6 Traits Organization

Objectives  By participating in this lesson, I will be able to identify what makes a paper organized.

Definition of Organization  Organization is the internal structure or design of a piece of writing. It gives ideas direction, purpose, and momentum, guiding the reader skillfully from point to point. Good organization holds a piece of writing together, making it easy to see the big picture – much the way puzzle pieces fit to create a recognizable image. It also makes the reading easier. Readers can follow the writer’s thinking easily when they have a pattern to help them.

Things that make organization work well…  A basic beginning, middle, and end structure.  A beginning / intro paragraph that identifies the purpose and gives an immediate sense of direction.  A conclusion that wraps up the discussion and sometimes indicates next steps.  A structure that guides the reader’s thinking, leading to logical conclusions

Beginning/ Introduction  What are the components?  What is the purpose?

Introduction EXAMPLE  HOOK:  BACK- GROUND INFO (TRANSITION):  CONTROLL ING IDEA (THESIS)  Driving is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get—or what might happen.  I first learned this valuable lesson at 16. When my mom and I left my grandma’s house in Illinois, she offered me the keys to her white Mazda Miata convertible.  As we started down the quiet highway, something I could never have prepared for happened—a locust flew into the car and up my shorts!

Middle/ Body  What are the components?  What is the purpose?

Body EXAMPLE  TOPIC SENTENCE  SPECIFIC DETAILS  DIALOGUE  IMAGERY  FIGURATIVE LANG.  WORD CHOICE  LEAD INTO NEXT PARAGRAPH  Driving down the highway in the heat of summer, the music was blaring, and mom was doing her usual hands straight out on the black dash with an overly dramatic look on her face. Just when I was about to yell, “mom, stop worrying, everything is fine!” an enormous, fat locust flew into the car. It was dashing right to left. Touching my face. Then, my mom’s legs. We screamed. I tried to swat it out, but it was no use. The car, however, responded to my hands moving back and forth: it screeched from one lane to the next. All the sudden, the locust was no where to be found.

End/ Conclusion  What are the components?  What is the purpose?

Conclusion EXAMPLE  RESTATE CONTROLLING IDEA  WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT?  WHAT I LEARNED?  I still sometimes cannot believe a locust was rustling around under my clothes while I was trying to operate heavy machinery! My mom to this day thinks I am a reckless driver because of that one minute incident. However, I have now learned that when I’m driving, I have to be on guard—ready for anything the open road throws my way.

Organization Activity  With a partner, organize the sentences into a paragraph.  What words helped you figure out an order?  Did you arrange the paragraph in the same order?  If not, does the organization affect the meaning?  What conclusions can you make about the organization of a paragraph?