homework structure and meaning the owl

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What is the mysterious bird outside the window trying to say?

Learning Objective: to make inferences in a work of short fiction, then continue the narrative in a sequel

• Purpose This story is about a child who meets a mysterious owl after losing his grandfather.
• Structure The story is written in first person. It is chronological.
• Language Conventionality and Clarity Vocabulary: Contains numerous higher-level vocabulary words, such as avid, bounding, resigned, spindly Conventionality: The language is conventional.
• Knowledge Demands The author of the story is British, and words, names, and expressions used in this story reflect the fact: the town name “Chipping Sodbury,” the narrator’s use of “Mum,” “tin,” and “going on at our neighbors.”
• Anchor Standards R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.5, R.6, W.3, SL.1
• Grade 6 RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, RL.6.5, RL.6.6, W.6.3, SL.6.1
• Grade 7 RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.3, RL.7.4, RL.7.5, RL.7.6, W.7.3, SL.7.1
• Grade 8 RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3, RL.8.4, RL.8.5, RL.8.6, W.8.3, SL.8.1
• Grades 6, 7, 8 1c, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5e, 5f, 5g, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g, 6h, 7a, 7b, 7d, 8a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f, 11b
• Lesson Plan

Presentation View

Listen to this story read aloud.

When you make an inference, you draw a conclusion from clues in the story. What inferences can you draw about the owl in this story and why it appears to the narrator?

The first time I saw the owl was the day we buried my grandfather. It was surprising for two reasons. First, because I’d never seen an owl before and knew how rare they were. And second, because my grandfather had been an avid collector of the animal his whole life. Paper weights, key hooks, tea bag holders—all in the shape of owls—adorned every surface of his small home in Chipping Sodbury. As he grew older, the house became overrun with owls, yet every birthday and Christmas he would still receive more. I don’t know whether he welcomed them at that point or whether he was just resigned to the fact it was all he’d ever be given.

Roy Waller/Alamy Stock Photo

The real-life owl landed right outside my bedroom window. Even though it was the middle of the night, I was awake, thinking about everything that had happened that day, my cheeks smeared with old tears.

Wha-woo. Wha-woo.

I heard the owl before I saw it. I got out of bed and pulled back the curtains, and there it was, on a branch of the old sycamore tree. Dad’s been going on at our neighbors to cut the tree down for years, because it stretches across our yard and blocks out the sunlight, but on that night, I was glad it was there.

The owl was the most beautiful bird I’d ever seen: small and squat—perhaps just a baby—with brown feathers that looked like they’d been dusted in snow. It sat there, staring at me with its gold-flecked eyes, content to let me watch it through the window. Then a car drove past, its headlights blazing, which spooked the owl away.

I wasn’t expecting to see the bird again, but it came back the next night and the one after that. It would announce its arrival by hooting its calming song, and then it would just stare at me, mimicking my movements as I tilted my head from side to side.

On the evening of the fourth day, I took a tin of my black Lab Misty’s dog food and put a couple of spoonfuls on the windowsill outside my bedroom. I didn’t know what owls ate (other than mice, but I didn’t have any of those) but thought I might be able to tempt it with some liver chunks in jelly. The owl didn’t appear that night though. I left the dog food on the windowsill for a week, waking up each morning to check if any had been eaten, but the owl never returned.

Life moved on. I went back to school and spent my weekends playing hockey and studying for my end-of-year exams. Over time, I forgot about the owl completely. Until one night last winter.

I was walking home after a hockey match. We’d played Yate High, who have been our rivals for years, and beat them 3-2, so I was bounding along, high on life. It wasn’t late, but at that time of year, the sky turns black early, and it was already dark and freezing cold. There’s a road not far from my house that locals call “the devil’s bend” because cars always whiz around it at a hundred miles an hour, and it’s a blind corner so they can’t see what’s coming. Mum always goes on about how careful I need to be when crossing that road, and I usually am. But that night, my mind was elsewhere, thinking about the winning goal we’d scored right in the final minutes of the game. I was just about to step out into the road when—

I turned, and there it was: halfway up a spindly birch tree, with that steely look on its face. No sooner had I spotted the owl than a car zoomed around the corner, almost knocking me off my feet. My heart was racing and a wave of dizziness washed over me. I’d been about to cross that road. If the bird hadn’t stopped me . . .

I looked back. The owl was still on its branch, watching me with its gold-flecked eyes.

“Thank you,” I said, no more than a whisper.

It ruffled its feathers, cooed once more, and then flew off into the night.

Writing Prompt

Write a sequel in which the narrator sees the owl again. Your sequel could take place weeks, years, or even decades later. Don’t tell your readers everything—give them clues so they can draw inferences. 

This story was originally published in the December 2023/January 2024 issue.

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

Table of contents, 1. prepare to read 2. read and discuss 3. write your sequel  4. connected reading.

Essential Questions:  How do we cope with the loss of a loved one?

1. PREPARE TO READ (10 MINUTES)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Project the Google Slides version of Vocabulary Definitions and Practice on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. Highlighted words: avid, bounding, resigned, spindly . Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Optionally, print the PDF version or share the slideshow link directly to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity independently before class.

2. READ AND DISCUSS (45 MINUTES)

• Read the “Spotlight On” box on page 28 or at the top of the digital story page.
• For students’ first read, have them follow along as they listen to author Joseph Elliott read his story aloud. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.
• Have students reread and annotate the story independently. Here are some symbols you might have them use:

 ∞ = connection

⭐ = important

❓ = I don’t understand

💭 = “I’m thinking . . .” (add words and comments)

💙 = love this

(Some students may note the town name “Chipping Sodbury” and the narrator’s use of “Mum,” “tin,” and “going on at our neighbors” in their annotations. If they do not, prompt them to look for words, names, or expressions that reflect the fact that the author of the story is British.) 

• Alternatively, have students complete a double-entry journal during their reread. In their journals or on a piece of paper, have students create a T-chart. In the left-hand column, have them record three to five lines that jump out at them or feel particularly meaningful. In the right-hand column, have them record their reactions to these lines through questions, comments, connections, or analysis. You can find both a print and a digital version of our Double-Entry Journal handout in the Resources tab. 
• Divide students into groups to discuss their annotations or double-entry journals. Then reconvene as a whole group and pose the following questions, some of which may draw on students’ reading responses and group discussions. (If you prefer to have students answer these questions in writing, use the Featured Skill: Inference activity and Discussion Questions in the Resources tab.)

Inference Questions (15 minutes)

• What inferences can readers draw about the owl in this story and why it appears to the narrator? What makes you say so? Readers can infer that the owl in this story may be the narrator’s deceased grandfather. An owl—possibly a baby—appears outside the narrator’s window on the day of the grandfather’s funeral. The fact that the grandfather was an avid collector of owl items throughout his life is a hint that the owl might be the narrator’s grandfather reincarnated; perhaps he came back as an owl so it would be easy for his loved ones to recognize his presence, or simply because he always loved owls. You can infer that the grandfather first visits the narrator to comfort them and let them know his spirit lives on, and later appears to protect the narrator from being hit by a car. 
• The narrator never comes right out and says, “I was sad that my grandfather died.” What lines in the story allow you to infer that the narrator was full of grief over their grandfather’s death? The line “Even though it was the middle of the night, I was awake, thinking about everything that had happened that day, my cheeks smeared with old tears” allows the reader to infer that the narrator was full of grief over their grandfather’s death. (The first line of the story makes clear that when the narrator says “everything that had happened that day,” the narrator is referring to the day of their grandfather’s funeral.)
• The narrator says, “Dad’s been going on at our neighbors to cut the tree down for years, because it stretches across our yard and blocks out the sunlight, but on that night, I was glad it was there.” Why was the narrator glad the sycamore tree was there that night? Readers can infer that the narrator was glad the sycamore tree was there because it provided the owl with a place to sit right outside the narrator’s bedroom window. The narrator describes the owl as the most beautiful bird they’d ever seen and was clearly grateful for the owl’s presence—not only, you can infer, because of the owl’s beauty, but also because of the connection between the owl and the narrator’s grandfather. You can infer that the owl’s visit brought the narrator comfort.
• Why does the narrator set dog food on the windowsill? Perhaps the narrator sets dog food on the windowsill because they want to care for the owl, and offering the owl dog food is all they can think to do. It’s also possible that the narrator hopes the dog food will be an incentive to the owl to continue its nightly visits. 

Critical-Thinking Questions (5 minutes)

• Readers can infer that the owl in this story is the narrator’s grandfather, who has come back to comfort and protect the narrator. However, there is no proof of this. It’s possible that it was all a coincidence. What do you think the narrator believes and why do you say so? What do you think? Answers will vary. 
• Why might the author of this story, Joseph Elliott, have made the choice to not make it clear whether the owl really was the narrator’s grandfather? Answers will vary. One possible answer is that by writing the story the way he did, Elliott puts the reader in the narrator’s position of not knowing for sure.

3. WRITE YOUR SEQUEL (60 MINUTES)

Have students use the Narrative Planner to help them to respond to the writing prompt on page 29 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:

Write a sequel in which the narrator sees the owl again. Your sequel could take place weeks, years, or even decades later. Don’t tell your readers everything—give them clues so they can draw inferences.

• Alternatively, have students choose a task from the Choice Board , a menu of culminating tasks. (Our Choice Board options include the writing prompt from the magazine, differentiated versions of the writing prompt, and additional creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a story.)
• An entry form for the writing contest is available  here  to download.

CONNECTED READING

Connected fiction from the Scope archives about experiencing loss: 

“Facing Forever”

“13 and a Half”

“The Message”

“The McCoy Game”

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4 The Meaning of Life: The Owl and the Nightingale

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This chapter starts by telling that one of the effects of the form of The Owl and the Nightingale is its capacity to shape attempts to describe it. It claims that this effect is evident in that improper reading can breed opposition and misunderstanding. It proposes that such effect and irresolution it produces are not so much successive failures at critical understanding as nearly perfect reading of a form characterized by a gesture known as the feint. The first half of the chapter expounds its governing premise that words adequate the world and in the case of living things, language is as animate as the object it describes. The second half describes how a form culminates in a more dramatic feint. It concludes that the speech of the owl and the nightingale is the best instrument for subjecting life to the kinds of scrutiny which will truly give up its meaning.

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By Edward Thomas

‘The Owl’ contrasts the comfort of an inn with the outside cold, using an owl’s cry to reflect on fortune and hardship.

Edward Thomas

He is considered one of the best poets of the World Wars.

Poem Analyzed by Emma Baldwin

B.A. English (Minor: Creative Writing), B.F.A. Fine Art, B.A. Art Histories

‘ The Owl’ by Edward Thomas is a four- stanza poem that is divided into sets of four lines, known as quatrains . These quatrains follow a consistent rhyme scheme that conforms to the pattern of ABCB DEFE, alternating end sounds as it progresses. One interesting moment of rhyme is between line three of the first stanza and line one of the second. Both of these lines end with the same word, “rest.”  

Additionally, a reader should take note of the way that consonance connects other end words in ‘The Owl.’ For example, all the lines in the fourth stanza end with an “s” or “c” sound. This contributes to the overall rhythm of the poem. Assonance , or the repetition of vowel sounds, is also present. One example is in line three of the second stanza with the words “night” and “quite,” both using the long “i.”  

Another kind of repetition present in ‘The Owl’ is alliteration . This occurs when a letter is repeated at the beginning of multiple words, usually ones that are close together. For example, in the fourth stanza words that start with “s” start three of the four lines. Then, the only outlier, line one, has an “s” starting its second word. In the stanza itself, there is   also the phrase “Salted and sobered.”  

In regards to the meter , the lines do not follow a specific pattern but range from ten syllables, arranged in iambic pentameter , to eleven or twelve.  

Summary of The Owl

The poem begins with the speaker describing how he came upon the inn and the three things he was most concerned with. Although he wasn’t freezing or starved, he was cold and hungry and in need of rest.  

He made it inside and was able to take in all of the things he needed. But then, his rejoicing is sobered by the sound of an owl’s voice outside. Its call reminds him that there are many more people who are unable to be inside on this cold night.  

Analysis of The Owl

Stanza one  .

Downhill I came, hungry, and yet not starved;   Cold, yet had heat within me that was proof   Against the North wind; tired, yet so that rest   Had seemed the sweetest thing under a roof.  

In the first stanza of ‘The Owl’ the speaker begins by describing his own actions. He was traveling downhill and was feeling hungry. He makes sure to add that although hungry, he was “not starved”. This is followed up by another description of a similar nature. He was cold, “yet had heat within [him].” This heat was a kind of internal protection against the “North wind.”  

While these lines do not tell the reader anything specific about the setting , one is able to assume that the speaker has been somewhere where there isn’t much, or any, food. Nor was there anywhere warm to stay, or anywhere that he could rest. He is lucky to have made it inside.

The last lines speak of rest as being the “sweetest thing under a roof.” It seems as though his exhaustion is the most important thing to him at this time.  

Stanza Two  

Then at the inn I had food, fire, and rest,   Knowing how hungry, cold, and tired was I.   All of the night was quite barred out except   An owl’s cry, a most melancholy cry  

In the second stanza, he makes it to the “inn.” There, he is able to get all the things that he was lacking in the first stanza. There is “food, fire, and rest.” These three features of the inn are set against the three parts the speaker has shared about himself. That he was “hungry, cold and tired.”  

Now, an interesting contrast is presented between the outside world and that which the speaker is able to partake in inside the inn. Outside, one is cold and hungry, but inside one is warm and fed. The less-than-desirable elements of the night were “barred out” by the walls of the inn and the supplies inside. But, there was one thing that penetrated, “An owl’s cry.”  

The sound of the owl is described as being “melancholy.” This fits with the overall tone of the poem so far. The speaker has been reserved in his descriptions and focused on getting inside. There is a calmness to the scene, but also a darkness.  

There are a few moments of alliteration in these lines that a reader should notice. Such as that between “most” and “melancholy” and “food, fire.” Additionally, consonance can be seen in the same line with the reception of “cry.” The “c” sound also benefits from the second half of the word “melancholy.”  

Stanza Three  

Shaken out long and clear upon the hill,   No merry note, nor cause of merriment,   But one telling me plain what I escaped   And others could not, that night, as in I went.  

The third stanza continues the dark tone of the piece. The speaker hears the fall of the owl and it lasts “long and clear.” It is coming, he thinks from “upon the hill.” In the first stanza, the speaker mentioned that he was traveling “Downhill.” Perhaps it is in the same place the speaker just left.  

He also adds that the “note” was not “merry,” nor did it cause “merriment.” The reflected repetition in this line is interesting as it creates a feeling of unity between the speaker and the owl. They are reflecting one another.  

The fact that the speaker made it inside the inn is becoming increasingly important. He describes the sound of the bird as “telling [him] plain” what it was he escaped when he made it inside. The mournful sound is intimately connected with the night and the fate of many others left outdoors.  

The speaker notes this fact— that there are “others” who “could not” come inside in the last line of this stanza. He feels truly lucky to have escaped the cold.  

Stanza Four  

And salted was my food, and my repose,   Salted and sobered, too, by the bird’s voice   Speaking for all who lay under the stars,   Soldiers and poor, unable to rejoice.

In the last stanza, the speaker goes over the different things he has that separate him from the owl and the night’s cold it is representing. The haunting sounds made him feel “sobered.” His food was “salted” and his repose too. The “voice” of the bird spoiled his physical pleasure at these comforts.  

This doesn’t seem to be something he is upset about though. The speaker seems saddened by the state of the rest of the world outside, those he refers to as the “Soldiers and poor.” They are unable to “rejoice” as he is, warm and inside.  

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Baldwin, Emma. "The Owl by Edward Thomas". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/edward-thomas/the-owl/ . Accessed 18 June 2024.

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About Homework

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Homework consists of school assignments that students complete outside of class time, ranging from worksheets and practice exercises to long-term projects that extend over an entire semester or year. It also includes time spent studying for tests as well as reading and writing to prepare for upcoming class discussions.

Homework can serve several purposes. Most teachers intend it to reinforce and extend understanding of material taught in class. Educators also emphasize that doing homework regularly helps students develop habits of self-discipline and time management.

Since the late nineteenth century, debates over the amounts and types of homework assigned have occurred periodically, usually around the concern that schools expect students to complete too much or too little homework. Scholars continue to... .  ( Opposing Viewpoints )

• Is homework beneficial?
• At what age should homework be assigned?
• How much time should be devoted to homework?
• Should parents help with homework?
• Should the amount of homework vary when a child has a learning disability?
• When it comes to assigning homework, a rule of thumb is to use the ten-minute rule--what is it and how effective is it? 
• Increasingly, more educational resources are available online. What is the impact for low-income students or students in rural areas with limited access to the Internet?
• In relation to homework, compare the methods of "rote learning" to "meaningful learning"-- what are the pros and cons?
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• Last Updated: Feb 8, 2024 11:31 AM
• URL: https://libguides.broward.edu/Homework

Who is the owl god? Uncovering the Disturbing History of Molech Worship

As a data analyst always exploring the intersection of technology, human behavior and history, I wanted to uncover the dark tale of Molech – the ancient Canaanite god associated with the horrific practice of child sacrifice. What kind of theology leads people to burn their own children alive to appease a deity? Let‘s delve into the evidence and see what we can learn about the psychology behind this chilling form of worship.

The Pantheon of Ancient Canaan

To understand Moloch, we need to start with the religious context of the ancient Levant region around Israel. Like their neighbors, Canaanites were polytheistic – worshipping a pantheon of gods like the supreme deity El, the storm god Baal, and fertility goddess Asherah along with many others. They shared some beliefs with Mesopotamian and Egyptian religions but had their own distinct practices.

During certain periods, archaeologists believe ritual child sacrifice became a normalized part of Canaanite worship, practiced in temples with idols like the infamous brass Molech statue found at ancient sites.

The Identity and Imagery of Molech

So who was Molech exactly? The name likely derives from the Hebrew word melek meaning "king." Molech has been closely associated with the god Baal due to the similarity of their names and roles.

Statues and depictions of Molech portray him either as a bull-headed idol with outstretched arms or an owl-like deity, leading to his designation as the "owl god."

Table 1: Key characteristics of the god Molech

One of the most infamous idol depictions was found at the site of Tophet discovered in Carthage, showing a bronze statue of Molech with a furnace in the belly and outstretched arms holding braziers for burnt offerings.

Archaeological Evidence of Child Sacrifice

Archaeologists have unearthed grim evidence of child sacrifice and infanticide at a number of ancient Near East sites, suggesting the rite became normalized in pockets of Canaanite religion.

At the city of Ebla in Syria, around 2,500 child remains were discovered in a single "sacred precinct" dating back to 2300 BC.

Excavations of tombs in Carthage revealed over 20,000 urns containing the charred bones of infants and children.

The Hinnom Valley (Gehenna) outside Jerusalem contained a place called the Topheth where archaeological evidence indicates large numbers of children were sacrificed.

Table 2: Key archaeological sites linked to child sacrifice practices

The prevelance of INFANT remains found at these temple sites points to the deliberate ritual killing of children, likely by burning or other methods of sacrifice.

Biblical References to Molech and Child Sacrifice

The Bible contains multiple injunctions against the practice of child sacrifice to gods like Molech, confirming it was a ongoing issue needing to be condemned.

"You shall not give any of your children to devote them by fire to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord." (Leviticus 18:21)

"…they have built the high places of Topheth—which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom—to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire…" (Jeremiah 7:31)

References in Jeremiah indicate some periodic attempts by Israel‘s kings to put an end to these terrible practices when they arose:

"And he defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no one might burn his son or his daughter as an offering to Molech." (2 Kings 23:10)

However, the condemnations in Scripture also reveal that periodic return to child sacrifice occurred over centuries. What would drive parents to such an extreme?

The Sociological and Psychological Forces Behind Child Sacrifice

What‘s clear from archaeology is that evidence of child sacrifice shifts over time from rare episodic events to normalized repeated ritual practice in some locations. What sociological factors drive this shift?

Some experts theorize that in the context of high infant mortality in the ancient world, losing one child to appeal to the gods in exchange for community fertility and health may have seemed like a reasonable idea.

First-born children were likely seen as the "best" and most precious offering, sacrificing what was most valued. Ancient Israel did have a tradition of dedicating the firstborn son to Yahweh – later reinterpreted as redemption by an animal substitute.

Over time, as a ritual cult of Molech developed, the practice gained religious sanction as a way to appease the gods. Parents may have been pressured to prove their devotion by giving up their children.

The idol imagery of Molech with outstretched arms depicted a ravenous god who needed to be continually appeased. The psychology of wanting to please a demanding deity took an incredibly dark turn.

The Rise and Fall of Institutionalized Molech Worship

The shift from early abnormal occurrences of child sacrifice to an approved institutionalized religious rite is key to understanding this troubling history.

References in Scripture indicate an awareness of the practice of child sacrifice exists early on, but that it is seen as foreign and forbidden:

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire…" (Deuteronomy 18:9)

Yet clearly the ritual became organized and accepted in pockets, until it was officially instituted under certain rulers. 2 Kings 16 indicates king Ahaz introduced worship of Molech, likely learned from the Assyrians. The righteous king Josiah is later commended for destroying all the articles made for Baal and Molech worship in Jerusalem.

Timeline of institutionalized Molech worship

• Early sporadic occurrences condemned as foreign practice
• Worship introduced and promoted under kings Ahaz and Manasseh
• Josiah destroys idols and shrines to end the ritual cult of Molech

The swing from aberrant practice to state-sanctioned ritual and back shows how a corrupted theology can take hold.

Enduring Symbolism and Relevance of Molech

Though ritual child sacrifice was condemned and abolished millennia ago, the metaphorical concept of the Molech cult endures. John Milton‘s Paradise Lost and Allen Ginsberg‘s provocative poem Howl incorporate the trope of "passing through the fire to Molech" to conjure the apogee of depravity and corruption.

References continue to evoke the horrors of exploiting and destroying the innocent for twisted gain. As one aware of the long shadow history casts on the present, I find the figure of Molech disturbingly relevant today as a symbol of the forces that seek to rob children of their dignity for the sake of greed and power.

Uncovering humanity‘s dark chapters serves little purpose without resolve to bring such evil to light. Only then can we hope to banish these demons back to the darkness.

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A Personal Anthology

Writers, critics and others dream-edit a personal anthology of their favourite short stories

‘The Owl Who Was God’ by James Thurber

‘The Owl Who Was God’, as a title, is good enough on its own to qualify as an excellent short story, which is true of many of the choices I’ve made in this selection. A story’s title, maybe given the brevity of the form, maybe given the context in which the decision to read a particular story might be taken (the contents list in an anthology), carries a special force: of course you read the one with the weirdest title first (that or the shortest). For many of these stories, the title feels somehow of equivalent weight to the narrative, as though the story and its title might be interchanged. ‘The Owl Who Was God’, which is accompanied by one of Thurber’s own great, manic illustrations, tells a fable-like narrative about the imputation of enormous gravitas, even godliness, onto the deeply stupid. (Any resemblance to current events is, of course, entirely coincidental.) By asking an owl a sequence of questions it can only answer in its own call (‘“Can you give me another expression for ‘that is to say’ or ‘namely’?” asked the secretary bird. “To wit”, said the owl’), a group of woodland animals are convinced of the truth of the story’s title, with hilariously tragic consequences.

First published in  Fables for Our Time and Famous Poems Illustrated , Harper Brothers, 1940, and included in  The Thurber Carnival , Hamish Hamilton, 1945, and available online  here , but without the illustration, so don’t bother

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Organization and Structure

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

There is no single organizational pattern that works well for all writing across all disciplines; rather, organization depends on what you’re writing, who you’re writing it for, and where your writing will be read. In order to communicate your ideas, you’ll need to use a logical and consistent organizational structure in all of your writing. We can think about organization at the global level (your entire paper or project) as well as at the local level (a chapter, section, or paragraph). At all times, the goal of revising for organization and structure is to consciously design your writing projects to make them easy for readers to understand. A good goal is to make your writing accessible and comprehensible to someone who just reads sections of your writing rather than the entire piece. This handout provides strategies for revising your writing to help meet this goal.

Outlining & Reverse Outlining

One of the most effective ways to get your ideas organized is to write an outline. While a traditional outline with Roman numerals or capital and lowercase letters can be an effective tool, outlines do not always need to be this formal. When you outline, you can use any style that works for you, from one-word ideas to shorter phrases or sentences. You might also consider the medium you outline in—using notecards or a digital medium can allow you to easily revise and rearrange your ideas.

A traditional outline comes as the pre-writing or drafting stage of the writing process. As you make your outline, think about all of the concepts, topics, and ideas you will need to include in order to accomplish your goal for the piece of writing. Write down each of these, and then consider what information readers will need to know in order for each point to make sense. Try to arrange your ideas in a way that logically progresses, building from one key idea or point to the next.

Questions for Writing Outlines

Reverse outlining comes at the drafting or revision stage of the writing process. After you have a complete draft of your project (or a section of your project), work alone or with a partner to read your project with the goal of understanding the main points you have made and the relationship of these points to one another.

Questions for Writing Reverse Outlines

Signposting.

Signposting is the practice of using language specifically designed to help orient readers of your text. Signposting includes the use of transitional words and phrasing, and they may be explicit or more subtle. For example, an explicit signpost might say:

A more subtle signpost might look like this:

The style of signpost you use will depend on the genre of your paper, the discipline in which you are writing, and your or your readers’ personal preferences. Regardless of the style of signpost you select, it’s important to include signposts regularly. They occur most frequently at the beginnings and endings of sections of your paper. It is often helpful to include signposts at mid-points in your project in order to remind readers of where you are in your argument.

Questions for Revision

Works consulted.

Clark, I. (2006).  Writing the successful thesis and dissertation: Entering the conversation . Prentice Hall Press.

Davis, M., Davis, K. J., & Dunagan, M. (2012).  Scientific papers and presentations . Academic press.