Unit 1: Expository Text: Critical

Analysis

LECTURER: DESMINE BONNER

EDWARDS
 Unit objectives
By the end of the unit, students should be able to:
1.categorise questions under the appropriate levels of comprehension;

2.use context clues to arrive at meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary items;

3.answerappropriately, questions at the various levels of comprehension
in an expository text;
4.respond critically, whether orally or in writing, to given expository texts;
5.identify the audience for whom and purpose for which a text is written.
Purpose of the Passage/Intention of the
Author
 Consider the acronym PIE (Persuade/Inform/Entertain). Based on
your reading of the passage, was the writer persuading, informing,
or entertaining?
 Start with why- Why did the author write the piece? What is the
subject of the piece? What is the main idea? Your answer to the
writer’s intention lies in that.
Subject- Main Idea- Purpose

 The subject of a piece of writing is what that piece is generally

about, plain and simple—the facts and information.
 However, when you look past the facts and information to the heart
of what writer is trying to say, that is the main idea or theme.
 The purpose of the passage, or the writer’s intention is the reason the
writer has penned the piece.
Subject- Main Idea- Purpose

The subject of this introduction is the distinction between a subject,

a main idea or theme and the author’s purpose. The author’s
intention/purpose is to highlight the differences between the
concepts and underscore the importance of being able to recognize
these differences. The main idea is the point that the writer is
trying to help the reader understand, whereas the topic is what the
writer is using to get a main ideas across. The purpose is why the
writer penned the piece.
Target Audience: Why do we need to
know this?
 Knowing the author’s intended audience:
 helps us to better understand the author’s purposes
 helps us to better evaluate the author’s effectiveness in accomplishing
those purposes

It is said that experienced authors always consider their audiences, because it

helps them make multiple decisions.
The Author’s Main Areas of Concern
When Writing for an Audience
 Content to include/exclude
 Level of language
 Relationship to establish with audience
 Writing style
 Appearance of text
How to Identify the Intended Audience

- Find the main idea of the text and ask yourself who or what kind of
person would be interested in the subject of this text.
- Find further evidence in the author’s validations or support of the
main idea.
- Analyze the language used. Does the language appeal to a
specialized group of people?, or is it written in layman’s terms?
How to Identify the Intended Audience

- Does the language imply that the reader will bring with him, a
certain level of knowledge to the text?
- Is there special jargon used?
- What tone of voice comes to you as the reader? Has the author
chosen to be academic, humorous or cynical?
- Does the text contain sub-headings? Are there pictures and graphs?
 Examples
Scientific
Personal Evidence
Experience

Definition Statistics
Expository Writing
Techniques

Testimonials
Analogy

Anecdotal
Evidence
Determining Effectiveness of Expository
Techniques
a. Does the technique further the author’s thesis?
b. Does the technique grab the audience’s attention?
c. Could the author have used a different technique for greater
effect?
Break-out Room Activity

 Discuss the given expository techniques,

specifying the following:
- Definitions of the techniques
- Examples of the techniques
- Explanation of why writers use these techniques? What value do
they add to expository essays?
Expository Text Structure
Questions