Using 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. 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 which types of format seem most common and how each is organized. Consider the following questions about organization and format:

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.