Evaluating Author

1
Evaluating Authors Purpose

• Why is identifying the authors intent so
  important?

2
Perspective

• Why might two different people give different
  versions of an event?
• What effect does the author's perspective have on
  a piece of writing?
• Why is it important to know the background of an
  author?

3
Authors Purpose

• Think about P.I.E.
• Authors write a story for three reasons
• Persuade
• Inform
• Entertain

4
The steps in identifying and evaluating

• Read
• Read the passage carefully.
• Evaluate
• Evaluate whether the author has selected the best
  way to present and write about his/her topic.
• Accuracy
• Consider whether or not the authors information
  is accurate by looking at the sources.
• Decide
• Decide if the text informs, persuades, or
  entertains.

5
Persuade

• When an author tries to persuade the reader, they
  want you to think the way they think.
• Visiting museums are a great way to learn. At
  the museum you can read about facts while looking
  at different exhibits. Everyone should visit a
  great museum once in a while.

6
Inform

• When an author writes to inform a reader, they
  are giving the reader facts and information.
• Elmont is located in New York State. New York is
  on the eastern coast of the United States of
  America. Some students in Elmont attend the
  Covert Avenue School.

7
Things to look for when determining if the
informative text is valid

• This is why (and it sounds like an opinion
  statement)
• research shows, but with no supporting
  evidence
• ALWAYS Consider the source
• Count the number of corporate and government
  sources versus the number of progressive, public
  interest, female and minority voices.

8
Entertain

• When an author tries to entertain the reader,
  they want you to enjoy what you are reading.
• My brother came charging at me with the pie in
  his hand. He smashed it right into my face.
  Laughing, I picked up his bowl of cereal and
  dumped it on my kid sisters head. Then, mom
  came into the kitchen.

9
Why did the author write this paragraph?

• Every time I go to sleep, I hear a noise under my
  bed. I think it is a monster, but I am not sure.
  I call out to my mother and father, but all I
  hear is silence. Quickly, I pretend its nothing
  and pull the covers up over my head.
• The author wrote this paragraph to ENTERTAIN us.

10
Consider Author's Purpose in Fiction
PassagesMost often, the purpose of fiction is to
entertain the readerbut not always.

• .
• Sometimes, however, the author uses fiction to
  make a political statement, such as "A Modest
  Proposal," a satire by Jonathan Swift. Other
  times, the author wants to persuade readers to
  take action or contribute to a specific cause. In
  poetry, an author's purpose is to most likely
  elicit a specific feeling in the reader, such as
  sympathy, joy or love. Poets and fiction writers
  alike often attempt to create a specific mood in
  their writing which may include humor, suspense,
  suffering, or curiosity.