7   Writing Style

Organizing Information

Before you begin writing, decide on the best way to organize the information. In Dividing the Manual into Modules, we discussed the strategies for organizing chapters and sections of the manual. Here we’ll look at some of the most common strategies for organizing sections.

Topical

Much information in manuals is organized topically. This was described in Chapter 3, but applies at lower levels as well. You simply look at the information that you want to communicate and organize it around logical headings or topics. As the author, you determine the topics, but ensure that they make sense to your readers.

If you have a heading “Troubleshooting the Printer,” group all information about troubleshooting the printer under this heading. Readers will expect that all related information will be found here.

Top Down

Much descriptive text, but particularly introductions, are organized top down, since they begin with general broad statements and finish with the details. Use this method when you want to introduce a subject or persuade the reader about something. Our high school essays were usually organized top down since they started with the general introduction (your thesis), then moved into the details (your arguments).

Introductions at all levels in manuals are usually organized top down—they start by introducing the subject, then work into the details. These are sometimes referred to as advance organizers since they help readers organize information before they receive it, and have been shown to help readers remember information.

Chronological

If the sequence of events is the most important aspect of the information, then organize information chronologically—in the order something must be done. Most procedural information is chronological and is usually presented using step-by-step procedures or playscript.

Random

If there is no logical way to organize information, then organize it randomly. The most common form of randomly organized information is the bullet list. Other than bullet lists, text is seldom organized randomly.