Author's Purpose & Tone

Why This Matters for Nursing: Understanding why something was written helps you evaluate its reliability. A drug company's brochure (persuade) differs from a peer-reviewed study (inform). Recognizing tone helps you interpret patient communications and medical literature accurately.

What You Need to Know

Author's Purpose

Every text is written for a reason:

Tone

Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject—how they "feel" about it.

🧠 Memory Trick

PIE = Purpose - Persuade - Inform - Entertain

For Tone: Ask "How would this sound if read aloud?"

Imagine the author's voice—are they excited? Worried? Neutral like a robot? Angry?

Identifying Author's Purpose

Clues for Each Purpose:

INFORM: - Presents facts without opinion - Uses neutral language - Includes data, statistics, definitions - No call to action - Example: "The heart pumps approximately 2,000 gallons of blood daily."

PERSUADE: - Uses emotional language - Includes opinions presented as facts - Has a call to action - Uses words like "should," "must," "need to" - Example: "We must increase nurse staffing ratios to save lives."

ENTERTAIN: - Uses humor, suspense, or drama - Focuses on engagement over facts - Often tells a story - Example: "The night shift was quiet—too quiet. Then Room 312's call light flickered on..."

Identifying Tone

Look for:

1. Word choice (diction): "Issue" vs. "crisis" vs. "disaster"
2. Sentence structure: Short, punchy = urgent; Long, flowing = formal
3. Punctuation: Exclamation marks = excitement/urgency
4. Figurative language: Metaphors, sarcasm, exaggeration

Tone Word Bank:

✏️ Worked Examples

Example 1: Identify Purpose

What we're looking for: Why did the author write this? To teach facts, to convince us of something, or to keep us entertained?

Passage A: "Vitamin D deficiency affects approximately 42% of American adults. Symptoms include fatigue, bone pain, and muscle weakness. The recommended daily intake is 600-800 IU for most adults."

Step 1 — Read the passage and notice what kind of language is being used. Three sentences, all facts: a statistic (42%), a list of symptoms, and a recommendation based on established intake guidelines. No emotional pull. No call to action.

Step 2 — Ask: Is there any attempt to make me feel something or DO something? Nope. The author is just handing over information. You could fact-check every sentence.

Step 3 — Identify signal words or patterns. No "you should," no "buy this," no story. Pure factual delivery.

Purpose: INFORM — Presents facts neutrally without trying to sell anything or entertain.

Passage B: "Don't let vitamin D deficiency drain your energy! Our new SuperD supplement delivers 2000 IU of pure vitamin D3. Order now and feel the difference within weeks!"

Step 1 — Read and notice the language immediately. "Don't let... drain your energy!" — that's emotional. Exclamation marks everywhere.

Step 2 — Ask: Is there a call to action? "Order now" — yes, that's the most obvious call to action possible.

Step 3 — Look for loaded/emotional language. "Drain your energy" (fear), "feel the difference" (promise), "weeks!" (urgency). The author wants you to BUY something.

Purpose: PERSUADE — Uses emotional language, makes promises, includes a direct call to action ("Order now").

TEAS Tip: Advertisements almost always = persuade. Research articles almost always = inform. When you see "should," "must," "order," or "you need to" — think persuade.