Examine model documents. Many types of writing are highly conventional — which simply means that they follow predictable patterns and formulas. So when you are asked to compose in a new genre, study the arrangement of several examples. Some structural features are immediately obvious, such as headings or introductory and concluding sections. But look for more subtle moves too — for example, many editorials first describe a problem, then blame someone for it, and finally make a comment or offer a comparison. Good models will point you in the right direction.

Sketch out a plan or sequence. To give direction to a new project, try starting with a scratch (or informal) outline, even a rough one. You will probably discover relationships between your ideas (sequence, similarity, difference) or quickly note gaps or flaws in your thinking. Just as important, creating a structure makes a writing project suddenly seem more doable because you’ve broken a complex task into smaller, more manageable parts.

Technology can also make it easier to organize a project. Consider how effortlessly you can move the slides in a PowerPoint presentation until you find the most effective order. Yet pen and paper work almost as well, whether you use note cards to map out a senior thesis or draw an outline to clarify matters in a comparison/contrast piece. (think visually)

Provide cues or signals for readers. Just because you understand how the parts of your project fit together, don’t assume readers will. You have to give them cues — which come in various forms, including titles, headings, captions, and, especially, transitional words and phrases. For example, in a narrative you might include transitional words to mark the passage of time (next, then, before, afterward). Or, if you organize a project according to a principle of magnitude, you might give readers signals that clearly show a change from best to worst, cheapest to most expensive, most common species to endangered species. And if you are writing to inform or report, you might also rely heavily on visuals to help make your point. (order ideas)

Deliver on your commitments. This is a basic principle of organization. If, for example, you promise in an introductory paragraph to offer two reasons in support of a claim, you need to offer two clearly identifiable reasons in that paper or readers will feel that they missed something. But commitments are broader than that: Narratives ordinarily lead somewhere, perhaps to a climax; editorials offer opinions; proposals offer and defend new ideas; evaluations make judgments. You can depart from these structural expectations, but you should do so knowing what readers expect and anticipating how they might react to your straying from the formula.