Tips for Identifying Author´s Purpose

Why do you think the author wrote the article? To persuade? To entertain? To inform? To express?
Author’s purpose is the reason or reasons an author has for writing a selection. If readers enjoyed what they
read, one of the author’s purposes may have been to entertain. If students learn while they are reading, one of
the author’s purposes may have been to inform. If readers changed the way they thought about a topic or issue,
one of the author’s purposes may have been to persuade. Authors may have more than one purpose for writing.
Author’s purpose can be stated explicitly or readers may have to infer the intent.

The purpose of a text will also affect what the content is, how it’s structured, what techniques are used,
and what words are used. But purpose is not the only thing that affects this; the particular target audience is
also important.

A text can have many purposes. Some examples are to:

 entertain – to make the reader enjoy reading

 persuade – to change a reader’s opinion
 advise – to help people decide what to do
 analyze – to break down something to help people to understand it better
 argue – to make the case for something
 describe – to give details about a person, place, event or thing
 explain – to make clear why or how something works
 inform – to tell a reader about something
 instruct – to tell a reader how to do something

What purpose does each of the following texts have?

- a news article
- a self-help book
- a letter asking for a charity donation
- an autobiography
- a book review
Answers:
- A news article: to inform but also to persuade, if the article is showing a particular
opinion towards a topic, for example, animal testing
- A self-help book: to advise
- A letter asking for a charity donation: to persuade
- An autobiography: to entertain and to inform
- A book review: to analyze, inform, and advise

Reflective readers are able to analyze information when they can describe author’s purpose. Identifying
purpose may give readers clues about how to approach a text and what strategies to use before, during, and
after reading to build understanding.

Facultad de Ciencias Sociales | Departamento de Lenguas y Cultura

1 Universidad de los Andes | Vigilada Mineducación

Reconocimiento como Universidad: Decreto 1297 del 30 de mayo de 1964.
Reconocimiento personería jurídica: Resolución 28 del 23 de febrero de 1949 Minjusticia.
 So, once again, the author's purpose is basically the reason he or she chose to act in a particular
way, whether that's writing the passage, selecting a phrase, using a word, etc. It differs from the main idea in
that author's purpose not the point you're supposed to get or understand; rather, it's the why behind why the
author picked up a pen or selected those words in the first place. It can be difficult to determine because, after
all, you may not be inside the mind if the writer. You may not actually know why she or he chose to include a
particular phrase or idea. The good news? The majority of author's purpose questions in the tests/exams will
come in multiple choice format. So you won't have to come up with the reason for an author's behavior. You'll
just need to select the best choice.

If you're trying to determine the author's purpose on a standardized test, your question may look a little
something like this:
The author most likely mentions the Depression in lines 33 - 34 to:
A. identify the primary purpose for Social Security.
B. criticize FDR's adoption of a program that would run out of money.
C. contrast the effectiveness of the Social Security Program with that of family care.
D. list another factor that contributed to the need for the Social Security Program.

Three Reasons for Writing

There are three main reasons or purposes for writing. Any text that you encounter (whether the menu
for your favorite restaurant or Shakespeare’s Hamlet) will serve one of the three following purposes:

1. Writing to Entertain
The primary 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 readers.
Examples of Texts that Are Written to Entertain:

 Stories
 Poems
 Dramas
 Songs

Of course, this is not to say that stories, poems, or plays cannot be informative. These texts may even
express values and ideas that will persuade readers to view the world differently. Nonetheless, if the text is not
entertaining, readers are unlikely to find enlightenment or be moved by such a text. Therefore, the primary
purpose of any text, poem, play is to entertain readers.

2. Writing to Inform
The primary 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

Facultad de Ciencias Sociales | Departamento de Lenguas y Cultura

2 Universidad de los Andes | Vigilada Mineducación

Reconocimiento como Universidad: Decreto 1297 del 30 de mayo de 1964.
Reconocimiento personería jurídica: Resolución 28 del 23 de febrero de 1949 Minjusticia.
 Again, the lines separating these distinction may blur. A text that is written to inform may entertain
readers. For example, many readers find reading the newspaper to be very entertaining, but the primary
purpose of the majority of the text is to provide information. From other reference texts, some readers may
learn about ninjas, dinosaurs, or robots solely for enjoyment, but the author’s main purpose in writing such
texts is to inform the reader.

3. Writing to Persuade
In a text that is written to persuade, the author’s primary 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

As with the others purposes for writing, there may be crossover with writing to persuade. For example,
readers or viewers may find a television commercial to be extremely entertaining. Such a video may even go
viral because so many people find it enjoyable. Nonetheless, the primary purpose of such a text is to persuade
people to purchase a product or service.

Strategies for Answering Author’s Purpose Questions

 Look for key words that identify the question as an author’s purpose question. If the question includes
any of the author’s purpose key words listed above, make a note that you are looking for the author’s
purpose – the reason the author wrote the passage. This will help you focus on the author’s tone as you
read, which in turn will help you identify his or her purpose.
 Read the passage and make notes. Once you’ve identified the question as an author’s purpose
question, read the passage, making note as you read.
 Consider the words an author chooses to use. Word choice is one way authors convey their meaning
when they expect the reader to infer that meaning.
 Consider the vocabulary of your answer options. Is the author really analyzing something, or is she
describing it? Use your knowledge of key vocabulary words to eliminate wrong answers and identify
the better answer.

Steps to Identify the Author’s Purpose

1. Start With Why
“Why did the author write this piece?” is the core question asked to identify author’s purpose.

2. Review Structure
Authors use different structures—sequence, problem and solution, compare and contrast—for different
purposes. For example, one author may use sequence to explain an event, while another author uses compare
and contrast to put that event into perspective.

3. Get to the Heart

Often when authors write, they’re trying to get readers to feel a certain way. Perhaps the author of an
article about whale conservation wants readers to feel sad about the plight of whales. Or the author of a letter
may want to make the recipient feel better about a situation.

Facultad de Ciencias Sociales | Departamento de Lenguas y Cultura

3 Universidad de los Andes | Vigilada Mineducación

Reconocimiento como Universidad: Decreto 1297 del 30 de mayo de 1964.
Reconocimiento personería jurídica: Resolución 28 del 23 de febrero de 1949 Minjusticia.
 4. Observe How Purpose Changes Within a Text
Author’s purpose is often studied through the text as a whole, but authors have different reasons for
writing within texts as well. For example, an author may include a funny anecdote to draw the reader in. Then,
they may launch into a list of facts that make the reader feel frustrated about the situation. And finally, they
may conclude with an appeal. Take a short article and break it apart, identifying the different purposes so that
students see how author’s purpose changes as they read.

Some of the Guiding Questions to Identify the Purpose

 Based on the title, why do think the author wrote this selection?
 Which words do you think best describe the main reason the author wrote this selection: to provide
readers with information? To describe a person, event, or issue? To express their own thoughts and
feelings? To persuade readers to think about an issue in a certain way and to take action? Or to
entertain the reader?
 Why did the author write the article from a particular point of view?
 How did the author influence your response to the selection?
 Was the author’s purpose specifically stated?
 Do you think that the author achieved his/her intended purposes? Did the article effectively give
information? Entertain readers? Express the author’s thoughts and feelings? Persuade readers to think
about an issue and/or take action?
 What examples from the text support your conclusions about author’s purpose?

Looking for Clue Words to Identify the Purpose

Figuring out why an author wrote a particular passage can be as easy (or as difficult) as looking at
clues inside the passage. I've mentioned in the "What is the Author's Purpose" article several different reasons
an author would have to write a passage of text, and what those reasons mean. Below, you'll find those reasons,
with the clue words associated with them.

Compare: Author wanted to show similarities between ideas

Clue Words: both, similarly, in the same way, like, just as

Contrast: Author wanted to show differences between ideas

Clue Words: however, but, dissimilarly, on the other hand

Criticize: Author wanted to give a negative opinion of an idea

Clue Words: Look for words that show the author's negative opinion. Judgment words like
"bad", "wasteful", and "poor" all demonstrate negative opinions.

Describe/Illustrate: Author wanted to paint a picture of an idea

Clue Words: Look for words that provide descriptive detail. Adjectives like "red", "lusty",
"morose", "striped", "sparkling", and "crestfallen" are all illustrative.

Explain: Author wanted to break down an idea into simpler terms

Clue Words: Look for words that turn a complicated process into simple language. A
"descriptive" text will use more adjectives. An "explanatory" text will usually be used with a
complicated idea.

Facultad de Ciencias Sociales | Departamento de Lenguas y Cultura

4 Universidad de los Andes | Vigilada Mineducación

Reconocimiento como Universidad: Decreto 1297 del 30 de mayo de 1964.
Reconocimiento personería jurídica: Resolución 28 del 23 de febrero de 1949 Minjusticia.
 Identify/List: Author wanted to tell the reader about an idea or series of ideas
Clue Words: Text that identifies or lists, will name an idea or series of ideas without
providing much description or opinion.

Intensify: Author wanted to make an idea greater

Clue Words: Text that intensifies will add more specific details to the idea. Look for
superlative adjectives and "bigger" concepts. A baby sadly crying is descriptive, but a baby
mournfully howling red-cheeked for 30 minutes is more intense.

Suggest: Author wanted to propose an idea

Clue Words: "Suggest" answers are usually positive opinions and try to sway the reader to
believe. The author will provide a point, then use details to prove it.

Persuade: Author wanted to convince the reader and possibly make him/her change his/her
opinion about the topic
Clue Words: must, should, be banned

References and Additional Sources

1) http://iblog.dearbornschools.org/deller/wp-content/uploads/sites/232/2014/01/authors-purpose-packet.pdf
2) http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/z38wjxs/revision
3) https://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/ReadStrat8.html
4) http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/free-reading-worksheets/authors-purpose-worksheets/authors-purpose/
5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ap0LdT4zk
6) https://www.weareteachers.com/going-beyond-pie-5-ways-to-teach-students-how-to-find-the-authors-purpose/
7) https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-find-the-authors-purpose-3211722
8) https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-the-authors-purpose-3211720
9) http://iblog.dearbornschools.org/deller/wp-content/uploads/sites/232/2014/01/authors-purpose-packet.pdf
10) http://thecollegepanda.com/sat-reading-strategies-how-to-answer-purpose-questions/

Facultad de Ciencias Sociales | Departamento de Lenguas y Cultura

5 Universidad de los Andes | Vigilada Mineducación

Reconocimiento como Universidad: Decreto 1297 del 30 de mayo de 1964.
Reconocimiento personería jurídica: Resolución 28 del 23 de febrero de 1949 Minjusticia.