Chapter 10 Summary

Chapter 10 : Organizing Information

Laura Sanders & Bart Hall

Objectives and Outcomes:

• Organize information as part of knowledge management

• Use outlines, storyboards, and tables as tools to test various ways to organize information

• Use topic sentences and transitions to signal organization

• Use conventional organizational patterns-whole/parts, chronology, spatial order, ascending/descending, comparison/contrast, cause and effect-to present information verbally and visually

Transforming Information into Knowledge
Turning information into text is sometimes a very messy process. Organizing information is one way you can insure that the information will be correct. Also take into affect the audience(s) when you are in the planning stages. Your goal should be creating an audience-based document or presentation so that readers or views can get an understanding of your topic.

Developing the Organization for Information

Outline: Outlines should stay flexible so you can change things easily without having to rewrite most of your document or visual. Outlines are not intended to restrict you, they are tools used for managing information. Outlines do not need to be formal, you can simply jot down information as you get it. They can be useful in planning, organizing, and drafting your document.

Storyboards: Storyboards have two broad purposes: 1) a powerful organizing tool for writers and designers, and 2) a short, dramatic visual summary showing the gist of the final product. Storyboards are a related sequence of hand-drawn or electronic sketches of pages or screens that organize their critical points. Using a story board can help you plan highly visual projects such as tutorials, training videos, ads, and web sites. They can be either passive or active. A passive storyboard is a simple sequence of thumbnail sketches or screenshots of a web site. Active storyboards usually require the user to be engaged in the process, and example would be power point presentation.

Storyboard Guide Lines:
-Don't invest a lot of time or effort, keep storyboards sketchy.
-Keep them easy to modify.
-Make them interactive if possible.
-Make them early and often, always use them on a protect that is new or innovative.

Tables and Spreadsheets for Organizing Information: These enable you to classify information into comparable groups and identify categories of detail about each group. If you create spreadsheets on the computer you have the advantage of numeric data. You can organize and interpret data using various formulas. Using color in a table is also very critical to many professionals including scientists, designers, and printers.

Implementing the Organization or Information

Alphabetical Order, Numeric Order, and Continuums: Alphabetical order of organization is most useful with such documents as dictionaries, encyclopedias, glossaries, indexes, and phone books. Numeric systems are effective because each item is identified by a single number. A continuum is used to rank or rate objects being used.

Topic Sentences: A topic sentence identifies both the content and organization or a paragraph. Transitions act like glue that connect ideas and sentences within a paragraph. They can also link paragraphs, and relate one section of a document to another.

Whole /Parts Organization: This form of organization uses a relationship of whole parts whether it’s an object, idea, or entire system, and parts of that whole either on a micro level or a macro level. In whole/parts organization, the main idea is to have a clear, well thought out topic sentence which is then broken down into further detail to make the information more comprehensive and accessible.

Chronological Order: This is used when the purpose is to give instructions, describe processes, or trace the development of objects or ideas. This form presents material arranged in an order of sequence occurrence.

Spatial Order: This form involves arrangement by relative physical location and describes the physical parts of almost everything. For example, use of spatial order in the form of a blueprint will give you specification of dimensions for a machined part. It is very useful to have visuals with this kind of organization.

Ascending/Descending Order: Ascending order refers to putting quantifiable criteria in order of least to most important and descending is just the opposite. Types of this organization include a numbered list, bull’s-eye chart,percent graph, bar or line graph.

Comparison/Contrast: This type of organization will tell you the similarities or differences of a certain, topic, idea, or situation. Comparison will show the similarities and contrast will give you various differences. Some forms used in this specific type of organization may include paired photos, multiple or paired graphs, or a table.

Cause and Effect: This form deals with factors and results which can be moved from cause to effect or effect to cause. It is very important to know the differences between inductive and deductive reasoning when arguing a cause and effect situation. Inductive reasoning is going from specific instances to broad generalizations. Deductive reasoning moves from general premises to specific causes.

Using Information:
Organizing information helps you meet the needs of the content, purpose, and audience. Organizing can also help make a paragraph or document more understandable, as well as overcome some of the noise that interferes with a readers' acceptance or comprehension of information. Organization can also be used to adapt your material to the readers' attitude, by using what you know about your induction and deduction.