Patterns of Organization

English 52 Mrs. E. Buchanan

TRANSITIONS

Transitions

• Authors use two common methods to show connections, or relationships, between ideas.

• These two methods are transitions and patterns of organization.

Transitions

• We all use transition words all the time – everyday - when you have a conversation with someone. You might be talking at the dinner table with your family. You start out talking about your day at school, perhaps your midterm grades and other school related topics. The next thing you realize is that you are now talking about your upcoming spring break vacation. How did you jump topics during your conversation? By using transition words to get there.

Transitions

• The conversation might go like this:

• Mom: How was your day at school, Johnny?

• Johnny: First of all, I went to my English 83R class, took my vocab quiz, and got an A. After class, I went to the library to start working on my midterm paper. Next, I went to lunch with Joey, and finally I went to the travel agency to pick up tickets for our trip to Cancun.

Transitions

• During reading, it is important to pay special attention to transition words.

• These special words show the relationships between ideas within sentences and within paragraphs

Transitions

• Look at the sentences below. Which one is easier to read and understand?

• Naomi was happy to find out that she is having another baby boy. She needs to take out the clothes that her older son wore when he was first born. She will have new carpet installed. She will buy a new crib.

• Naomi was happy to find out that she is having a baby boy. First of all , she needs to take out the clothes that her older son wore when he was first born. Next she will have new carpet installed. Finally, she will buy a new crib.

Transitions

• Sentence number one did not make sense • The addition of the transition words First, next, and

finally in the second paragraph makes the situation clear.• Although Naomi is happy to be having a another boy, she

now needs to find clothes, install new carpet, and buy a crib.

Transitions

• Transitions are words or phrases (like first of all) that show relationships between ideas. They are like signs on the road that guide travelers.

• Writers often signal a change in topic with a transition word or phrase that serves as a link or bridge from one thought to the next one.

• Now let’s discuss patterns or organization – through this you will see how transition words are used.

INTRODUCTION TO PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION

Patterns of Organization

• Writers organize their supporting sentences and ideas in ways called Patterns of Organization.

• Just as transitions show relationships between ideas in sentences, patterns of organization show the relationships between supporting details in paragraphs, essays, and chapters.

• Patterns of organization are structures our minds use all the time.

• All of our thinking and communicating depend on patterns of organization.

Patterns of Organization

• List of Items• Cause and Effect• Comparison and Contrast• Examples and Illustrations• Chronological Order

List of items pattern

• A list of items is a series of reasons, examples, or other details that support an idea.

• The items have no time order, but are listed in whatever order the author prefers.

• If you were to win the lottery today, what are the five things you would do immediately after you received the news? (Write this on a piece of paper.)

Listing

Sometimes authors use numbers (1,2,3), letters (a, b, c) or asterisks (*)

to show the individual items on the list.

List of Items Transition (addition) Words

One First (of all) Secondly

Thirdly To begin with For one thing

Other Another Also

In addition Next Moreover

Further Furthermore Last (of all)

List of Items

• He does something to me, that boy.

• He steps on my heart.• He makes me cry

• “He does something too me, that boy. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry.” (Death, the book thief, p. 531)

List of Items Practice using Transition Words

• Group 1: Reasons for attending college• Group 2: The importance of exercise• Group 3: Tips for men on how to propose marriage• Group 4: Why you should stop smoking• Group 5: The importance of participating in class• Group 6: The advantages of becoming a vegetarian

Cause and Effect

• One thing or event causes another thing to happen.• Cause and effect reasoning gives logical reasons that

answer why or how.• A cause is a reason for something happening; an effect is

the result or outcome.• Transition words: because, thus, therefore, as a result,

for this reason, to explain, consequently, hence, so, affect, accordingly, due to, results in

Cause and Effect

• Narrator: It happened in the days before mail service and telephones. A wealthy farmer took a long trip. When he arrived home, he asked the first field hand he saw what had happened while he was away. This is how their conversation went:

• Field hand: Well, the dog died.• Farmer: The dog died! How?

Cause and Effect

• Field Hand: The horses ran over him when they became frightened and ran out of the barn.

• Farmer: What scared the horses? Why did they run?• Field hand: They were running from the flames when the

barn caught on fire.

Cause and Effect

• Farmer: Good grief! How did the barn catch on fire?• Field hand: Well, sir, flames jumped from the house and

caught the barn on fire.• Farmer: From the house! Did the house burn down too?• Field Hand: Yep, the house is gone too.

Cause and Effect

• Farmer: How on earth did the house burn down?• Field Hand: You see, one of the candles around your wife’s

casket fell over and caught the house on fire.

Cause and Effect

• Because the candles on the wife’s casket fell over the …• House burned down• Because flames jumped from the house the…• Barn caught on fire• Because the horses were scared they…• Ran over the dog

Comparison/Contrast

• A comparison shows the similarities between two or more ideas, people, or things.

• A contrast shows the differences.• Comparison and contrast may be seen as separate

patterns of thought; however, they often work together.• Transition words: as, like, similarly, in a similar manner,

likewise, in comparison, in a like manner, both

Comparison Words

In the cartoon above, the word resemble helps show a comparison is being made. Comparison words: but, yet, however, although, nevertheless

Contrast words

Contrast words show that things differ in one or more ways. In the cartoon, the speaker is contrasting two ways to die. Contrast words: but, yet, however; although, nevertheless, instead, in contrast, on the other hand, while, unlike, despite

Compare & Contrast Activity: Lincoln vs. Kennedy

Examples

• Wednesday Examples• A paragraph of examples usually gives a general statement of

the main idea and then presents one or more concrete examples to provide support for this idea.

• Many writers place the most important or convincing example either first, as an attention-getter, or last, as a dramatic climax.

• While the terms example and illustration are used interchangeably, an illustration is usually longer, and there may only be one in the paragraph.

Example & Illustration

Illustration words signal that an author is providing one or more examples to develop and clarify an idea.

In the cartoon below, the husband gives examples of what, to him, are deep emotions.

Illustration Words:(for) example, including, one, once,(for) instance, specifically, such as,Specifically, to illustrate, once,To be specific, (as an illustration)

Examples

• “Money” (by Richard Armour)• Workers earn it• Bankers lend it• Women spend it• Forgers fake it• Taxes take it• Dying leave it• Heirs receive it

Definition

• A paragraph of definition will define, clarify, or explain a key term.

• Definitions can be developed by providing dictionary meanings or personal meanings.

• They can also be developed by means of examples or by comparing and contrasting the key word to other words.

Chronological Order

• See if you can arrange the following sentences in a logical order, so that they form a short paragraph. Which sentence should come first? Second? Third? Last? Use the time words as a guide.

• A. Next, the two people declare themselves a couple, telling friends and relatives about the new person in their lives.

• B. The two people then make a commitment to have an exclusive relationship with each other.

• C. A relationship begins when two people show interest in each other and choose to spend time together.

• D. Last, the two people formalize the relationship by cohabitation or marriage.

Chronological Order

• A relationship begins when two people show interest in each other and choose to spend time together. The two people then make a commitment to have an exclusive relationship with each other. Next, the two people declare themselves a couple, telling friends and relatives about the new person in their lives. Last, the two people formalize the relationship by cohabitation or marriage.

• Authors usually present events in the order in which they happen, resulting in the time order pattern of organization.

• The time transitions then, Next, and Last introduce the points being listed and indicate their order.

• Two kinds of time order are a series of events or stages and steps in a process.

• As a student, you’ll see time order used frequently. For example, textbooks in all fields describe events and processes, such as … • the events leading to the Boston Tea Party• the important incidents in Abraham Lincoln’s life• the steps involved for a bill to travel through Congress• the process involved in writing a paper• the stages in the development of a cell

Time Order

Main idea: Children master language in predictable stages.

1. At about six months, babies begin to repeat sounds2. Three or four months later, babies can repeat sounds

and carry on little “conversations.”3. Toddlers understand many words but cannot talk.4. Finally, the child talks in single words and two-word

sentences.

Time Order/Series of Events

• Here is a timeline of my daughter’s academic life. First of all, Naomi started school at Adelaide Price in 1991. Next she graduated from Buena Park High School in 2004. Thirdly, she completed her undergraduate studies at Cal State Fullerton in 2009. Finally, she completed her graduate program in 2012.