Author's Purpose and Author's Perspective

Author's Purpose and Perspective Review

Author's Purpose

• An author's purpose is the reason why the author writes a text.

• The three main reasons are PIE:

• Persuade: The author will use their opinions to sway you to agree with them

• Inform: The author gives facts to teach the reader

• Entertain: The author is writing for pure enjoyment - such as a story with a plot

Multiple Choice

What is the author's purpose for this text?

Marsupials are a type of mammal. Female Marsupials have a pocket that they use for carrying and protecting their babies. Most marsupials, such as Kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas live in Australia. The only marsupial native to North American is the opossum.

• Persuade

• Inform

• Entertain

• No purpose

Multiple Select

Which of the following are examples of texts that are written to entertain? Check ALL that apply.

• poems and mystery stories

• math and history texts

• novels and chapter books

• debates and advertisements

Author's Perspective

• An author's perspective is how they feel about the topic they are writing about.

• The author may have a negative or positive view of the topic

• Look closely at the connotations of words and phrases the author uses

• Ask yourself: How does the author feel about the topic?

Multiple Choice

The average school day for kindergartners is getting longer, and it's paying off in improved reading skills. Public schoolchildren who attended kindergarten for a full day showed more improvement than those enrolled in half-day programs.

Which statement would the author agree with?

• Longer school days improves learning

• School days should be shorter

Multiple Choice

The average school day for kindergartners is getting longer, and it's having an effect on our students. Public schoolchildren who attended kindergarten for a full day may be improving their skills, but at what cost? Young children are spending too much time in structured learning and returning home exhausted and with little time for learning life skills at home.

Which statement would the author agree with?

• We should not have longer school days

• We should have longer school days.

Multiple Choice

I wonder who made gym class mandatory? He was a great guy! It is a welcome break from sitting in chairs. In a recent poll, gym class was the favorite subject of elementary students. PE reinforces the importance of health, exercise and staying active. Every school should offer a PE class.

What is the author's perspective?

• The author feels that PE is an important class for all schools

• The author feels that PE should be offered in the junior high level schools only.

• The author has no perspective

Multiple Choice

I love to watch birds!  It always amazes me 
  how they can build those nests!  I like to leave 
  scraps of hair and yarn out for them to find. 
  They'll use these things and weave them into a 
  nest.  Being a parent is a hard job, and the birds 
  can use all the help they can get.
What is the author's perspective?

• Humans should help birds build their nest
• Humans should never interfere with wild animals
• Birds are interesting animals
• Birds use lots of things to build their nest

Multiple Choice

Dolphins have suffered from the carelessness 
 of humans.  Many dolphins are killed each year in fishing nets. Oil has been spilled into ocean 
 water, polluting the dolphins' environment.
What is the author's perspective?

• Thea author's favorite animal is a dolphin
• The author thinks that humans harm dolphins
• The author thinks that dolphins are dangerous
• The author thinks that humans are helping dolphins.

Multiple Choice

I wonder who 
 invented paper plates?  He was a
 clever guy!  Imagine having to lug heavy plates to a picnic, and then have to carry them home again.
Which statement do you think the author would agree with?

• Everyone should use disposable products
• Disposable products are dangerous and nobody should use them.