View source for What is meant by “purpose” in an essay?

==What is a purpose==
The purpose announces the direction in which the paper will be going without giving the conclusion of which the author has discovered. 
# Specific and precise - not general, broad or obscure 
# Concise - one or two sentences 
# Clear - not vague, ambiguous or confusing 
# Goal-oriented - stated in terms of desired outcomes 

==Where is the purpose in an essay==
The purpose is generally found in the introduction. It can consist of several sentences or a whole paragraph. Be sure to check with your instructor on whether or not they want a thesis or a purpose. Purposes are commonly used in academic settings when doing a research paper.

==Examples of purpose statements==
Good purpose statements:
# "This paper examines . . ." 
# "The aim of this paper is to . . ." 
# "The purpose of this essay is to . . ." 
# "In this paper, I will describe/explain/review/etc. the..." 
# "My reason for writing is to..." 
# "This paper will discuss the..." 
# "The purpose of this paper is twofold: to ___ and ___" 

Remember to be specific and precise. The purpose explains very specifically what the paper will be about. Having a broad purpose will make the reader/audience uninterested in your topic.

==Links==
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Thesis_or_Purpose.html
http://faculty.washington.edu/ezent/imwps.htm

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