The writer’s overall purpose determines the techniques he or she uses. The writer’s
reason for writing a particular article or book may be manipulative, as in propaganda
or advertising, or may be more straightforward, as in informative writing. In either
case, understanding the writer’s underlying purpose will help you interpret the context of the
writing. It will also help you see why writers make the decisions they do—from the largest
decisions about what information to present to the smallest details of what words to use. The
chapter concludes with instructions on how to write an analysis of purpose and technique. This
kind of rhetorical analysis will provide the perspective required to keep you from being pushed by
words in directions you don’t want to go.
