Mapping the Orgainizational Structure of a text ( CSU Standards)

Mapping the Organizational Structure of a text: Annotation Lesson II

When you do a close reading of a text you must also look at the structure of the text.

You do not simply highly names, dates, places, and the thesis statement.  You must look at the structure of the text to understand a writer’s approach to the content and the tools (rhetorical devices that he/she uses to make their argument.

Mapping the Organizational Structure

·      Draw a line across the page where the introduction ends. Is it after the first paragraph, or are there several introductory paragraphs? How do you know?

·      Draw a line across the page where the conclusion begins. Is it the last paragraph, or are there several concluding paragraphs? How do you know?

·      Think on your own, discuss in groups or a s a class why the lines were drawn where they were. In this activity, thinking and reasoning about organizational structure is more important than agreeing on where the lines should be drawn.

·      Further divide the body of the text into topics ( what each section is about).

·      Write a short description of what each section is a bout, what it says about the topic, and the rhetorical function of the section ( why the writer put it there).

After this is done, answer the following questions:

·      How does each section affect the reader? What is the writer trying to accomplish?

·      What does each section say?  (Paraphrase the main idea of the section) What is the content?

·      Which section is the most developed?

·      Which section is the least developed? Does it need more development?

·      Which section is the most persuasive? The least persuasive?

·      On the basis of your chart of the text, what do you think is the main argument? Is the argument explicit or implicit?

Cluster/Webbing

·      Draw a circle in the center of a blank page, and label the circle with the main idea of the text.

·      Record the supporting ideas of the text in branches that connect to the central idea.

Mapping the Content

·      Draw a picture of the argument, mapping the flow of the text graphically or verbally.