Chapter 7 Organizing Your Information Principles for Organizing

Chapter 7 Organizing Your Information

Principles for Organizing Technical Information n n Analyze your audience and purpose. Use conventional patterns of organization. n n Serves as a template or checklist Display your organizational pattern prominently in the document. Chapter 7. Organizing 2 Your Information

n n n Every technical report is different and calls for its own organizational pattern. Some require multiple patterns (See p. 132) We will focus on one main pattern for each technical document created, but you may use other patterns to aid in clarifying your topic. Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 3

Studying Documents from Other Cultures n n n Does the text follow expected organizational patterns? Do the introductions and conclusions present the kind of information you would expect? Is the text organized into paragraphs? Does the text appear to be organized linearly? Does the text use headings? If so, does it use more than one level? Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 4

n n Conventional Patterns of Organization Make things easier for the author & audience Display organizational pattern prominently Create a table of contents n Use headings liberally n Use topic sentences at the beginning of paragraphs n n n Each type of argument calls for its own organizational pattern. (See Fig. 7. 1) Long, complex arguments often require several organizational patterns. Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 5

Typical Patterns of Organization n Basic patterns of organizing information: Chronological: describe steps, events n Spatial: describe objects & physical sites n General to specific: background n More important to less important n Comparison and contrast n Classification and partition: categories or components n Problem-methods-solution n Cause and effect n Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 6

Chronological Organization n Commonly used to describe events or steps (Functional) Describe a mechanism n Sequence of events of an accident n Describe background of a subject (events leading up to topic) n Describe steps in a sequence—set of instructions) n Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 7

Guidelines for Organizing Information Chronologically n Provide signposts (HEADINGS) Step 1, Phase 1, Stage 1, and Part 1 n Consider numbering headings (above) n n Use transitional words n n Then, next, first, and finally Analyze events where appropriate n Although time-line can be easy, it doesn’t explain why or how an event happened, or what it means. Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 8

Spatial Organization n Commonly used to describe objects and physical sites. Describe a physical scene in an accident report n Describe a physical location n n. A computer room n A network system layout n Describe a design n. A n computer system (CPU, monitor, etc. ) Fig. 7. 3, p. 134 Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 9

n Guidelines for Organizing Information Spatially Provide signposts: n n Use graphics to complement the text: n n Use words & phrases that indicate location (to the left, above, in the center) in headings and topic sentences, and supporting sentences to aid your reader in the visual representation. Diagrams, drawings, photographs, and maps. Analyze events where appropriate: Spatial doesn’t explain itself n Analysis of events leading up to reason for description is still needed Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 10 n

General to Specific Organization n Commonly provides a general understanding of a subject, so details can be better understood. Background of object or physical site n Overall process, before chronological steps or spatial description n E. g. executive summary n Fig. 7. 4, p. 135 n Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 11

More-important to Lessimportant n Recognizes that readers of technical communication often want the bottomline (the most important information) first. Fig. 7. 5, p. 137 n Important factors leading to any purpose for writing the technical document. n Feasibility study – major reasons n Proposal – major applications n Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 12

More-important to Lessimportant n Provide signposts n n n Explain organization Explain why one point is more important than other Consider using graphics to complement text n Diagrams, numbered lists, tables Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 13

Comparison and Contrast n Used to describe and evaluate two or more items or options Credentials of job candidates, strategies for designing a new microchip n Fig. 7. 6, p. 140 n We’ll come back to this in a later assignment n Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 14

Guidelines for Organizing Information by Comparison and Contrast n n n Establish criteria for the comparison and contrast. If appropriate, determine whether each criterion calls for a required characteristic or a desired characteristic. Evaluate each item according to the criteria you have established. Organize the discussion. Consider using graphics to complement the text. Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 15

Classification and Partition n Classification process of assigning items to categories, Fig 7. 7, p. 143 n n E. g. feasibility studies, classify sites into domestic and foreign, or medical procedures as surgical or nonsurgical Partition process of breaking a unit into its components, Fig. 7. 8, p. 144 n We used this for the technical description Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 16

n n n Guidelines for Organizing Information by Classification or Partition Choose a basis of classification or partition that fits your audience and purpose. Use only one basis of classification or partition at a time. Avoid overlap. Be inclusive. Arrange the categories in a logical sequence. Consider using graphics to complement the text. Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 17

Problems-Methods-Solution n n Common in technical communication Proposal Describes problem, how it will be addressed n Fig. 7 -9, p. 146 n Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 18

Guidelines for Organizing Information by Problem-Methods-Solution n n In describing the problem, be clear and specific. In describing your methods, help your readers understand what you did and why you did it that way. In describing the solution, don't overstate. Choose a logical sequence. Consider using graphics to complement the text. Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 19

Cause and Effect n Common in technical communication n Fig. 7. 10, p. 148 Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 20

Guidelines for Organizing Information by Cause and Effect Explain your reasoning. n Avoid overstating your argument. n Avoid logical fallacies. n n Jumping to conclusions n Hasty generalizations n Hindsight reasoning n Consider using graphics to complement the text. Chapter 7. Organizing 21 Your Information

Introducing & Concluding the Body n In addition to the basic pattern of the document, two more elements are important: Introduction n Conclusion n Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 22

Introducing the Body n One main goal n To help readers understand your discussion n by explaining what information you are going to present, n how you are going to present it, and n why you choose to present it that way. n May have one at the beginning or one at the start of each major section Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 23

Introduction Should Answer Seven Questions n n n n What is the subject? What are key terms that will be used? What is the purpose of the document? What is the background of the subject? What is the relevant literature and its limitations? What is the scope? What is the organization of the argument? Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 24

Concluding the Body n Inferences drawn from technical data Or n n Final part of a document Most technical documents will have a conclusion, but there are exceptions: n Parts catalog Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 25

Conclusion Should Answer Four Questions n n What are the main ideas communicated? What should be done next? How can the reader find more information? How can writer (sponsor) help in the future? Chapter 7. Organizing Your Information 26