Organizational structures

Patterns of organization Writers use patterns of organization- such as cause and effect or compare and contrast to give information in a way that makes sense to the reader. Recognizing these patterns helps the reader recognize the author’s purpose and helps to understand how ideas are related.

Main idea and supporting details With this pattern, a writer will introduce the main idea (the most important one) at the beginning of the text or paragraph and then support that idea with details, such as facts, statistics, or examples.

Chronological order Writers use chronological order to tell about events in the order in which they occurred. Look for signal words such as before, next, later, and phrases that include dates and times

Sequence or how to This pattern is often used to show the individual steps in a process, such as washing laundry or performing a lab experiment. Words that signal sequence include first, next, then, and finally

Cause and effect Cause and effect organization is used to show how one event, idea, or trend is the direct result of another. Signal words include because, since, as a result, consequently, due to, if…then, therefore

Comparison/Contrast When comparing and contrasting two or more subjects, writers organize their text to clearly identify similarities and differences. Signal words include similarly, also, too, however, but, unlike, and yet

classification Writers use classification organization to describe the different parts or categories of a broader subject or topic. Signal words include one feature, another type, and this kind

Problem-solution A writer analyzes a problem and then proposes and examines one or more solutions to it. Signal words include problem, reason, propose, conclude, answer, and solution