ORGANIZE Carefully

Phil Druker/Department of English/ University of Idaho

ORGANIZE Carefully:

a. Deal with information in blocks. Write everything you want to write about "topic A" in one place. Then move on to "topic B" and write everything you want to write about that. Then move on to "topic C" and so on.

So, keep the organization pattern simple. Sometimes, people try to make their writing (and then the reading for their readers) too complex by using a complex organization pattern like this:
        Topic A1
        Topic B1
        Topic C1
        Topic A2
        Topic B2
        Topic C2
THIS IS DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW!!    It often seems repetitious and confusing.

Instead, deal with information in blocks:
        Topic A
                1,2,3
        Topic B
                1,2,3,
        Topic C
                1,2,3
Note that these blocks of information could represent either paragraphs or sections.

b. Move from general to specific, from less technical to more technical.

c. Use organization to replicate the reality you are trying to explain.
Use block diagrams, flow charts, and figures to organize your ideas. Consider:
                        1.form
                            + what does it look like?
                            + what are its parts?

                        2.function
                            + what does it do overall? (what is its purpose?)
                            + how does it work?
                            +how does each part work?
                            +what does each part do (what is each part’s purpose?)

d. Use paragraphs: focus each paragraph on one key term, one very specific topic.
*** Use a topic sentence to introduce each paragraph.
*** Emphasize one key term in the topic sentence.
*** Focus on that key term in the paragraph.
*** Keep paragraphs relatively short.

e. Use HEADINGS and subheadings. Place the key terms in the headings and put the main points first.
Introduce the main sections

f. Put main points first. What you place at the beginning gets emphasized. The points of emphasis in any document are the beginning and the end.

g. Use and follow the basic report structures.

h. Consider basic organizational principles: chronology, space, function (purpose/how it works), form (what are the parts), general to specific, problem-solution, comparison (see below).

i. Avoid forward references (e.g.: "as will be explained later") or back references (e.g.: "as was explained earlier). Deal with information in blocks.

j. Use organization to emphasize what you consider important. Use organization to reflect the reality that you want to present.

Example 1. Spectroscopy with GIS

Plan 1	Plan 2
Tree 1 a. Infrared b. Chlorophyll content c. Water Content Tree 2 a. Infrared b. Chlorophyll content c. Water Content Tree 3 a. Infrared b. Chlorophyll content c. Water Content	Infrared a. Tree 1 b. Tree 2 c. Tree 3 Chlorophyll content a. Tree 1 b. Tree 2 c. Tree 3 Water Content a. Tree 1 b. Tree 2 c. Tree 3

Example 2. Rehabilitation for ACL Surgery Patients

Plan 1	Plan 2	Plan 3
Week 1 a) Strength b) Range of Motion c) Flexibility Week 2 a) Strength b) Range of Motion c) Flexibility Week 3 a) Strength b) Range of Motion c) Flexibility Week 4 ….	Strength a) Muscle group A b) Muscle group B c) Muscle group C Range of Motion a) Muscle group A b) Muscle group B c) Muscle group C Flexibility a) Muscle group A b) Muscle group B c) Muscle group C	Muscle group A a) Strength b) Range of Motion c) Flexibility Muscle group B a) Strength b) Range of Motion c) Flexibility Muscle group C a) Strength b) Range of Motion c) Flexibilit

Comparison (two basic structures)
A. Emphasize the product:
        Product 1
            Point of comparison/element 1
            Point of comparison/element 2
            Point of comparison/element 3...
        Product 2
            Point of comparison/element 1
            Point of comparison/element 2
            Point of comparison/element 3...

B. Emphasize the point of comparison/element
            Point of comparison/element 1
                    --Product 1
                    --Product 2
            Point of comparison/element 2
                    --Product 1
                    --Product 2 ....
            Point of comparison/element 3
                    ........

Technical writing is all about structure: using structures that people recognize to make your point. That's why the outlines provided in this course are important. Your job as a writer is to figure out how to use structure to best make your point.