Critical Thinking Organization Strategies

1. Critical Thinking Organization Strategies Using reading skills to help organize information in writing college-level essays.

2. Critical Thinking Strategies Summarization Categorization Comparison/Contrast Argumentation Note:The examples in this presentation are only one way of organizing an essay using each of these strategies. Use them as guidelines, not as unchanging outlines.

3. Organizing Information based on Reading: Summarization Assignment: What are the da Vinci articles about? Essay Structure: Paragraph 1: Introduction Paragraph 2: Summary of “The Drawings of a Master” Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” Paragraph 4: Conclusion Note:The more articles you have to summarize, the longer your essay will be, as each summary will become a new body paragraph.

4. Organizing Information based on Reading: Categorization Assignment: Which of the seven principles does Delfina have? Essay Structure: Paragraph 1: Introduction Paragraph 2: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short! No more than 3 sentences! Paragraph 3: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible! Paragraph 4: Describe Delfina with category 1 – dimostrazione Paragraph 5: Describe Delfina with category 2 – connessione Paragraph 6: Describe Delfina with category 3 – curiosita Paragraph 7: Conclusion Note:The more categories you can use, the longer your essay will be, as each categorization will become a new body paragraph.

5. Organizing Information based on Reading: Compare and Contrast Assignment: How is Delfina similar and different from da Vinci? Essay Structure: Paragraph 1: Introduction Paragraph 2: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible! Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short!No more than 3 sentences! Paragraph 4: First Comparison – curiosita – of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 5: First Contrast – arte/Scienza– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 6: Second Comparison – dimostrazione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 7: Second Contrast – sensazione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 8: Third Comparison– connessione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 9: Third Contrast – corporalita– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 10: Conclusion Note:Observe how Categorization is used in each Comparison and Contrast.

6. Organizing Information based on Reading: Compare and Contrast Assignment: How is Delfina similar and different from da Vinci? Essay Structure: Paragraph 1: Introduction Paragraph 2: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible! Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short!No more than 3 sentences! Paragraph 4: First Comparison – curiosita – of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 5: First Contrast – arte/Scienza– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 6: Second Comparison – dimostrazione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 7: Second Contrast – sensazione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 8: Third Comparison– connessione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 9: Conclusion Note:You do not need to have an equal number of comparisons and an equal number of contrasts. You use the evidence you find rather than create examples.

7. Organizing Information based on Reading: Compare and Contrast Assignment: How is Delfina similar and different from da Vinci? Essay Structure: Paragraph 1: Introduction Paragraph 2: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible! Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short!No more than 3 sentences! Paragraph 4: First Comparison – curiosita – of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 5: Second Comparison – dimostrazione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 6: Third Comparison– connessione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 7: First Contrast – arte/Scienza– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 8: Second Contrast – sensazione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 9: Third Contrast – corporalita– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 10: Conclusion Note:The more comparisons and contrasts you can use, the longer your essay will be, as each comparison and contrast will become a new body paragraph.

8. Organizing Information based on Reading: Compare and Contrast Assignment: How is Delfina similar and different from da Vinci? Essay Structure: Paragraph 1: Introduction Paragraph 2: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible! Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short!No more than 3 sentences! Paragraph 4: First Comparison – curiosita – of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 5: Second Comparison – dimostrazione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 6: Third Comparison– connessione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 7: First Contrast – arte/Scienza– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 8: Conclusion Note:Have at least three comparisons and/or contrasts. And make sure that you so both comparison and contrast.

9. Organizing Information based on Reading: Compare and Contrast Assignment: How is Delfina similar and different from da Vinci? Essay Structure: Paragraph 1: Introduction Paragraph 2: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible! Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short!No more than 3 sentences! Paragraph 4: First Comparison – curiosita – of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 5: Second Comparison – dimostrazione – of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 6: Third Comparison – dimostrazione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 7: Fourth Comparison– connessione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 8: Fourth Comparison– connessione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 9: Fourth Comparison– connessione– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 10: First Contrast – arte/Scienza– of Delfina to da Vinci Paragraph 11: Conclusion Note:When necessary, give multiple evidence to support a comparison or a contrast.