Text organizational patterns

Text organization refers to how a text is organized to help readers follow and
understand the information presented. There are a number of standard forms
that help text organization when writing.
Chronological Order

When information in a passage is organized by the time in which

each event occurred, it is organized chronologically. Nonfiction
passages that are organized chronologically often contains dates.
Fiction passages or narratives are more subtle and are organized
chronologically but usually have no dates. A narratives or story is a
journey through time, and all of the events are arranged in order of
time; therefore, every story has a beginning, middle, and end. Even
if an author uses flashbacks, flash-forwards, or otherwise
manipulates the time in his or her text, the events still occur along a
timeline. Stories require the passage of time; therefore, all stories
are organized chronologically. Sometimes time will stop in a
narrative. Certain passages in a story may focus on describing
scenary or spaces, and use a descriptive or spatail method of
organization. The conflict of a story may be discussed in terms of
problem and solution or cause and effect, but the text in a story
is still mainly organized chronologically.
Remember:
Chrono = Time
Logic = Order
Stories are told chronologically or in order of time..
Example: This morning was crazy. My alarm clock was set for PM
instead of AM, so I woke up really late. I just threw on some clothes
and ran out the door. I rode my bike as fast as I could and thought
that I was going to be late for sure, but when I got there everyone
was outside and there were fire trucks all lined up in front of school.
I guess somebody pulled the fire alarm before class started. It
worked out though, because nobody really noticed or minded that I
was tardy.

Compare and Contrast

Compare and Contrast is a text structure or pattern of
organization where the similarities and differences of two or more
things are explored. It is important to remember that with the
compare and contrast text structure the text should be discussing
similarities and differences. If the text only discusses similarities, it is
only comparing. Likewise, if it only discusses ways that the things
are different, it is only contrasting. The text must do both to be
considered compare and contrast.
Example: Apples and oranges are both fruits, which means that
they have seeds inside of them. Each has a skin, but orange skins
are thick and easy to peel. Apple skins are thinner and do not peel
easily. Oranges also contain more acid than apples, but both fruits
are delicious.
Identifying when the writer is comparing and contrasting is usually
not difficult because the speaker will bounce back and forth between
two subjects and this pattern is generally pretty easy to recognize.
However, here are some signal words that may indicate that the
text is written using the compare and contrast organizational
pattern: like, unlike, both, neither, similar, and different.

Order of Importance
Ideas or steps are prioritized by the writer or speaker according to a
hierarchy of value. When using the order of importance pattern of
organization, information can be structured from most important to
least important or least important to most important. Both
structures would be considered as the order of importance text
structure.
Example: The company has a clearly laid out hierarchy. All major
decisions go through the president, who controls the entire
operation, but most daily decisions go to the board. Beneath the
board members are the regional managers, who oversee the branch
managers, who run each local branch.
The Order of Importance organizational pattern can be difficult to
identify alongside cause and effect and sequence text structures. In
fact, in some cases one could use the same graphic organizer to
represent information from an order of importance and sequence
passage. The difference is subtle and must be inferred at times, but
generally a sequential passage explains the steps that occur in a
process.

Sequence
Sequential order, or process writing as it is sometimes called, is
when information in a passage is organized by the order in which it
occurs. This method of organizing text is generally used for
instructions or directions, but it can also be used to explain
processes in nature or society, such as how a president is elected.
Sequential organization is frequently confused with chronological
order. To further confound the issue, sometimes people refer to
chronological order as chronological sequence. But there is a key
difference that distinguishes the two patterns: texts organized
chronologically occur at a specific time and setting, whereas texts
describing processes or sequences do not occur at any specific time
and place. To elaborate, if I tell the story of how I came home and
made cookies, that information is organized chronologically. The
story took place in my kitchen sometime in the past.
Alternately, consider instructions on how to make cookies. When did
that occur? That could happen at anytime or no time at all. This is
because a recipe describes a process or sequence, one which is not
attached to any specific chronology.
Unlike chronologically ordered texts, information organized sequentially does
not occur at any specific time but, rather, anytime.
Signal Words: First, next, before, lastly, then
Example: How to Make Cookies. First, get your materials. Then,
make your dough. Lastly, cook your dough at 400 degrees for 10
minutes.

Spatial
Spatial organization is when information in a passage is
organized in order of space or location. If you were to describe
the room in which you were sitting right now, you would be using
spatial organization. Spatial organization may also be called
descriptive writing and it is most frequently used when the narrator
describes how something looks. Spatial organization is generally
pretty easy to identify, but be aware that spatial organization is used
in both fiction and nonfiction texts. Most fictional passages are
organized chronologically, but in paragraphs where the narrator is
describing a setting or the appearance of a character, the
information may be organized spatially.
Example: Volcanoes are a feared and destructive force for good
reason. A volcano is like a pressure valve for the inner earth, but
they can also be very beautiful. One part of the volcano that people
rarely see is the magma chamber. The magma chamber is way
beneath the Earth’s bed rock. It is tremendously hot. Running from
the magma chamber to the crater of the volcano is the conduit. The
conduit connects the magma chamber to the outer world. At the top
of the volcano is the the crater. This is where the magma exits.
Volcanoes are a beautiful yet dangerous natural phenomenon.
There are many different graphic organizers you can use to
represent the information in a spatially ordered passage. You could
draw whatever information is described in the passage.
Some signal words that might indicate that the writer or speaker is
following the spatial pattern of organization include a wide sweeping
array of prepositions, some of which I will now list: next to, behind,
across from, below that, above that, to the right of and so
forth.

Cause and Effect

Cause and effect is a common way to organize information in
a text. Paragraphs structured as cause and effect explain reasons
why something happened or the effects of something. These
paragraphs can be ordered as causes and effects or as effects and
then causes. The cause and effect text structure is generally used in
expository and persuasive writing modes.
To put it another way: when an author gives reasons why something
happened, he or she is explaining what caused an effect (reasons are
causes and the thing that happens is the effect). Also, when a writer
explains the results of an action, he or she is explaining
the effects of a cause (results are effects and the thing that occurs is
the cause). The cause and effect text structure is used so commonly
that you have probably written a paragraph using it and not noticed.
Example: Many people think that they can get sick by going into cold
weather improperly dressed; however, illnesses are not caused by
temperature- they are caused by germs. So while shivering outside in the
cold probably won’t strengthen your immune system, you’re more likely to
contract an illness indoors because you will have a greater exposure to
germs.
In the above example, the paragraph explains how germs cause
illnesses. The germs are the cause in the paragraph and the illness is
the effect.
Here is another example of a paragraph that is written using the
cause and effect text structure:
Another Example: Students are not allowed to chew gum in my
class. While some students think that I am just being mean, there
are many good reasons for this rule. First, some irresponsible
students make messes with their gum. They may leave it on the
bottoms of desks, drop it on the floor, or put it on other people’s
property. Another reason why I don’t allow students to chew gum is
because it is a distraction. When they are allowed to chew gum,
students are more worried about having it, popping it, chewing it,
and snapping it then they are in listening, writing, reading, and
learning. This is why I don’t allow students to chew gum in my class.
Identifying a text written using the cause and effect pattern of
organization can be tricky. In most stories, events in the plot occur
for various reasons, This can be mistaken for the cause and effect
text structure; however, stories are organized chronologically, and
the information in each passage is more likely to be organized by the
time in which each event occurred. Contrarily, cause and effect
passages usually focus on explaining the reason why something
occurs or occurred, and time will usually not pass in these
paragraphs.
Here are some signal words that may indicate that information in a
paragraph is organized as cause and effect: because, as a result,
resulted, caused, affected, since, due to, effect.

Problem and Solution

Problem and Solution is a pattern of organization where information
in a passage is expressed as a dilemma or concerning issue (a
problem) and something that was, can be, or should be done to
remedy this issue (solution or attempted solution). The problem and
solution text structure may seem like it would be easy to recognize,
but it can be moderately difficult to identify because it is frequently
confused with the cause and effect pattern of organization, as they
both have relational structures; however, if you read the passage
and look specifically for both a problem and a solution to the
problem, you should find it pretty easy to distinguish from cause and
effect, as cause and effect passages do not propose solutions to any
negative occurrences within the passage but rather just explain why
or how they happen.
 Example: It seems like there has been a surge in teen pregnancies
these days. Teen pregnancies make it very difficult for young
mothers to pursue their dreams and meet the demands of an infant.
Fortunately, most teen pregnancies can be easily prevented by using
birth control; however, even birth control is not 100% effective. The
most effective way to prevent teen pregnancies is abstinence, which
is 100% effective.
There are also a few signal words which may indicate that
information in a passage is ordered in the problem and solution
pattern of organization: propose, solution, answer, issue,
problem, problematic, remedy, prevention, and fix.

Biographical

As you might guess, the biographical speech pattern is generally used when a speaker
wants to describe a person’s life—either a speaker’s own life, the life of someone they
know personally, or the life of a famous person. By the nature of this speech
organizational pattern, these speeches tend to be informative or entertaining; they are
usually not persuasive.

Topical Pattern

This pattern is the most commonly used format, and will typically work when the
other patterns do not. A topical pattern arranges information according to different
sub-topics within a larger topic, or the "types" of things that fall within a larger
category. Using this pattern, each "type" represents a main section of information.

For example, suppose a writer wished to describe various types of wine. One way to
outline this information would be to divide the type of wine by its color, as shown in
example one. A second way would be to divide the types of wine by the region in
which they were made, as shown in example two.

Implied Main Ideas –

The main idea of a paragraph is the point of the passage, minus all the
details. It's the big picture. It's the summary
The Implied Main Idea is one that is NOT clearly stated in any one sentence in a passage. It is
only suggested or inferred by the supporting details. The author doesn’t state it directly.

How to Find the Implied Main Idea

1. Read the passage of text.

2. Ask this question to yourself: "What do each of the details of the passage
have in common?"
3. In your own words, find the common bond among all the details of the
passage and the author's point about this bond.
4. Compose a short sentence stating the bond and what the author says about
the bond.

Once you think you have formed the implied main idea in your own words, confirm your
answer by using some of the following strategies:
• Does every major detail support it?
• Does your answer provide a general idea or summary for the details?
• Try to mark the major supporting details and notice what they have in common.
• If one of your major details talks about something else, you’ll have to rethink the implied
main idea so that it is supported by all of them
Practice:
Try to formulate the implied main idea for this selection.
We’re often told “He who hesitates is lost,” but we’re also warned to “look before you leap.” Most of us
have heard the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind,” but then we hear “Absence makes the heart grow
fonder.” Everyone talks about “love at first sight.” But then someone reminds us, “Marry in haste,
repent at leisure.” It’s all very confusing
(There are many sayings in our culture that contradict one another or are very confusing.)

Tone And Purpose of The Text

The tone is the attitude of the writer. ... A formal tone should be used with a formal
audience, like your teacher, while a relaxed tone can be used with an audience of your fellow
classmates. The purpose of an essay is your reason for writing. This could be to persuade, to
inform or to entertain
The author’s attitude is expressed through the words and details he or she selects. For example,
textbooks are usually written with an objective tone which includes facts and reasonable
explanations. The objective tone is matter-of-fact and neutral. The details are mostly facts. On the
other hand, fiction and personal essays are usually written with a subjective tone. A subjective tone
uses words that describe feelings, judgments, or opinions. The details are likely to include
experiences, senses, feelings, and thoughts.  Objective tone is impartial. It does not show any
feelings for or against a topic; therefore, it is unbiased or neutral. Often objective tone uses higher
level words and avoids pronouns such as I and you, creating a formal tone.  Subjective tone is
personal, biased, emotional, and often informal. NOTE: Tone is expressed through the words and
 details the author selects. To determine the author’s tone, you must notice how these words and
details are used within the writing.
Example:
The following statements each express different attitudes about a shabby apartment.
Six different tones are used: optimistic, bitter, tolerant, sentimental, humorous, and objective.
1. This place may be shabby, but since both of my children were born while we lived here, it has a
special place in my heart.
The tone is sentimental. “It has a special place in my heart,” expresses tender emotions.
2. This isn’t the greatest apartment in the world, but it’s not really that bad.
The tone is tolerant. The words “not really that bad” show that the writer accepts the situation while
recognizing that it could be better
3. If only there were some decent jobs out there, I wouldn’t be reduced to living in this miserable
dump.
The tone is bitter. The writer resents a situation that forces him or her to live in a “miserable dump.”
4. This place does need some repairs, but I’m sure the landlord will be making improvements
sometime soon.
The tone is optimistic. The writer is expecting the apartment to be improved soon.
5. When we move away, we’re planning to release three hundred cockroaches and tow mice, so we
can leave the place exactly as we found it.
The tone is humorous. The writer claims to be planning a comic revenge on the landlord by returning
the apartment to the terrible condition it was in when the tenants moved in.
6. This is the apartment we live in. It provides shelter.
The tone is objective. The writer does not express feelings about the apartment. He simply states
facts.

Purpose
Purpose is the reason an author writes about a topic. An author writes to share a main idea about a
topic. An author’s main idea is directly related to the author’s purpose.

One of the three following purposes will drive a main idea:

to inform,

to entertain,

and to persuade.

To inform –
to give information about a subject. Authors with this purpose wish to provide facts that will explain or
teach something to readers. Example: Pain is a normal part of a physical process that lets us know
something is wrong.

To entertain –

to amuse and delight; to appeal to the reader’s senses and imagination. Authors with this purpose set
out to captivate or interest the audience. Example: “Yes, I have gained weight. I weighed only 8 pounds
when I was born.”

To persuade –

to convince the reader to agree with the author’s point of view on a subject. Authors with this purpose
may give facts, but their main goal is to argue or prove a point to readers.

Example: The death penalty is deeply flawed and should be abolished.

NOTE: An author may have a more specific purpose in mind other than to inform, entertain, or
persuade. The following chart shows examples of specific purposes.

General and Specific Purposes

To inform
To analyze To clarify To discuss To establish To explain
To entertain
To amuse To delight To frighten
To persuade
To argue against To argue for To convince To criticize To inspire (motivate a change)