Thought patterns

Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing by Longman Publishers

Guide to College Reading, 8/e

Kathleen T. McWhorter Guide to College Reading, 8/e

Kathleen T. McWhorter

Chapter 8

Following the Author’s Thought Patterns

PowerPoint by Gretchen Starks-Martin

St. Cloud State University, MN


THIS CHAPTER WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO:

1. Improve your understanding and recall by recognizing thought patterns

2. Identify commonly used thought patterns

3. Learn transitional words and phrases that signal thought patterns


Six Common Thought Patterns

Recognizing the author’s thought pattern will improve comprehension and recall. Six common thought patterns are:

1. Illustration/Example2. Definition3. Comparison/Contrast4. Cause/Effect5. Classification6. Chronological Order/Process

Recognizing the author’s thought pattern will improve comprehension and recall. Six common thought patterns are:

1. Illustration/Example2. Definition3. Comparison/Contrast4. Cause/Effect5. Classification6. Chronological Order/Process


Illustration/Example

An idea is explained by providing specific

instances or experiences that show it.

KEY IDEAKEY IDEA

ExampleExample

ExampleExample

ExampleExample


Illustration/Example

Example

STATIC ELECTRICITYSTATIC ELECTRICITY

lightninglightning

nylon rugnylon rug

cat’s furcat’s fur


Definition An object or ideas is explained by describing the general

class or group to which it belongs and how the item

differs from others in the same group.

TERMTERM

General class or groupGeneral class or group

Distinguishing featureDistinguishing feature




Definition

Example:

OPOSSUMOPOSSUM

AnimalAnimal

Ratlike tailRatlike tail

Lives in treesLives in trees

Plays dead when trapped Plays dead when trapped


Comparison/Contrast

A new or unfamiliar idea is explained by showing how it is similar to or different from a more familiar idea.

ITEM AITEM A Item BItem B

SimilaritiesSimilarities

DifferencesDifferences


Cause/Effect

Connections between events are explained by showing what caused an event or what happened as a result of a particular event.

EVENT AEVENT A

Shorter work weekShorter work week

Late for classLate for class

More leisure timeMore leisure time

EVENT BEVENT B

Missed the busMissed the bus


Single Cause/Multiple Effects

Single Cause

Event AEvent A

Event BEvent B

Event CEvent C

Event DEvent D


Single Cause/Multiple Effects

Example:

SNOWSTORMSNOWSTORM

Traffic ProblemsTraffic Problems

School closingsSchool closings

Accidents Accidents


Multiple Cause

Event AEvent A

Event BEvent B

Event CEvent C

Event DEvent D

Multiple Cause/Single Effect


Example:

ATTEND CLASSATTEND CLASS

TAKE NOTESTAKE NOTES

STUDY TEXTBOOKSTUDY TEXTBOOK

Good exam grade

Good exam grade

Multiple Cause/Single Effect


Multiple Causes/ Multiple Effects

Multiple Cases

Event AEvent A

Event BEvent B

Event CEvent C

Event DEvent D


Multiple Causes/ Multiple Effects

Example:

MISSING CLASSESMISSING CLASSES

LOSING NOTESLOSING NOTES

Low exam gradesLow exam grades

Failing the courseFailing the course


Classification

An object or idea is explained by dividing it into parts and describing or explaining each.

TOPICTOPIC

Part 1Part 1

Part 2Part 2

Part 3Part 3


Classification

Example:

HORTICULTUREHORTICULTURE

PomologyPomology

FloricultureFloriculture

Ornamental/landscapeOrnamental/landscape


Chronological Order/Process

Events or procedures are described in the order in which they occur in time.

EVENT or PROCESSEVENT or PROCESS

1. Action or step1. Action or step




OTHER USEFUL PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION

Statement and Clarification A statement of fact and then clarification or an

explanation of the fact. Transitional words are in Table 8-2.

Summary A condensed statement that provides the key

points of a larger idea or piece of writing. Summaries of textbook chapters are examples.


OTHER USEFUL PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION

Addition Introduction of an idea and then additional

information about that idea or statement. Transitional words are in Table 8-2.

Spatial Order Statements about the physical location or position

in space will be described. Example: description of parts of a camera.


Using Transitional Words

Transitional words (clue words, directional words) help you identify organizational patterns.

They also help discover or clarify relationships between and among ideas.

Example: If you see “in conclusion,” you know that the writer will present a summary.

See Table 8-1 for a list of transitional words that fit into certain organizational patterns.


LEARNING STYLE TIPS

Spatial Learner: drawing a diagram of the ideas in the passage.

Verbal Learner: outlining a passage.

Are you a spatial learner or a verbal learner?


SELF-TEST SUMMARY

How can you better comprehend and recall paragraphs you read?

What is a thought pattern? What are the six common thought patterns? What other thought patterns are used in

academic writing? How can transitional words and phrases help

you understand thought patterns?


Visit the Companion Website

For additional readings, exercises, and Internet activities, visit this book’s Companion

Website at: www.ablongman.com/mcwhorter

If you need a user name or password, see your instructor.


My Reading Lab

For more practice on thought patterns, visit MyReadingLab, click on the Reading Skills

tab, and then click on Active Reading Strategies---New York Harbor.

www.ablongman.com/myreadinglab


TEST-TAKING TIPS: Answering Questions About Thought Patterns

Study the transitions. They suggest a pattern.

Ask: “How does the author explain his or her main idea?”

A question may ask: “The writer supports her ideas by….” This is asking for a pattern.

The topic sentence of a paragraph often reveals or suggests the pattern to be used.