How Authors Communicate Their Perspectives in Nonfiction Texts

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Our goals...

• Today (and tomorrow) we will learn how to determine the point of view/perspective of the author…

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• We will also examine how writers convey or communicate their viewpoints in writing…

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• We will determine the importance of using multiple resources

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Definitions

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Perspective … is how the author feels about a topic; author’s attitude and viewpoint; usually supported with credible evidence; stated in one sentence

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Tone … the author’s attitude about the topic/can be stated in one word

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How to Determine an Author’s Perspective/Viewpoint

You should …

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• Read the text closely … Chunk it and GIST it!

• Examine the type of details included or omitted (left out)

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• Look at the word choice carefully - What words jump out? Give off feelings?

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• Ask yourself….

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• How does the author view this topic? What proof do I have?

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Authors Communicate Their Perspectives and Views Through… (style and technique)

• Including specific types of ideas, details, or facts
• Omissions- details purposely left out
• Statistics - number facts
• Word Choice & Tone - Extreme and Absolute Language!
• Including Expert Opinions
• Photos/Text Features
• Adding Anecdotes (little stories to make a point) and Personal Interviews/First-hand Accounts
• Presenting counter-arguments and refuting them
• using comparisons

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• Adding specific types of ideas, details, or facts

• Authors might include a list of facts that help convey their perspectives

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Ex: If a journalist is writing about the president and has a favorable view of this leader, he/she might list many accomplishments or provide background information about this person including honors, awards, elite college experience...

2. Convey Perspective Through Omission

• Sometimes, certain facts or details will be cut out of a story, and others will be included.
• This can change how readers or viewers think about the story.
• Make sure to read several different sources to get the full story!

3. Convey Perspective Through Statistics

• Numbers and statistics can be manipulated or creatively worded to change the way we think about them.

More Statistics

• “The fundraiser for the school earned only $1,100.”

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• “The school’s successful fundraiser raised over $1,000.”

http://confettidreams.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/saving-money-clip-art.jpg

4. Word Choice/Tone

• The words the writer uses can influence the text.

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• Using positive or negative word feelings/connotations can change how we feel about the news story.

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• Extreme and absolute language are signposts or RED FLAGS! They lead you to an author’s viewpoint.

Look at how writers communicate their opinions, attitudes, and feelings below...

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Objective (Neutral), just an objective observation...

  Frank spends very little money.

Favorably(Positive)...

Frank is thrifty.

Unfavorably(Negative)...

Frank is a cheapskate.

Remember, words have connotations - the feelings and emotions associated with this word... Words communicate tone, feelings, and perspective!

Word choice matters!

Consider these two sentences in a news story:

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1. “A crowd of more than 900 attended the protest.”

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2. “Fewer than 1,000 showed up to protest.”

How could you say this in a neutral way?

Task…

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1 - In the text called “The Swazi Eleven”, look for details, words, and statistics that hint at how the author feels about the topic - zoos. Underline or highlight these ideas. Mark at least 3 different ideas…

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2 - On Post-it notes or in the margins, explain how this word or detail hints at the author’s perspective.

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Author’s Perspectives…. “The Swazi Eleven”

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Do Now…

Unlike the article from In Defense of Animals about zoochosis, the author of “The Swazi Eleven” feels _______

______________________________________________________.

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Both the authors of “The Swazi Eleven” and “What Is Zoochosis and How Do Animals Get It?” feel that _______

_____________________________________________________.

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What did the author of “The Swazi Eleven” leave out of the article?

______________________________________________________.

Do Now…

Unlike the article from In Defense of Animals about zoochosis, the author of “The Swazi Eleven” feels that zoos should exist because they save animals..

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Both the authors of “The Swazi Eleven” and “What Is Zoochosis and How Do Animals Get It?” care about the treatment of animals.

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What did the author of “The Swazi Eleven” leave out of the article?

______________________________________________________.

Closing Questions...

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• After thinking about the authors’ perspectives in “The Swazi Eleven” and the zoochosis article, what are you feeling about this topic?

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2. Why is it important for us to look at the issues of zoos from multiple perspectives? Use ideas from the various texts to support your answer.