1. Patterns of Organization
Karen Silvestri, Instructor
Reading 90

2. Transitions Make logical relationships between ideas clear.
Serve as a bridge between ideas
Can appear at the beginning, the middle, or the end of a paragraph.

3. Types of Transitions Addition Examples or Illustrations
Cause-Effect connections
Chronology (Time)
Contrasts

4. Listing Lists facts and/or details
Each supporting sentence presents factual evidence to support the main idea
the following, several, for example, for instance, one, another, also, too, in other words, first, second, numerals (1., 2.), letters (a., b.), most important, the largest, the least, finally

5. Listing
TOPIC OR MAIN IDEA
Fact 1
Fact 2
Fact 3

6. Time Order (Chronological)
Used frequently in academic writing
Follows events in time
Example: This happened, then this happened, then that happened, etc.
First, second, later, before, next, as soon as, after, then, finally, meanwhile, following, last, during, in, on, when, until

7. For example, for instance, that is, to illustrate, thus
Examples
Gives specific examples to support the main topic.
For example, for instance, that is, to illustrate, thus

8. Cause and Effect Offers the cause of something and its effects
Answers the question “Why?”
Structure: A cause followed by an effect(s)
Cause(s)
Effect(s)
Causes: because, because of, for, since, stems from, one cause is, one reason is, leads to, causes, creates, yields, produces, due to, breeds, for this reason
Effects: consequently, results in, one result is, therefore, thus, as a result, hence

9. First, second, next, then, following, after that, last, finally
Process
Shows a series of steps in a specific order
Has two primary purposes: (1) to show how to do something, (2) to show how something occurred
First, second, next, then, following, after that, last, finally

10. Compare and Contrast Contrast: shows how two things are different
Compare: shows how two things are the same
Similarities: both, also similarly, like, likewise, too, as well as, resembles, correspondingly, in the same way, to compare, in comparison, share
Differences: unlike, differs from, in contrast, on the other hand, instead, despite, nevertheless, however, in spite of, whereas, as opposed to

11. Comparison
ITEM A
ITEM B
Similarity 1
Similarity 2
Similarity 3

12. Contrast
ITEM A
ITEM B
Difference 1
Difference 2
Difference 3

13. Compare & Contrast
ITEM A
ITEM B
Similarities
Differences

14. Defines a thing or a concept
Definition
Defines a thing or a concept
is, refers to, can be defined as, means, consists of, involves, is a term that, is called, is characterized by, occurs when, are those that, entails, corresponds to, is literally

15. Definition Pattern TERM COMEDIAN General Group Entertainer Tells jokes
Distinguishing feature
Makes others laugh
Distinguishing feature
Distinguishing feature or Example of term
Chevy Chase

16. Practice
Psychogenic amnesia—a severe and often permanent memory loss—results in disorientation and the inability to draw on past experiences.
Several statistical procedures are used to track the changes in the divorce rate.
Think of the hardware in a computer system as the kitchen in a short-order restaurant: It’s equipped to produce whatever output a customer (user) requests, but sits idle until an order (command) is placed.

17. Practice Pattern: cause and effect definition
Psychogenic amnesia—a severe and often permanent memory loss—results in disorientation and the inability to draw on past experiences.
Pattern:
cause and effect
definition

18. Practice Pattern: Process Or Listing
2. Several statistical procedures are used to track the changes in the divorce rate.
Pattern:
Process Or
Listing

19. Practice Pattern: Compare and Contrast
3. Think of the hardware in a computer system as the kitchen in a short-order restaurant: It’s equipped to produce whatever output a customer (user) requests, but sits idle until an order (command) is placed.
Pattern:
Compare and Contrast

20. Resources
McWhorter, Kathleen T. Reading Across the Disciplines, 2nd edition
Anker, Susan. Real Writing, 4th Edition
Silvestri, Karen. Miscellaneous lesson plans.