For many sources we use, the purpose is clear. In the section on Authority, you learned that the purpose of scholarly journals is to report research. We know that newspapers are meant to inform, editorials and political campaign fliers to persuade, and TV programs to entertain. Sometimes, however, it is not so easy to determine the purpose of a source.

Identifying a source’s purpose can help you to evaluate it. Ask yourself if this source’s purpose is:

to inform to sway opinion to entertain to advertise to report research