Purpose: the Reason Or Intention for a Piece of Writing

Transparency 1: Writer’s Purpose E-I-E-I, Oh!

Purpose: the reason or intention for a piece of writing Audience: the person or persons who are the intended readers

Why do you write?

Whenever you write something down, you have a PURPOSE for doing so. Your purpose for writing will affect both what you write and also the way you write it.

Consider these two examples. 1) A new friend gives you his phone number and you write on a notepad. 2) You are alone at home and the phone rings. The caller wants to speak to your mother, so you leave a message by the phone.

In the first example, your PURPOSE is to record a number that you may need to call in the future. In the second example, your PURPOSE is to pass on a clear message to your mother, enabling her to return a phone call on a particular day by a particular time.

These examples differ in PURPOSE, and they also differ in another important way. The first example is a written record of a phone number for the private use of the writer, which is why it is not as neat as the second, nor as detailed. The second example shows a writer communicating a message to another person. In other words, in the first example the writer is also the AUDIENCE. In the second example, the writer's mother is the AUDIENCE.

Transparency 2: Writer’s Purpose E-I-E-I, Oh!

Whenever you write anything, you need to ask:

 Why do I need to write? (What is my purpose?)  Who will read what I write? (Who is my audience?)

Your answers to these questions will affect what you write and how you write it.

The skillful writer focuses on a purpose and develops ideas thoughtfully and thoroughly with that purpose in mind.

I am writing to . . . Express Influence Entertain Inform Oh! I’ve got it! Transparency 3: Writer’s Purpose

Write to express

 discover, record, develop, reflect on ideas, and problem

 Expressive texts focus on the WRITER.

 The goal (aim) is to make the reader understand more

about the writer.

 The primary purpose is to construct meaning of the

event(s) for the writer, to clarify the significance of the

event(s), and/or to express how it made (or makes) the

writer feel. Transparency 4: Writer’s Purpose

Write to influence

 persuade, argue, and request

 Persuasive texts focus on the AUDIENCE.

 The goal (aim) is to influence the audience/reader.

 The primary purpose is to convince the reader about a

particular issue/perspective. Transparency 5: Writer’s Purpose

Write to inform

 explain, describe, report, and narrate

 Informative texts focus on the SUBJECT.

 The goal (aim) is to make the reader understand the

subject.

 The primary purpose is to tell about the event or to

convey meaning about the details so that the audience

understands the message. Transparency 6: Writer’s Purpose

Write to entertain

 Usually means writing a story of some kind, but can also involve

other types of literary writing, such as poetry and plays

 What can you write about that a reader would enjoy reading?

 How can you write about this subject so it will capture a reader's

interest and holds on to it?

 It is a fact that no one likes to write without a good reason but

equally no one likes to read without feeling that what they have

read has been worthy of their time and attention.

 What types of subject make reading worthwhile, interesting -

even enjoyable?

 Most of us seem to enjoy reading about the important things in

life: growing up, illness, danger, love, death, fear, loneliness,

friendship and so on and most readers enjoy writing that creates

a sense of excitement, tension, fear or wonder and maybe

because we are a little nosy or like to compare ourselves, we

enjoy reading about interesting characters that is, we enjoy

hearing what happens to others and how they overcome

difficulties life brings their way. Transparency 7: Writer’s Purpose

IDENTIFYING PURPOSE

Identify one possible writing purpose behind each of the following composition subjects. EXPLAIN why you chose that purpose.

1. telling your best friend why he made you angry Purpose: ______Why you chose this purpose: ______

2. a description of your school Purpose: ______Why you chose this purpose: ______

3. a boy who loved to play soccer Purpose: ______Why you chose this purpose: ______

4. the time you fell down in the cafeteria Purpose: ______Why you chose this purpose: ______

5. why people shouldn’t smoke Purpose: ______Why you chose this purpose: ______