Your goal in organizing is to produce a sequence of paragraphs that leads the
reader to a single strong conclusion, but there are many ways to reach this
goal. Some suggestions follow. Use a Formula as a Plan Sometimes a teacher will give you a specific format to follow, but most of
the time you will need to discover the organization that best enhances the content
of your essay. Common Patterns of Organization Consider using one of the following patterns to organize your essay. - chronological (the sequence in which events occurred)
- narrative (how you learned what you know)
- generalization, followed by examples or arguments
- process (the steps for how something is done)
- comparison (similarities and differences)
- classification (types and categories)
- problem and solution
- cause and effect (or a result and its causes)
- a brief case study or story, following by interpretation of what it shows
- dramatic order (building to the strongest point)
Create a Rough Outline (see Outlining Tips) Consider Adjusting Your Plan Sometimes the trick to good organization is reorganization. Here are the signs
that a paper needs to be reorganized: - Parts of the paper are boring.
- Your real point doesn't show up until the end.
- You have repeated the same idea in several different places.
- The essay seems choppy and hard to follow.
- Your paragraphs are either too long or too short.
In the end, make sure that you know the main point you want the reader to get
and that every sentence contributes to making the point clear. | 
2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education