Language Arts Lesson 6
Writing Strategies: Organization and Focus (Grades 9-12)

Instruction 6-5

Controlling Impression, Coherent Thesis (Grades 9-10) | Active Verb Usage (Grades 9-10) | Elements of Discourse (Grades 11-12) | Reaching Rhetorical and Aesthetic Purposes (Grades 11-12) | Structuring Ideas and Arguments (Grades 11-12) | How to Use Rhetorical Devices (Grades 11-12) | Natural, Fresh, and Vivid Language Usage (Grades 11-12) | Summary

STRUCTURING IDEAS AND ARGUMENTS (GRADES 11-12)

 Reading may be simple, but writing can sometimes be intimidating. You might stare at your blank page and wonder what to write. You might be afraid of making a mistake.

Writing doesn’t have to be scary, though. Writing is a process of invention. You, as the writer, must have something to say. You must understand your topic and have information that is relevant to it. Many documents fail not because the author lacks writing skills, but because the author lacks anything to say.

So let’s say you have your topic. Let’s say you’ve come up with a thesis—a main idea, which usually includes your opinion. You’ve done your research and have information to support your ideas. How do you get your ideas down on paper so that the reader can follow your train of thought?

In order to do this, your ideas must have structure. Your sentences must make sense. Your grammar, spelling, and punctuation must follow rules and conventions.

But more important than grammar and spelling, you’ll need to put your ideas in a logical order. The trip from your opening to closing must be as bump free as possible. If you’re not careful, the path you create can lead down rabbit trails and dead ends. You might contradict yourself. You might make a point and then give no evidence to back it up. Or, you might just roam around without focusing on a single issue—and your message will be lost.

So how do you get this kind of structure?

Structuring your ideas and arguments

What is an argument? An argument can be many things. When your purpose in writing is to persuade, an argument is the logical structure of reasons and evidence in support of your claim. In this case, an argument is not just a quarrel or a dispute. You may not be able to convince all of your audience that your ideas are the right ones. However, if you structure your arguments well, you can compel your readers to reconsider their own ideas.

Whether you are simple presenting ideas, or you are offering arguments, the structuring process is the same. Here are some steps to help you structure your thoughts when you write.

Step 1.
Make sure that you know what you intend to argue or say before you start. If you think that you can figure out what you're going to say as you go along often, you’ll probably end up following fruitless thought patterns. Your arguments will get hopelessly tangled up.

Step 2.
Once you know what you are going to argue, write an outline to structure your arguments or ideas. Make sure you include supporting evidence for each one of your points.

Step 3.
Within your document, the introductory paragraph is the most important. In it, you should try to do these things:

1. Explain the why your topic is important
2. Present the basic issues which are a part of the topic
3. Present the core of your argument or idea in a thesis sentence
4. If you have presented an argument, summarize how you intend to prove it.

The thesis sentence is definitely the most important part of your first paragraph. It tells the reader exactly what your purpose is.

Step 4.
After the first paragraph, you’ll write the body of your document. Think of each paragraph as one basic unit of your argument. Each paragraph should have a very clear role and position in your argument or the presentation of your idea.

Each paragraph should also contribute clearly to the development of your argument. In your paragraphs, you should always have a mini-thesis. A mini-thesis is the point the paragraph is intended to make, supported by evidence for that point.

Step 5.
The final paragraph (or two) is the conclusion. You should never present new information or arguments in your conclusion. You should just restate your thesis/argument, and summarize your basic points and evidence. If you want to, you can also suggest new avenues for research.

Step 6.
Now that your rough draft is done, Put your paper aside and ask yourself a few questions:
What and where is the thesis?
Does it make sense?
What, where, and in what order are the arguments supporting the thesis?
Is the evidence organized logically to support the specific points you are making? Is there anything unnecessary that you can toss out?

Now, rewrite, and rewrite again until you are satisfied with your answers to these questions. The better you are at critiquing your own work, the better your end result will be!

Now let's do Practice Exercise 6-5 (top). 

Next Page:  How to Use Rhetorical Devices (Grades 11-12) (top)