Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation

National 5

A&E outcome 1: Reading

To understand, analyse and evaluate detailed written texts by:

1.1 Identifying and explaining the purpose and audience, as appropriate to genre

1.2 Identifying and explaining the main ideas and supporting details

1.3 Applying knowledge and understanding of language to explain meaning and effect, using appropriate critical terminology

1.1 Identifying and explaining the purpose and audience, as appropriate to genre

• Identify the purposeIdentify means pick outThis means you have to decide/ pick out the main reason why this article was written

• Identify the genre“genre” means type of textCommon genres are fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry, newspaper article……get the idea? Know what these are – AND – what they look like.

• Identify the audience To answer this you need to try to work out who this piece of writing was aimed at/ who you think would enjoy reading it.You might also want to/ need to give a reason for your answer.

AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE

When you are approaching a text for the first time, whether as a reader or as a writer, the two most important questions you need to ask yourself are:

What is it for? (Purpose)and

Who is it aimed at? (Audience)

The text’s purpose and audience should be reflected in almost every aspect of its appearance and language from its layout and use of pictures to the complexity of its sentences and the formality of its style.

• In order to help you decide on a text’s audience and purpose you should look for any available clues as to the type of text you have been given and its context.

• In your exam paper you will probably be told when and where the text you have been given to study first appeared. Use this information together with any recognizable conventions of presentation, layout and language to help you decide on the text’s purpose and audience.

Identifying PurposeWriting has many purposes. Below are 10 of the main ones:

• To present a point of view• To present a balanced view of two sides of an argument• To analyse / comment on a topic• To promote a product or service• To explain something• To complain / disagree with something• To express feelings• To record / share experiences• To entertain• To give information

Task • Complete the ‘For practice’

task on p3 of “Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation”

• Read and make a note of what is meant by the terms “Register” and “Tone”

Identifying Audience

Closely tied in with the writer’s aims is the readership or audience that they have in mind.

Most of the pieces you will be given to analyse will have been written for the non-specialist, general adult reader. But writing might also be directed at:

• Small children• Teenagers• Members of a profession or people with expert knowledge• People with a specialist interest in a topic.

Task

• Complete the ‘For practice’ task on pages 4&5 of the textbook.

Test Yourself

Audience and Purpose:

http://juni.osfc.ac.uk/Extension/level_2_extension/English/lesson1/audience_quiz.asp