Organizational Patterns in Writing

Definition: Information is arranged by time - the order in which events occurred - first to last.

• Spatial

• Order of Importance

• Problem/Solution

• Chronological

Definition: Writers begin with the biggest or most significant idea and end with the least significant idea - or vice versa.

• Cause and Effect

• Problem/Solution

• Chronological Order

• Order of Importance

Definition: Takes the reader from one spot to the next as if the reader were looking at something - very descriptive

• Compare/Contrast

• Spatial

• Classification or Topical Order

• Cause and Effect

Definition: Similarities or differences of two or more things are presented

• Problem/Solution

• Order of Importance

• Chronological Order

• Compare/Contrast

Definition: This organizational patterns depicts why something happens (which is presented first) and then the elaborates with the results

• Order of Importance

• Compare/Contrast

• Cause and Effect

• Classification or Topical Order

Definition: These papers start with a conflict and the following paragraphs describe ways to fix it

• Classification or Topical Order

• Spatial

• Problem/Solution

• Order of Importance

Definition: The topic is broken down into smaller units and a limited number of logical, categories.

• Classification or Topical Order

• Chronological Order

• Compare/Contrast

• Cause and Effect

Which organizational pattern would you use to write a paper about the significant events during World War II?

• Cause and Effect

• Spatial

• Chronological Order

• Problem/Solution

Which organizational patter would you use to write a paper about attending a technical college versus a liberal arts college?

• Cause and Effect

• Compare/Contrast

• Order of Importance

• Classification or Topical Order

Which organizational patter would you use to write a paper that proposes three benefits of taking an AP or Honors class?

• Cause and Effect

• Chronological Order

• Problem/Solution

• Order of Importance