ORGANIZATION

(STRUCTURE)
OBJECTIVES:
1.Discuss the meaning of a well-organized
composition.
2.Explain the steps in writing a well-organized
composition.
3.Discuss the essence of a well-organized
composition.
 Organization is a structural framework for
writing. It is important to effective writing
because it provides readers with a framework
to help them fulfil their expectations for the text.
A well-organized piece of writing supports
readers by making it easy for them to follow,
while a poorly organized piece leads readers
through a maze of confusion and confounded
or unmet expectations.
 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.
 Organization is the logical progression and
completeness of ideas in a text. Instructions in organization
focuses on two areas: the text structures specific to the
particular genre and the cohesive elements that tie clauses,
sentences, and paragraphs together into a cohesive whole.
Getting the reader interested in your essay is VERY
important! The introduction to your essay gets people
excited and interested in the topic, and to that, you must
talk about the topic as though it is exciting. If you are bored
by your topic and you show it, your reader will be bored.
This may not sound important but it is.
 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.
INTRODUCTION
What is an introduction?
The introduction also serves as a “road map” for the reader. It
should offer the reader the direction and general ideas contained in
your paper, and set up the necessary background for the paper.The
introduction should lay out your central argument in a clear thesis
statement.
The introduction should be designed to attract the reader’s
attention and give her an idea of the essay’s focus: 1. Begin with an
attention grabber (startling information, anecdote, dialogue,
summary information); 2. If the attention grabber was only a
sentence or two, add two more sentences that will lead a reader
from your opening to your thesis statement; 3. Finish the paragraph
with your thesis statement.
BODY
What’s in the middle?
The organization of the middle of a piece of writing depends on
the genre. Researchers have identified five basic organizational
structures: sequence, description, cause and effect, compare and
contrast, and problem solution. Sequence uses time, numerical, or
spatial order as the organizing structure. Some narrative genres that
use a chronological sequence structure are personal narrative
genres (memoir, autobiographical incident, autobiography),
imaginative story genres (fairytales, folktales, fantasy, science
fiction), and realistic fiction genres. Narrative story structures include
an initiating event, complicating actions that build to a high point, and
a resolution. Many narratives also include the protagonist’s goals
and obstacles that must be overcome to achieve those goals.
 No matter what type of essay is being
written, all body paragraphs need to be fully
developed and provide supporting detail. This
detail can come in the form of personal
examples, statistics, and/or quotes from an
expert. When writing an essay that requires the
use of research and outside sources, this
information should be used to support the topic
sentence.
CONCLUSION
What is a conclusion?
Your conclusion should restate/recap your thesis and
major points, showing how you have proven your position.
You may also want to draw the reader’s attention to
possible implications of what you have discussed and your
conclusions. Think of this as an answer to question “So
what?” In doing so, however, be careful to stay within the
field of history covered by the course. Do not make vague
statements about learning from our mistakes or the
fundamental good or evil of humanity as such reflections
are best left to the reader.
 The conclusion brings closure to the reader,
summing up your points or providing a final
perspective on your topic. All the conclusion
needs is three or four strong sentences which
do not need to follow any set formula. Simply
review the main points (being careful not to
restate them exactly) or briefly describe your
feelings about the topic. Even an anecdote can
end your essay in a useful way.
 Endings: Beyond “Happily Ever After”
Anyone who has watched a great movie for ninety minutes only to have it limp to the finish
with weak ending knows that strong endings are just as critical to effective writing as strong
beginnings. And anyone who has watched the director’s cut of a movie with all the alternate
endings knows that even great directors have trouble coming up with satisfying endings for
their movies. Just like directors, writers have to decide how to wrap up the action in their
stories, resolving the conflict and tying up loose ends in a way that will leave their audience
satisfied. Student writers struggle with writing strong endings, often relying on the weak “I had
a lot of fun” summation or the classic “It was just a dream” ending to rescue them for their
stories.
The type of ending an author chooses depends on his or her purpose. When the purpose
is to entertain, endings may be happy or tragic, or a surprise ending may provide a twist.
Endings can be circular, looping back to the beginning so readers end where they began, or
they can leave the reader hanging, wishing for more. Endings can be deliberately ambiguous
or ironic, designed to make the reader think, or they can explicitly state the moral of the story,
telling the reader what to think. Strong endings for expository texts can summarize the
highlights, restate the main points, or end with a final zinger statement to drive home the main
point to the audience.
 Your concluding paragraph should also include
(usually at the very beginning or the very end of
your paragraph) a restatement of your thesis using
different words. You should end your conclusion on
a strong note, without apologizing anything in your
paper and without introducing completely new
ideas that are not covered in your paper. It is often
a good idea to end your conclusion with a call to
action or a comment regarding the future as
related to your topic.
• REFERENCES URL:
• https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_business-english-for-success/s12-03-organizing-your-
writing.html
• http://lklivingston.tripod.com/essay/intro.html
• https://www.aims.edu/student/online-writing-lab/process/body-paragraph