6.1 Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Content

Identifying Common Academic Purposes

The purpose of a piece of writing identifies the reason you write a particular document. Basically, the purpose of a piece of writing answers the question, “Why?” For example, why write a play? To entertain a packed theater. Why write instructions to the babysitter? Inform him or her of your schedule and rules. Why write a letter to your congressman? To persuade him to address your community’s needs.

In academic settings, the reasons for writing fulfill four main purposes: to summarize, to analyze, to synthesize, and to evaluate. You will encounter these four purposes as you read for your classes and as you read for work or pleasure. Because reading and writing work together, your writing skills will improve as you read.

Eventually, your instructors will ask you to complete assignments specifically designed to meet one of the four purposes. As you will see, the purpose of writing will guide you through each part of the paper, helping you make decisions about content and style. For now, identifying these purposes by reading paragraphs will prepare you to write individual paragraphs and to build longer assignments.