Chapter 10 Organizing for readers

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Chapter 10 Organizing for readers
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Learn how to create an outline that best
  organizes a given document according to its
  content, purpose and intended audience.
• Learn how to distinguish among different
  paragraph types.
• Learn how to choose appropriate paragraph
  structures

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How to transform material into a manageable
form.

• First have to make sense of the material for
  yourself.
• Second have to shape it for the readers
  audience.

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TYPICAL QUESTIONS IN ORGANISING FOR READERS

• What major question am I answering for my
  readers?
• What secondary questions will help answer the
  main question?
• What should I emphasize?
• What belongs where?
• What do I place first? Why?
• What comes next?
• How do I end?

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Writers generally rely on four strategies for
organizing materials

• A. Topical arrangement
• B. Outlining
• C. Paragraphing
• D. Sequencing

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A. Topical arrangement partition

• Break topic into subtopics partition.
• e.g. Olympic games divides into Summer and
  Winter Games.
• Summer games divides into 35 sports.
• One sport, boxing, can be divided into several
  others weight categories etc.
• ? imagine a family tree, dividing into different
  branches.

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A. Topical arrangement classification

• Some things will share similarities and so should
  be discussed at the same level in a certain
  category classification.
• e.g. the 31 sports could be grouped as racket
  sports or team sports or lt70kg events.
• ? the classification depends on the writers
  purpose.

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B. Outlining

• Outlines use partition and classification to
  guide readers through the material in a pattern
  that readers find logical
• The typical organizing pattern is
• 1 Introduction
• BACKGROUND IF NEEDED
• 2 Body
• 3 Conclusion

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B. OVERALL STRUCTURES FOR MESSAGES
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C. Paragraphing PARAGRAPH FUNCTIONS

• Introductory paragraphs
• generate interest and preview upcoming material
• ex. paragraphs 1 and 2, page 3
• Developmental paragraphs
• present detailed information, analysis, and
  argumentation
• ex. paragraph 4, page 3, and paragraphs 2 and 3,
  page 4
• Transitional paragraphs
• bridge from one section to another, often while
  shifting to a new topic or sub-topic
• ex. paragraph 3, page 3
• Concluding paragraphs
• summarize, or give a sense of completion, or lead
  out to consequences
• ex. first full paragraph, page 5

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PARAGRAPH UNITY

• Standard Paragraphs
• Start with a central statement,
• a.k.a. the "topic sentence see p.191
• Then, relate all details to this central
  statement
• Make paragraphs short to keep the central idea
  clear
• reports 100 words or less (avg.)
• letters/memos 60 word average

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PARAGRAPH COHERENCE

• Use an appropriate sequence
• ? the topic sentence is used to establish a
  clear direction
• ? the first reason is given and then explained
• ? the second reason is given and then explained
• ? the third major reason is given and then
  explained
• ? the conclusion sums up and reemphasizes the
  main point.
• Coherence can be damaged by
• ? short, choppy sentences
• ? sentences in the wrong sequence
• ? insufficient transitions and connectors

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Paragraphs transitions

• Why?
• unity within paragraphs the bricks in the wall
• coherence within paragraphs the mortar holding
  the bricks together

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Paragraphs transitions contd.

• How?
• use the following transitions
• go-ahead words and, therefore, furthermore,
  also, for instance
• new-idea words thus, so, and so, therefore,
  consequently
• summary words as a result, at last, finally, in
  conclusion
• change-idea words but, yet, nevertheless,
  otherwise, although, despite, however, conversely
• link-cause-and-effect words that caused, as a
  result, that produced, consequently
• referring words they, these, though, not one,
  all but two, without exception
• restricting and qualifying words provided, in
  case, if, lest, when, occasionally, even if,
  never

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D. Sequencing (see p.195)

• General-to-Specific
• statement plus illustration (p.196)
• Specific-to-General
• justification-to-conclusion (p.198)
• Chronological
• problem-causes-solution sequence (p.198)
• narration past tense (p.198)
• process present tense (p.199)
• cause-effect analysis (p.199)

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Suggested reading

• P183
• P185-84 outlining
• P190-94 paragraphing
• P 195-99 sequencing
• ? YOU DONT HAVE TO BE ABLE TO REMEMBER
  EVERYTHING. If there is too much to remember,
  choose one or two examples and study them well.

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Possible exam question
Q What are the four main strategies writers use
for organizing materials? - Name each strategy
and briefly comment on how they assist writers to
organize their work.