Why Study Patterns? Guided Notes
1. You can .
2. You can .
3. You can .
4. You know when and how to .
5. You can .
6. You learn to .
7. You can distinguish whether information is .
8. Your brain .
9. You can your reading
.
10. You can discover the
11. You can take
12. You can
13. You can answer questions more .
14. You will be able to answer questions more
15. You are better able to .
16. You can organizer ideas so that you write better .
17. You can become a .
18. You can apply these patterns to your other classes
19. Pretty much all nonfiction is organized into seven patterns:
a. : Cause/Effect, Compare/Contrast, Topical, Chronological, Technical
: Problem/Solution, Thesis/Proof, Opinion/Reason
Reading Expository Text
Expository text is nonfiction text, and that makes it a different – and often more difficult – type of reading. When you read narrative, or fiction, text, you know what to expect because you know STORY GRAMMAR. In other words, you know to expect characters and setting, a complication in the plot followed by a climax and resolution. You have learned how to recognize tone and themes and other fiction-related concepts.
But expository text is different. Generally, expository text is divided into two categories: informative and persuasive. Within each category you will find different sorts of organization. Look at the table below:
Informative Patterns / Persuasive PatternsCause/Effect
· 1 cause/multiple effects
· 1 effect/multiple causes
· chain-link cause effect
· multiple causes/multiple effects / Problem/Solution (current events)
· problem
· effect(s)
· cause
· solution
Compare/Contrast
· similarities
· differences / Thesis/Proof (science, business)
· thesis
· background (definitions, research studies)
· proof (or evidence)
· implication
Chronological
· organized by time, sequentially
· organized by steps in a process / Opinion/Reason (editorials)
· opinion
· background (why author has this opinion)
· reason
· recommendation
Topical
· main idea
· subtopics
· detail
Technical
· contains jargon (specialized language)
· illustrations (charts, graphs, diagrams)
· step-by-step how-to
· not usually read from start to finish
As you begin to read expository text, your first question should be, “Is the author’s purpose to inform or to persuade?” Once you have determined the author’s purpose, you can begin to examine the way the text is organized and to assign it to a pattern of organization. Why should you bother? If you can predict how text is organized, you will read more quickly and with better comprehension. You will also find it easier to recall the information in a logical sequence after you finish. That becomes especially important when what you are reading is a test passage on a test such as the ACT or SAT or ASVAB.
So how do you tackle expository text?
PATTERNS of ORGANIZATION:
All information can be divided into four categories:
TOPIC: This is the SUBJECT MATTER (SM) of an article. To find the topic, you ask, “What’s it about?”
PREMISE: This is the GENERALIZATION (G) of an article. To find the premise, you ask, “What is the author saying about the topic?” or "What was the author's underlying idea when she/he started to write this?"
DETAILS: The DETAILS (D) give the specific facts, reasons, and examples of the article. To find the details, you ask, “Who, What, Where, When, Why?” The answers to these questions are the FIRES.
SIGNIFICANCE: If the writing is persuasive, the author may also include a persuasive argument called the SIGNIFICANCE (Sig.). To find the significance, you ask, “So what does the author want me to do about it?” Not all persuasive writing contains a significance.
You may find the above information in two ways within the article you are reading. It may be DIRECTLY STATED, or you may have to make an INFERENCE based on the details the author gives.
INTRODUCTORY DEVICE and PIVOT
Authors frequently begin with an introductory device. They do this for three reasons:
1. to get the reader’s attention,
2. to introduce the topic, and
3. to give background information.
When the author uses an introduction, you have to use critical reading skills to recognize when the author stops the introduction and states the topic, for often the introductory material will not help you predict exactly what the author’s main point will be.
You can recognize when the introduction ends by watching for PIVOT words and phrases. The pivot is often negative, and it signals that the first generalization is coming.
Two examples are as follows: “But not everyone.”
“In other words, he’s a rarity.”
FOCUS AS YOU READ AND VARY YOUR RATE
As you read, you should be focusing on thoughts, not words. You want to chunk information together and recognize what is the main point and what is supporting detail. This focusing and interaction with text will help you to build and maintain your concentration.
As you do this, you want to vary your rate to suit your purpose. Your RATE depends on two things: your purpose and the level of difficulty of the material you are reading. The more you have to remember, the more slowly you read. The more difficult the material is, the more slowly you read. Here are some general guidelines:
Purpose: Rate Comprehension WPM
for entertainment rapid 50% Ý 600
to find main Idea fairly rapid 70% Ý 400
to find MI and key details average 80% Ý 200
for complete mastery slow 100% 50-10
METHODS OF ELABORATION
Authors elaborate on information (give details) in five ways.
1. Facts
2. Incidents/Anecdotes
3. Reasons
4. Examples/Evidence
5. Statistics
You may find FIRES in the TEXT or in the GRAPHICS such as charts, maps, pictures, and other visuals.
PERSUASIVE PATTERNS:
In a persuasive pattern, the author is trying to convince you to change your mind, your actions, or both your mind and your actions. The author will present evidence and follow that with information on what the target audience could do to effect change. Sometimes the author also gives SIGNIFICANCE; asking the question “What does the author want ME to do about this” can identify this. Not every article has a significance because the reader cannot take action in all instances.
1. PROBLEM/SOLUTION (P/S)
This persuasive pattern of organization has four parts. P/S is commonly found in current event topics.
PROBLEM To find the problem, you ask, “What’s wrong?” or “What’s the problem?”
EFFECTS To find the effects, you ask, “What is happening because of this problem? What are the results?”
CAUSES To find the causes, you ask, “Why is this problem occurring? Why do we have this problem?”
SOLUTION To find the solution, you ask, “How can the target audience fix or eliminate this problem?”
EXAMPLE:
P = More teens are smoking.
E = Teens are more easily addicted and often are hooked as smokers for life. The longer a person smokes, the more likely it is that s/he will develop smoking-related diseases.
C = Cigarette advertising specifically targets teens. Teens smoke because of peer pressure.
S = Ban cigarette advertising symbols such as Joe Camel, which specifically target teens. Educate teens as to the dangers of smoking.
Sig. If you don’t smoke, don’t start; if you do smoke, quit.
2. THESIS/PROOF (T/P –Also called Thesis/Evidence)
The subject matter of this persuasive pattern is often scientifically based, and you will be convinced of the author’s thesis because the evidence is well-documented and accurate.
Thesis/Proof is a pattern commonly found in psychology, medicine, engineering, and in some advertising.
THESIS: To find the thesis, you ask, “What is the author trying to prove?”
BACKGROUND: To find the background, you will ask, “What do I need to know to understand this subject?” The answer may be in the form of definitions or historical data. This is sometimes prior research studies that have been carried out.
PROOF: The evidence will consist of the facts, reasons, examples, and statistics that the author uses to prove his thesis. You will ask, “What evidence does the author present which proves his thesis?”
IMPLICATION: The implication is the action you must take to avoid dire consequences. You will ask, “What does the author say the target audience must do to avoid negative consequences or achieve maximum benefits?”
EXAMPLE: T = Smoking is dangerous and may cause illness and death.
B = Scientific studies begun in the 1950’s led the Congress to pass a law in 1963 requiring cigarette manufacturers to place a warning label on all cigarette packages.
P = Two thirds of all smokers develop smoking-related diseases. Half of all smokers have serious health consequences. Eight out of ten smokers die of smoking-related causes such as cancer.
I = Smoking is dangerous and deadly, so no one should smoke. Tobacco should be banned.
SIG. = If you smoke, quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
3. OPINION/REASON (O/R)
The subject matter of this persuasive pattern is often controversial in that you will be able to find opposing viewpoints and arguments on both pro/con sides of an issue. Some examples of O/R topic are abortion, gun control, euthanasia, the death penalty, and legalizing drugs.
Opinion/Reason is a pattern commonly found in book/movie/music review, in politics, in most advertising, in essays, and in editorials or editorial cartoons.
OPINION To find the author’s opinion, you ask, “What does the author believe?”
BACKGROUND To find the background, you will ask, “What do I need to know to understand this subject?” The answer may be in the form of definitions or historical data.
REASON To find the reasons, you ask, “Why does the author believe this?” You will find facts, reasons, examples, and anecdotes that support the author’s point of view. But remember, the author often will NOT include information that supports the opposing viewpoint.
RECOMMENDATION: The recommendation is the author’s statement of what he would like the target audience to do or believe. You will ask, “What action does the author want the target audience to take? What does the author want his audience to believe?”
EXAMPLE: O = Abortion is morally wrong and should be illegal.
B = Hundreds of thousands of women each year have abortions. Hundreds of thousands of couples each year wait for children to adopt.
R = All of the genetic coding necessarily for life to develop is present in the fetus at the moment of conception. If you abort a fetus, that is the same as murder.
Rec. = Roe v. Wade should be repealed, making abortion illegal. Churches should counsel against the immorality of abortion.
SIG. Write your congressman today and lobby for legislation, which would overturn the Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion in 1975.
Signal WordsDescription / Sequence / Comparison/
Contrast / Cause/Effect &
Problem/Solution
to begin with
most important
also
in fact
for instance
for example / on (date)
not long after
now
as
before
after
when
first
second
then
finally / however
but
as well as
on the other hand
not only ... but also
either ... or
while
although
unless
similarly
yet / because
since
therefore
consequently
as a result
this led to
so that
nevertheless
accordingly
if ... then
thus
RSS Handouts 2006-2007 49
Face-to-face with acne
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
By Kyle Curry
Knight Ridder Newspapers
How familiar is this scenario?
You wake up one morning and start preparing to give a class presentation. As you plan your speech, you glance in the mirror and spot that cursed sign of teen angst: a zit.
Almost 85 percent of people between 12 and 24 years old suffer from acne, "making it the most common skin disease in America," according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Why those years in particular? Hormones.
"Acne is a hormonally driven skin condition in both males and females," says John Rupp, a dermatologist in Kansas City, Mo.
The process begins when hormones, typically testosterone, cause glands in the skin to be clogged, resulting in the formation of blackheads, pimples and cysts. These glands, called sebaceous glands, ordinarily help oil the hairs in the skin, keeping them lubricated.
What happens is this: Material, usually dead cells or skin oils, blocks the pore, called a follicle, for the sebaceous gland. When the follicles are covered by this collection of cells and oils, it is known as a blackhead. When the follicle is covered by pus, it is known as a whitehead. These are the typical pimples.
Worse conditions, such as cysts, result from pockets of liquid building up under the skin. If not treated, cysts can cause infection.
What can be done about acne?
For starters, if you pop your pimples -- stop! Not only can it leave an unsightly mess on the mirror, but it also can cause acne scarring.
Don't depend on tanning to prevent the skin from creating pimples, Rupp says. Tanning can create another problem -- skin cancer.
Various acne medications use different methods to prevent redness, reduce pustule presence or counter the effects of acne-causing hormones. Those meds that tackle redness and whiteheads attack the problems in the skin itself. Those that counter the hormonal effect work inside the body.
People who are using several products at once should "be mindful of irritation effects," Rupp says. Dryness from taking several medications at the same time can damage the skin more than acne.
As for alternative medications, ranging from acupuncture to lasers, Rupp says they are effective but generally cost more than pills or creams.
When it comes to buying acne medication, choices can be made between name-brand and generic products.
"Some generics are as equally effective as name brand," Rupp says. Also, prescriptions are made for individual cases, while over-the-counter material is generalized for everyday use.
Prescription medications should be sought for more extreme cases. Check with a physician or dermatologist before taking any meds and know what to look for as possible side effects.
Accutane, one of the better-known prescription drugs, works by flushing the system of potential acne-causing material. Amnesteem, a new generic based on Accutane, works in a similar way. These represent the "pill" variety of medications that usually require a prescription.