Author's Purpose

Summary

In this educational video, Mrs. Kane teaches viewers how to discern an author's purpose and attitude in writing. She explains the importance of looking beyond the surface to uncover hidden meanings, using the PIE method to identify if the author aims to Persuade, Inform, or Entertain. Through analyzing word choice and considering the author's life context, readers can deduce the author's intent. The video uses ecotourism as an example to demonstrate how to determine if the writing is meant to inform or persuade and assesses the author's positive stance on the topic.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Determine the author's purpose by analyzing their writing and looking for clues in the text.
• 🕵️‍♀️ Consider the author's life and experiences to understand their perspective on the topic.
• 🍰 Use the PIE method to categorize the author's purpose: Persuade, Inform, or Entertain.
• 📚 The author's purpose is typically singular, not a combination of multiple PIE categories.
• 🚫 Eliminate options based on the text's features, such as the absence of dialogue or figurative language for entertainment.
• 💡 Look for imperative phrases like 'we should' or 'we must' to identify a persuasive purpose.
• 🤔 Assess the author's attitude by examining if they present all sides of an argument or lean towards a specific viewpoint.
• 📈 Check for balance and fairness in the presentation of facts and arguments.
• 🧐 The reader must be a detective, scrutinizing the text for the author's attitude through their word choices and emotional cues.
• 🌟 An appreciative and positive attitude towards ecotourism is evident in the example provided.
• 📖 Understanding both the PIE category and the author's attitude helps in fully comprehending the text.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Mrs. Kane's lesson?

The main focus of Mrs. Kane's lesson is to teach how to identify an author's purpose when reading a text.

Why is it important to understand an author's purpose?

Understanding an author's purpose is important because it helps readers comprehend the intent behind the writing and the author's attitude towards the topic.

What does Mrs. Kane suggest readers do to uncover an author's purpose?

Mrs. Kane suggests that readers act like detectives, looking for clues in the author's choice of words and considering the author's life and experiences.

What is the PIE method mentioned in the transcript?

The PIE method is a strategy to determine an author's purpose by considering whether the text is meant to Persuade, Inform, or Entertain.

How does the transcript define ecotourism?

Ecotourism is defined in the transcript as tourism that takes responsibility for the protection of cultural traditions and the environment.

What are the responsibilities of an ecotourist according to the example given?

An ecotourist should be aware of their impact on visited places, use resources wisely, and respect and support the cultural traditions of the places they visit.

How does Mrs. Kane determine that the author's purpose is not to entertain?

Mrs. Kane determines that the author's purpose is not to entertain by noting the absence of dialogue and figurative language, which are typically found in entertaining texts.

What clues indicate that the author's purpose is to persuade rather than just inform?

The use of imperative phrases like 'we should be', 'we must be', and 'we must' suggest that the author's purpose is to persuade, as these imply a call to action.

What does Mrs. Kane advise to understand the author's attitude towards the topic?

Mrs. Kane advises readers to consider whether the author presents all sides of an argument, the balance of viewpoints, the presence of facts, trustworthiness, and the display of emotions through adjectives.

How does the author of the ecotourism example feel about the topic?

The author of the ecotourism example feels positively about ecotourism, as indicated by phrases suggesting appreciation and support for the practice.

What is the final step Mrs. Kane suggests after determining the author's purpose and attitude?

The final step is to have a full picture of the passage by understanding both the author's purpose (the piece of pie) and their attitude towards the topic.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding Author's Purpose

The first paragraph introduces the concept of determining an author's purpose when reading. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the author's intent and attitude towards the subject matter. The author suggests that readers act like detectives, looking for clues in the text, such as the author's choice of words and the overall tone. The P.I.E. method (Persuade, Inform, Entertain) is introduced as a tool to help readers identify the author's purpose. The paragraph provides an example of ecotourism to illustrate how to apply the P.I.E. method and deduce that the author's purpose is to persuade rather than to inform or entertain. It also discusses how to determine the author's attitude by analyzing the language used and the presence of emotional cues.

05:01

🌍 The Author's Attitude Toward Ecotourism

The second paragraph continues the discussion on author's purpose by focusing on the author's attitude towards the topic of ecotourism. It explains how to analyze the text for the author's feelings and opinions. The paragraph uses phrases from the example to show that the author views ecotourism positively and believes in its benefits for future generations. The author's attitude is described as appreciative, indicating support for the responsible practice of tourism that preserves cultural traditions and resources.

Keywords

💡Author's Purpose

The author's purpose refers to the reason why an author writes a text. In the video, the teacher explains that understanding this purpose is crucial for readers. The author's purpose can be to persuade, inform, or entertain, as demonstrated by the 'PIE' method mentioned. For example, the author of the ecotourism passage aims to persuade readers to be more mindful of their environmental impact.

💡Persuade

To persuade is one of the key reasons an author might write, and it involves trying to convince the reader to believe or do something. The video mentions that persuasive texts use language that directs readers toward action, such as the phrases 'we must' and 'we should' in the example of the ecotourism passage. The purpose is to influence behavior or thought.

💡Inform

Informing is another potential purpose of an author's writing, where the goal is to provide information or teach the reader something new. In the video, 'inform' is contrasted with 'persuade' and 'entertain.' Informative texts are factual and aim to increase the reader's knowledge on a subject. However, in the example provided, the author is both informative and persuasive.

💡Entertain

Entertaining is a purpose that involves providing enjoyment or amusement to the reader. The video explains that entertaining texts often include elements like dialogue and figurative language, which are absent in the ecotourism example. This makes it easier to eliminate 'entertain' as the author's purpose in that case.

💡PIE Method

The 'PIE' method is a tool used to categorize an author's purpose into three main types: Persuade, Inform, and Entertain. The video introduces this method as a way for students to determine why a text was written. Each type of purpose corresponds to a 'piece of pie,' and readers must use clues in the text to identify which one applies.

💡Ecotourism

Ecotourism is used as an example in the video to demonstrate an author's purpose. It is described as responsible tourism that focuses on the protection of cultural traditions and land. In the passage, the author uses ecotourism to persuade readers to be more conscious of their impact on the environment when traveling, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices.

💡Author's Attitude

The author’s attitude, or tone, is how the author feels about the topic they are writing about. In the video, the teacher highlights how readers can detect this attitude through word choice and emotional cues. In the ecotourism passage, the phrases 'we must' and 'we should' indicate that the author has a positive and proactive attitude toward preserving the environment.

💡Text Features

Text features are the elements that contribute to the structure and style of writing, such as dialogue, figurative language, or factual presentation. In the video, the absence of dialogue and figurative language in the ecotourism passage helps to rule out entertainment as the author's purpose. Instead, the straightforward, factual nature points towards informing or persuading.

💡Balanced Argument

A balanced argument is one that presents all sides of an issue fairly. The video encourages readers to evaluate whether an author is showing all viewpoints or favoring one side. In the ecotourism passage, the author’s attitude leans heavily towards supporting sustainability, rather than presenting a neutral or balanced view of tourism practices.

💡Hidden Meaning

Hidden meaning refers to the underlying messages or intentions that an author does not explicitly state in the text. The video likens discovering hidden meanings to being a detective. Readers must look beyond the literal words to infer the author’s deeper purpose or feelings, such as the encouragement toward sustainable tourism in the ecotourism example.

Highlights

The importance of understanding the author's purpose when reading.

The author's purpose is not always explicitly stated.

Readers must act like detectives to uncover the author's purpose.

The significance of the author's choice of words.

Considering the author's life and experiences can inform their writing.

The PIE method for determining author's purpose: Persuade, Inform, Entertain.

The author may be trying to change the reader's mind or beliefs.

The author may be sharing new information or teaching something new.

The author may aim to entertain and provide enjoyment.

Eco-tourism is an example of responsible tourism that protects cultural traditions.

Eco-tourists should be aware of their impact on visited places.

The importance of using resources wisely during eco-tourism.

The necessity to respect and support local cultural traditions.

Determining the author's purpose by eliminating what it is not.

The author's purpose is singular, not a combination of PIE elements.

The author's use of imperative language indicates a persuasive purpose.

Examining the author's attitude towards the topic.

The author's attitude can be inferred from their language and tone.

The author's positive attitude towards eco-tourism.

Understanding the author's purpose enhances reading comprehension.

Transcripts

hi everyone it's Mrs Kane here to teach

you

about author's

purpose when you're reading It's always

important for you to figure out the

author's purpose for writing and his or

her attitude toward the topic he or she

is writing

about since the author doesn't usually

come out and say it the reader must look

for hidden meetings sort of like

a

detective a good reader thinks about the

words the author uses to help him make

his or her

point when possible it is helpful for

the reader to think about the author's

life and what events might have made him

or her feel a certain

way let's look back to what you might

already

know the pi

method perhaps you've learned before

that the answer to the question why did

the author write this piece pie is to

look for pie persuade inform or

entertain did the author give you a

piece of persuasion pie was he or she

trying to change your mind make you do

or believe

something did the author slice you up a

piece of informational pie did he or she

share information with you or teach you

something new maybe he or she taught you

how to do something

or maybe the author was simply feeding

you a yummy gooey piece of entertainment

pie did they try to make you laugh allow

you to sit back relax and enjoy the

story let's take a look at an example

and see if we can figure out the

author's purpose for

writing tourism that takes

responsibility for the protection of

cultural tradition in land is called

ecotourism as ecotourists we should be

aware of the impact that we have on the

places that we visit to ensure that

future Generations can enjoy these

places as much as we do we must be sure

to use resources like water and

electricity wisely we must also respect

and support the cultural traditions of

the places we visit in this way these

places will maintain the qualities that

made them unique in the first

place okay to determine author's purpose

I like to begin first by determining

what it is not this paragraph is not to

entertain I know that because of the

text features and how it reads there is

no dialogue in here and there's no

figurative language which I would

typically see in a piece that's trying

to entertain me it also reads like a

piece of non-fiction so I can

automatically dismiss the author's

purpose as being to

entertain now that I've eliminated one

author's purpose I have to figure out if

the author's purpose is to inform or to

entertain I can see that the author's

teaching us about ecotourism

here and so the author definitely wants

us to learn something however I also see

phrases like we

must we should

be we must

be and this Clues me into the idea that

the author is telling me to do

something this is a good time to tell

you that the author's purpose is always

one of these three pieces of pie it is

not multiple so we can't have to inform

and persuade it's one or the other so

you can see here that the author is

telling us to do something with we

should be we must be we

must we have a piece of persuasion

Pi once you've decided what piece of pie

the author has given you now you have to

look for the author's attitude toward

the topic they're writing

about this requires you to ask yourself

some questions

like has the author presented all sides

of the argument or

issue is the article balanced toward all

points of view or does it weigh toward

one point of

view are there facts for each

side can we trust what the author says

and is the author being fair

and

finally does the author show emotion

like anger excitement sadness through

adjectives he or she uses in their

writing so this requires you the reader

to put on your detective hats

again let's take a look at the example

we used before we determined that the

author's purpose was to persuade us now

let's see what their attitude is toward

the topic they were writing about this

are that we should be aware of our

impact

that we have on the places that we

visit we also see you know future

Generations can enjoy the place as much

as we do we

should be cognizant of water and

electricity that we use uh and we also

have we must

respect and support the cultural

traditions of a place that we

visit when we take these phrases into

consideration we can see that the author

thinks eour is is a good idea and feels

positively about ecotourism so I'd say

that the author's attitude toward this

topic of ecotourism is that he or she is

appreciative toward the

topic okay so once we have the full

picture of the passages we're reading

both the piece of pie and the author's

attitude we're on our way for

understanding why an author has written

the piece that we've

read I hope you have a better idea of

how to find author's purpose in the

future and thank you for

watching