Organization & Cohesion Workshop

Organization & Cohesion Workshop _______________________________ The First Year Writing Studio 2005 Bate

Overview: What is cohesion? What strategies can we use to build cohesion between sentences? How do we organize paragraphs and entire essays? How does purpose influence organization?

What is Cohesion? • Cohesion refers to connections between sentences. • In a cohesive paragraph, each sentence is related to the next, and separate sentences work together to make a unified whole. • Cohesive sentences and paragraphs seem to grow and depend on each other. • Sentences and paragraphs that are not cohesive seem disjointed and often leave the reader confused.

Recognizing Cohesive Paragraphs Lacks Cohesion: Captain James Cook discovered the island of Hawaii in 1779. Mauna Kea, on Hawaii, is the tallest mountain in the Pacific. Cook might have noticed the many mountains on the island as he sailed into Kealakekua Bay. The island also has five major volcanoes. Mauna Loa, another mountain on the island, is a dormant volcano that last erupted in 1984. Kilauea is the most active volcano on earth. It continues to enlarge the land that makes up this largest island in the Hawaiian chain. The volcano sends forth lava continuously (The Longman Writer’s Companion 32). • What makes this paragraph awkward or "bumpy?"

Cohesive: • In 1779, Captain James Cook sailed into Kealakekua Bay and discovered the island of Hawaii. As he entered the bay, did Cook notice the many mountains on the island? Perhaps he noticed Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain in the Pacific. Perhaps he spotted one or more of the five major volcanoes. One of these, Mauna Loa, is a dormant volcano that last erupted in 1984. Another, Kilauea, is the most active volcano on earth. It sends forth lava continuously. In addition, it keeps adding to the landmass of what is already the largest island in the Hawaiian chain. • (The Longman Writer's Companion 32) • What makes this paragraph cohesive? • Do you notice any words that signal the reader and allow them to follow along?

What Strategies Can We Use to Build Cohesion Within Paragraphs? • Use Reader Expectation. • Use the Known-New Contract. • Understand the “Road Signs” of Writing.

Reader Expectation • Have you ever finished someone's sentence or known what he or she was going to say before he or she said it? • If so, it is because what he or she said before set up a series of expectations for you. Conversely, have you ever had to stop someone who was talking to you and ask him or her to explain what he or she just said? • Most likely, your confusion was the result of the speaker’s failure to fulfill an expectation he or she had set up.

Reader Expectation • When we are reading, we usually cannot ask the writer to explain an idea further. Therefore, when we are writing, we MUST keep reader expectation in mind. • We must occasionally stop writing and put ourselves in our reader's shoes to determine whether our writing makes sense. • One very easy way to do this is to read your writing out loud and listen to it as though you are the reader.

Reader Expectation • A reader's expectations come from what was written before. • As readers, we expect the writer to stay on task and follow through. • The reader cannot read on because he or she has become confused.

Reader Expectation In 1779, Captain James Cook sailed into Kealakekua Bay and discovered the island of Hawaii. As he entered the bay, did Cook notice the many mountains on the island? Perhaps he noticed Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain in the Pacific. Perhaps he spotted one or more of the five major volcanoes. One of these, Mauna Loa, is a dormant volcano that last erupted in 1984. Another, Kilauea, is the most active volcano on earth. It sends forth lava continuously. In addition, it keeps adding to the landmass of what is already the largest island in the Hawaiian chain. • In what way does the presence of the question change the expectation set up by the opening sentence? • Compose an alternative second sentence in the form of a statement, rather than a question. Compare your version to the first in terms of reader expectation.

Use the Known-New Contract • Each sentence begins with "known" information and proceeds with "new" information. • The known information is in the subject slot while the new information goes in the predicate slot. • This is so usual that we can think of it as a "contract" - the reader has a right to expect each sentence to be connected to what has gone before by means of a known element.

Notice how, in the following paragraphs, each succeeding sentence is connected to what has gone before: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Portland, sixty miles from the Pacific Ocean, is by no means immune to the suburbanization that has sapped the vitality from many cities. Its suburbs now contain about two-thirds of the area's 1.4 million residents and about half of the area's jobs. Yet as the suburbs have grown, the downtown has become more attractive and popular than ever. Downtown Portland has distinct edges. Its eastern border is the deep, navigable Willamette River, lined for more than a mile by Tom McCall Waterfront Park, a grassy, mostly level expanse suited to events that draw thousands such as the Rose Festival (Portland calls itself the "City of Roses"), a blues festival, and a summer symphony series. Its western border is the steep West Hills, which contain Washington Park, home of the International Rosefest Gardens, where more that 400 varieties of roses are cultivated, and Forest Park whose 4,800 acres of Douglas fir, alder, and maple, constitute one of the largest national preserves and hiking areas in any American city.

Understand the Road Signs of Writing Examples of Road Signs: • e.g., for example • first, in the first place, finally, on the one hand/on the other hand • not only . . . but also • moreover, furthermore, likewise, also • meanwhile, afterwards, previously • however, instead, on the contrary, on the other hand • therefore, so, consequently, as a result, of course • nevertheless, yet, still, at any rate, after all, of course • namely, for example, for instance, that is, in other words • thus, then, in conclusion

How do we organize paragraphs and entire essays? • The guiding organizational principle in your essay is the thesis statement. Your thesis statement should include both a topic and a controlling idea. Topic + Controlling Idea = Thesis ECU Transit System + should be restructured to better serve students, faculty, and staff Thesis: ECU Transit System should be restructured to better serve students, faculty, and staff.

With this thesis “Getting a good summer beach rental requires four steps that you should complete during March and April,” the writer promises a chronological structure, which requires discussing the steps in order, with a paragraph or more given to each one. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Paragraph 1 Your first step will be to get a list of the reputable real estate offices in the area and work through the “hype” in their catalogues. Paragraph 2 After you have completed the preliminary analysis, you should talk to the most reputable offices about their rental options. Paragraph 3 When you have reviewed the catalogues and special options, you should be ready to narrow your choices and make the final decision. Paragraph 4 Although you are almost finished now, you should carefully review the contract and policies before you rent a house or condominium.

After reading this thesis “A fun weekend at the North Carolina coast can cost as little as $400 if you plan carefully for entertainment, food, and lodging,” an audience would naturally expect a general-to specific structure, with the general assertion stated in the introduction and with separate paragraphs providing the specifics on the three items. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paragraph 1 By using the special deals advertised in beach newspapers, you can enjoy the best entertainment at reasonable prices. Paragraph 2 Local fish and vegetable stores as well as the specials offered at non-tourist restaurants provide delicious, economical dining. Paragraph 3 By investigating “return condos” and other unadvertised real estate options, you can get an excellent house or condominium at a very low rate.

For an essay with the thesis “Because of recent environmental problems, you should avoid the North Carolina beaches in late August,” the writer might choose a specific-to-general structure, in which the problems would first be enumerate and then the recommendation would appear in the conclusion. You might begin with a general statement of topic, describe the growing environmental problems, and conclude with the thesis. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Initial Statement of Topic: Given recent developments on the North Carolina Coast, planning a beach vacation requires some knowledge of environmental conditions. Paragraph 1: The beginning of the hurricane season has in recent years brought huge clumps of seaweed to the shore in late August. Paragraph 2: Mosquitoes, spawned in standing water at coastal construction sites, also come out en mass at that time. Paragraph 3: Stinging jellyfish, called sea nettles come into shallow waters in late August to feed on plankton, a food source that has generally increased by recent beach dredging.

Conventional Methods of Academic Essay Organization • Sequence in time or space – Paragraphs elaborate the steps or elements; most often used for narrative or descriptive writing and characterized by explicit time markers(First, Second, Third, etc.) • Logical Order – One paragraph or section contains a proposition and the next elaborates the conclusion or possible result of this proposition; common in persuasive or argumentative discourse • Amplification – A paragraph or section clarifies an earlier one by defining, qualifying or illustrating it • Accumulation – A paragraph or section introduces an idea or example similar to that of preceding section; often introduced by transitional words such as likewise, also, and, moreover • Contrast – One or more paragraphs contrast information with information provided in other paragraphs

Conventional Methods of Academic Essay Organization • (Continued) • Comparison- One or more paragraphs compare information with information provided in other paragraphs • Definition- The sections in this form of essay explain a topic, idea, or concept beginning with general information and moving toward specifics • Cause and Effect- One or more paragraphs state and explain the causes of a phenomenon and then one or more paragraphs identify and discuss the effects. • Problem-Solution- One or more paragraphs identify problems and one or more paragraphs propose solutions to those problems

A word to the wise from Lisa Ede’s Work in Progress… As the examples we have covered indicate, your subject matter may naturally lend itself to a certain method of organization. In some cases, perhaps if you were asked to write an essay contrasting two types of computer operating systems, you would be able to use a single method of organization. More often, however, you will need to use several methods of organization in a single essay. In considering how you can best draw on methods of conventional organization, remember not to impose these methods formulaically. Begin thinking how to organize your writing by reflecting on your goals as a writer and your rhetoric situation. Remember, form should grow out of meaning and not be imposed on it.

Organization & Cohesion Workshop