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Why This Matters for Nursing: Understanding how information is organized helps you find what you need quickly. Is this article comparing two treatments? Explaining a process? Describing cause and effect? Recognizing structure improves comprehension and efficiency.
Text structure is how an author organizes information. Different purposes call for different structures.
| Structure | Purpose | Signal Words |
|---|---|---|
| Sequence/Process | Steps in order | First, then, next, finally, before, after |
| Cause & Effect | Why something happens | Because, therefore, as a result, consequently |
| Compare & Contrast | Similarities/differences | Similarly, however, on the other hand, whereas |
| Problem & Solution | Issue + fix | Problem, solution, solve, resolve, issue |
| Description | Details about a topic | For example, such as, including, characteristics |
| Chronological | Events in time order | In 1990, later, during, after the war |
"What is the author DOING with the information?"
- Explaining HOW? → Sequence/Process
- Explaining WHY? → Cause & Effect
- Showing SAME/DIFFERENT? → Compare & Contrast
- Showing ISSUE + FIX? → Problem & Solution
- Showing WHAT/WHO? → Description
- Showing WHEN?
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