Patterns of Organization Six Methods Authors Use to Relate Supporting Detail to the Main Idea

Explanation This pattern is used when the author wants to describe the reasons for the ideas being presented.

Example Examples are provided to make the main idea and supporting details clear to the reader. Signal words, such as “for example” and “for instance,” indicate that this pattern of organization is being used.

Comparison and Contrast By using this pattern, the author can relate two things to each other either by showing how they are alike or how they are different.

Cause and Effect The author can either present a cause and give the results of that cause or, conversely, present an effect and trace its causes.

Definition Authors can devote entire paragraphs to defining an important term or concept.

Enumeration Enumeration is used when the author wants the reader to know the order in which something happened or the order of importance of information being presented. Some signal words used in this pattern of organization are “first, next, then, finally,” and “first, second, third.”

Source Hancock, Ophelia. Reading Skills for College Students. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2007.