Precise Purposes
What are the three main types of author's purpose?
Persuade, Inform, Entertain
What does it mean to draw a conclusion?
To look at clues in a text and make an inference. A conclusion is inferred or implied.
What are some things that can help me draw a conclusion?
Context Clues
Malala Yousafazi has spent years advocating for children's rights for education. She grew up going to school until the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan and banned girls from attending. Since being shot and injured by the Taliban, she has used her voice to give speeches about education for women and children. She has won a Nobel Peace Prize for her work.
Would you consider Malala Yousafazi to be a credible author when writing about education and rights of children?
She is credible
The purpose of entertaining is usually a sign that a book is...
fiction
What is the purpose of this excerpt?
"I'm clutching my tray with both hands, hoping that Beyoncé, grants me the strength to make it to my usual lunch table without any incidents. I shudder at the thought of a slip that douses me in ranch dress-ing or a trip that lands me in the lap of one of the guys from the wrestling team."
To entertain the reader with a story about a teen in high school
If an author writes a book about a girl living in Germany during World War II using historically accurate information, we can assume that the author...
Teacher discretion -- has researched World War II
"I will tell you the reason for the trouble. When we first made treaties with the government, our old life and our old customs were about to end; the game on which we lived was disappearing." - Chief Red Cloud
What clues show us that Chief Red Cloud is frustrated?
Teacher discretion -- the use of the word trouble, talking about life and customs ending, and things disappearing
"We live in tough times. Gas prices continue to increase, the economy is falling apart, and some believe that the environment is changing for the worst. These problems can be solved with one solution. We should require that the automobile manufacturers should produce more fuel efficient vehicles."
Biased or Neutral?
Biased
A persuasive essay will ultimately be trying to...
Convince you to do or believe something
What is the purpose of this excerpt?
What is the author's purpose in this excerpt?
"For nearly a year, Bostonians wandering the city streets in the rain may have come across poems written on the sidewalk. Titled "Raining Poetry," this art installation was a collaboration between the nonprofit Mass Poetry and the city of Boston. The first poems were installed to commemorate the start of National Poetry Month "
"It’s very important to have a meal and not let your stomach work empty. All you are going to get is gastritis and a lot of problems with your health if you don’t eat breakfast. "
The author uses these two lines in their essay about eating breakfast because...
Every year, between 5 million and 7 million pounds of the sticky cream invented in suburban Boston in 1917 is produced and sold worldwide. Half the supply is bought up by New Englanders and people in upstate New York. It came of age in the 1960s. That is when generations of schoolchildren started clamoring for "Fluffernutter" sandwiches. They still are made by slathering peanut butter and Fluff between two slices of white bread."
What clues show us the author's purpose is to inform about Fluff?
Teacher discretion -- it gives us dates, descriptions, and locations
"The value of taking a risk is valuable to a person’s personality more than likely. In some ways it’s good, and in some ways it’s bad. When an individual goes into interview for a job and on a record they have something against them from taking risks, that employer may not want any risk takers and will not hire that individual."
Is this author bias or neutral?
Neutral
A persuasive essay will be an _________, back up by _______.
What is the purpose of this excerpt?
"Taking risks adds many ups and downs to life. Positive aspects to a risk taking life are numerous. There are subjects such as: beginning a steady relationship with a boy friend or girl friend by taking the risk to ask him/her to date, you can also strengthen a previous relationship you may have had. People tend to think of failure as something that is all around bad. But really you just learn something new every time you fail."
To convince/persuade the reader to take risks
What conclusion(s) can you draw from this excerpt?
"We live in tough times. Gas prices continue to increase, the economy is falling apart, and some believe that the environment is changing for the worst. We should require that the automobile manufacturers should produce more fuel efficient vehicles. "
Teacher Discretion -- The author has bias about the environment, the author has bias about the economy and the environment
"Dear brothers and sisters, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I am here to speak up for the right of education. I want education for the sons and daughters of all the extremists, especially the Taliban."
What are the clues that show us Malala's purpose for the speech?
Teacher Discretion -- I want education, I am here to speak up, etc.
"Scientists have figured out how bats effortlessly pull off this stunt. That is according to a study was published in PLOS Biology. 'Bats land in a unique way,' Brown University biologist Sharon Swartz, said in a statement. 'They have to go from flying with their heads forward to executing an acrobatic maneuver that puts them head down and feet up. No other flying animal lands the same way as bats do.'"
Describe the author's role/perspective? (Bias, neutral, observer, reporter, etc.)
Neutral Reporter
To gather information for a neutral paper about Wal-Mart, where would I look?
.gov, .edu, .org websites, encyclopedias, news articles
What is the purpose of this excerpt?
"We live in tough times. Gas prices continue to increase, the economy is falling apart, and some believe that the environment is changing for the worst. All of these problems can be related to two things, the cost of fuel and the inefficient vehicles we drive. Both of these problems can be solved with one solution. We should require that the automobile manufacturers should produce more fuel efficient vehicles."
To persuade the reader to do something about producing more fuel efficient vehicles
"By the 17th century, chocolate was a fashionable drink throughout Europe. It was believed to have nutritious and medicinal benefits. But it remained a privilege of the rich until the late 1700s, when it became mass-produced. In 1828, a Dutch chemist found a way to make powdered chocolate, and the first chocolate bar was created in 1847."
Why do you think the author included this paragraph in their paper?
Teacher discretion -- to show how chocolate has changed over time
"I want to start with the responsibility that you have to yourself. Every single one of you has something that you are good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide." - President Barack Obama
What clues show you that Obama cares about education?
Author's discretion -- he discusses responsibility in education, talks about education as an opportunity
"The children here run about in just a thin blouse and clogs; no coat, no hat, not stockings, and no one helps them. Their tummies are empty; they chew an old carrot to stay the pangs, go from their cold homes out into the cold street and, when they get to school, find themselves in an even colder classroom." - The Diary of Anne Frank
What is the perspective of the author?
Biased Observer
What phrases or evidence could I use to write a persuasive paper about wearing hoods in class?
Teacher Discretion