Purpose, Tone,

1
Unit 9

• Purpose, Tone,
• and Making Inferences

2
Why Think About Purpose?

• Helps you recognize when informative writing has
  turned persuasive
• Even when authors primary intention is to inform,
  sometimes personal bias creeps in
• Remember, there are many ways to think about a
  topic other than the one the author is presenting
• Of course, knowing from the very beginning that
  the purpose is to persuade is just as important

3
Find Purpose in Meaning (main idea)

• An author write to express a point about a topic.
  When the author states or implies a main idea,
  the purpose is directly related.
• Main Idea is made up of a topic and the authors
  controlling point. The controlling points are
  identified by looking for patters and biased
  words.
• A lot can be learned when you are able to
  identify an authors main idea.

4
3 General Purposes

• 1. To Inform
• Purpose is to share information or instruct
• Tone words such as objective, matter-of-fact, and
  straightforward describe this type of writing
• Facts and descriptions
• Textbooks are written in this format
• Topic Sentences
• The main causes of road rage are stress and
  anxiety.
• A healthful diet includes several daily servings
  from each of the major food groups.

5
3 General Purposes

• 2. To Persuade
• Author tries to convince the reader to agree with
  him/her.
• Tone words such as argumentative, forceful,
  controversial, supportive are used to describe
  the main idea.
• Combination of facts and emotional appeals to
  sway the readers point of view.
• Topic Sentences
• Violence that arises from road rage must be
  harshly and swiftly punished.
• How to achieve should be a part of public school
  education from elementary through high school

6
3 General Purposes

• 3. To Entertain
• Author sets out to captivate an audience
• Grab interest and described as amusing, lively,
  humorous.
• Creative and expressive language, vivid images,
  strong details that insight emotion.
• Main Idea is often implied and rely heavy on tone
  words.
• Topic Sentences
• Think of our highways as a place to study how
  operating a powerful machine can turn normal
  people into four types of maniacs the bully, the
  loudmouth, the speed demon, and the exterminator.
• I am zealously committed to eating a balanced
  diet from the four basic food groups
  low-calorie, low-carbohydrate, low-fat, and
  low-taste.

7
Try itInform, Persuade, Entertain???

1. Cloning human beings should be banned.
2. Bulimia and anorexia are two serious eating
   disorders.
3. Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If
   you dont mind, it doesnt matter.
4. Rely on Denta-Fresh toothpaste to stop bad breath
   just as millions of others have.
5. Spanking as a way to discipline a child has a
   long history in many cultures.

8
Purpose vs. Tone

• Purpose the reason the author writes about a
  topic
• inform, persuade, entertain
• Check out page 463 for a list of purposes
  (theres more than one way to say inform (or
  entertain!).
• Tone the authors attitude toward a topic
• objective unbiased, neutral, formal
• subjective biased, emotional, informal
• Check out page 454 for a list of example words

9
For example

• Diet Pepsi is light, crisp, and refreshing.
• Subjective (the adjectives)
• Four score and seven years ago, our forefathers
  brought forth on this continent a new nation
• Formal (higher level words and avoidance of
  pronouns)
• The gangs known as the Crips and Bloods formed
  during the late 1960s in California they still
  exist today.
• Neutral (just the facts) (also formal, unbiased,
  and objective)

10
a deeper understanding

• sad
• emotional, depressed, blue, poignant,
  heartrending
• mad
• angry, serious, boiling, crazy, foolish, nuts
• glad
• happy, elated, joyful, thankful, relieved
• light
• fresh, airy, tender
• heavy
• grave, profound, important
• Just like multiple meanings, how you describe
  tone depends on the context.

11
Describe the Tone

• 1. You can do anything if you put your mind to
  it. Come on! You can do it!
• 2. The best days were growing up on the farm
  before life became so fast-paced.
• 3. Animals can be divided into three groups
  based on the way they maintain body temperature.
• 4. Tone can be expressed visually as well! Look
  at the picture on page 455. What is the tone (use
  from the word bank)?

12
Inferences

• An inference (or conclusion) is an idea that is
  suggested by the facts or details in a passage.
• An author suggests, or implies an idea, and the
  reader comes to a conclusion and makes an
  inference about what the author means.
• A valid inference is a logical conclusion based
  on evidence.
• An invalid inference is a false inference that is
  not based on the details, or facts in the text or
  on reasonable thinking.

13
VALID thinking process

• The VALID approach is made up of 5 steps.
• Step 1 Verify and value the facts
• Step 2 Assess prior knowledge
• Step 3 Learn from the text
• Step 4 Investigate for bias
• Step 5 Detect contradictions

14
Step 1 Verify and Value the Facts

• Keep a sharp eye out for facts
• Beware of false facts
• See the facts among the opinions
• Do not be tricked and misread the facts
• Once you have all the facts, only then can you
  begin to interpret the facts by making inferences

15
Step 2 Access Prior Knowledge

• Once you are sure of the facts, you then draw on
  your prior knowledge.
• What you already know can help you make correct
  inferences

16
Step 3 Learn from the Text

• Value and verify the facts
• Valid inferences are always based on what is
  stated or implied in the details.
• Learn to rely on the evidence in the textinvalid
  inferences go beyond the evidence.
• Skills pile up onto each other. A skill you
  learned in a previous chapter may help you make
  valid inferences.
• Identifying stated and implied main ideas train
  you to look at the details. You make inferences
  to determine implied MI.
• Authors purpose and tone are often inferred
  based on the authors word choice.

17
Step 4 Investigate for Bias

• Personal views are often based on prior
  experiences. Our personal views influence the way
  we process information.
• We may become suspicious and stereotype things we
  associate with a negative experience.
• Our bias can shape our reading of the authors
  meaning. Note biased words and replace them with
  factual details as you form conclusions.

18
Step 5 Detect Contradictions

• Dont be mislead or misjudge an initial
  impression.
• Consider other explanations that could logically
  contradict your first impression.
• There may be a better explanation for the set of
  facts than the first one that comes to mind.

19
Inferences in Creative Expression

• Textbooks contain clear and unambiguous language.
• Many other types of writing contain creative
  expressions that suggest deeper meaning.
• There are known as literary devices (pg. 517)
• Connotation of words emotional meaning
• Metaphor a direct comparison
• Personification giving human traits to things
  that are not human
• Simile an indirect comparison using like or as
• Symbol something that stands for or suggests
  something else.

20
Practice

• Page 505 Practice 1
• Page 516 Practice 2
• Page 519 practice 3

21
KU 120 in Review

• Pre-reading Strategies
• Context Clues
• Main Idea Supporting Details
• Thought Patterns
• Time order
• Space order
• Compare/Contrast
• Cause Effect
• Generalization/Example
• Definition
• Fact Opinion
• Tone, Purpose, Inferences

Graphic Organizers K-W-L Venn
Diagram Two Column Notes SQ3R Analytical
Summaries Learning Styles Transition Words