Organizational Menu of Options

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Today, I am going to provide you with a list of organizational templates (you may also hear these referred to as “rhetorical structures”), useful for planning and outlining any paper.  Although these templates are categorized, it’s worth noting that most essays, although they may be based on a dominant structure, are usually developed by combining several structures.  You have to ask yourself, “what do I need to say in order to prove my thesis or accomplish my purpose for writing” and then plan which rhetorical structures will help you to meet that goal. 

For example, an essay defining “poverty” may also incorporate cause-and-effect, description, narration, and analysis in order to help the reader to fully understand and connect to what “poverty” is, what it looks like, and what can be done about it. 

Much can be said about the use and combining of these rhetorical structures, but for today here are the templates:

• This list does not account for introductions or conclusions.  You should assume that there will be a paragraph before that leads into your paper and a paragraph after that wraps up your subject.
• These types of organization are like accordians.  They can be folded up small so that each Roman numeral is a single paragraph, or pulled apart so each Roman numeral represents the chapter of a book.
• There is no such thing as a “five paragraph essay.”  It’s an abstraction, a construct devised as a quick and easy solution to a difficult question.  There is a place for this type of writing for the beginner, but as your ideas and expression become more sophisticated, the ideas determine the organization and length rather than the other way around

1. Chronological – Any essay ordered chronologically employs the same basic structure: 

 a. First, this happened.

 b. Then, that happened.

c. Next, the other happened.

d. Finally, the play was over and we gave a standing ovation.

e. For example:

i. Narrative – chronology of a story

1. Establish setting, characters, etc.

2. Introduce a conflict and expand on it

3. Resolve a conflict

4. Tie up loose ends

ii. Process – chronology of a procedure

1. Gather materials

2. Step 1

3. Step 2

4. Step 3

5. Clean up

 

2. Cause and Effect: If process explains how something happens, this structure provides the why.

a. Causes

i. Least important cause

ii. Somewhat important cause

iii. Most important cause

b. Effects

i. Least important effect

ii. Somewhat important effect

iii. Most important effect

c. Note: Most essays will focus on just the causes or just the effects, although one may choose to address both.

 

3. Exemplification: An essay organized by example makes a general or abstract idea specific by showing:

a. Provide a generality or abstraction

b. Show first example

c. Show a second example

d. Really, show as many examples as are necessary. You may choose to provide extended examples (usually relying on narration) or multiple shorter examples depending on the needs of your audience.

e. For example:

i. Description: for generalities that are an unknown person, place, or thing

1. Introduce dominant impression of the person, place, or thing to be described.

2. Details from the senses

a. Sight

b. Smell

c. Hearing

d. Taste

e. Touch

ii. Definition: for generalities that are abstract ideas

1. Introduce the abstract idea to be defined

2. Details from first example of abstract idea

3. Details from second example of abstract idea

4. Etc.

 

4. Compare and Contrast: Any essay which seeks to examine to similar (or different) things. There are two compare-contrast structures to choose from (just be sure not to inter-mix the two).

a. Subject-by-Subject Comparison

i. All about subject 1

1. Comparison point A

2. Comparison point B

3. Comparison point C

4. (Continue if needed)

ii. All about subject 2

1. Comparison point A

2. Comparison point B

3. Comparison point C

4. (Continue if needed)

b. Point-by-Point Comparison

i. Comparison point A

1. Subject 1

2. Subject 2

ii. Comparison point B

1. Subject 1

2. Subject 2

iii. Comparison point C

1. Subject 1

2. Subject 2

iv. (Continue if needed)

 

5. Analysis: Shows the process of dividing a whole into its parts and sorting its parts into categories

a. Category 1

i. Part A

ii. Part B

iii. Part C

b. Category 2

i. Part D

ii. Part E

iii. Part F

c. Category 3

i. Part G

ii. Part H

iii. Part I

 

6. Argumentation: Essays structured around argument advocate one opinion over another (typically seen in a thesis-based, deductive-style essay)

a. Define/Explain the issue

b. State your opinion

c. Provide the evidence for

i. Example 1

ii. Example 2

iii. Example 3

d. Refute the opposition

i. Point 1

1. What it is

2. Why it’s wrong

ii. Point 2

1. What it is

2. Why it’s wrong

iii. Point 3

1. What it is

2. Why it’s wrong

Tagged as: Organization, Outlines, Rhetoric, Thesis