PRACTICE
BIOL 1401 1.9 NARRATIVE WRITING AND AUDIENCE SPECIFIC WRITING |
2025 ACTUAL STUDY | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE
An author’s purpose is his or her main reason for writing. The most common purposes for
writing are to inform, persuade, reflect, narrate, or entertain. Authors select a writing format
that will help them achieve their goals and reach their desired readers, or audience.
An author’s purpose and audience may vary in primary and secondary sources.
Type of Source Examples of Sources Examples of Purpose and Audience
Primary sources are first- • letters • A wartime letter might be written to
hand accounts from • diaries inform a family member about life in a
people who were • newspapers and periodicals from war zone.
the time period • A diary might be written to reflect on
involved in or witnessed
• photographs and films from the events of the day. Its original audience
events at the time they
time period is the writer himself or herself.
occurred.
• government forms
• objects (art, tools, clothing, etc.)
Secondary sources interpret • biographies • An encyclopedia entry is written to
or analyze primary sources. • textbooks inform a general audience about
Most often, they are • reference books essential information related to an
event.
created in a time period • documentaries
• A new biography of a well-known
that follows the period in • articles written after the time
historical figure might be written to
which the primary source period
persuade an educated audience that
was created.
previous versions of the life are
inaccurate.
Assignment
Instructions: Answer the following questions related to sources and an author’s purpose. 1.
Who was the likely audience for an 1875 news report about a mayor’s inauguration? The
general population of the town or city would be the likely audience for a 1875 news report about a mayor’s
inauguration.
2. How might the audience for the 1875 report be different today? The audience would be
significantly changed if the 1875 report was in today’s time. This is because many people do not read
news reports anymore, so the population would be decreased to whoever may want to know about the
inauguration. This might include students, historians, and even teachers or other significant adults.
3. What might have been a photographer’s purpose for taking photos of a new hospital in
1912?
The purpose of taking photos of a new hospital in 1912 would be to advertise and spread the
news about the hospital to fellow citizens. These citizens may need to have healthcare at
these hospitals, especially in 1912.
4. What might be an author’s purpose for writing a documentary about the same hospital
today? The author’s purpose for writing a documentary about the same hospital today would be to
BIOL 1401 1.9 NARRATIVE WRITING AND AUDIENCE SPECIFIC WRITING |
2025 ACTUAL STUDY | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE
An author’s purpose is his or her main reason for writing. The most common purposes for
writing are to inform, persuade, reflect, narrate, or entertain. Authors select a writing format
that will help them achieve their goals and reach their desired readers, or audience.
An author’s purpose and audience may vary in primary and secondary sources.
Type of Source Examples of Sources Examples of Purpose and Audience
Primary sources are first- • letters • A wartime letter might be written to
hand accounts from • diaries inform a family member about life in a
people who were • newspapers and periodicals from war zone.
the time period • A diary might be written to reflect on
involved in or witnessed
• photographs and films from the events of the day. Its original audience
events at the time they
time period is the writer himself or herself.
occurred.
• government forms
• objects (art, tools, clothing, etc.)
Secondary sources interpret • biographies • An encyclopedia entry is written to
or analyze primary sources. • textbooks inform a general audience about
Most often, they are • reference books essential information related to an
event.
created in a time period • documentaries
• A new biography of a well-known
that follows the period in • articles written after the time
historical figure might be written to
which the primary source period
persuade an educated audience that
was created.
previous versions of the life are
inaccurate.
Assignment
Instructions: Answer the following questions related to sources and an author’s purpose. 1.
Who was the likely audience for an 1875 news report about a mayor’s inauguration? The
general population of the town or city would be the likely audience for a 1875 news report about a mayor’s
inauguration.
2. How might the audience for the 1875 report be different today? The audience would be
significantly changed if the 1875 report was in today’s time. This is because many people do not read
news reports anymore, so the population would be decreased to whoever may want to know about the
inauguration. This might include students, historians, and even teachers or other significant adults.
3. What might have been a photographer’s purpose for taking photos of a new hospital in
1912?
The purpose of taking photos of a new hospital in 1912 would be to advertise and spread the
news about the hospital to fellow citizens. These citizens may need to have healthcare at
these hospitals, especially in 1912.
4. What might be an author’s purpose for writing a documentary about the same hospital
today? The author’s purpose for writing a documentary about the same hospital today would be to
