20 patterns of organization

7/29/2019 20 Patterns of Organization

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How to Become an

Effec t ive Reader

Methods of Text Organization

And Transitions


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2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

Organizational Methods

( Patterns) and TransitionsAuthors use many different methods to

organize information. If you know which

organizational method the author is using,you will better understand the informationyou read.

Authors use two techniques to clearly showhow ideas are related to one another:

Organizational Methods (Patterns)

Transitions


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Organizational Methods (Patterns)

Organizational Methods are establishedby using transitions to show the logicalrelationship between ideas in aparagraph or passage.


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Transitions

Transitions are words and phrases that show thelogical relationships within a sentence and between

sentences. Example: Fernando is actively involved in several

community organizations. Children know Fernandolikes them becausehe goes on all the Boy Scoutcamping trips and he coaches a youth soccer league.


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Organizational Methods (Patterns) Cause and Effect Comparison and/or Contrast Spatial Order-Location / Description Time Order (Sequence, Chronological Order)/ Process Enumeration (Listing) Problem-Solution Definition

Example Addition


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Cause and Effect

In a passage that is organizedaccording to cause and effect, theauthor tells what happened (effect) andwhy it happened (cause). Severalcauses might be given for one or the

passage might describe several effectsof one cause.


7/31 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

Example ofCause and Effect



Comparison and Contrast

A passage of comparison and contrastfocuses on how two or more things arealike and different. Sometimes anauthor compares a familiar item withsomething that is less well-known.



Words and Phrases Used in

Comparison and ContrastWords that signal a

comparison As

Also Like Alike Likewise Resembles Similar Just as Just like Equally Same both

Words that signal a contrast however Although

Whereas In contrast Yet Differs from Instead

Unlike On the contrary Different from On the other hand



Example ofCompare and Contrast



The Time Order Pattern

The time order pattern is perhaps the mostcommon way to organize information. This

type of organization generally shows a chainof events chronologically or in the order inwhich they occur.

There are two types:

Narration

Process


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Transitions Used in the Time

Order Pattern for Narration After Afterward As

At last Before Currently During Eventually

Finally First Last Later While

Meanwhile Next Now

Presently Often Previously Second Since

Soon Then Ultimately Until When


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Example ofTime Order (narration)

When Corbin decided to become a teacher, he had noidea that he was also deciding to become a career student. Hisfirst notions of wanting only a bachelors degree were quickly

dispelled. During those early years as a teacher, he found thatthe more he learned the more excited he was about teaching.Eventually, his passion for learning earned him a mastersdegree and a doctorate degree.


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Example of Time Order


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Organizational Methods

In addition to the methods describedbefore, authors frequently organize

their writing in the following ways: Flashback

Bulleted List

Foreshadowing Question/Answer

Argument/Support


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Example: Relationships Within a

Sentence

Weightlifting builds and tones muscles;it also builds bone density.


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Example: Relationships Between

Sentences Robert and Dorothy had a fantastic time

when they vacationed at Valhalla Resort on

Marathon Key in Florida. They woke upbefore dawn every day so that they wouldnot miss the beautiful sunrises.


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Example

To ensure proper interdental cleaning, floss each day.First, break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of itaround one of your middle fingers. Second, wind the remaining

floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. Third, holdthe floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers. Next,guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbingmotion; never snap the floss into the gums. Then gently slide itinto the space between the gum and tooth.


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Spatial Order Pattern

The space order pattern allows authors to

describe a person, place, or thing based onits location or the way it is arranged in space.

The writer often uses descriptive details tohelp readers create vivid mental pictures.

For example, he might describe a tall buildingfrom bottom to top, a painting from left toright, a landscape.


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Transition Words in the Spatial

Order Pattern Above Across Adjacent to At the bottom

At the side At the top At the side Below Beneath Beside Beyond By Center Close to Down Far away Farther

Here

In front of

In the back of

Inside

Left Middle

Next to

Nearby

Outside

Right

There

To the left To the right

Under

Underneath

Within


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Example

From their heads to the tips of their tails,humpback whales bear distinctive markings.

On top a humpback whale is dotted withfleshy knobs called tubercles; a strand of hairwith many nerve endings grows out of eachtubercle.


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The Listing Pattern

Authors list a series or set of reasons,details, or points.

Changing the order of the details doesnot change their meaning.


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Addition Transitions Used in

the Listing Pattern And

Also

Furthermore Another

Besides

Finally

First

First of all

For one thing

In addition

Last Last of all

Moreover

Next

One

Second

Third


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Example

An animal as large and beautiful as a horseneeds to be cared for carefully. First, cleaning its stall

on a regular basis is absolutely necessary. Inaddition, a horse needs to be groomed 3-5 times aweek. Finally, a horse needs to be fed and exercisedon a daily basis.


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The Classification Pattern

Authors use the classification pattern tosort ideas into smaller groups and

describe the traits of each group.

Each smaller group, called a subgroup,is based on shared traits or

characteristics.


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Transitions Used in the

Classification Pattern

Another (group, kind, type)

Characteristics

First (group, categories, kind, type)

Second (group, categories, kind, type)

Order Traits


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Example

Wetlands is a general term that includes several typesof vital links between water and land. One type of wetland is abog; it is characterized by spongy peat deposits, acidic waters,

and is covered by a carpet of sphagnum moss.Another type ofwetland is the marsh, which is a wetland frequently swampedwith water; it is characterized by soft-stemmed vegetation.Finally, a swamp is a type of wetland dominated by woodyplants.


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Thought Patterns in Textbooks

Textbook authors use transitions to makerelationships between ideas clear and easy to

understand. Often authors mix organizational patterns in

the same passage or paragraph.

The effective reader looks for the authorsprimary pattern of organization.


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Chapter Review

Transitions are words and phrases that show the relationshipsbetween ideas.

A thought pattern is established by using transitions to show the

logical relationship between ideas in a paragraph or passage.

Narration and process are two uses of the time order thoughtpattern.

Transitions of time signal that the writer is describing whensomething occurred.

In addition to showing a chain of events, the time order patternis used to show steps, stages, or directions that can be repeatedat any time with similar results.


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Chapter Review

Transitions of addition, such as and, also, and furthermore, aregenerally used to indicate a listing pattern.

Authors use the classification pattern to sort ideas into smaller

groups and describe the traits for each group.

Examples of classification signal words are first type, secondkind, or another group.

The spatial order pattern allows authors to describe a person,place, or thing based on its location or the way it is arranged in

space.

Some of the words used to establish the space order patterninclude adjacent, below, and underneath.


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2004 P Ed ti I bli hi L P bli h

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20 patterns of organization

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