Organization: An Introduction
Professional writing is to some degree formulaic: proposals cover certain topics, progress reports have certain sections, cover letters focus on key issues.
This is not to imply that professional writing documents are not complex in presentation, purpose, or accumulation of evidence. It does mean, however, that in some casesâafter youâve had some practiceâyou will find it easier to produce certain kinds of documents because you know the material they are expected to cover as well as the order in which they should cover it.
Thatâs where organization comes in.
The Role of Organization in Technical Writing
Readers of technical writing documents are busy. They want succinct content set forth in a format that is clear and easy to scan. Since professional writing is reader-centered or reader-oriented, you know thatâaccording to the rules of plain languageâit can be successful only if it helps readers
- find what they need,
- understand what they find, and
- use what they find to meet their needs.
Organization plays a role in helping you and the documents you produce achieve those goals.
Your reader must be able to move efficiently through your document. This means you must organize and format (more on that later) everything from the humble memo to the lofty report so your reader can find and process the information found there quickly. Your organization of a professional writing document relies for its success on
- established formulaic patterns,
- traditional writing elements, and
- effective design techniques.
Organizational Patterns
Although the situation will always differ given the context and constraints, in general there are three basic patternsfor organizing certain kinds of messages. Choose the pattern based upon the purpose of your document.
Neutral News Pattern (AKA good news)
Good for: situations where the reader will respond positively.
Think: you got the scholarship; your proposal is approved.
Negative News Pattern (AKA bad news)
Good for: situations where you think the response of the reader might be negative.
Think: you didnât get the job; your proposal is being rejected.
Persuasive News Pattern (AKA sales pitch)
Good for: situations where you might have to âsellâ your reader on your idea.
Think: credit card, mortgage, & magazine offers.
This last pattern can be adapted to fit any persuasive message, whether itâs a one-page memo or a 47-page recommendation report.
As your experience with technical writing grows, you will see that these formulas can be adapted to fit a number of different situations.
Commit these patterns to memory and learn to work with them quickly. They will come in handy for any writing task. The next three pages will explain them more fully.