🔤 Plain Language: Organizing Your Ideas
Helping readers follow your message—quickly and easily
This post is part of my Plain Language Writing Guide.
If you missed the earlier posts—an introduction to this series, tips on focusing on your readers and purpose, and a list of helpful resources, you can start here: Plain Language Writing Guide.
Introduction | Your Reader and Purpose | Organizing Your Ideas | Effective Paragraphs | Simple Sentences | Clear Words | Enticing Design | Check Clarity | Resources
Why organizing your ideas matters
Clear, organized thinking produces clear, logical writing. Choose the information to include and to leave out. Cut information not clearly relevant to the program or project.
Cutting nonessential information will also save time for you, your reviewers and editors, your readers, and people or vendors translating your document into another language. Ask yourself, “Do I really need to say this?”
Start with your reader in mind
Divide your information into main and secondary points. Organize it so it flows logically from your reader’s point of view. Help readers find what they want in the shortest possible time. Anticipate their questions: So what? How does this affect me?
Usually, make your main point easy to find—at the beginning of your document. Tell readers early: what your conclusion is, what you want them to do, or whatever your main purpose is. By getting the most important information upfront, your readers can quickly decide how much more detail they want.
Chunk and label information clearly
Break your document into manageable chunks of information—its topics and subtopics. Organize the rest into related sections. Sections can range from a single paragraph to several pages of short paragraphs.
Start each section with its main point. Help readers move from section to section with headings and subheadings that describe the content.
Match your organization to the format
Consider your format when deciding how to present information.
Will it be a brochure with blocks of information on one or more panels?
Will it be a website where less important information can appear on lower-level pages?
Should details be highlighted in an adjacent article or box?
Could some information be clearer in a table, chart, or graph—or as a photograph or illustration?
Begin creating any needed graphics and photographs while you write so they’re ready when it’s time to publish.
A simple four-part structure
Use this easy framework to organize your document:
Message. Summarize the most important question or issue of interest to your readers. Give the punch line—your major conclusions—and tell readers what follows. State it briefly in a subject line or heading, such as Summary (not Introduction). Provide background later.
Action. Recommend what your readers should do—or explain what your organization will do next.
Details. Give the necessary details, omitting obvious information. Answer likely questions—how and why—and include the who, what, where, when, and how much if not already covered.
Evidence. Add material, enclosures, or attachments, if necessary, to support your conclusions, recommendations, and details.
Logical ways to organize information
The best method depends on what you’re sharing, but these approaches work in many situations:
Inverted pyramid—from most important to least important. Put the most crucial information upfront, followed by key details, then background. This is usually the clearest and most reader-friendly method, giving busy readers the main message quickly.
Seven questions. They help ensure you don’t miss important details. Useful within an inverted pyramid:
Who? The people involved, who it’s for, who’s in charge.
What? The main idea, what it’s about, the facts.
Where? The place, location, online spot, department.
When? Timing, deadlines, how often, past dates, future plans.
Why? The reason, goal, purpose, benefits, challenges.
How? Steps, process, methods.
How much? Amount, cost, numbers, resources, size.
General to specific. Start with a broad overview, then move to specific details and examples. It’s useful for helping readers learn something new.
Step by step. Present information as actions or phases in order (Step 1, Step 2). Essential for instructions, procedures, and recipes.
Problem – cause – solution. Describe the problem, explain the cause, then give the solution. Effective for reports and proposals.
Chronological order. Organize by time, earliest to latest (or vice versa). Useful for stories or history.
Questions and answers. Present information as if responding to FAQ (frequently asked questions).
Specific to general. Begin with detailed examples, then move to broader conclusions. Often used in scientific or analytical contexts.
Introduction | Your Reader and Purpose | Organizing Your Ideas | Effective Paragraphs | Simple Sentences | Clear Words | Enticing Design | Check Clarity | Resources
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