7.9.A 7.9.B 7.9.C

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Author's Purpose & Message
Grade:	7th Grade
Standard:	7.9.A
Description:	explain the author's purpose and message within a text;
Standard:	7.9.B
Description:	analyze how the use of text structure contributes to the author's purpose;
Standard:	7.9.C
Description:	analyze the author's use of print and graphic features to achieve specific purposes;

When reading, knowing an author's purpose and message can help students better understand the information in a text. They will be able to comprehend and analyze the text more easily.

An author's purpose refers to the reason why an author wrote a particular piece of text. There are three general reasons why authors write: to inform, to persuade, and to entertain.

When an author's purpose is to inform readers, he or she will provide factual information about a specific topic. There may also be explanations on how something is done or made.

When an author's purpose is to persuade readers, he or she will try to convince readers of a certain idea or argue for a particular position. In text that tries to persuade readers, authors will provide information to support their specific positions.

When an author's purpose is to entertain, he or she will usually tell a story or use humor to liven up a text.

An author's message refers to the main or overall idea that an author is trying to convey to readers. Depending on the purpose of the text, readers may find the message in different places.

In text that is written to inform, the author's message can usually be found in the thesis, or controlling idea. The thesis, or controlling idea, is typically a sentence that will describe the purpose of a passage and what it will be about.

In text that is written to persuade, the author's message can usually be found in the thesis or claim. In the thesis or claim, authors will take a position on a specific topic that they will later defend in the text using evidence, opinions, and other materials.

In text that is written to entertain, the author's message may be found in its theme or controlling idea. A theme usually refers to the overall idea presented in a literary work.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

Author's Purpose & Message

7.9.A

explain the author's purpose and message within a text;

7.9.B

analyze how the use of text structure contributes to the author's purpose;

7.9.C

analyze the author's use of print and graphic features to achieve specific purposes;