Very often, the "list" of concrete data that results from
answering the specific questions that constitute the
"brain-storming", "invention" process can indicate
quite clearly a pattern of development and organization for the material
to be contained in your paper. The questions you used for probing your
subject may suggest how to arrange your material:
| QUESTIONS | Writing Category |
| What happened? When did it happen? Where did it happen? |
Narration |
| What does it look like? What are its characteristics? What are some typical cases or examples of it? |
Description & Exemplification |
| How did it happen? What makes it work? How is it made? |
Process |
| Why did it happen? What caused it? What does it cause? What are its effects? How is it related to something else? |
Cause & Effect |
| How is it like other things? How is it different from other things? |
Comparison & Contrast |
| What are its parts or types? How can its parts or types be separated or grouped? Does its parts or types fit into a logical order? Into what categories can its parts or types be arranged? On what basis can it be categorized? |
Division & Classification |
| What is it? How does it resemble other members of its class? How does it differ from other members of its class? What are its limits? |
Definition |
These questions correspond to the general categories of narration, description, exemplification, process, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, division and classification, and definition. The categories, in turn, correspond to patterns of development that help you order your ideas. If, when you have probed your subject, you found questions under narration most helpful, your essay should be organized as a narrative. This is true of process, cause and effect, and all the other question categories in this list.
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