GOOD MORNING

ORGANIZATION,
COHERENCE
AND COHESION
ORGANIZATION

Organization - this is the structural framework
for writing. It is important to
effective writing because it provides readers with
a framework to help them
fulfill their expectations for the text. This is the
logical progression and completeness of ideas in
a text.
 Text organization is the way a text is organized
that helps to guide the reader logically through
it. This property makes a text readable and its
message clear. Organization can be achieved
through the following techniques:

  Physical format
  Signal words
  Structure
 Physical Format
The format is an aspect of the
organization that is immediately apparent to
the reader. It is seen in how the text
physically appears like headings and
subheadings, bullet points or font emphasis.
However, use this technique with discretion as
improper or superfluous formatting can be
confusing.
 Example:
Marxist ideology has three main theories.
Historical materialism purports that all the
features of society can historically be traced back
to economic activity. Social class in capitalist
societies is what produces unjust structures of
power that exist today. Socialism would be the
next rational step for the development of human
society.
 Explanation:
The words in bold are the three most
important Marxist theories that the first
sentence is referring to. By emphasizing these
words, the reader can identify the correct term
for the concepts along with their definitions;
this would also aid in remembering the
theories since they stick out from the rest of
the text.
 Signal Words
 Signal words are textual cues that
readers can use to follow a text. They can
“signal” the transition from one point to
another, the ordering of events and
concepts, or the writer’s chosen text type.
Example:
 Chuck Palahniuk’s novel Fight Club greatly
influenced me as a fictional writer. First, his use of
the unreliable narrator fascinated me, and I have
written similar characters in my works. Second, the
theme of patriarchal oppression can also be found in
the stories I write. Third, the novel’s stunning twist is
something that I have been trying to recreate. Thus, I
am extremely grateful to have encountered
Palahniuk’s genius early in my writing career.
 Explanation:
 By using sequential signal words (first,
second and third) before the beginning of
every sentence, the reader can follow what
seems to be the writer’s list of three reasons
why the novel influenced him. The word
thus also signals the conclusion and the end
of the list.
Structure
 The structure provides the framework upon
which the text is organized. It consists of the
following:

Beginning: introduction, thesis statement, hook

 Middle: supporting details
 End: conclusion, summary, final message
 Example:

 Ancient philosophies believe that a person has

an “aura,” this appears as a rainbow of light around the
body that can be seen by individuals with clairvoyant
abilities. The colors change depending on one’s mood,
health, and thoughts. Some scientists believe that the
existence of the aura has something to do with the
electromagnetic fields produced by cells and tissues in
the human body. Whether auras are real or not, the fact
remains that there are forces everywhere that are real
even though we cannot see them.
 Explanation:
 Organization in this paragraph is not readily noticeable
as it does not use cues like formatting or signal words.
However, the text is organized in this way:

 Beginning: Introduce topic of aura

 Middle: Definition and evidence of existence of auras
 End: Ending message about forces in the world
And if there is
ORGANIZATION, there is…

COHERENCE AND
COHESION
 A text with coherence has ideas that are logically sequenced in a way that is
easy to follow for the reader. Although without cohesion, no central concept links
all these ideas together. The main point of the text remains unclear for readers.
EXAMPLE:
 My favorite painting is “The Weeping
Woman” by Pablo Picasso, which is an intriguing
painting that symbolizes suffering. As a result, I
love bright primary colors, so I wear a lot of
shocking yellows, blues, and reds. Also, as an
outgoing person, I enjoy performing for large
crowds. In the end, people should not judge an
artist’s talent based on one standard.
 Explanation:

 Connecting words in the text suggest a sequence of ideas that the

writer wants to convey. “As a result” implies an effect of the
previous statement while “in the end” indicates the conclusion.
However, the writer jumps from one topic to another resulting in
a lack of cohesion. For instance, the writer talks about his or her
favourite colors “as a result” of Picasso’s painting even though
they are not connected in any way. It can be inferred that the
choice of favourite colors was inspired by the colors of the
painting, but the writer does not make this clear.
Cohesion and Coherence A text with both
cohesion and coherence has a central
concept linking all the ideas in the text, and
these ideas are presented in a logical
manner. The main point is clear, and the text
is easy to follow and understand.
Example:

International Women’s Day is celebrated on the 8th of

March of every year. It began as a Socialist political
event in several Western countries. Then, other
countries also started celebrating the holiday just as a
way to express their love for women. Currently, the
United Nations observes the holiday as a way to bring
to light women’s issues around the world.
 Explanation:

 The main topic of the text is International Women’s Day,

which was stated in the first sentence. The paragraph proceeds
to outline the history of the holiday starting from some
Western countries and its spread to other nations. It ends with
the current way that the whole world celebrates the day. The
writer can present different ideas about the holiday in a logical
manner and without veering away from the topic.