material he needs. An objective point to be reached will give his
article direction and will help him to stick to his subject.
Furthermore, by getting his aim clearly in mind, he will have the means
of determining, when the story is completed, whether or not he has
accomplished what he set out to do.

In selecting material, in developing the article, and in testing the
completed product, therefore, it is important to have a definitely
formulated purpose.

THREE GENERAL AIMS. Every special article should accomplish one of three
general aims: it should (1) entertain, or (2) inform, or (3) give
practical guidance.

The same subject and the same material may sometimes be so treated as to
accomplish any one of these three purposes. If the writer's aim is
merely to help readers pass a leisure hour pleasantly, he will "play up"
those aspects of a topic that will afford entertainment and little or
nothing else. If he desires to supply information that will add to the
reader's stock of knowledge, he will present his facts in a manner
calculated to make his readers remember what he has told them. If he
proposes to give information that can be applied by readers to their own
activities, he must include those details that are necessary to any one
who desires to make practical use of the information.

When, for example, a writer is about to prepare an article, based on
experience, about keeping bees on a small suburban place, he will find
that he may write his story in any one of three ways. The difficulties
experienced by the amateur bee-keeper in trying to handle bees in a
small garden could be treated humorously with no other purpose than to