Identifying the author’s purpose may be challenging to students who have not had much exposure to this skill, but after a little bit of practice, most students whom I have had the pleasure of teaching correctly identify the author’s purpose with consistency. Here are three questions that you can ask yourself to help you identify the author’s purpose:
1. Is the text a poem, play, or story?
If the text is a poem, play, or story, then it’s safe to say that the author’s main purpose is to entertain readers. If the text is not a poem, play, or story, ask yourself the next question.
2. Does the text provide a lot of facts and information?
If the text is primarily providing readers with facts and information, then we can conclude that the author’s main purpose in writing the text is to inform readers. If the text does not contain an abundance of what appears to be factual information, then go to the next question.
3. Is the text attempting to get the reader to do something?
If the text contains many arguments and claims, or a call where the reader is urged to take action, then the author’s main purpose is to persuade. If the text does not appear to be persuasive, reanalyze the text and repeat the process.