 Narration  Description  Example  Definition  Comparison and Contrast  Division and Classification  Causal Analysis

 Purpose  that purpose may be to relate a case history  to make a point about a time in history  to assert a claim about a historical figure  What happened?  What do the events reveal about the participants or about other events we are likely to experience?

 “I was seven years old when I first became aware of the terrible power of guilt. For piling our toys into a box, Mother rewarded my brother and me with five shiny pennies. If I had ten pennies instead of five, I could have bought a gingerbread man with raisin eyes and sugar-frosted hair.”

 Purpose:  To provide a detailed account  To picture in words  What is the appearance and what are its characteristics?  In describing the subject, what can we learn about its meaning, character, or influence?

 “Never before had Pedro experienced such a depth of despair and such a sense of isolation. He began to avoid those nearest to him, returning their friendly greetings with rough and indifferent replies. Often he sat in his room staring vacantly into space with hollow eyes. His hands were cold and clammy most of the time; yet his forehead burned hot with a mysterious fever.”

 Purpose  To select one thing to show the nature of the rest  To describe a typical instance  What are some typical illustrations?  What generality is illustrated by these examples?

 “Seneca once said, "Every guilty person is his own hangman." The truth of this observation can be illustrated by the lives of countless villains. Once such is Macbeth, from Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name. At the instigation of his wife, Macbeth kills the king of Scotland and usurps his throne - an act of treachery for which Macbeth and his wife suffer torments of guilt.”

 Purpose  To set the boundaries, to delineate, to limit  To determine the nature of  To give the distinguishing characteristics of  How might it be defined?  In what ways does a definition aid us in understanding the importance or consequences of an idea, object, person, or event?

 “Guilt is the remorse that comes from an awareness of having done something wrong. The origin of guilt is psychological. From childhood, we have all been conditioned by family and society to act within defined standards of reasonableness and decency.”

 Purpose  To point out similarities  To point out differences  What are the similarities and differences?  What can we learn from the similarities and differences?

 “Although the first two words may seem to share some connotations, guilt is not a synonym for blame. Guilt must be felt; blame must be assessed. Guilt implies self-reproach that comes from an internal consciousness of wrong. Blame hints at fault that has been externally assessed.”

 Purpose  To categorize  To arrange according to class or type  What are the different categories?  Why are the differences between the categories important?

 “The Bible identifies three kinds of guilt: guilt of the unpardonable sin, redeemable guilt, and guilt of innocence. First, the guilt of the unpardonable sin...Second, redeemable guilt is guilt that can be erased...Finally, the guilt of innocence is the guilt that Jesus bore…”

 Purpose  To describe how a result or consequence came about  To show a relationship between cause and effect  What are the likely causes? Effects?  How can the awareness of the possible causes and effects contribute to our understanding of people and events?

 “Guilt is caused by the failure of the will. The human mind, according to Freudian theory, is delicately balanced between the drive for instant gratification that comes for the id, and the desire for regulation and postponement that originates in the superego, which is sometimes identified with what we call he conscience.”

 Purpose  To explain how a procedure is carried out  To follow the system of operations in the production of something  To follow an action from beginning to end  How does it work?  How does it work?  How can we do it?  What might we gain from understanding the operations?

1. Remember to involve readers in the story. Recreate. Don’t just tell about it. 2. Find a generalization which the story supports. This is the only way the writer's personal experience will take on meaning for readers. 3. Remember that although the main component of a narrative is the story, details must be carefully selected to support, explain, and enhance the story.

 Narratives are generally written in the first person, that is, using "I." However, third person ("he,“ "she," or "it") can also be used.  Narratives rely on concrete, sensory details to convey their point. Focus on reasons, examples, names, numbers, and the five senses.  Narratives, as stories, should include these story conventions: a plot, including setting and characters; a climax; and an ending.