Five-Paragraph Structure vs. Organic Structure

The principles of “organic architecture” call for each part of the structure to relate naturally to the whole, and for the building to relate naturally to the site. Rather than bringing a fixed set of architectural ideas to the site, the architect adapts the design of the building to its surroundings. How do you think this idea relates to organic essay structure?

Chances are good, at some point in your education you were taught to write a five-paragraph essay: Thesis, three reasons, conclusion. The five paragraph essay is a great way to learn how to use evidence to build an argument, but it’s not the kind of writing that most college instructors expect. Instead, college writing involves leading the reader through a thinking process that feels natural and coherent (and thus is sometimes referred to as “organic” structure: “Developing in a gradual or natural fashion.” [Wiktionary])

The graphic below contrasts the standard five-paragraph theme and the organic college paper. The five-paragraph theme, outlined on the left, is probably what you’re used to: the introductory paragraph starts broadly and gradually narrows to a thesis, which readers expect to find at the very end of that paragraph. In this idealized format, the thesis invokes the magic number of three: three reasons why a statement is true. Each of those reasons is explained and justified in the three body paragraphs, and then the final paragraph restates the thesis before gradually getting broader. This format is easy for readers to follow, and it helps writers organize their points and the evidence that goes with them. That’s why you learned it.

The image on the right, in contrast, represents a paper on the same topic that has the more organic form expected in college. The first key difference is the thesis. Rather than simply positing a number of reasons to think that something is true, it puts forward an arguable statement: one with which a reasonable person might disagree. An arguable thesis gives the paper purpose. It surprises readers and draws them in. You hope your reader thinks, Huh. Why would the author come to that conclusion? and then feels compelled to read on. The body paragraphs, then, build on one another to carry out this ambitious argument. In the classic five-paragraph theme, it hardly matters which of the three reasons you explain first or second. In the more organic structure, each paragraph specifically leads to the next. The last key difference is seen in the conclusion. Because the organic essay is driven by an ambitious, non-obvious argument, the reader comes to the concluding section thinking, OK, I’m convinced by the argument. What do you, author, make of it? Why does it matter? The conclusion of an organically structured paper has a real job to do. It doesn’t just reiterate the thesis; it explains why the thesis matters.

Five-Paragraph Structure “There are different kinds of medical treatment.” Thesis: preventative medicine saves money, reduces suffering, and saves lives. Reason 1: Preventative medicine saves money. Reason 2: Preventative medicine reduces suffering. Reason 3: Preventative medicine saves lives. “I’ve shown that preventative medicine is important.””Medical advances will continue to be made.”

Organic Structure Setting up: what does the reader need to know? Thesis: Lack of preventative medicine shows we need a whole new concept of health and wellness. Here’s what I mean by conventional medicine. Here’s why conventional medicine isn’t set up for prevention. Here’s what would have to happen to really do preventative medicine right. Implications: We have to think broadly (bringing thesis home). “In fact, we already see this shift happening…”

Exploratory Essay vs Argument

In thinking about how to structure an essay for college, it’s important to consider your purpose. Writing expert Bruce Ballenger describes two main directions a research paper can take:

• If you’re writing to discover and share insights about a particular topic (such as a work of literature or a social phenomenon), you’re most likely writing an exploratory essay.
• If you’ve already made up your mind about a particular question and are now writing to convince your reader, you’re most likely writing a persuasive argument (144).

In the exploratory mode, you want to guide the reader through the process of your thinking about a topic or question. For this reason, the answer to the research question (the fully elaborated thesis) is often delayed until later in the paper when using this structure (Ballenger 150). In the “Organic Structure” outlined above, for instance, the details of the thesis claim (“Here’s what would have to happen to really do preventative medicine right”) arrive near the end of the paper. Here’s a possible structure for an exploratory essay:

• What is the problem or question?
• Why should we care about this question?
• How have other researchers explored this question?
• Based on your research, what seems to be the best answer to the question? (Your thesis)
• Where do we go from here? (Conclusion)

When making a persuasive argument, on the other hand, you will want to front-load your claim and then use the body of the paper to prove it (Ballenger 152). The following is one structure for this kind of argument paper:

• What is the problem or question and why should we care?
• What answer to this question will you propose? (Your thesis)
• What have other people said about this question (Literature review)
• Why is your answer convincing?
• Why is it important to answer this question this way? What difference does it make? (Conclusion)

Shared Elements

No matter what kind of essay you’re writing, there are certain elements shared by all research writing:

• A clear thesis statement (often provided at the beginning of the essay)
• Clear and logical transitions
• Focused body paragraphs with evidence and support
• Appropriate format and style if you use source material
• A conclusion that expands upon your thesis and summarizes evidence
• Clear writing that follows standard conventions for things like grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Rhetorical Styles

Rhetorical styles, also known as rhetorical modes or genres, are patterns used to organize ideas and persuade the reader. Sometimes writers incorporate a variety of styles in any one essay. For example, a persuasive essay may include paragraphs showing cause and effect, description, and narrative. The rhetorical style writers choose depends on the purpose for writing.

Here are a few of the most common rhetorical modes:

• Cause and effect discusses the relationship between causes and effects, starting either with causes or effects, and using facts to explain how they are linked.
• Classification and division, often used in science, takes large ideas and divides them into manageable chunks of information, classifying and organizing them into types and parts.
• Comparison and contrast analyzes the similarities and/or differences between two subjects to learn or discuss them more deeply.
• Definition clarifies the meaning of terms and concepts, providing context and description for deeper understanding of those ideas.
• Description provides detailed information using adjectives that appeal to the five senses (what people see, hear, smell, taste, and touch) as well as other vivid details that help readers visualize or understand an item or concept.
• Evaluation analyzes and judges the value and merit of an essay, a concept, or topic.
• Illustration provides examples and evidence in detail to support, explain, and analyze a main point or idea.
• Narrative uses fictional or nonfictional stories in a chronological sequence of events, often including detailed descriptions and appeals to the senses and emotions of readers while storytelling to reveal a theme or moment.
• Persuasion (i.e., argumentation) logically attempts to convince readers to agree with an opinion or take an action; the argument also acknowledges opposing viewpoints and accommodates and/or refutes them with diplomatic and respectful language, as well as provides precise and accurate evidence and other expert supporting details.
• Process analysis describes and explains, step by step, chronologically, in detail, and with precision and accuracy, how to do something or how something works.

If your instructor has assigned one of the styles listed above, the conventions of that style will influence the structure of your essay. For more on this, see the section on rhetorical styles in the Excelsior Online Writing Lab.

IMRAD Format

Many scientific or social-scientific essays have a specific structure, often known as IMRaD: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. For most English Composition courses, you wouldn’t be expected to follow this pattern, but in a discipline-specific writing context you might need to know it. For more on IMRAD structure, see this outline at the Excelsior Online Writing Lab.