Academic

English
Objectives
Students will be able to:
recognize different organizing patterns of text
identify controlling ideas of texts.
identify the deduction and induction method of organization.
Organizational patterns
of text
Organizational patterns are frameworks or plans
used in academic writing to structure and arrange
ideas effectively.
This helps authors communicate their ideas
clearly and assist readers in understanding the
material.
Organizational patterns
Chronological: Organized by time or sequence.

Spatial: Organized by physical location or arrangement.

Cause and Effect: Organized by cause-and-effect relationships.

Problem-Solution: Organized by presenting a problem and its solution.

Compare and Contrast: Organized by highlighting similarities and differences.

Classification: Organized by categorizing items or concepts.

Signal words
Chronological: first, next, finally

Spatial: above, below, beside

Cause and Effect: because, therefore, as a result

Problem-Solution: issue, solution, resolve

Compare and Contrast: similarly, on the other hand, whereas

Classification: categories, types, groups

Chronological order
Chrono = Time
Logic = Order
Stories are told chronologically or in order of
time.
Describes the sequence in which events occur in
time.
Signal words: first, second, later, before, next, as
soon as, after, then, finally, meanwhile,
following, last, during, in, on, until
Cause and effect
Describes how one or more things cause or are related to another.
Paragraphs structured as cause and effect explain reasons why
something happened or the effects of something.
The cause-and-effect text structure is generally used in expository
and persuasive writing modes.
Signal words
Causes: because, because of, for, since, stems from, one cause is,
one reason is, leads to, causes, creates, yields, produces, due to,
breeds, for this reason
Effects: consequently, results in, one result is, therefore, thus, as a
result, hence
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.
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.
Signal words
above, below, beside, next to, in front of, behind, inside, outside,
opposite, within, nearby
Sequential order
Sequential order, or process writing 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.
Key difference between sequential and chronological order: 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.
Signal words
first, second, next, then, following, after that, last, finally
Order of importance
Describes ideas in order of priority or preference.
Signal words: less, more, primary, next, last, most
important, primarily, secondarily
Compare and contrast
Discusses similarities and/or differences among ideas, theories,
concepts, objects, or persons.
Similarities: both, also, similarly, like, likewise, too, as well as,
resembles, correspondingly, in the same way, to compare, in
comparison, share
Differences: unlike, differs from, in contrast, on the other hand,
instead, despite, nevertheless, however, in spite of, whereas, as
opposed to
Problem and Solution
Problem and Solution is a pattern of organization where
information in a passage is expressed as a dilemma or concerning
issue (problem) and something that was, can be, or should be done
to overcome this issue (solution or attempted solution).
Signal words: propose, solution, answer, issue, problem,
problematic, remedy, prevention, and fix.
Problem and solution
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 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.
Listing/Enumeration
Organizes lists of information: characteristics, features, parts, or
categories.
the following, several, for example, for instance, one, another, also,
too, in other words, first second, numerals (1, 2, 3…), letters (a, b,
c…), most important, the largest, the least, finally
Importance of organizational text
Facilitate clarity and coherence.
Help readers follow the author's logic.
Aid in summarization and analysis.
Deductive and inductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning starts with a general premise or statement
and then narrows down to a specific conclusion or idea.
It's a top-down approach where you begin with a broad concept
and progressively move to more specific details or examples.
Use: Deduction is commonly used in academic writing, scientific
research, and formal logic. It's particularly useful when you want to
prove or support a specific hypothesis, theory, or argument.
Deductive and inductive reasoning
Example: In an essay arguing that "All men are mortal, and Socrates is a
man; therefore, Socrates is mortal," you begin with a general statement
about all men, narrow it down to Socrates being a man, and conclude
that Socrates is mortal.
Deductive and inductive reasoning
Inductive Method:
Inductive reasoning begins with specific observations, examples, or
evidence and then derives a general conclusion or hypothesis. It's
a bottom-up approach where you start with concrete details and
build up to a broader concept.
Use: Induction is often used in scientific research, data analysis, and
exploratory writing. It's helpful when you want to draw
generalizations or make predictions based on observed patterns or
evidence.
Deductive and inductive reasoning
Example: In a scientific study of numerous observations of swans being white,
you might induce the general hypothesis that "All swans are white" based on
the evidence at hand.
Deductive and inductive reasoning
The main difference between deduction and induction lies in the direction of
reasoning.
Deductive reasoning starts with a general premise and moves to a specific
conclusion, while inductive reasoning starts with specific observations and
derives a general conclusion.
The choice between these methods depends on the goals of the text and the
nature of the argument or information being presented.
Controlling ideas
For an essay, the controlling idea would be the overall argument or
point that you’re trying to make. At an essay level, a thesis
statement would usually contain this main idea.
For a body paragraph in an essay, a controlling idea is a word or a
phrase in the topic sentence of the paragraph that indicates what
the paragraph is about.
Examples
It is important to distinguish between a topic and a controlling idea. A topic is a subject that
you discuss, while a controlling idea is a point that you are trying to make about the topic.
Let’s assume your topic is “alternative energy sources.” Then, your overall controlling idea
depends on the essay type you are writing and its purpose.
Giving an opinion:
I believe that alternative energy sources are important because they are renewable and
environmentally friendly.
Informing the reader:
Alternative energy sources are important because they provide a renewable and
environmentally friendly option for energy production.
Examples
Comparing and contrasting:
While both coal and alternative energy sources have their pros and cons, I believe that
alternative energy is the more viable option for the future.
Persuading the reader:
Alternative energy sources should be used more widely because they are renewable and
environmentally friendly.
Examples
Showing causality(cause and effect):
The use of alternative energy sources has increased in recent years due to concerns about the
environment and the depletion of fossil fuels.
Classifying:
Alternative energy sources can be divided into three main categories: solar, wind, and hydro.
Inferring a lesson from a personal story:
I learned the importance of alternative energy sources when my grandfather showed me how
to install solar panels.
Topic Sentences
and
Controlling Ideas
Topic sentences introduce a
paragraph and connect to an
essay's thesis statement, which is
the topic sentence of your entire
essay.

Every topic sentence has two parts:

a topic (what the paragraph is
about) and a controlling idea (the
direction the paragraph will take).