How to Become an Effective Reader

Methods of Text Organization And Transitions

Organizational Methods ( Patterns) and Transitions

Authors use many different methods to organize information. If you know which organizational method the author is using, you will better understand the information you read. Authors use two techniques to clearly show how ideas are related to one another: Organizational Methods (Patterns) Transitions
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Organizational Methods (Patterns)

Organizational Methods are established by using transitions to show the logical relationship between ideas in a paragraph or passage.

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Transitions

Transitions are words and phrases that show the logical relationships within a sentence and between sentences. Example: Fernando is actively involved in several community organizations. Children know Fernando likes them because he goes on all the Boy Scout camping trips and he coaches a youth soccer league.

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Organizational Methods (Patterns)

Cause and Effect Comparison and/or Contrast Spatial Order-Location / Description Time Order (Sequence, Chronological Order)/ Process Enumeration (Listing) Problem-Solution Definition Example Addition

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Cause and Effect

In a passage that is organized according to cause and effect, the author tells what happened (effect) and why it happened (cause). Several causes might be given for one or the passage might describe several effects of one cause.
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Example of Cause and Effect

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Comparison and Contrast

A passage of comparison and contrast focuses on how two or more things are alike and different. Sometimes an author compares a familiar item with something that is less well-known.

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Words and Phrases Used in Comparison and Contrast

Words that signal a comparison As Also Like Alike Likewise Resembles Similar Just as Just like Equally Same both Words that signal a contrast however Although Whereas In contrast Yet Differs from Instead Unlike On the contrary Different from On the other hand

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Example of Compare and Contrast

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The Time Order Pattern

The time order pattern is perhaps the most common way to organize information. This type of organization generally shows a chain of events chronologically or in the order in which they occur. There are two types: Narration Process
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Transitions Used in the Time Order Pattern for Narration

After Afterward As At last Before Currently During Eventually Finally First Last Later While

Meanwhile Next Now Presently Often Previously Second Since Soon Then Ultimately Until When

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Example of Time Order (narration)

When Corbin decided to become a teacher, he had no idea that he was also deciding to become a career student. His first notions of wanting only a bachelors degree were quickly dispelled. During those early years as a teacher, he found that the more he learned the more excited he was about teaching. Eventually, his passion for learning earned him a masters degree and a doctorate degree.

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Example of Time Order

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Organizational Methods
In addition to the methods described before, authors frequently organize their writing in the following ways: Flashback Bulleted List Foreshadowing Question/Answer Argument/Support
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Example: Relationships Within a Sentence

Weightlifting builds and tones muscles; it also builds bone density.

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Example: Relationships Between Sentences

Robert and Dorothy had a fantastic time when they vacationed at Valhalla Resort on Marathon Key in Florida. They woke up before dawn every day so that they would not miss the beautiful sunrises.

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Example
To ensure proper interdental cleaning, floss each day. First, break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Second, wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. Third, hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers. Next, guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion; never snap the floss into the gums. Then gently slide it into the space between the gum and tooth.

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Spatial Order Pattern

The space order pattern allows authors to describe a person, place, or thing based on its location or the way it is arranged in space. The writer often uses descriptive details to help readers create vivid mental pictures. For example, he might describe a tall building from bottom to top, a painting from left to right, a landscape.
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Transition Words in the Spatial Order Pattern

Above Across Adjacent to At the bottom At the side At the top At the side Below Beneath Beside Beyond By Center Close to Down Far away Farther

Here In front of In the back of Inside Left Middle Next to Nearby Outside Right There To the left To the right Under Underneath Within

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Example

From their heads to the tips of their tails, humpback whales bear distinctive markings. On top a humpback whale is dotted with fleshy knobs called tubercles; a strand of hair with many nerve endings grows out of each tubercle.

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The Listing Pattern

Authors list a series or set of reasons, details, or points. Changing the order of the details does not change their meaning.

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Addition Transitions Used in the Listing Pattern

And Also Furthermore Another Besides Finally First First of all

For one thing In addition Last Last of all Moreover Next One Second Third

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Example
An animal as large and beautiful as a horse needs to be cared for carefully. First, cleaning its stall on a regular basis is absolutely necessary. In addition, a horse needs to be groomed 3-5 times a week. Finally, a horse needs to be fed and exercised on a daily basis.

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The Classification Pattern

Authors use the classification pattern to sort ideas into smaller groups and describe the traits of each group. Each smaller group, called a subgroup, is based on shared traits or characteristics.

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Transitions Used in the Classification Pattern Another (group, kind, type) Characteristics First (group, categories, kind, type) Second (group, categories, kind, type) Order Traits

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Example
Wetlands is a general term that includes several types of vital links between water and land. One type of wetland is a bog; it is characterized by spongy peat deposits, acidic waters, and is covered by a carpet of sphagnum moss. Another type of wetland is the marsh, which is a wetland frequently swamped with water; it is characterized by soft-stemmed vegetation. Finally, a swamp is a type of wetland dominated by woody plants.

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Thought Patterns in Textbooks

Textbook authors use transitions to make relationships between ideas clear and easy to understand. Often authors mix organizational patterns in the same passage or paragraph. The effective reader looks for the authors primary pattern of organization.

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Chapter Review

Transitions are words and phrases that show the relationships between ideas. A thought pattern is established by using transitions to show the logical relationship between ideas in a paragraph or passage. Narration and process are two uses of the time order thought pattern. Transitions of time signal that the writer is describing when something occurred. In addition to showing a chain of events, the time order pattern is used to show steps, stages, or directions that can be repeated at any time with similar results.

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Chapter Review

Transitions of addition, such as and, also, and furthermore, are generally used to indicate a listing pattern. Authors use the classification pattern to sort ideas into smaller groups and describe the traits for each group. Examples of classification signal words are first type, second kind, or another group. The spatial order pattern allows authors to describe a person, place, or thing based on its location or the way it is arranged in space. Some of the words used to establish the space order pattern include adjacent, below, and underneath.

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Practice

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