Structuring and Planning

Structure is important for any form of communication. Presenting information in an order that a reader or a listener can follow easily makes it more likely that they will understand what you want to communicate. It is therefore always important to think carefully how you arrange your information.

In addition good writers follows the conventions of structure for the type of text they are producting. We do the same when we speak, but tend to notice our efforts less, as we are more familiar with different types of spoken language, so we can switch easily from a classroom conversation to a discussion with our mates, for example. On the following pages, we explain the principles of good structure, the conventions of academic writing and demonstrate techniques you can use to structure your work.

If you prefer to listen to an introduction to structuring, you could download our vidcast (LINK to VIDCAST ch. 1 1.44 - end).

You can find examples of essay structures and different steps for different subjects on the following pages: Midwifery