Author's Purpose
What do each of the letters of P.I.P.E. stand for?
Purpose
Inform
Praise
Entertain
Look at this source:
Vega, Bernardo. Memoirs of Bernardo Vega. Monthly Review Press, 1977. Puerto Migration to the United States.
Who is the author of this source?
Bernardo Vega
The most important quality of a statement you use as a claim in an argumentative essay is that it must be:
A. An opinion that can be supported by reasons and evidence.
B. A statement that is absolutely 100% true and cannot be questioned.
C. A famous quote.
D. A question that makes the reader think deeply.
A. An opinion that can be supported by reasons and evidence.
Is the lack of jobs and low wages in the region a push or pull factor?
Push Factor
Is the statement below an example of primary or secondary sources?
A source that has been edited and published in a modern book.
Secondary source
A local newspaper editorial argues that the city should build a new skate park because it will give teens a safe place to go after school. What is the author's primary purpose?
Persuade
Look at this source information:
Ueland, A. (1929) Recollections of an Immigrant. New York, Minton, Balch & Company. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/29001450/.
Who created this source?
A. Ueland
Which of the following statements is too broad and unfocused to be a good claim for a short argumentative essay?
A. Schools should not assign homework on weekends.
B. Watching television is bad for kids.
C. Middle school students should be allowed to use phones during lunch periods.
D. Students must eat breakfast every morning to improve their test scores.
B. Watching television is bad for kids.
A major river near your town floods every spring, causing damage to homes and closing schools for weeks at a time. Is this a push or a pull factor?
Push factor.
Is the statement below an example of primary or secondary sources?
A source that analyzes, summarizes, or interprets information from primary sources.
Secondary source
Which of the following texts has the primary author's purpose to entertain?
A. A fictional graphic novel about a brave alien who plays soccer.
B. A biography of a famous historical person.
C. A book review that encourages people to see a new movie.
D. A how-to guide for baking cookies.
A. A fictional graphic novel about a brave alien who plays soccer.
Look at this source information:
Ueland, A. (1929) Recollections of an Immigrant. New York, Minton, Balch & Company. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/29001450/.
When was this source created?
1929
When you are brainstorming a claim, you should avoid statements based only on personal preference (like 'I hate broccoli') because they:
A. Are usually too formal for a 6th-grade essay.
B. Do not have evidence or reasons that apply to everyone.
C. Are facts that cannot be argued against.
D. Can only be proven using an opinion poll.
B. Do not have evidence or reasons that apply to everyone.
A community has a highly-rated public school system and a large public library. Is this a push or pull factor?
Pull factor.
Is the statement below an example of primary or secondary sources?
A soldier's personal diary written in a foreign language during a war that you had translated.
Primary source - even though it has been translated it is still the soldier's words from that time period.
An advertisement for a new brand of running shoes uses bright colors, a catchy song, and shows a famous athlete wearing them. What is the author's purpose?
Persaude
Look at this source information:
Ueland, A. (1929) Recollections of an Immigrant. New York, Minton, Balch & Company. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/29001450/.
Would this be a primary or secondary source?
Primary
Which claim is the most specific and clear, making it the strongest to develop?
A. Zoos are bad for animals, so they should all be closed.
B. It is fun to watch birds fly.
C. We should be nice to pets.
D. Animals are important.
A. Zoos are bad for animals, so they should all be closed.
A young person's parents lose their jobs and decide to move to a new city for better work. However, the young person is very sad to leave all their friends and school. Which factor ultimately had the most powerful influence on the family's decision to move: push factor or pull factor?
Pull factor - the job in the new city was important for the family.
You are researching what CBMS was like 50 years ago. Would a source that offers a direct, personal perspective of the school's teachers over the first 15 years be more valuable or reading the graffiti that you found in one of the bathrooms that has been closed since 1978?
The personal perspective of school's teachers over the first 15 years.
This provides you with a longer period of time and can explain how the building changed.
What is the author's purpose of Thomas Jefferson, writer of the U.S. Constitution?
To inform
An interview with a veteran of a war would be considered a primary source.
What would a Youtube video of an interview with a veteran be?
Secondary
A strong claim often includes the main reason why the author believes their position. Why is this important when developing your claim?
A. It immediately tells the reader the argument's focus and what type of evidence to expect.
B. It keeps the claim short so the reader doesn't get confused.
C. It is a rule that only applies to claims about school policies.
D. It makes the claim impossible for anyone else to argue against.
A. It immediately tells the reader the argument's focus and what type of evidence to expect.
During the mid-1800s, many people came to California, U.S., hoping to find gold. At the same time, many parts of Europe were suffering from economic hardship and food shortages.
Was the hope of finding gold a push or pull factor?
Pull factor.
Is the statement below an example of primary or secondary sources?
A historian writes a biography of a famous explorer. To do this, the historian uses the explorer's letters, journals, and maps. What type of source is the biography itself?
Secondary source - it interprets and summarizes the primary sources.