Reading Strategies

Information can be grouped and ordered in different ways – for example: sequentially (as in a procedure), by order of importance (as in a persuasive argument), or by classification (as in a periodic table). The way information is organized in a text is a cue to help the reader understand the ideas and make meaningful connections.

A text may combine several organizational patterns, depending upon the topic, content, purpose and audience.

Graphic organizers (such as timelines, flow charts, and mind maps) can help you “see” the relationship(s) among ideas more clearly.

Some organizational patterns used in texts:

1.    Spatial Order
1. Information and ideas are arranged in an order related to the geographic or spatiallocation (e.g., left to right, top to bottom,foreground to background). This pattern is often used in descriptions, maps, diagrams and drawings to help to record spatial details.
2. Signal Words: above, across from, among, behind, beside, below, down, in front of, between, left, to the right/left, near, on top of, over, up, in the middle of, underneath.
2. Order of Importance
1. Information and ideas are arranged in order of importance (e.g., least important to most important; or the 2-3-1 order of second most important, least important and most important). This pattern can be used in persuasive writing, reports, explanations, news reports and descriptions.
2. Pyramid, sequence and flow charts are examples of visual organizers.
3. Signal Words: always, beginning, first, finally, following, in addition, most important, most convincing, next.
3. Cause/Effect
1. Details are arranged to link a result with a series of events, showing a logical relationship between a cause and one or more effects (e.g., describe the cause first and then explain the effects, or describe the effect first and then explain the possible causes). It is sometimes called a problem/solution order or process order, and may be used in explanations, descriptions, procedures, process reports, and opinion writing.
2. Cause-and-effect charts and fishbone diagrams can be used to illustrate the relationships.
3. Signal Words: as a result of, because, begins with, causes, consequently, due to, effects of, how, if…then, in order to, leads to, next, since, so, so that, therefore, when…then.
4.  Generalization
1. Information is arranged into general statements with supporting examples. The pattern may be general-to-specific or specific-to-general. Generalizations may appear at the beginning or the end of a report, essay, summary, or article.
2. Webs, process charts, and pyramid charts help to record the causal sequence that leads to a specific outcome.
3. Signal Words: additionally, always, because of, clearly, for example, furthermore, generally, however, in conclusion, in fact, never, represents, seldom, therefore, typically.
5. Time Order
1. Details are arranged in the order in which they happen. This is also called chronological order, and is often used in incident reports, biographies, news articles, procedure, instructions, or steps in a process.
2. Visual organizers include timelines, flowcharts, and sequence charts.
3. Signal Words: after, before, during, first, finally, following, immediately, initially, next, now, preceding, second, soon, then, third, today, until, when.
6. Compare/Contrast
1. Details are arranged to show the similarities and differences between and among two or more things (e.g., ideas, issues, concepts, topics, events, places). This pattern is used in almost all types of writing.
2. Venn diagrams, graphs and cause/effect charts illustrate the comparison.
3. Signal Words: although, as well as, but, com-
   mon to, compared with, either, different from,
   however, instead of, like, opposed to, same,
   similarly, similar to, unlike, yet.
7. Classification
1. Details are grouped in categories to illustrate or explain a term or concept. This pattern is often used in descriptions, definitions and explanations (e.g., a writer describes each category, its characteristics, and why particular information belongs in each category). Classification notes, column charts, T-charts, tables and webs can be used to group ideas and information.
2. Signal Words: all, an example of, characterized by, cluster, for instance, group, is often called, looks like, many, mixed in, most, one, part of, the other group, resembles, similarly, sort, typically, unlike, usually.
8. Combined/Multiple Orders
1. Many textbooks and reference materials use many organizational patterns to present information and ideas. Sometimes a single paragraph is organized in more than one way,
   mixing comparison/contrast, cause/effect and order of importance.
2. Tables and webs can be used to illustrate the links among different organizational patterns.
3. Look for the patterns and trends in the signal words.