain  When writing to entertain, one goal may be to tell a story or to describe characters, places, or events (real or imaginary). The reader is meant to enjoy the story.  Examples of entertaining texts include: plays, poems, stories, jokes, comic strips, and fiction.  Text features: Often has drawings for illustrations. Often has drawings for illustrations.

To Persuade  When writing to persuade, the goal is to get the reader to agree with the writer's opinion. This type of writing is full of opinions, but the author may provide facts and examples to support the opinion.  Examples of persuasive texts include: commercials, advertisements, and editorials.  Text features: Often has words like most, best, and exclamation points! Often has words like most, best, and exclamation points!

To explain  When writing to explain the author is telling the reader how to do something but is not trying to change the reader’s mind the way they do in persuasive writing.  Examples of texts to explain include: recipes and how-to books. Text features: Text features: Often has numbered steps ex:Often has numbered steps ex:1.2.3.

Knowing the genre of the selection will help you know the author’s purpose What are some genres that we have covered?

 Fiction  Non-fiction  Poetry  Drama

Fiction  We know that fictional texts are not real, or as I like to remember- fictional/false.  Fictional texts are usually tell us an interesting story.  Some examples are comic strips and books like Cinderella, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Amelia Bedelia.  Can anyone think what an author’s purpose might be for writing fictional texts?

Fictional texts are usually…  To Entertain us How do you know that these are entertaining?

To entertain  When writing to entertain, one goal may be to tell a story or to describe characters, places, or events (real or imaginary). The reader is meant to enjoy the story.  Examples of entertaining texts include: plays, poems, stories, jokes, comic strips, and fiction.  Text features: Often has drawings for illustrations. Often has drawings for illustrations.

Poetry and Drama  Poetry and drama are usually fiction/ false as well.  They make you feel an emotion or tell a story.  Some examples are the performances that you have done with Ms. Lyles, and nursery rhymes like Hey Diddle Diddle. What might the author’s purpose be for writing poetry or drama?

Poetry and Drama are usually…  To Entertain us How do you know that these are entertaining?

To entertain  When writing to entertain, one goal may be to tell a story or to describe characters, places, or events (real or imaginary). The reader is meant to enjoy the story.  Examples of entertaining texts include: plays, poems, stories, jokes, comic strips, and fiction.  Text features: Often has drawings for illustrations. Often has drawings for illustrations.

Non-fiction  Non-fictional texts are real.  Non-fiction text is going to tell the reader real things that have happened.  Some examples are newspapers, letters, social studies, science and biographies. What might the author’s purpose be for writing non-fiction?

Non-fiction is usually…  To Inform us How do you know that these are informing?

To inform  When writing to inform, it is the author's goal to teach the reader about things that are real or factual. Few opinions are expressed.  The facts in an informational passage are used to teach, not to persuade. Examples of informative texts include: textbooks, historical accounts, science, social studies, and newspapers.  Text Features: They may have pictures, captions, maps, charts, graphs, headings, and subheadings. They may have pictures, captions, maps, charts, graphs, headings, and subheadings.

Non-fictional texts are usually…  To inform  To entertain  To persuade  To explain

To summarize  To inform- teach the reader about things that are real or factual.  To entertain- to tell a story or to describe characters, places, or events  To persuade- the goal is to get the reader to agree with the writer's opinion  To explain- the author is telling the reader how to do something but is not trying to change the reader’s mind