What Are Organizational Patterns?

Organizational patterns are the ways authors arrange ideas and information in a text.

Common Patterns

• Chronological Order: Events in time order.
• Cause and Effect: Shows how one thing leads to another.
• Compare and Contrast: Explains similarities and differences.
• Problem and Solution: Presents an issue and how it’s solved.

Why They Matter

Recognizing these patterns helps you follow the author’s logic and anticipate what’s coming next.

Real-World Connections

News articles often use chronological order, while science articles might use cause and effect.

Practice

Try mapping out how information is organized in an article or textbook chapter.