Focus on Genre: Author’s Purpose

  • • Persuasive Writing

Every author has a purpose, or reason, for writing. Some purposes are to

  • • give information or explain

  • • entertain, describe, or express personal feelings

  • • persuade readers to think or act in a certain way

  • • tell readers how to do something.

How It Works

Before you read a text, preview it to determine the author’s purpose. Understanding the purpose can help you evaluate the information.

Persuasive Writing The author’s purpose in the passage below is to persuade readers that the U.S. space program is important. As you read, evaluate how well the author accomplishes this purpose. Study the facts, or ideas that can be proved. Evaluate the author’s opinions, or ideas. Then decide if the author persuaded you.

Bold Frontiers

In 1961, President Kennedy announced an exciting plan: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal … of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.”

The United States met the goal. In 1969, men walked on the moon for the first time.

Now it is time for our country to become fearless again! We need to put citizens like us on the moon. This is an amazing time in history. We should be able to move humans across the solar system.

We landed people on the moon. We must become bold again!

Loaded words make readers feel emotions such as anger, fear, and pride. Loaded words support the writer’s purpose of persuading the reader.

Academic Vocabulary

  • • evaluate (i-val-yu-wāt) verb To evaluate means to judge something’s value or worth.