Critical Thinking
Organization Strategies
Using reading skills to help organize
information in writing college-level essays.
Critical Thinking Strategies
Summarization
 Categorization
 Comparison/Contrast
 Argumentation
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Note: The examples in this presentation are only one way of organizing an essay using each
of these strategies. Use them as guidelines, not as unchanging outlines.
Organizing Information based on
Reading: Summarization
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Assignment: What are the da Vinci articles about?
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Essay Structure:
 Paragraph 1: Introduction
 Paragraph 2: Summary of “The Drawings of a Master”
 Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci”
 Paragraph 4: Conclusion
Note: The more articles you have to summarize, the longer your essay will be, as each
summary will become a new body paragraph.
Organizing Information based on
Reading: Categorization

Assignment: Which of the seven principles does Delfina have?
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Essay Structure:
 Paragraph 1: Introduction
 Paragraph 2: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short! No more than 3 sentences!
 Paragraph 3: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible!
 Paragraph 4: Describe Delfina with category 1 – dimostrazione
 Paragraph 5: Describe Delfina with category 2 – connessione
 Paragraph 6: Describe Delfina with category 3 – curiosita
 Paragraph 7: Conclusion
Note: The more categories you can use, the longer your essay will be, as each categorization
will become a new body paragraph.
Organizing Information based on
Reading: Compare and Contrast

Assignment: How is Delfina similar and different from da Vinci?

Essay Structure:
 Paragraph 1: Introduction
 Paragraph 2: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible!
 Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short! No more than 3 sentences!
 Paragraph 4: First Comparison – curiosita – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 5: First Contrast – arte/Scienza – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 6: Second Comparison – dimostrazione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 7: Second Contrast – sensazione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 8: Third Comparison – connessione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 9: Third Contrast – corporalita – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 10: Conclusion
Note: Observe how Categorization is used in each Comparison and Contrast.
Organizing Information based on
Reading: Compare and Contrast

Assignment: How is Delfina similar and different from da Vinci?

Essay Structure:
 Paragraph 1: Introduction
 Paragraph 2: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible!
 Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short! No more than 3 sentences!
 Paragraph 4: First Comparison – curiosita – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 5: First Contrast – arte/Scienza – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 6: Second Comparison – dimostrazione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 7: Second Contrast – sensazione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 8: Third Comparison – connessione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 9: Conclusion
Note: You do not need to have an equal number of comparisons and an equal number of
contrasts. You use the evidence you find rather than create examples.
Organizing Information based on
Reading: Compare and Contrast

Assignment: How is Delfina similar and different from da Vinci?

Essay Structure:
 Paragraph 1: Introduction
 Paragraph 2: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible!
 Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short! No more than 3 sentences!
 Paragraph 4: First Comparison – curiosita – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 5: Second Comparison – dimostrazione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 6: Third Comparison – connessione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 7: First Contrast – arte/Scienza – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 8: Second Contrast – sensazione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 9: Third Contrast – corporalita – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 10: Conclusion
Note: The more comparisons and contrasts you can use, the longer your essay will be, as
each comparison and contrast will become a new body paragraph.
Organizing Information based on
Reading: Compare and Contrast

Assignment: How is Delfina similar and different from da Vinci?

Essay Structure:

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Paragraph 2: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible!

Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short! No more than 3 sentences!

Paragraph 4: First Comparison – curiosita – of Delfina to da Vinci

Paragraph 5: Second Comparison – dimostrazione – of Delfina to da Vinci

Paragraph 6: Third Comparison – connessione – of Delfina to da Vinci
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Paragraph 7: First Contrast – arte/Scienza – of Delfina to da Vinci
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Paragraph 8: Conclusion
Note: Have at least three comparisons and/or contrasts. And make sure that you so both
comparison and contrast.
Organizing Information based on
Reading: Compare and Contrast

Assignment: How is Delfina similar and different from da Vinci?

Essay Structure:
 Paragraph 1: Introduction
 Paragraph 2: Summary of A Bolt from the Blue – Short as possible!
 Paragraph 3: Summary of “Being da Vinci” – Short! No more than 3 sentences!
 Paragraph 4: First Comparison – curiosita – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 5: Second Comparison – dimostrazione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 6: Third Comparison – dimostrazione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 7: Fourth Comparison – connessione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 8: Fourth Comparison – connessione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 9: Fourth Comparison – connessione – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 10: First Contrast – arte/Scienza – of Delfina to da Vinci
 Paragraph 11: Conclusion
Note: When necessary, give multiple evidence to support a comparison or a contrast.