Academic, Professional, and Public Writing (Chs. 19-26)

19g Using conventional patterns and formats

19gUsing conventional patterns and formats

To produce effective writing in a discipline, you need to know the field’s generally accepted formats for organizing and presenting evidence. A typical laboratory report, for instance, follows a fairly standard organizational framework and usually has a certain look (see 22c for an example). A case study in sociology or education or anthropology likewise follows a typical organizational plan.

Ask your instructor to recommend some excellent examples of the kind of writing you will do in the course. Then analyze these examples in terms of format and organization. You might also look at major scholarly journals in the field to see what types of formats seem most common and how each is organized. Consider the following questions about organization and format:

What types of articles, reports, or documents are common in this field? What is the purpose of each?
What can a reader expect to find in each type of writing? What does each type assume about its readers?
Do articles or other documents typically begin with an abstract? If so, does the abstract describe the parts of the article to come, or does it provide substantive information such as findings or conclusions? (See 21c.)
How is each type of text organized? What are its main parts? How are they labeled?
How does a particular type of essay, report, or document show the connections among ideas? What assumptions does it take for granted? What points does it emphasize?

Remember that there is a close connection between the writing patterns and formats a particular area of study uses and the work that scholars in that field undertake.