Practice writing the thesis, generalizations, and headings
In Lesson 8, you learned to organize your notes into levels in preparation for writing. You will now learn how to use those notes to create the structure for the document. This structure will guide the reader through your message so easily and successfully that even the least capable reader will understand and remember the content.
Notes follow for three very simple documents. If you need to remind yourself about the numbering for the levels in the notes, read Lesson 8 again. Use each set of notes to write a thesis, generalization sentences, and headings. Make sure you use the key words consistently throughout. Use ordinals ("first," "second," and so on) in the generalizations. Make each statement you write a complete sentence. Write nothing but the thesis, generalization sentences, and headings. Don't write any detail. Don't write the Level 2 points. They are just to show you what the full organized notes would look like.
An example follows. You don't have to do anything with it. Just look at what the student has written in the box that follows the notes.
Example Notes
Central idea: Conflict among team members gets better results
1 inspires adaptability
2 lets members see different points of view
2 requires members to reexamine their points
2 shows that conflict results in good decisions
1 enhances goal attainment
2 gets everyone thinking about the issues
2 inspires people to find reasons for their decisions
2 uses the best of everyone's input
1 encourages commitment
2 everyone ends the conflict with more commitment
2 compromise lets everyone feel ownership
In the box below are just the thesis, generalizations for the Level 1 points, and headings. It contains no Level 2 points. You don't have to write anything here. This is just an example to show you what you will write in the box for the practice activity that follows.
IMPORTANT: Notice that the thesis contains a statement of the contents and a list of the Level 1 main points. The list of Level 1 main points must be part of the thesis. The key words appear in the thesis, generalization sentences, and headings. In the activity below this box, you'll try writing them yourself.
Using this format makes the writing explicitly clear. It guides the reader through the message. When the overall structure is clear, you can fill in any details you need to add. Even if the reader has difficulty with the details, the reader will always follow the structure of your explanation. It's more likely a reader who is lost will be able to get back on track. Your goal is to have 100 percent understanding by 100 percent of the readers 100 percent of the time.
These are the parts of the structure that will achieve your goal with the reader:
THESIS
Central idea key words
Conflict among team members gets better results because it
Level 1 main point key words
inspires adaptability
Level 1 main point key words
enhances goal attainment
Level 1 main point key words
encourages commitment
The first Level 1 section carries through the key words. The key words must be the same in the Level 1 heading and generalization sentence as they are in the thesis.
FIRST LEVEL 1 MAIN POINT
Bolded Heading
Conflict Inspires Adaptability
Level 1 ordinal
The first
Central idea key words
way conflict among team members gets better results is that
Level 1 main point key words
it inspires adaptability
Follow through with the structure in the second Level 1 section. Guide the reader through the message.
SECOND LEVEL 1 MAIN POINT
Bolded Heading
Conflict Enhances Goal Attainment
Level 1 ordinal
The second
Central idea key words
way conflict among team members gets better results is that
Level 1 main point key words
it enhances goal attainment
Follow through with the structure in the third Level 1 section. Guide the reader through the message.
THIRD LEVEL 1 MAIN POINT
Bolded Heading
Conflict Encourages Commitment
Level 1 ordinal
The third
Central idea key words
way conflict among team members gets better results is that
Level 1 main point key words
it encourages commitment
This is what the document will look like with the clear structure:
Organizational development today is focusing on reducing conflict among team members. The premise is that conflict damages the team spirit needed for achievement of company goals. A better way to look at conflict is that conflict helps achieve company goals when the conflict is managed well. Conflict among team members gets better results because it inspires adaptability, enhances goal attainment, and encourages commitment.
INSPIRES ADAPTABILITY
The first reason conflict among team members gets better results is that it inspires adaptability. [Text continues here . . .]
ENCOURAGES GOAL ATTAINMENT
The second reason conflict among team members gets better results is that it enhances goal attainment. [Text continues here . . .]
ENCOURAGES COMMITMENT
The final reason conflict among team members gets better results is that it encourages commitment. [Text continues here . . .]
Use the three sets of notes that follow to write your own theses, generalizations, and headings.
Practice Activity 1 Notes
Central idea: Things to consider when choosing an office space
1 location
2 clients must get there easily
2 employees must get there easily
2 in a secure neighborhood
1 price
2 must fit in our budget
2 can't have hidden costs
1 size
2 need 70 square feet per person
2 must have room for adding staff
In the box below, write just the thesis, generalizations for the Level 1 points, and headings. Don't write the Level 2 point details. Use the key words consistently. Make sure all of your sentences are clear and well written. Rewrite the central idea thesis so it makes a good sentence.
Practice Activity 2 Notes
Central idea: Agenda for our meeting
1 tasks for the membership committee
2 identify prospective members
2 create a new membership form
1 draft the organization's mission statement
2 uses the old mission statement as a basis
2 add our new functions
2 have Marge and Phil give us feedback on it
1 plan the next activities
2 submit the nonprofit application to the IRS
2 choose a location for the workshop
In the box below, write just the thesis, generalizations for the Level 1 points, and headings. Don't write the Level 2 points.
Practice Activity 3 Notes
Central idea: How to pitch your idea
1 be passionate about it
2 show energy in the presentation
2 use words that show commitment
1 talk about what's in it for them
2 refer to people's known positions on the idea
2 if there are advocates, refer to what they've done
2 let them know how things will be if this comes about
1 tell the story
2 the "problem-solution-plan" won't excite people
2 tell the story of where the idea came from
2 tell about real people if possible
In the box below, write just the thesis, generalizations for the Level 1 points, and headings. Don't write the Level 2 points.
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