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Organization

“Organization” is a catch-all term referring to the patterns used to present information in writing.

Overview
Paragraphs
Academic Genres
The Classical Argument
The 5-Paragraph Essay
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What is "organization" in writing?

Organization includes everything—from an entire volume of writing down the a single sentence. You may want to consider working with the big picture. To save stress later on, do your organization in the early stages of the writing process, working with an outline or a bulleted list. But be willing to reorganize your thoughts and ideas later on.

diagram of organization: cartoon diagram of internal organs, with different organs being labelled such as introduction, thesis, heading, evidence, and topic sentences.

How do I get started?

As a principle of writing, "organization" can be overwhelming to writers—there are numerous ways to organize your thoughts, your data, your images, your narratives, and your references. How do you choose the "best" approach? Different disciplines follow different models, and different audiences have varying—and often contradictory—expectations.

So where do you start?

Key note: always remember the architectural maxim "form follows function."

In other words, the form of your essay (the genre, the approach, the model, etc.) should always adhere to the function of your essay (the purpose, the goal, the thesis, etc.)

The General Principle

Think about organization as your paper's delivery message, a tool rather than a rule. Rather than simply filling words on a page, each segment of your paper should have a purpose within a larger whole. As a thought experiment, imagine the different parts of your writing (introduction, conclusion, body paragraphs, headings, footnotes, works cited, etc.) as the organs in your body. You don’t need a degree in etymology to know that “organ” and “organization” come from the same root. So, if every organ in your body has a purpose and a task, every part of your writing should also have a specific purpose in the broader context of delivering your essay's message.

Main point

When organizing your paper, always remember that "many roads lead to Dublin." In other words, while there are common methods of formatting a paper, choose the method that works best for you, your audience, and your discipline.

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Literature Review

A literature review synthesizes existing research and makes a claim about the state of the scholarly conversation.
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Writing in the Sciences: IMRD

A common scientific writing format is IMRAD: Introduction, Methods, Results, And Discussion.

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Source-based Persuasive Paper

Source-based persuasive writing uses research and persuasion to convince a reader of a specific argument. 
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The 5-paragraph Essay

Many developing writers are familiar with the 5-paragraph model of organizing an essay. In its most basic sense, a 5-paragraph essay

  1. Tells readers what arguments you're going to present (the intro)
  2. Presents those arguments (the body paragraphs)
  3. Reminds readers what arguments the essay just presented (conclusion).

This organizational method is popular for many reasons, mostly because it's accessible and straightforward. Also, it's easy to test and easy to read.

However, as writers develop more experience with organizational models, they quickly become aware of the 5-paragraph's limitations—should, for example, every argument limit itself to three key points (the 3 body paragraphs)? Does the 5-paragraph model allow for counter arguments?

Key note: while many writers use the 5-paragraph model for short-answer essays, make sure it works for the task at-hand. The old architectural maxim that "form follows function" applies to writing as well: let your form (your style or organizational method) follow your function (your purpose or goal).

The Pattern of 5-paragraph Essays

A typical pattern of the introduction in a five paragraph essay is to engage the reader and inform them of the basic context of the essay, culminating in a concise but adequate thesis.

For this specific genre of writing, a top-down narrowing approach leads your reader in from the larger context and toward your specific points or claims. It may be helpful to think of the introduction of a five paragraph essay as a funnel or a triangle pointed downward. An effectively organized introduction in this genre begins with broader, more applicable language—addressing the context and establishing the tone—and it ends with a narrow thesis that is uniquely yours.

  • Example: "Using fear tactics in the classroom may encourage students to withdraw socially, promote feelings of anger and frustration, and cause students to mistrust the educational process in general."

The Body Paragraphs

It’s common for body paragraphs to each have their own internal organization, structured around clear and effective topic sentences. By having every other sentence in a body paragraph addressing or tying back to the topic sentence, just as every topic sentence should tie back to your thesis, you can help make clear connections about the relationship between your evidence and the points you’re making.

  • Example: "Education is a catalyst for economic growth and development. Nations that prioritize education often witness improved productivity, innovation, and a highly skilled workforce. Education equips individuals with the knowledge and skills needed for various industries, boosting employability and facilitating economic mobility. It fosters entrepreneurship and empowers individuals to create opportunities for themselves and others. Moreover, education reduces poverty by breaking the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage, enabling individuals to access better job prospects and higher incomes. A well-educated population contributes to a thriving economy and sustainable development."

The Conclusion

Some writers organize the conclusion to look, in many ways, like an inverted introduction. If the introduction is a triangle pointed downward, the conclusion is a triangle pointed upward—expanding outward to address the larger implications of your topic.

  • Example: "Education is the key to unlocking human potential and driving societal progress. It empowers individuals, fuels economic growth, fosters social progress, and enhances global competitiveness. As we embrace the transformative power of education, it is crucial to ensure equal access to quality education for all individuals, regardless of their socio-economic background or geographical location. By investing in education, we invest in a brighter future for individuals, communities, and our world as a whole."

What to chat with one of our consultants about the organization of your paper? Here are some questions to help.

  1. Is my paper "clearly" organized?
  2. Where does my organization break down?
  3. Where could my paper be more clear?
  4. Does my organization match the assignment's expectations?
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