when an essay uses emphatic order it means

Organizing Documents

In our conversations with others, we present our ideas in a logical order. This way, we make sense to our listeners. Typically, we relate events in the order they occurred, so our listeners don't become confused as they follow our ideas. In writing, the pattern we present our ideas in is called organization. Writers need to know about organizational patterns because readers expect what they read to make sense logically. Choosing an organizational pattern for your writing means knowing what patterns are acceptable for your topic and within your discipline. Some types of organization work better than others, depending on the information you need to convey.

Definition of Organization

Steve Reid, English Department To me, organization is the arrangement of the larger units of meaning in a paper. That's one of the things that's going to be very different from one course to the next. What are the expected patterns of organization? A lab report is very different from a scientific report, is very different from a poem, is very different from a report in the newspaper. All of these have their own patterns of organization, all of which are acceptable in specific disciplines.

Kate Kiefer, English Department Organization typically refers to the large elements of text structure. Sometimes these elements are formalized in practice, as in the typical lab report, through consistent use of headings. Sometimes elements of organization are only informally acknowledged -like the thesis of an academic paper. Most writers across the university would agree, however, that organization refers to the ordering of ideas.

Organization in writing is how ideas are presented. Typically, organization refers to the larger parts of a piece of writing, although it also refers to how paragraphs and sentences are written. The flow of a piece of writing affects how readers interpret ideas. If the organization does not provide readers with the information they are looking for in an orderly manner, they will quickly lose interest. Unorganized writing makes readers search for the information they need.

Types of Organization

Michel Muraski, Journalism and Technical Communication Department Identifying different organizational patterns is important. For example, if I'm going to do an imperial research report, based on my original research, I would organize the paper based on inductive information where I take a specific observation and end up with a generalization about it. If I'm going to be comparing a choice among options, then I might want to organize my paper by way of comparing and contrasting. Organizational patterns depend on what information needs to be conveyed.

In writing, ideas are conveyed through various methods. Sometimes we discuss the causes of something without ever mentioning its effects. Other times, we present a general idea about a topic before we ever get to the specifics. And still other times, we relate details according to their importance.

Every time you sit down to write, you should rethink what type of organization you'll use. To choose a pattern, consider why you are writing and who will read your writing.What is the most effective way to present this information? The list below represents some common organizational patterns, although many more patterns exist. You should use only one pattern for the overall structure of your writing.

General Organization Patterns

Don Zimmerman, Journalism and Technical Communication Department Each class in school or company you work for will have certain ways of organizing information. The trick is figuring out what are the accepted ways of organizing. These general patterns depend on what kind of report you're writing, a lab report, a progress report, a memo. Students often have trouble seeing the general pattern. A good way to figure out what the general patterns are is to back up and take a look at trade magazines, and other publications in the field you're writing for. Typically, in much writing, a problem is set up and a couple of examples are provided. Once you've figured out the general pattern, take a look at your content, think about your audience and pull it all together. Merely filling in the blanks on an outline won't give you a good idea of an organizational pattern.

Cause/Effect

Cause and effect are two different concepts. Using one or the other depends on what part of a situation you want to stress. Stating the causes and/or effects of a topic is helpful in persuading readers to make a decision about a topic.

Causes tell readers why something happened. For example, numerous stolen bikes on campus cause students to register their bikes. Smoking causes lung cancer. Typing for many hours causes carpal tunnel.

Effects are the results of something. For example, fifty new bike racks were put on campus with funding from registered bikes. Twelve hundred smokers die every year from lung cancer. Carpal tunnel is now discussed in many employee training programs.

Chronological Order

Chronological order presents ideas according to the time in which they occurred. This type of organization is especially effective if you are describing a process, relaying a series of actions, or telling a story. For instance, to convey the plot of a novel or the procedures of an experiment, you would tell readers what happened first, second, etc.

Steve Reid, English Department The strategies we use for writing have common organizational patterns. If I'm going to define something, what I do is I take a specific case, and I look at the class of objects or things to which it belongs, and then I say, "Here's how it belongs to this class, but here's how it differs from something else." For example, a computer is a writing instrument, so how is it different from a pencil, which is also a writing instrument? Then, within the act of definition, there are organizational patterns.

Comparisons allow you to analyze and evaluate two or more concepts. You can compare two concepts by showing either the differences or the similarities between them. This type of organization is especially effective in showing how one concept is better than another. This way, you can persuade readers to choose one over another. For example, car commercials constantly use comparisons to show us how a specific car gets more mileage than other cars.

When you use comparisons between two or more objects, be sure to compare them on the SAME issues. For instance, to show the differences between a Ford Escort, a GEO Prism, and a Honda Civic, you might examine only passenger space, engine size, and trunk size, depending on what issues will interest your readers the most.

Alternating Organization

An alternating organization stresses the points you wish to make about the concepts you are comparing. An outline of an alternating organization looks like this:

I. Passenger Size a. Ford Escort b. GEO Prism c. Honda Civic II. Engine Size a. Ford Escort b. GEO Prism c. Honda Civic III. Trunk Size a. Ford Escort b. GEO Prism c. Honda Civic

Divided Organization

A divided organization stresses the actual concepts you are comparing. An outline of divided organization looks like this:

I. Ford Escort a. Passenger Size b. Engine Size c. Trunk Size II. GEO Prism a. Passenger Size b. Engine Size c. Trunk Size III. Honda Civic a. Passenger Size b. Engine Size c. Trunk Size

Emphatic Order

Emphatic order requires you to arrange your ideas according to their importance. Do you want your strongest, most important point to hit the reader immediately or do you want these points to appear near the end? Depending on your topic and your purpose, you should consider what effect these points may have upon your readers. For instance, you might save the strongest point until last, so you can build all your arguments and leave readers with a lasting impression.

General to Specific Order

Kate Kiefer, English Department Composition folks talk about organization as typical patterns of presenting ideas: general to specific, specific to general, spatial, hierarchical (most to least important) and so on. Obviously, these patterns can apply both to paragraphs and to larger units of discourse, including several paragraphs in a chunk, a labeled section of a text, or the text as a whole.

With this type of organization, you can either: 1. make a general statement and support that statement with specific examples or 2. provide the reader with specific information and then make a general conclusion. Deciding on which of these two to use depends on why you are writing and what information your audience requires.

How to Organize Your Writing

While the overall organization of your writing helps readers follow your ideas, you should also use organizational strategies. Just as street signs provide directions when you're driving, organizational strategies guide readers through your writing. Writing strategies prepare readers for the organization of your writing. These strategies include using visual clues to guide readers, as well as transitional markers from paragraph to paragraph.

Building Reader Expectations

Building reader expectations helps your readers anticipate the content of your writing. This way, readers are not caught off guard by upcoming details. You can build your readers' expectations by:

Informing readers of what you are writing about within the first two paragraphs. A specific problem statement or thesis prepares readers for what will follow.
Telling readers the order in which you will discuss your topic. For example, "In this proposal, I first provide a literature review, followed by my original research."
Stating three ideas when you say three ideas exist. For example, "Faculty members voiced three opposing arguments."
Providing a table of contents for longer reports.

Headings and Subheadings

Headings and subheadings visually show readers how your ideas are organized within your text. Each heading should accurately tell readers what each section covers. In addition, bolding and using different font sizes help readers locate the information they need. For some writing, especially scientific reports, it's helpful to number your sections.

Effective Transitions

Transitions alert readers of changes within your writing. By using transitions, your readers are prepared for the flow of your ideas. Effective transitions logically connect paragraphs with one another.

Transitions are used to:

Introduce an idea: First , readers will know this is the first idea.
Introduce examples: For example , this is a transition.
Indicate a contrast: However , be sure your transitions accurately show how ideas relate to one another.
Prepare readers for more information about the same idea: In addition , transitions connect sentences to one another. Words such as "and," "or," "nor," "but," "so," "for," "yet" link sentences together.
Indicate a conclusion: Finally , readers will know this is the last idea.

Reid, Stephen, & Dawn Kowalski. (1996). Organizing Documents. Writing@CSU . Colorado State University. https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=29

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9.3 Organizing Your Writing

Learning objectives.

Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused.
Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay.
Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay.
Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.

The method of organization you choose for your essay is just as important as its content. Without a clear organizational pattern, your reader could become confused and lose interest. The way you structure your essay helps your readers draw connections between the body and the thesis, and the structure also keeps you focused as you plan and write the essay. Choosing your organizational pattern before you outline ensures that each body paragraph works to support and develop your thesis.

This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs:

Chronological order
Order of importance
Spatial order

When you begin to draft your essay, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. Your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas in order to help process and accept them.

A solid organizational pattern gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your draft. Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. Planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research.

Chronological Order

In Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , you learned that chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

To explain the history of an event or a topic
To tell a story or relate an experience
To explain how to do or to make something
To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing , which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first , second , then , after that , later , and finally . These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first , then , next , and so on.

Writing at Work

At some point in your career you may have to file a complaint with your human resources department. Using chronological order is a useful tool in describing the events that led up to your filing the grievance. You would logically lay out the events in the order that they occurred using the key transition words. The more logical your complaint, the more likely you will be well received and helped.

Choose an accomplishment you have achieved in your life. The important moment could be in sports, schooling, or extracurricular activities. On your own sheet of paper, list the steps you took to reach your goal. Try to be as specific as possible with the steps you took. Pay attention to using transition words to focus your writing.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

Writing essays containing heavy research
Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and in what order, and the introduction should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use the chronological key words, such as first , second , then , and finally .

Order of Importance

Recall from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” that order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

Persuading and convincing
Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with your most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case.

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly , almost as importantly , just as importantly , and finally .

During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

Spatial Order

As stated in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
Writing a descriptive essay

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your reader, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you.

The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

Attached to my bedroom wall is a small wooden rack dangling with red and turquoise necklaces that shimmer as you enter. Just to the right of the rack is my window, framed by billowy white curtains. The peace of such an image is a stark contrast to my desk, which sits to the right of the window, layered in textbooks, crumpled papers, coffee cups, and an overflowing ashtray. Turning my head to the right, I see a set of two bare windows that frame the trees outside the glass like a 3D painting. Below the windows is an oak chest from which blankets and scarves are protruding. Against the wall opposite the billowy curtains is an antique dresser, on top of which sits a jewelry box and a few picture frames. A tall mirror attached to the dresser takes up most of the wall, which is the color of lavender.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives you have learned in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

Just to the left or just to the right
On the left or on the right
Across from
A little further down
To the south, to the east, and so on
A few yards away
Turning left or turning right

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph using spatial order that describes your commute to work, school, or another location you visit often.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Key Takeaways

The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to, your thesis statement.
A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.

Lesson #136 (Part 2): Using Word Order For Emphasis In Advanced English

November 11, 2020

Elena at Learn English Through Literature

If you read the last lesson post (part 1), you may be wondering when and how you should alter typical word order in your English writing to achieve emphasis.

THE ‘WHEN’:

✏️ Firstly, you should only rearrange word order when you want to emphasise one point in the sentence over the rest (as shown with examples from Charlotte Bronte’s Shirley (1849) in the last lesson post here ). Don’t fall into the temptation to overuse it because, unless you are penning some descriptive fiction, you will sound overly formal and convoluted.

On the other hand, changing word order for emphasis works very effectively in writing that is intended to be read aloud . This is because a good reader will tend to pause or stress certain words audibly, and if you provide them with a text that you prepared where an emphasis is clearly marked out by the word order, they will be able to communicate this effectually.

THE ‘HOW’:

✏️ The next question is: how do you rearrange a sentence’s word order for emphasis without changing its meaning completely or even writing something grammatically incorrect?

I believe that the best method, as always, is the most intuitive one. I just mentioned above how we should only change word order for emphasis sparingly . That means that if you, the writer, know that there is something very particular you want your readers to consider in your writing, then you will try changing the word order to highlight that point.

That decision-process also stands behind how you then write a grammatically sound, emphatic sentence: 1) you begin by identifying what you want to stress, 2) write it in a small clause and then 3) move that clause either to the opening or end of your sentence.

Make sure that the rest of the sentence – the part without any emphasis – reads coherently as a main simple sentence on its own (note: your emphatic clause may still function as the noun/subject of that main simple sentence). You may need to reword the verbs in the sentence from an active into a passive voice (more on this below).

👉 Punctuation is also key: as we mentioned in the last lesson post, if your emphatic clause is positioned at the opening of the sentence, it is usually followed by a comma; if at the end of the sentence, it will be written written without any comma separating it from the rest of the sentence.

Take the following line I have written (inspired by Charlotte Bronte) as an example: we will assume that I want to emphasise the underlined parts of the sentence:

He had no taste for what was ordinary, being thoroughly original himself: he always accepted a racy, rough character, high or low; he was adverse to any refined, insipid personage, however exalted in station. – Joyce

Now compare it with Bronte’s line:

📙 ‘Himself thoroughly original, he had no taste for what was ordinary: a racy, rough character, high or low, ever found acceptance with him; a refined, insipid personage, however exalted in station, was his aversion.’ – Charlotte Bronte, Shirley

She even phrases part of her sentence in the passive voice, just to emphasise all the more the dynamism of the underlined parts. This is a common occurrence: about half of all emphatic sentences are rephrased in the passive voice.

Here is another example, where she wishes to emphasise the terrible weather on a particularly dark night:

You would think a drizzling night, [and] a somewhat perilous expedition, were not circumstances calculated to enliven those exposed to the wet and engaged in the adventure. – Joyce

📙 ‘Yet a drizzling night, a somewhat perilous expedition, you would think were not circumstances calculated to enliven those exposed to the wet and engaged in the adventure.’ – Charlotte Bronte, Shirley

I will close here with a short line that I have written (again inspired by Charlotte Bronte) and now you can try to rephrase it yourself in a way that emphasises the underlined section. You can compare it for accuracy against Charlotte Bronte’s own line (scroll down below the photograph) now that you understand the principles of emphatic writing word order – good luck!

✍️ P.S. If you feel you need more guidance and practice in applying what we have covered here, feel free to contact me for a lesson (via the query form here ) to clarify your questions.

He carried his preferences on these points to an extreme … – Joyce

📙 ‘His preferences on these points he carried to an extreme …’ – Charlotte Bronte

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Modes of Organization Emphatic Order (Order of Importance)

Chronological Order

list

Question-and-Answer

Emphatic Mode of Organization

In the emphatic order mode of organization, writers organize the information from the least important point or idea to the most important, thus building up to a climax to keep the reader interested.

The information can also be presented in decreasing order of importance, in which case you have what is also called an inverted pyramid mode of organization.

fauxels | Pexels

Topics or ideas that call for the emphatic mode of organization can be anything you can rank in ascending or descending order including, for example, “the best ways to do something,” “the most important life lessons,” “the most effective treatments for something,” or “the best strategies to do something."

Types of Text Using the Emphatic Mode

The emphatic mode can be used in any type of writing when information can be categorized in order of importance. You can find it in academic writing, persuasive essays, and other non-fictional materials.

Transition Words Used in the Emphatic Mode

Transitions commonly used in the mode mode include:

Most importantly, the most consequential, most crucial: These expressions signal the most important point or idea.

Example emphatic mode of organization

The paragraph below is written using the emphatic mode mode of organization, presenting the information in descending order of importance:

The most important reason for recycling is to reduce waste and preserve our environment. Furthermore, recycling helps conserve natural resources such as trees, water, and minerals. Recycling also creates jobs and stimulates the economy. Finally, recycling is easy and convenient, and everyone can contribute to a cleaner, healthier planet.

Note that this is similar to the listing mode of organization ; the difference is that in the emphatic mode the information is presented in descending order of importance.

Note. The above paragraph is used for instructional purposes only. Search the topic for accurate information on it.

Note for Readers

When you read, it is important to identify the mode of organization as emphatic order because it focuses your reading and improves comprehension.

Note that the emphatic mode is similar to the listing mode , so you should pay attention to the items the writer lists and how the writer chooses to order them.

If you are taking notes, you should end up with a list including each item and important details about them.

Up Next: Question and Answer

Continue the lesson to learn about the question-and-answer mode of organization.

Back to List Another mode

Back to Advanced Catalog Advanced Writing Skills List

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7.2 Organizing Ideas

This section of Ch. 7 covers the following topics:

developing a thesis
using a critical question to generate the essay content
building with paragraphs
constructing an outline
choosing an organizing pattern

Prewriting helps a writer explore possible topics for a paper and figure out what to say. But to communicate ideas to someone else, those ideas have to be organized. That is the goal of Step 2: organizing ideas by developing a thesis and an outline.

Step 2: Organizing

Organizing begins with articulating your point. What are you going to say in this essay?

Thesis Statements

A thesis is a clear statement of the essay’s main idea. It is the essay topic and the writer’s position or opinion on that topic. It’s sort of like the topic sentence of a paragraph, but it’s the topic sentence for the entire essay.

Here is an example thesis:

Urban trees are key to a healthy environment for humans. (The essay topic is “trees in the city” and the writer’s opinion is that they are crucial to human health.)

A thesis is not just the topic; it is what the writer has to say about that topic. Each thesis states an opinion, a point. It is not just a fact; it is the writer’s thoughts, feelings, or position on the topic.

Following are guidelines for a strong, clear thesis statement:

A thesis is one sentence. The subject of the thesis is the subject of the essay. Write it first. (For example: “Mail-in voting…”)
A thesis must include an opinion, the point you will make about your subject. Write that second. (For example: “…should be required in every state.”) If the thesis is simply a fact (“Americans over the age of 18 can vote.”), you have nowhere to go.
A good thesis should generate a “critical question,” either “How?” or “Why?” This is the question you will answer in the body of the essay. A good critical question for our example thesis would be “Why?” The body paragraphs will explain why mail-in voting should be required.
A good thesis is clear and specific. Avoid vague language (“interesting,” “terrible,” “good”). Can you prove that? In our example, “should be required” is much clearer than “would be a good idea.”
A good thesis is short and simple. Make sure your position is not too broad or too narrow. Don’t tackle two or three ideas at once. Our example thesis does not say mail-in voting should be “encouraged and monitored”–it picks one focus: “required.”
A good thesis is a statement, not a question (not “What should we do about…?”) or an announcement (not “The subject of this paper is…”).
Be aware of your audience. Take a stand without insulting the reader. (“Only anarchists support mail-in voting” is unnecessarily offensive.) If you can’t make a point without insulting people who disagree with you, you will never persuade anyone.

The job of a thesis is to generate and govern the essay. To generate something is to cause it to be created. To govern something is to control it. A thesis statement first creates, then controls the essay. The thesis is usually presented in the essay’s introductory paragraph, often as the last sentence.

Create a thesis for your essay.

First, write down the topic you’ve chosen.
Then, finish the sentence by stating your opinion or position on that topic.
Identify the critical question (How? Why?) you intend to answer in your essay. If the thesis doesn’t easily lead to a critical question, it needs more work.
Test your thesis against the guidelines above. Be sure you can answer “yes” to all the guidelines.
Then, check your thesis to be sure it meets the assignment requirements.

When you finish this assignment, you should have a single, clear sentence followed by a one-word question.

Do not proceed to Ex. 2 until your thesis and critical question have been approved by the instructor.

An outline is a written plan for the essay. Without clear organization, your reader can become confused and lose interest.

We use the critical question generated by the thesis to create the outline. For example:

Thesis: Mail-in voting should be required in every state.

Critical question: Why?

Answer: Because it is cheaper, easier, and safer.

Those three answers become the three main points in the outline and, eventually, the body of your essay.

An outline does not have to be complicated or formal. A short, informal “scratch” outline that lists your main points in the order you will present them will help you visualize your argument and ensure the structure is clear to a reader.

Here is a basic structure for a short essay:

introduction, thesis statement
main point, supporting details

Here is an example scratch outline on the topic of mail-in voting:

Introduction: quote from Stacey Abrams on barriers to voting, thesis: Mail-in voting should be required in every state.
First section of the body: less expensive (cost of running polling sites/voting machines vs. postage)
Next section of the body: eliminates barriers (work conflicts, family responsibilities, disabilities, long lines)
Last section of the body: safer (paper trail, eliminates voting machine interference, no health risk)
Conclusion: lots of benefits, few downsides

Notice how easy it would be to turn this outline into an essay draft by simply adding explanations and details to each paragraph?

Ordering Information

Once you know what you want to say, you have to decide the best order to present the information. There are three basic patterns to organize the body of an essay: chronological order, emphatic order, and spatial order.

Chronological order is when events are arranged in the order they actually happen. Chronological order is used for any topic that occurs over time, such as

explaining the history of an event or a topic
telling a story or relating an experience
explaining how to do or to make something

For example, an essay about the history of the airline industry would begin with its inception and progress through the essential events up to the present day. This method uses transition words such as “then,” “after that,” and “finally.”

Emphatic order is when your points start with the least important and build to the most important argument, which comes last. Emphatic order is best used for

persuading and convincing
ranking items by their benefit or significance
illustrating a problem and solution

Note: The example outline above on mail-in voting is organized emphatically: it moves from a good reason, to a better one, to the best one. Emphatic order is common in persuasive essays because it allows the writer to increasingly strengthen his argument.

Key transitions might be “one important reason is,” “just as importantly,” and “but the most important.”

Spatial order means explaining or describing objects as they are arranged in space. Spatial order is best for

helping readers visualize something you want them to see
evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, sound)

For example, an essay that describes the parts of a guitar would use spatial order. You create a picture for the reader that moves in an orderly, logical progression using clear directional signals (“to the left is…,” “above that…,” “on the back is…”)

These three organizational patterns–chronological, emphatic, and spatial–are often combined in a long paper, but usually used alone in short essays. The key is to choose a pattern consciously, one that will best help you achieve your purpose.

Create an outline for your essay.

Choose one of the organizational patterns listed above, the one you think will best help you explain your essay’s point. Then, answer your critical question three (or maybe four) times. For example, if an emphatic pattern seems to make the most sense for your essay, identify three examples and put them in emphatic order. If chronological seems to work better, identify three events and put them in chronological order.
Above those points, write your thesis, critical question, and a brief note on the content of your introduction.
Below those points, add a brief note about how you will conclude the essay.
Then, below the outline, tell us which organizational pattern you chose and why.

The final outline should look like the example scratch outline above and be no longer than half a page.

Do not proceed to Ch. 7.3 until your outline has been approved by the instructor.

Outlining is how you figure out if the essay is going to work. Does your thesis identify your point? Does the body of the essay explain how or why the thesis is true? Is the organizational structure you chose the best option to explain your point? Do you have sufficient details? If not, do more prewriting or organizing.

This process may take you a couple of hours, but the time is well spent. It will shorten the time necessary for drafting, but more importantly: it will ensure that your essay is focused and clear.

If a writer just sits down and starts writing a draft, it is likely to be disorganized and unfocused. The purpose of prewriting and organizing is to identify a topic, provide a clear direction, generate lots of useful details, and figure out the best organizational pattern to make your point before putting a ton of time into drafting. With that start, writing the draft is much easier and the resulting document is clearer and more interesting.

A thesis statement is your topic and your position on that topic.
Chronological order is commonly used in expository writing.
Emphatic order is most appropriate in a persuasive paper.
Spatial order is best for helping readers visualize something.

a brief statement of the essay's main point

express an idea fluently and coherently

according to time

based on importance

as arranged in space

a type of writing that investigates, evaluates, and explains an idea or topic

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4.3 Organizing Your Writing

Learning objectives.

Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused.
Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay.
Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay.
Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.

This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs:

Chronological order
Order of importance
Spatial order

Chronological Order

In Chapter 3: The Writing Process: Where Do I Begin? , you learned that chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

To explain the history of an event or a topic
To tell a story or relate an experience
To explain how to do or to make something
To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing , which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first , second , then , after that , later , and finally . These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until the present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first , then , next , and so on.

Connecting the Pieces: Writing at Work

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

Writing essays containing heavy research
Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use chronological keywords, such as first, second, then, and finally.

Order of Importance

Recall from Chapter 3: The Writing Process: Where Do I Begin? that order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

Persuading and convincing
Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first and then move on to the less important points for your case.

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly , almost as importantly , just as importantly , and finally .

Spatial Order

As stated in Chapter 3: The Writing Process: Where Do I Begin? , spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
Writing a descriptive essay

Spatial order means explaining or describing objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example, in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your readers, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives you have learned in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often, in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

Just to the left or just to the right
On the left or on the right
Across from
A little further down
To the south, to the east, and so on
A few yards away
Turning left or turning right

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph using spatial order that describes your commute to work, school, or another location you visit often.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Key Takeaways

The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to, your thesis statement.
A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.

Putting the Pieces Together Copyright © 2020 by Andrew M. Stracuzzi and André Cormier is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Chapter 9 Writing Essays: From Start to Finish

9.3 organizing your writing, learning objectives.

Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused.
Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay.
Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay.
Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.

This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs:

Chronological order
Order of importance
Spatial order

Chronological Order

In Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?”, you learned that chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

To explain the history of an event or a topic
To tell a story or relate an experience
To explain how to do or to make something
To explain the steps in a process

Writing at Work

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

Writing essays containing heavy research
Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

Order of Importance

Recall from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” that order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

Persuading and convincing
Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly , almost as importantly , just as importantly , and finally .

Spatial Order

As stated in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?”, spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
Writing a descriptive essay

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives you have learned in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

Just to the left or just to the right
On the left or on the right
Across from
A little further down
To the south, to the east, and so on
A few yards away
Turning left or turning right

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Key Takeaways

The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to, your thesis statement.
A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.
Successful Writing. Authored by : Anonymous. Provided by : Anonymous. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

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66 7.3 Organizing Ideas

This section of Ch. 7 covers the following topics:

developing a thesis
using a critical question
constructing an outline
options for organizing

Prewriting helps a writer explore possible topics for a paper and figure out what to say. But to communicate ideas to someone else, they have to be organized. That is the goal of Step 2: developing a thesis and an outline.

Step 2: Organizing

Organizing begins with articulating your purpose. What are you going to say in this essay?

Thesis Statements

Here is an example thesis:

Urban trees are key to a healthy environment for humans. (The topic is “trees in the city” and the opinion is that they are crucial to human health. This thesis makes the reader ask “How?”)

A thesis is not just the essay’s topic; it is what you have to say about that topic, your point. Look at the following table to see the difference.

Topic	Thesis Statement (topic + opinion)
music piracy	Financial success as a musician is still possible despite music piracy.
journalism’s future	Online newspapers will mean the end of print media.
educational delivery systems	The benefits of face-to-face learning cannot be completely duplicated in online classes.

Each thesis states an opinion. It is not just a fact; it is the writer’s thoughts, feelings, or position about the topic.

Following are guidelines for a strong, clear thesis statement:

A thesis is one sentence. The subject of the thesis is the subject of your essay. Write it first. (For example: “Mail-in voting…”)
A thesis must include an opinion, the point you will make about your subject. Write that second. (For example: “…should be required in every state.”) If the thesis is simply a fact (“Americans over the age of 18 can vote.”), you have nowhere to go.
A good thesis should generate a “critical question,” either “How?” or “Why?” This is the question you will answer in the body of the essay. A good critical question for our example thesis is “Why?” The body paragraphs will explain why mail-in voting should be required.
A good thesis is clear and specific. Avoid vague language (“interesting,” “terrible,” “good”). Can you prove that? In our example, “should be required” is much clearer than “would be a good idea.”
A good thesis is short and simple: Make sure your position is not too broad or too narrow. Don’t tackle two or three ideas at once. Our example thesis does not say mail-in voting should be “encouraged and monitored”–it picks one focus: “required.”
A good thesis is a statement, not a question (not “What should we do about…?”) or an announcement (not “The subject of this paper is…”).
Be aware of your audience. Take a stand without insulting the reader. (“Only anarchists support mail-in voting” is unnecessarily offensive.) If you can’t make a point without insulting people who disagree with you, you will never persuade anyone.

The thesis is usually presented in the essay’s introductory paragraph, often as the last sentence.

Exercise 7.3

Now it’s time to create a thesis statement for your essay using the topic you identified in Ch. 7.2.

Write the topic you’ve chosen…
Then finish the sentence by stating your opinion or position on that topic.
Identify which critical question (How? Why?) you intend to answer in your essay. If the thesis doesn’t easily lead to a critical question, it needs more work.
Now test your thesis against all the guidelines above. Is it clear and specific? Short and simple? Is it a statement rather than a question or an announcement? Is it phrased in a way that will reach a diverse audience?
And finally, does it meet the assignment requirements?

Do not proceed to the next exercise until your thesis has been approved by the instructor.

An outline is a written plan for the essay. Without clear organization, your reader can become confused and lose interest.

We use the critical question generated by the thesis to create the outline. Remember that the critical question will usually be “Why?” or “How?” For example:

Thesis: Mail-in voting should be required in every state.

Critical question: Why?

Answer: Because it is cheaper, easier, and safer.

Those three answers become the three main points in the outline and, eventually, the topic sentences of the body paragraphs. In other words, the answers to the critical question become the body of your essay.

An outline does not have to be complicated or formal. A short, informal “scratch” outline, where you list key ideas in the order you will present them, will help you visualize your argument and ensure the structure will be clear to a reader.

Here is a basic structure for a 5-paragraph essay:

Paragraph 1: introduction, thesis statement

Paragraph 2: main point, supporting detail

Paragraph 3: main point, supporting detail

Paragraph 4: main point, supporting detail

Paragraph 5: conclusion

Here is an example scratch outline on the topic of mail-in voting:

Introduction: quote from Obama on voting, develop idea, lead to thesis: Mail-in voting should be required in every state.
First body paragraph: less expensive (cost of running polling places & voting machines vs. postage)
Second body paragraph: eliminates barriers (work conflicts, family responsibilities, disabilities, long lines; increases number who vote)
Third body paragraph: safer (paper trail, eliminates potential voting machine interference, no health risk during a pandemic)
Conclusion: lots of benefits, few downsides

Notice how easy it would be to turn this outline into an essay draft by simply adding explanations and details to each paragraph.

Ordering Information

We know that the introduction comes first, the conclusion comes last, and the body of the essay is in the middle. But how do we organize the middle?

There are three basic ways to organize the body of an essay: chronological order, emphatic order, and spatial order.

Chronological order is when events are arranged in the order they actually happen. Chronological order is used for the following purposes:

to explain the history of an event or a topic
to tell a story or relate an experience
to explain how to do or to make something

Emphatic order is when your points start with the least important and build to the most important argument last. Emphatic order is best used for the following purposes:

persuading and convincing
ranking items by their benefit or significance
illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

For example, an essay about registering firearms could develop several answers to “Why?”, ending with the most persuasive argument. Also, the example outline above on mail-in voting is organized emphatically: it moves from a good reason, to a better one, to the best one. Emphatic order is common in persuasive essays because it allows the writer to increasingly strengthen his argument.

Key transitions with this pattern might be “one important reason is,” “just as importantly,” and “but the most important.”

Spatial order means explaining or describing objects as they are arranged in space. Spatial order is less common in college writing and best used for the following purposes:

helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, sound)

For example, an essay that describes a microscope or the parts of a guitar would use spatial order. You create a picture for the reader. The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals (“to the left is…,” “above that…,” “on the back is…”

These three options can be used alone or combined in a long paper. The key for writers is to choose a pattern consciously, one that will best help them achieve their purpose.

Exercise 7.4

Read the student example essay called “The Best Place to Study” by Pablo Medina in Ch. 9.

Then, create a “reverse outline” for his essay. What that means is you will dig into the essay to discover what Pablo did and how he did it.

First, find his thesis statement and copy it down. Briefly describe which technique Pablo uses in his introduction (check Ch. 6.3 for a list of options).
Read the first body paragraph, identify the topic sentence, and write it down. Then, briefly list the examples Pablo uses in that paragraph.
Do the same for each of the remaining body paragraphs.
Which organizing structure did Pablo use (chronological, empathic, or spatial)? Explain why that was a good choice for this topic.
Look at his concluding paragraph. What does he do there? (Review the information on writing conclusions in Ch. 6.3.)

You should end up with what amounts to Pablo’s outline. Notice how smoothly his essay reads and yet we can easily take it apart and identify the individual pieces. That is because it is carefully and clearly built.

Exercise 7.5

Now it’s time to create an outline for your first essay. Do the following:

Write the word “Introduction” followed by your thesis and the critical question it generates. ( Don’t write the actual introduction. Just write your thesis and critical question.)
Look at the three organizational patterns listed above: chronological, emphatic, and spatial. Which pattern would best help you explain your point? Your choice should be driven by your purpose. For example, if you wrote an essay about why the college gym facilities are great, you might explain how you learned to love the gym over time (chronological), or identify your favorite pieces of equipment (emphatic), or describe the gym layout so the reader can see it (spatial).
If you chose a chronological pattern, identify three moments in time and list them in order of when they happened.
If you chose an emphatic pattern, list three examples and order them from least important to most.
If you chose a spatial pattern, list three physical areas of your topic.
Important: If the pattern isn’t working, now is the time to change it!
Add some details to each of the three points. Don’t write full paragraphs or even full sentences, just words or phrases. This is just a plan, not the actual essay.
Write the word “Conclusion” at the end and perhaps a few words that indicate what you plan to say. (Don’t write the whole conclusion.)

This process will take you a couple of hours to do well. Your final product should look like the outline you did of Pablo’s essay in Ex. 2. It should be about half a page long.

This is how you figure out if the essay is going to work. Is your topic panning out? Is your thesis clear enough? Do you have sufficient details? If not, do some more prewriting.

Do not proceed to Ch. 7.4 until you have an approved thesis and outline.

A thesis statement is your topic and your position on that topic.
An outline is the plan for structuring your essay.
Chronological order is commonly used in expository writing.
Emphatic order is most appropriate in a persuasive paper.
Spatial order is best for helping readers visualize something.

a brief statement of the essay's main point

express an idea fluently and coherently

according to time

based on importance

as arranged in space

a type of writing that investigates, evaluates, and explains an idea or topic

Share This Book

Organizing Your Writing

Writing for Success

Learning Objectives

Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused.
Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay.
Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay.
Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.

This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs:

Chronological order
Order of importance
Spatial order

CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

Chronological arrangement (also called “time order,”) has the following purposes:

To explain the history of an event or a topic
To tell a story or relate an experience
To explain how to do or to make something
To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing, which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first, second, then, after that, later, and finally. These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

WRITING AT WORK

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

Writing essays containing heavy research
Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

ORDER OF IMPORTANCE

Order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

Persuading and convincing
Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly, almost as importantly, just as importantly, and finally.

SPATIAL ORDER

Spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
Writing a descriptive essay

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives you have learned in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

Just to the left or just to the right
On the left or on the right
Across from
A little further down
To the south, to the east, and so on
A few yards away
Turning left or turning right

Key Takeaways

The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to, your thesis statement.
A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.

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Home ➔ Essay Structure ➔ Body Paragraphs

Guide to Writing a Body Paragraph

Body paragraphs are the parts where you present your evidence and make arguments, which one may argue makes them the most important part of any essay. In this guide, you will learn how to write clear, effective, and convincing body paragraphs in an academic essay.

To learn more about general ways of organizing an essay, you can read our full guide here: Essay Structure Guide .

3 Major Characteristics of a Good Body Paragraph

There are three main elements of a good body paragraph. In short, unity means that the body paragraphs speak only about one concept. Coherence refers to the logical progression of sentences and ideas. And finally, a paragraph that has a good flow uses transition phrases so that each sentence leads on to the next logically. Now, let’s take a closer look at each of these.

Each main paragraph should focus only on one main point, subtopic, or piece of evidence and relay information only about that concept. If a body paragraph contains many different ideas, it can be complicated to understand and less convincing. On the other hand, a paragraph with unity fully explains a concept and ties it to the thesis statement without adding extra information that feels misplaced and may dilute the message.

The topic sentence of a body paragraph should clearly state the main idea being explored in that paragraph. Each such sentence should have its own paragraph.
Discuss the connection between the topic sentence and the paper’s thesis.
All the supporting evidence in the paragraph should connect to the topic sentence.
Move important information not connected to the topic sentence to another paragraph or revise the topic sentence of that body paragraph.

2. Coherence

Coherence means that there is a logical progression to the sentences and ideas in the paragraph. In other words, paragraphs should be structured in such a way so that they have maximum impact on the audience and make sense. There are several ways to increase coherence within a body paragraph (these are explained later on in this guide):

Chronological order
Spatial order
Emphatic order

Flow refers to the overall readability of a paragraph. Sentences that flow into each other naturally engage the reader and make them more likely to absorb information. One of the simplest ways of improving the flow in a paragraph is by using transitional words and phrases like “specifically,” “on the other hand,” “which leads to the conclusion,” “therefore,” etc. These transition words connect one sentence to another and help the audience keep track of what is happening. Other ways to improve your paragraph flow are:

Using similar sentence structure throughout the paragraph
Using pronouns instead of proper nouns
Repeating important words

Body Paragraph Structure

There is a standard basic structure of a body paragraph that helps bring together unity, coherence, and flow. This structure works well for the standard five-paragraph format of academic writing, but more creative pieces of writing (like a narrative essay ) may deviate from this structure and have more than the standard three body paragraphs.

Topic Sentence

The first sentence of a body paragraph should be the topic sentence . Topic sentences clearly state the central idea of the paragraph. You can think of it as one of the main pieces of information or arguments you want to present to back your thesis.

Supporting Evidence

The next few sentences are where you present evidence and research that back up the topic sentence. These supporting sentences logically present research in such a way that strengthens the main claim of the paragraph. Make sure you know the correct citation style for facts and figures and that you cite every piece of information. A well-written body paragraph can still get a bad grade because of low-quality sources or improper citation.

Want to learn more about citing sources? Check related questions here: Citation Guide .

Analysis (Commentary)

After presenting the supporting sentences, you should analyze how the evidence connects to the topic sentence and what it means for the paper overall. Do not assume that the reader will automatically make connections, it is important to make it clear in this writer’s analysis section so that the overall links and ideas are fully explained.

Commentary in an Essay – learn more about analysis in essays and see some examples of commentaries.

Concluding Sentence

The conclusion is usually one or two sentences that clearly show how the supporting facts connect to the topic sentence and why it is important. A concluding sentence is the main takeaway and should present deeper insight into the supporting details and claims made in the paragraph.

Transition Link

This last sentence of a body paragraph is useful to improve the flow of the essay overall. It is not always required but essentially hints at the content of the next paragraph and leads into its first sentence.

Alternative Body Paragraph Structures

There are two other ways of structuring a body paragraph that you should be aware of. They are very similar to the format above, but you may find them useful for writing different kinds of essays.

P.I.E Format

P.I.E stands for points, information, and explanation. The first thing you should talk about in any paragraph is the answer to, “What is the main point of this paragraph?” This is essentially the same as a topic sentence, which explains what the paragraph will be about or what argument you are going to put forth.

“I” stands for information, which means that you present factual information as supporting sentences that back up your claim. And “E” stands for explanation, which is where you explain why the information you presented is important and how it connects to the overall purpose of the essay.

T.T.E.B Format

T.T.E.B stands for Transition, Topic sentences, Evidence and analysis, and a Brief wrap-up sentence. In this structure, the first thing you do is write a short transition sentence leading on from the previous paragraph to improve flow. After that, it is pretty much the same as we described before. Follow this up with a topic sentence, then present your supporting details and some analysis, and finally end with concluding sentences.

Body Paragraph Examples

Each body paragraph example below is color-coded to show every element it contains.

Body Paragraph Order

In this case, paragraph order can refer to two different things: either the position of the paragraph itself or how the information within a paragraph is ordered. This is closely tied to the concept of coherence and is important to improve the logical build-up of an essay.

Emphatic (Rank)

Emphatic order means presenting evidence in order of importance. This works both for paragraph positions as well as information within a paragraph. The first challenge is ranking your information in terms of strength. This can be determined by the quality of evidence and sources or the logical connection to the thesis statement. The most common way of using this structure is presenting weaker evidence first and building up to the strongest evidence. This leaves the reader with the strongest convincing argument, but in some cases, starting with the strongest evidence and moving to the weakest evidence is useful, for example, when writing for a skeptical audience.

body paragraph example with internal emphatic ordering

Chronological (Time)

Chronological order is one of the simplest ways of structuring a paragraph because it presents information based on when something happened. It is mostly used to structure paragraph order in narrative essays and process essays but can be used within paragraphs to structure information as well.

an example of a body paragraph with internal chronological ordering

Spatial (Place)

Organizing the information in a paragraph spatially makes the most sense when describing something. This type of ordering uses cues like top to bottom, far to near, and outside to inside to describe things logically in terms of their spatial relations.

body paragraph example with internal spatial ordering

Deduction (General to Specific)

This method of organizing a paragraph starts with general information and works its way to specific information. You can start with a general claim and then pick on specific parts of it to bring attention to a unique aspect of it. This is useful in showing cause and effect and drawing conclusions from overarching concepts.

body paragraph example with internal general-to-specific ordering

Induction (Specific to General)

This method of organizing paragraphs starts with specific information and works its way to general information. This is useful to show how specific things are connected to larger concepts and how concepts should be compared and contrasted.

Induction vs. Deduction – Comparison between the two methods with examples.

How to Write a Body Paragraph (6 Steps)

Now that you know all the important elements of a body paragraph, as well as the general structures and ordering methods, let’s see what steps you would need to take to actually write one.

1. Decide on your order

The first thing you should do is arrange your outline in an order that makes sense for each body paragraph, as well as the order of information within the paragraphs. Keep in mind that just because you have structured your paragraphs in a certain way does not mean that individual paragraphs must follow the same format. Use whichever ordering method makes the most sense to present the information within each separate body paragraph.

2. Write a topic sentence

A topic sentence determines the information included in the paragraph, so it should be the first thing you write. In other words, think about what the overall purpose of the paragraph is and condense it into one sentence. Imagine having a conversation with a friend and presenting three things that support the main topic. What would those three things be? This is a good mental exercise to pinpoint important arguments.

Often, a thesis statement would contain three main ideas, and each could be extended into a topic sentence.

3. Provide evidence

Logically present your research and evidence in supporting sentences, ensuring unity, coherence, and flow. Think about how this evidence will leave the biggest impact and make sure to cite every source correctly.

4. Analyze the evidence

Explain how the evidence connects to the topic sentence and why the evidence is important. Draw conclusions to strengthen the main claim made in the paragraph.

5. Conclude and transition

Write a conclusion sentence that wraps up the paragraph and reiterates the main idea. A conclusion can be a good transition, or you can add a transition sentence that briefly explains the purpose of the next paragraph.

6. Revise the paragraph

After writing each paragraph, go over it to make sure that it has unity, coherence, and flow. Don’t be afraid to move information around or remove certain pieces of information. You will have another chance to edit the entire paper after your first draft, so only look for the large-scale problems.

Rochester Institute of Technology – Paragraph Body
American University – Paragraph Unity and Coherence
Purdue University – Body Paragraphs

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34 How to organize and arrange?

Kathy Boylan

Once you have generated supporting ideas for the main idea of your paper, you need to arrange those ideas in some type of order. Clustering and outlining can help organize the ideas.

Clustering (also called idea mapping) is a way of visually arranging ideas. Begin clustering by writing the topic in the center of a sheet of paper. Circle the topic, and then surround it with words and phrases that identify the major points to be discussed in the paper. Continue the process until all supporting details and secondary details have been listed. Many writers like this method because the shapes show how the ideas relate or connect, and writers can find a focused topic from the connections mapped. Using clustering, you might discover connections between topics that you had not thought of before.

Figure 4.2 Clustering

Outlining lists the major supporting details in a tentative order and includes secondary supporting details.

Figure 4.3 Traditional Formal Outline

Before you write, you need to decide how to organize your ideas. You need to determine the rhetorical mode(s) that will be used and the order of the supporting ideas. Simplistically speaking, there are nine basic rhetorical modes . They are as follows: narration, description, exemplification, process, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, classification and division, definition, and argument. However, most complex writing begins with an argument of some sort and then uses a combination of modes to relay one’s message.

Structure of a Paragraph and Essay

All formal paragraphs and essays have a title , a beginning or an introduction , a middle-a body of supporting paragraphs , and an end or conclusion .

A title is at the top of your paragraph or essay, but it is often the last thing that you create because until the paper is complete, you do not really know what your final product will be. A good title makes people want to read your paper; it does not merely repeat the topic sentence or thesis statement; it hints at your main idea. It is not a complete sentence, but it is a phrase or phrases that indicate your topic.

An effective introduction captures your readers’ attention and arouses their curiosity. In a paragraph, it is often your topic sentence, and in an essay, it usually includes your thesis statement, which narrows your subject, claims something specific and significant, and conveys your purpose and often your form of organization. You can include a question, tell a story, use a quotation, give interesting facts or statistics, give background information, or outline a problem and/or a solution. Do not tell the reader what your topic is–show them. Do not be vague and mysterious. Do not refer back to your title. Do not apologize for what you are about to say, and be original. The important thing is that you hook your readers’ attention and motivate them to continue reading.

Your body of supporting evidence should be organized, unified and coherent. The support can be organized using chronological order, spatial order, or emphatic order. Each supporting detail should have its own topic sentence and be developed with valuable supporting details. In an essay, the supporting ideas should support your thesis statement. You should use transitional words or phrases to establish connections between paragraphs and different ideas. You should use parallel structure throughout your paper and use repetition sparingly and only when it is effective and necessary. Be consistent in tense, number, and person throughout your paper as well. The entire body of supporting evidence should be focused on supporting your main idea without straying off topic or including unrelated ideas.

Your conclusion should let the readers know that you are finished and not leave them with any unanswered questions. It may recommend a call to action, or it may just summarize a long and complex paper. The conclusion may repeat some of the ideas from the introduction, but it should not be a replica of that paragraph. It may restate your main idea. The conclusion can be either hopeful or hopeless depending on the mood of your paper. You may leave your reader with some final important facts, or a compelling example, or a final visual image. It is important that you do not go off in a new direction in your conclusion. Do not make sweeping generalizations, and again do not apologize for any of your ideas. Once these arrangements and ideas have been decided, then an outline should be constructed.

Figure 4.4 The Essay Structure

Using a Clear Organizational Pattern

Depending on your topic, you might find it beneficial to use one of these common organizational patterns, either within individual paragraphs or within the entire essay:


Process analysis	A process analysis paragraph is used to describe how something is made or to explain the steps for how something is done.	The first key to growing good tomatoes is to give the seedlings plenty of room. Make sure to transplant them to small pots once they get their first leaves. Even when they are just starting out in pots, they need plenty of light, air, and heat. Make sure to warm the ground in advance by covering it in plastic sheeting for a couple of weeks. When you are ready to plant them in soil, plant them deeply enough, so they can put down some strong roots. Mulch next, and once the stems of the tomato plants have reached a few inches in height, cut off the lower leaves to avoid fungi. Carefully prune the suckers that develop in the joints of the developing stems.
Chronological	Chronological arrangement presents information in time order.	As soon as I arrived at the farmers’ market, I bought a large bag of lettuce. I walked around the corner and saw the biggest, most gorgeous sunflower I had ever seen. I bought it and added it to my lettuce bag. The flower was so big that I had to hold the bag right in front of me to keep it from being bumped. At the Wilson Pork Farm booth, I tasted a little pulled pork. You guessed it—I had to buy a quart of it. I went on with a plastic quart container in my left hand and my lettuce and flower in my right hand. I was handling it all just fine until I saw a huge hanging spider plant I had to have. Ever so gently, I placed my pulled pork container inside the spider fern plant pot. Now I was holding everything right in front of me as I tried to safely make my way through the crowd. That is when I met up with little Willie. Willie was about seven years old, and he was playing tag with his brother. I am not sure where their mother was, but Willie came running around the corner and smacked right into me. You are probably thinking that poor Willie had pulled pork all over his clothes and an upside-down plant on his head, but no, not at all. I was the one. Willie didn’t even notice. He was too busy chasing his brother.
General-to-specific	A common paragraph format is to present a general idea and then give examples.	The displays at the farmers’ market do not lack for variety. You will see every almost every kind of fresh, locally grown food you can imagine. The featured fruits on a given day might be as varied as pomegranates, persimmons, guava, jackfruit, and citron. Vegetables might include shiitake mushrooms, artichokes, avocados, and garlic. Some vendors also sell crafts, preserves, seeds, and other supplies suitable for starting your own garden.
Specific-to-general	The reverse of the above format is to give some examples and then summarize them with a general idea.	Your sense of smell is awakened by eighteen varieties of fresh roma tomatoes. Your mouth waters at the prospect of sampling the fresh breads. Your eye catches a glimpse of the colors of handmade, embroidered bags. You linger to touch a perfectly ripe peach. Your ears catch the strain of an impromptu jug band. A walk up and down the aisles of your local farmers’ market will engage all of your senses.
Spatial	A paragraph using spatial organization presents details as you would naturally encounter them, such as from top to bottom or from the inside to the outside. In other words, details are presented based on their physical location.	From top to bottom, the spice booth at our farmers’ market is amazing. Up high vendors display artwork painstakingly made with spices. At eye level, you see at least ten different fresh spices in small baggies. On the tabletop is located an assortment of tasting bowls with choices ranging from desserts to drinks to salads. Below the table, but out of the way of customers, are large bags of the different spices. Besides being a great use of space, the spice booth looks both professional and charming.

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What is emphatic order in writing?

Table of Contents

1 What is emphatic order in writing?
2 How do you write a chronological paragraph?
3 What is emphatic Order example?
4 What is better sympathy or empathy?
5 Which is an example of a climactic scene?

Emphatic order asks you to organize your paper in the order of how strong your examples are (hence the word “emphatic” or placing emphasis on certain information over other pieces of information based upon importance).

What are the three ways you can organize a paragraph using logical order?

Chronological Order.
Climactic Order.
Random Order.

How do you write a chronological paragraph?

A chronological paragraph is one that shows a sequence of events in the order they occurred. Your goal is to convey a clear sequence through time, and to do that you will have to use transitional words (first, next, then, finally, as soon as, subsequently, etc.)

What does empathetic order mean?

My Point (and I Do Have One): In law, business, academic writing, and many other pursuits, the strength of your argument often rests on the way you order your supporting details. This is referred to as emphatic order.

What is emphatic Order example?

The following is an example of a paragraph using emphatic order: After looking at all the brochures and talking to several salesmen, I decided to purchase an SLR camera. For several years I had been dissatisfied with the results I was getting from my point-and-shoot camera.

How do you organize written information logically and sequentially?

You can organize written information logically and sequentially by making sure that the information is stated in an order that will be easier for the reader to understand. You can also state information logically by putting the information in an order that makes it flow smoother.

What is better sympathy or empathy?

Empathy involves taking on someone else’s feelings. Empathy is better than sympathy, so it is considered better. Although people often use “empathy” and “sympathy” interchangeably, they’re different. Empathy and sympathy are both good traits to have because they offer support for people who need it.

Which is the best definition of climactic order?

Which is an example of a climactic scene?

What’s the difference between the weather and the climate?

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Definition and Examples of Climactic Order in Composition and Speech

An Introduction to Punctuation
Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
B.A., English, State University of New York

In composition and speech , climactic order is the arrangement of details or ideas in order of increasing importance or force: the principle of saving the best for last.

The organizational strategy of climactic order (also called ascending order or increasing importance pattern ) may be applied to a sequence of words , sentences , or paragraphs . The opposite of climactic order is anticlimactic (or descending ) order .

Climactic Order (and Anticlimax) in Sentences

Auxesis and Tricolon offer examples of climactic order within individual sentences.
"Can suspense be . . . created in individual sentences? Of course. What do we mean by climactic order and anticlimax ? We mean simply that we are playing a game with the reader; if we play it in a serious way, we create in him a desire to go on; but when we are in a humorous mood, he will not mind if we cheat his expectation. To say, 'Two, four, six--' is to create an expectancy that 'eight' will follow; to say 'Two, four, six, three,' is to cheat the expectancy--and, if it is done suddenly, it will make the reader smile." (Frederick M. Salter, The Art of Writing . Ryerson Press, 1971)

Climactic Order in Paragraphs

An appeal to logic might be arranged in climactic order , beginning with a general statement, presenting specific details in order of increasing importance, and ending with a dramatic statement, a climax . Here Patrick is using scientific predictions to arouse and alarm a general, nonscientific audience : Consider the potential effect of just a small increase in the earth's atmospheric temperature. A rise of only a few degrees could melt the polar ice caps. Rainfall patterns would change. Some deserts might bloom, but lands now fertile might turn to desert, and many hot climates could become uninhabitable. If the sea level rose only a few feet, dozens of coastal cities would be destroyed, and life as we know it would be changed utterly. (Toby Fulwiler and Alan Hayakawa, The Blair Handbook . Prentice Hall, 2003)
For an example of climactic order combined with chronological order in a paragraph, see Subordination in Bernard Malamud's A New Life.
" Climactic ordering is particularly useful within a single paragraph when your idea is too complex to present all at once. In that case, you need to introduce an aspect of that idea and then develop it as you go along, saving your most important point until the very end of the paragraph. "What is true for paragraphs is true for entire essays. An effective argumentative essay will almost always present the least important evidence first and the most important last, becoming more convincing and emphatic as it moves along." (Robert DiYanni and Pat C. Hoy II, The Scribner Handbook for Writers , 3rd ed. Allyn and Bacon, 2001)

Climactic Order of Body Paragraphs in an Essay

"[The] principle of climactic order is worth a writer's attention when the time comes to arrange paragraphs of an essay . The introduction and conclusion , of course, are easy to set in order; one is first, the other last. But the arrangement of the paragraphs of the body sometimes offers various possibilities. Use this rule of thumb: Unless logic dictates some other order, arrange your essay's body paragraphs in climactic order; save the best, most vivid, most interesting, or most emphatic point for last . In narrative or process analysis , for example, logical sequence overrules this guideline; but elsewhere writers usually use it to keep papers from trickling away into insignificance . . .." (Peder Jones and Jay Farness, College Writing Skills , 5th ed. Collegiate Press, 2002)
The student essay Learning to Hate Mathematics is an example of climactic order combined with chronological order.
"The Penalty of Death" by H.L. Mencken is an example of climactic order in an argumentative essay.
For an example of climactic order in a student's argumentative essay, see "Time for an Anthem the Country Can Sing."

Climactic Order in Agendas for Meetings and Presentations

"Generally, an agenda should follow a climactic order . Take care of routine reports, announcements, or introductions early and lead up to the major speaker, presentation, or discussion." (Jo Sprague, Douglas Stuart, and David Bodary, The Speaker's Handbook , 9th ed. Wadsworth, 2010)

Climactic Order in Legal Writing

" Climactic order frequently corresponds with chronological order, but perhaps from a different impetus. The traditional goal of climactic order is to surprise, to startle. In contrast, its use in legal writing ensures that the reader has a complete history in hand to help explain the current court interpretation and the writer's summary of it." (Terri LeClercq, Expert Legal Writing . University of Texas Press, 1995)
The Definition and Usage of Auxesis in Writing and Speech
Ways of Achieving Emphasis in Writing and in Speech
Solecism in English
Adjective Order
Hierarchy in Grammar
Alphabet - Definition and Examples
Understanding Organization in Composition and Speech
Hyperbaton (figure of speech)
What Is a Jussive Clause?
Scheme (Rhetoric): Definition and Examples
Syncrisis (Rhetoric) Definition and Examples
How to Find a Narrative’s Climax
What Is Anastrophe in Rhetoric?
Definition and Examples of Inversion in English Grammar
What Is the Straw Man Fallacy?
Ordinal Numbers

IMAGES

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The Emphatic Order by Anqa Akram on Prezi
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Body Paragraph ⇒ Features, Structure, and Ordering Explained
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COMMENTS

6.2 Organizing Ideas
Emphatic order is common in persuasive essays because it allows the writer to increasingly strengthen her argument. Spatial order means explaining or describing objects as they are arranged in space.
Guide: Organizing Documents
Emphatic Order Emphatic order requires you to arrange your ideas according to their importance. Do you want your strongest, most important point to hit the reader immediately or do you want these points to appear near the end? Depending on your topic and your purpose, you should consider what effect these points may have upon your readers.
PDF TCC Writing Center: Organizing Paragraphs and Essays
Order of Importance (Emphatic or Climatic Order): This structure may be used for an entire paragraph or essay or it may be used for portions of an essay. For example, one section of an essay may require sequential organization while another section requires order of importance. Or the similarities in a comparison may need to be arranged emphatically. Most essays move from least to most ...
9.3 Organizing Your Writing
Learning Objectives Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused. Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay. Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay. Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.
Lesson #136 (Part 2): Using Word Order For Emphasis In Advanced English
You can compare it for accuracy against Charlotte Bronte's own line (scroll down below the photograph) now that you understand the principles of emphatic writing word order - good luck! ️ P.S.
Emphatic Order (Order of Importance) Mode of Organization (advanced
The emphatic mode can be used in any type of writing when information can be categorized in order of importance. You can find it in academic writing, persuasive essays, and other non-fictional materials.
7.2 Organizing Ideas
For example, if an emphatic pattern seems to make the most sense for your essay, identify three examples and put them in emphatic order. If chronological seems to work better, identify three events and put them in chronological order.
4.3 Organizing Your Writing
Learning Objectives Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused. Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay. Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay. Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.
9.3 Organizing Your Writing
LEARNING OBJECTIVES Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused. Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay. Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay. Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.
7.3 Organizing Ideas
Ordering Information We know that the introduction comes first, the conclusion comes last, and the body of the essay is in the middle. But how do we organize the middle? There are three basic ways to organize the body of an essay: chronological order, emphatic order, and spatial order.
Organizing Your Writing
Learning Objectives Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused. Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay. Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay. Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.
Are time order and emphatic order common methods of organization
Expert Answers. Time order (also known as chronological order) and emphatic order (which means that ideas are presented and argued in the order of emphasis, often from the weakest to the strongest ...
Definition and Examples of Emphasis in Composition
In writing and speech, the emphasis is the repetition of key words and phrases or the careful arrangement of words to give them special weight and prominence. The most emphatic spot in a sentence is usually the end. Adjective: emphatic .
Chapter 4 third step Flashcards
Emphatic order means? that you emphasize the most interesting or important detail by placing it in the last part of a paragraph or in the final supporting paragraph of an essay. Why should you use emphatic order? because the reader is most likely to remember the last thing she or he reads. What transitional words do you use in emphatic order?
Transition Words
Order of Sequence Words indicate that the arrangement of events, reasons, issues, etc. is according to their order of importance (emphatic order) or the order in which they happened (chronological order): first second especially before
English Composition I
A likely more effective organizational strategy for an in-class example essay is to use emphatic order to present your idea, which we discussed in our last module.
Body Paragraph ⇒ Features, Structure, and Ordering Explained
Chronological order is one of the simplest ways of structuring a paragraph because it presents information based on when something happened. It is mostly used to structure paragraph order in narrative essays and process essays but can be used within paragraphs to structure information as well.
How to organize and arrange?
In an essay, the supporting ideas should support your thesis statement. You should use transitional words or phrases to establish connections between paragraphs and different ideas. You should use parallel structure throughout your paper and use repetition sparingly and only when it is effective and necessary.
Chapter 4 Study Set Flashcards
Two common methods used to organize the supporting the supporting material in an essay are time order and emphatic order
What is emphatic order in writing?
What is emphatic order in writing? Emphatic order asks you to organize your paper in the order of how strong your examples are (hence the word "emphatic" or placing emphasis on certain information over other pieces of information based upon importance).
Definition and Examples of Climactic Order
Use this rule of thumb: Unless logic dictates some other order, arrange your essay's body paragraphs in climactic order; save the best, most vivid, most interesting, or most emphatic point for last.
Chapter 4 Flashcards
The 3rd Step in Essay Writing Learn with flashcards, games, and more — for free.
When a writer uses emphatic order to organize the details in an essay
Emphatic order is a way of organizing the details in an essay in order of importance or interest. The most important or interesting item is introduced first, typically followed by the next most important or interesting item, and so on. This technique helps to create emphasis on certain details and gives readers an easier way to follow the essay's main points.