Purpose and Audience in Informative Writing

Purpose in Informative Writing

Informative writing shares information in an informative instead of persuasive manner. What that means is a writer whose purpose is to “inform” should be delivering their message to their readers without bias (opinion). They should be educating their readers on a particular topic by providing information and accurate facts, but without the added goal of achieving a specific reaction or change within the readers.

Because of these guidelines, informative writing tends to serve five basic purposes:

• Sharing new information with readers
• Describing a process
• Clarifying a concept
• Giving an explanation of why or how
• Detailing parts of a greater whole

To illustrate, let’s look at a few examples of each of these five purposes within the context of different writing topics. As you review these examples, consider the main differences between the good and bad examples. Specifically, consider what role the temptation to turn informative topics into persuasive topics plays in the bad examples you see below. Also consider how you can avoid that risk as you write your own informative essay.

Sharing New Information- Introducing your reader to information he or she may not be familiar with

Sharing New Information- Introducing your reader to information he or she may not be familiar with

• Good Examples
  • Detailing the health benefits of green vegetables.
  • Summarizing the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel.
  • Outlining the spiritual benefits of holding Family Councils.
• Bad Examples
  • Arguing that spinach is the best green vegetable
  • Asserting that repentance is the most important principle and ordinance of the Gospel
  • Contending that the Family Council is a “waste of time”

Describing a Process- Walking your reader through a step-by-step process or procedure

• Good Examples
  • Summarizing a simple approach to cooking pot roast
  • Detailing a common approach to learning a foreign language
  • Identifying a few simple steps people can take to clean their house.
• Bad Examples
  • Arguing that the Argentine way of cooking beef is superior to all other approaches
  • Asserting that the Duolingo program is the best app for learning a foreign language
  • Contending that Marie Kondo’s method is the best way to clean your house

Clarifying a Concept- Looking at the similarities and/or differences between seemingly related topics

• Good Examples
  • Clarifying the main differences between a metaphor and simile
  • Summarizing the similarities and differences between freshwater and saltwater fish
  • Outlining the main differences between top, mid, and lower-level goals.
• Bad Examples
  • Arguing that the metaphor is a more powerful literary device than the simile
  • Asserting that saltwater fish taste much better than freshwater fish
  • Contending that top level goals are the best kinds of goals to set

Giving an Explanation of Why or How- Introducing the reader to how or why something works the way it does

• Good Examples
  • Summarizing the correlation between price and demand in the free market
  • Outlining what most plants need to survive and grow
  • Detailing simple steps that can be taken to overcome bad habits
• Bad Examples
  • Arguing in favor of the free market over a fixed one
  • Asserting that overpopulation is killing plantlife
  • Contending that some bad habits are worse than others

Detailing Smaller Parts- Offering details and clarification on smaller parts of a greater whole or topic

• Good Examples
  • Describing the main parts of a combustion engine
  • Summarizing the role of agency in the plan of salvation
  • Outlining a few steps to successful financial stewardship
• Bad Examples
  • Asserting that spark ignition gasoline engine is superior to the compression ignition diesel engine
  • Arguing that the pre-existance is more important than the earthlife stage in the Plan of Salvation
  • Contending that getting out of debt is the most important step toward better financial management