• Interview with Paramjit Das | Entrepreneur | Leader | Founder at GMAT30
  • 5 Must-Know Tips to Maximize Your Online Casino Bonuses in India 
  • Interview with Monica Gupta | Entrepreneur | Leader | Founder and Director at Interactive Bees Pvt. Ltd.
  • Interview with Vidya Mathews | Executive Coach | Trainer | Motivational Speaker | Founder Director Vdiya Inc
  • Interview with Karishma Dandona Sethi | Career and Interview Coach | Trainer | Influencer

BrilliantRead Media

7 Different Ways to Organize an Essay

random order essay

Tolstoy once said that happy families are all alike but unhappy families are unhappy in different ways. Essays are a little different. Bad essays tend to all be very much the same, but good essays often shine in different ways. As students work through the essay writing process, they often encounter challenges in determining how to develop and organize their essays. In this article, we’ll take a look at seven ways to organize an essay so you can be armed with a tool kit that will help you vary your essay structure and keep your audience engaged no matter what you need to write.

Before we do, however, it’s worth considering why we would need different organizational structures. Organization should connect to the content and help the reader to best understand the topic and the material. For example, if you are writing a historical essay that is explaining an event, you would do better to organize the information in the order that it occurred rather than telling the story out of order. The exact organizational framework that you choose will depend on the content of the essay and the purpose since each format has its own style, impact, and effect.

Chronological Order

The most obvious and most frequently used organizational strategy is chronological order, which provides details about the topic in the order that they happened, from beginning to end. It’s most frequently used in expository writing when you are providing a narrative about events. In a chronological essay, you will guide the reader from one topic to the next with the use of transition words that are based in temporal relationships, such as “next,” “then,” “afterward,” etc. Chronological essays are among the most effective formats because they are clear and direct, but they tend to work better for descriptions than for analysis.

Logical Order

Logical order can occur in one of many different formats, but the important issue is that it provides information in the way that makes the most sense for the reader in following the argument that you make. For example, not every argument needs to have information presented chronologically, and sometimes knowing how a situation ended is important to know first before analyzing and trying to make sense of it. In an essay that is developed in logical order, you provide the information that the reader needs to know first and then analyze it. When using transitions in logical order, you may need to remind the reader of facts with phrases like “as previously mentioned,” or “therefore.”

The Toulmin Model

One of the most popular ways to build an argument is the use of the Toulmin Model. In this organizational style, you provide the claim that you are going to demonstrate or prove and then support that claim with grounds and warrants explaining why it is true, and qualifiers indicating exceptions and uncertainties, before examining counterarguments and rebutting them. A variety of the Toulmin model, called the Rogerian Response, provides concessions to the other side in order to emphasize common ground.

The Five-Paragraph Model

The essay format most students learn in high school is the five-paragraph model. In this organizational framework, you present a three-part thesis explaining what you will demonstrate or prove with three reasons why it is true and then support it with three paragraphs each providing evidence for one part of the thesis, followed by a conclusion summarizing the main idea.

Climactic Order

Climactic order organized information to build toward an effective climax. In this type of organizational structure, the most important, shocking, or convincing information is held for the end of the essay in order to lead the reader to a dramatic reveal. This type of organizational structure contains some dangers for writers, however, since it means that your paper will open with weaker, less important information and may not hook the reader. When done right, however, it can create a powerful argument that will push the audience toward an ever-more-convincing conclusion, as long as you can hook them from the start.

Random Order

One of the rarest organizational structures is random order, in which information is presented without a fixed plan and without regard to logical progression. This type of organization is most useful for impressionistic or descriptive essays. However, it is difficult to pull off in an academic essay, where great weight is placed on logic and argumentation. Therefore, it’s a good idea to seriously consider whether random order will be effective for your essay topic before deploying this format in an academic paper.

Spatial Order

This is another organizational framework that is often best deployed for a descriptive essay. In a spatial order essay, you will describe objects in a physical space by moving from one to the next to help the audience understand the organization and arrangement of the space. 

Choosing which essay format to use can be difficult, and the writing process can be notoriously difficult for students who don’t have the skills and experience to effectively produce varied essays. If an assignment leaves you saying, “I wish someone would write my essay for me online!”, it might be worth considering whether you need to pay someone from an online service to write papers for you. When you get help from experts, you can discover the most effective ways to develop papers, organize them, and support them.

Related :  9 Skills Every Great Content Writer Needs

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Sign me up for the newsletter!

random order essay

Logo for M Libraries Publishing

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

9.3 Organizing Your Writing

Learning objectives.

  • Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused.
  • Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay.
  • Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay.
  • Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.

The method of organization you choose for your essay is just as important as its content. Without a clear organizational pattern, your reader could become confused and lose interest. The way you structure your essay helps your readers draw connections between the body and the thesis, and the structure also keeps you focused as you plan and write the essay. Choosing your organizational pattern before you outline ensures that each body paragraph works to support and develop your thesis.

This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs:

  • Chronological order
  • Order of importance
  • Spatial order

When you begin to draft your essay, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. Your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas in order to help process and accept them.

A solid organizational pattern gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your draft. Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. Planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research.

Chronological Order

In Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , you learned that chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic
  • To tell a story or relate an experience
  • To explain how to do or to make something
  • To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing , which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first , second , then , after that , later , and finally . These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first , then , next , and so on.

Writing at Work

At some point in your career you may have to file a complaint with your human resources department. Using chronological order is a useful tool in describing the events that led up to your filing the grievance. You would logically lay out the events in the order that they occurred using the key transition words. The more logical your complaint, the more likely you will be well received and helped.

Choose an accomplishment you have achieved in your life. The important moment could be in sports, schooling, or extracurricular activities. On your own sheet of paper, list the steps you took to reach your goal. Try to be as specific as possible with the steps you took. Pay attention to using transition words to focus your writing.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and in what order, and the introduction should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use the chronological key words, such as first , second , then , and finally .

Order of Importance

Recall from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” that order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with your most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case.

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly , almost as importantly , just as importantly , and finally .

During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

Spatial Order

As stated in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
  • Writing a descriptive essay

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your reader, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you.

The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

Attached to my bedroom wall is a small wooden rack dangling with red and turquoise necklaces that shimmer as you enter. Just to the right of the rack is my window, framed by billowy white curtains. The peace of such an image is a stark contrast to my desk, which sits to the right of the window, layered in textbooks, crumpled papers, coffee cups, and an overflowing ashtray. Turning my head to the right, I see a set of two bare windows that frame the trees outside the glass like a 3D painting. Below the windows is an oak chest from which blankets and scarves are protruding. Against the wall opposite the billowy curtains is an antique dresser, on top of which sits a jewelry box and a few picture frames. A tall mirror attached to the dresser takes up most of the wall, which is the color of lavender.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives you have learned in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

  • Just to the left or just to the right
  • On the left or on the right
  • Across from
  • A little further down
  • To the south, to the east, and so on
  • A few yards away
  • Turning left or turning right

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph using spatial order that describes your commute to work, school, or another location you visit often.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Key Takeaways

  • The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to, your thesis statement.
  • A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
  • Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
  • Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
  • Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
  • Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Logo for Pressbooks @ TAMU

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

V. Process and Organization

5.2 Methods of Organizing Your Writing

Kathryn Crowther; Lauren Curtright; Nancy Gilbert; Barbara Hall; Tracienne Ravita; and Terri Pantuso

Now that you’ve identified your topic, it’s time to focus on how to best organize the information. Keep in mind that the method of organization for essays and paragraphs is just as important as content. When you begin to draft an essay or paragraph, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. However, your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas to help them draw connections between the body and the thesis . A solid organizational pattern not only helps readers to process and accept your ideas, but also gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your essay (or paragraph). Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. In addition, planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research. This section covers three ways to organize both essays and paragraphs: chronological order, order of importance, and spatial order.

Chronological Order

Chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic;
  • To tell a story or relate an experience;
  • To explain how to do or to make something;
  • To explain the steps in a process.

Chronological order is used mostly in expository writing which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first , second , then , after that , later , and finally . These transitional words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis. For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first, then, next, and so on.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research;
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating;
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books.

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

Order of Importance

Order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing;
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance;
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution.

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with the most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case. During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

Spatial Order

Spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it;
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound);
  • Writing a descriptive essay.

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your readers, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you. The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then to guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

Example of Spatial Order Organization

Attached to my back bedroom wall is a small wooden rack dangling with red and turquoise necklaces that shimmer as I enter. Just to the right of the rack, billowy white curtains frame a large window with a sill that ends just six inches from the floor. The peace of such an image is a stark contrast to my desk, sitting to the right of the window, layered in textbooks, crumpled papers, coffee cups, and an overflowing ashtray. Turning my head to the right, I see a set of two bare windows that frame the trees outside the glass like a three-dimensional painting. Below the windows is an oak chest from which blankets and scarves are protruding. Against the wall opposite the billowy curtains is an antique dresser, on top of which sits a jewelry box and a few picture frames. A tall mirror attached to the dresser takes up much of the lavender wall.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two objectives work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order.

Table 5.2.1: Spatial Order Transition Words

Practice Activity

This section contains material from:

Crowther, Kathryn, Lauren Curtright, Nancy Gilbert, Barbara Hall, Tracienne Ravita, and Kirk Swenson. Successful College Composition . 2nd edition. Book 8. Georgia: English Open Textbooks, 2016. http://oer.galileo.usg.edu/english-textbooks/8 . Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License . Archival link: https://web.archive.org/web/20230711203012/https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/english-textbooks/8/

A statement, usually one sentence, that summarizes an argument that will later be explained, expanded upon, and developed in a longer essay or research paper. In undergraduate writing, a thesis statement is often found in the introductory paragraph of an essay. The plural of thesis is theses .

5.2 Methods of Organizing Your Writing Copyright © 2023 by Kathryn Crowther; Lauren Curtright; Nancy Gilbert; Barbara Hall; Tracienne Ravita; and Terri Pantuso is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

V. Process and Organization

5.1 Methods of Organizing Your Writing

Kathryn Crowther; Lauren Curtright; Nancy Gilbert; Barbara Hall; Tracienne Ravita; and Terri Pantuso

Now that you’ve identified your topic, it’s time to focus on how to best organize the information. Keep in mind that the method of organization for essays and paragraphs is just as important as content. When you begin to draft an essay or paragraph, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. However, your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas to help them draw connections between the body and the thesis . A solid organizational pattern not only helps readers to process and accept your ideas, but also gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your essay (or paragraph). Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. In addition, planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research. This section covers three ways to organize both essays and paragraphs: chronological order, order of importance, and spatial order.

Chronological Order

Chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic;
  • To tell a story or relate an experience;
  • To explain how to do or to make something;
  • To explain the steps in a process.

Chronological order is used mostly in expository writing which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first , second , then , after that , later , and finally . These transitional words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis. For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first, then, next, and so on.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research;
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating;
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books.

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

Order of Importance

Order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing;
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance;
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution.

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with the most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case. During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

Spatial Order

Spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it;
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound);
  • Writing a descriptive essay.

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your readers, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you. The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then to guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

Example of Spatial Order Organization

Attached to my back bedroom wall is a small wooden rack dangling with red and turquoise necklaces that shimmer as I enter. Just to the right of the rack, billowy white curtains frame a large window with a sill that ends just six inches from the floor. The peace of such an image is a stark contrast to my desk, sitting to the right of the window, layered in textbooks, crumpled papers, coffee cups, and an overflowing ashtray. Turning my head to the right, I see a set of two bare windows that frame the trees outside the glass like a three-dimensional painting. Below the windows is an oak chest from which blankets and scarves are protruding. Against the wall opposite the billowy curtains is an antique dresser, on top of which sits a jewelry box and a few picture frames. A tall mirror attached to the dresser takes up much of the lavender wall.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two objectives work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order.

Table 5.1.1: Spatial Order Transition Words

This section contains material from:

Crowther, Kathryn, Lauren Curtright, Nancy Gilbert, Barbara Hall, Tracienne Ravita, and Kirk Swenson. Successful College Composition . 2nd edition. Book 8. Georgia: English Open Textbooks, 2016. http://oer.galileo.usg.edu/english-textbooks/8 . Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License .

A statement, usually one sentence, that summarizes an argument that will later be explained, expanded upon, and developed in a longer essay or research paper. In undergraduate writing, a thesis statement is often found in the introductory paragraph of an essay. The plural of thesis is theses .

5.1 Methods of Organizing Your Writing Copyright © 2022 by Kathryn Crowther; Lauren Curtright; Nancy Gilbert; Barbara Hall; Tracienne Ravita; and Terri Pantuso is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

random order essay

9.3 Organizing Your Writing

Learning objectives.

  • Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused.
  • Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay.
  • Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay.
  • Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.

The method of organization you choose for your essay is just as important as its content. Without a clear organizational pattern, your reader could become confused and lose interest. The way you structure your essay helps your readers draw connections between the body and the thesis, and the structure also keeps you focused as you plan and write the essay. Choosing your organizational pattern before you outline ensures that each body paragraph works to support and develop your thesis.

This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs:

  • Chronological order
  • Order of importance
  • Spatial order

When you begin to draft your essay, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. Your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas in order to help process and accept them.

A solid organizational pattern gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your draft. Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. Planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research.

Chronological Order

In Chapter 8 "The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?" , you learned that chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic
  • To tell a story or relate an experience
  • To explain how to do or to make something
  • To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order An organizational method that arranges events or steps in the order that they have occurred or will occur. is mostly used in expository writing Writing that conveys facts or descriptions. , which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first , second , then , after that , later , and finally . These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first , then , next , and so on.

Writing at Work

At some point in your career you may have to file a complaint with your human resources department. Using chronological order is a useful tool in describing the events that led up to your filing the grievance. You would logically lay out the events in the order that they occurred using the key transition words. The more logical your complaint, the more likely you will be well received and helped.

Choose an accomplishment you have achieved in your life. The important moment could be in sports, schooling, or extracurricular activities. On your own sheet of paper, list the steps you took to reach your goal. Try to be as specific as possible with the steps you took. Pay attention to using transition words to focus your writing.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and in what order, and the introduction should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use the chronological key words, such as first , second , then , and finally .

Order of Importance

Recall from Chapter 8 "The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?" that order of importance A method of organization that arranges ideas according to their significance. is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with your most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case.

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly , almost as importantly , just as importantly , and finally .

During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

Spatial Order

As stated in Chapter 8 "The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?" , spatial order A method of organization that arranges ideas according to physical characteristics or appearance. is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
  • Writing a descriptive essay

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your reader, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you.

The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

random order essay

The paragraph incorporates two objectives you have learned in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

  • Just to the left or just to the right
  • On the left or on the right
  • Across from
  • A little further down
  • To the south, to the east, and so on
  • A few yards away
  • Turning left or turning right

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph using spatial order that describes your commute to work, school, or another location you visit often.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Key Takeaways

  • The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to, your thesis statement.
  • A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
  • Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
  • Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
  • Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
  • Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.

Logo for Open Oregon Educational Resources

Organizing Your Writing

Writing for Success

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused.
  • Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay.
  • Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay.
  • Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.

The method of organization you choose for your essay is just as important as its content. Without a clear organizational pattern, your reader could become confused and lose interest. The way you structure your essay helps your readers draw connections between the body and the thesis, and the structure also keeps you focused as you plan and write the essay. Choosing your organizational pattern before you outline ensures that each body paragraph works to support and develop your thesis.

This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs:

  • Chronological order
  • Order of importance
  • Spatial order

When you begin to draft your essay, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. Your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas in order to help process and accept them.

A solid organizational pattern gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your draft. Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. Planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research.

CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

Chronological arrangement (also called “time order,”) has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic
  • To tell a story or relate an experience
  • To explain how to do or to make something
  • To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing, which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first, second, then, after that, later, and finally. These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first, then, next, and so on.

WRITING AT WORK

At some point in your career you may have to file a complaint with your human resources department. Using chronological order is a useful tool in describing the events that led up to your filing the grievance. You would logically lay out the events in the order that they occurred using the key transition words. The more logical your complaint, the more likely you will be well received and helped.

Choose an accomplishment you have achieved in your life. The important moment could be in sports, schooling, or extracurricular activities. On your own sheet of paper, list the steps you took to reach your goal. Try to be as specific as possible with the steps you took. Pay attention to using transition words to focus your writing.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and in what order, and the introduction should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use the chronological key words, such as first, second, then, and finally.

ORDER OF IMPORTANCE

Order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with your most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case.

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly, almost as importantly, just as importantly, and finally.

During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

SPATIAL ORDER

Spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
  • Writing a descriptive essay

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your reader, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you.

The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives you have learned in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

  • Just to the left or just to the right
  • On the left or on the right
  • Across from
  • A little further down
  • To the south, to the east, and so on
  • A few yards away
  • Turning left or turning right

Key Takeaways

  • The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to, your thesis statement.
  • A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
  • Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
  • Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
  • Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
  • Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.

Organizing Your Writing Copyright © 2016 by Writing for Success is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Feedback/errata.

Comments are closed.

Logo for BCcampus Open Publishing

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Chapter 5: Putting the Pieces Together with a Thesis Statement

5.4 Organizing Your Writing

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focussed
  • Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay
  • Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay
  • Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay

The method of organization you choose for your essay is just as important as its content. Without a clear organizational pattern, your reader could become confused and lose interest. The way you structure your essay helps your readers draw connections between the body and the thesis, and the structure also keeps you focused as you plan and write the essay. Choosing your organizational pattern before you outline ensures that each body paragraph works to support and develop your thesis.

This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs:

  • Chronological order
  • Order of importance
  • Spatial order

When you begin to draft your essay, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. Your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas in order to help process and accept them.

A solid organizational pattern gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your draft. Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. Planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research.

Chronological Order

In  Chapter 4: What Are You Writing, to Whom, and How? , you learned that chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic
  • To tell a story or relate an experience
  • To explain how to do or to make something
  • To explain the steps in a process.

Chronological order is mostly used in  expository writing , which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first, second, then, after that, later, and finally. These transitional words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first, then, next, and so on.

Writing at Work

At some point in your career you may have to file a complaint with your human resources department. Using chronological order is a useful tool in describing the events that led up to your filing the grievance. You would logically lay out the events in the order that they occurred using the key transitional words. The more logical your complaint, the more likely you will be well received and helped.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

Self-Practice Exercise 5.11

H5P:  Chronological Order

Put the statements in the correct chronological order. Remember: when using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first, second, then, after that, later, and finally. These transitional words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

  • Every morning I make my coffee in the same way for maximum flavour.
  • When I have the shot pulled, I use a milk steamer to steam one cup of milk.
  • Finally, I slowly pour the steamed milk into my espresso.
  • Next, I use an espresso machine to pull an espresso shot directly into my coffee cup.
  • First, I freshly grind my espresso beans.
  • And that’s how I start my day with my perfect latte!

A, E, D, B, C, F

Order of Importance

Recall from  Chapter 4: What Are You Writing, to Whom, and How? that order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with your most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case.

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly, almost as importantly, just as importantly, and finally.

During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

Self-Practice Exercise 5.12

H5P:  Order of Importance

Put the statements in the correct order of importance. Some key transitional words that offer clues to this method of organization are most importantly, almost as importantly, just as importantly, and finally.

  • Most importantly, it prevents unexpected harm from coming to the dog or to the people and animals he encounters.
  • And finally, dogs love the sense of achievement they feel when they master simple tasks.
  • Adequate training is critical to the success of a relationship between a person and their dog.
  • Almost as important, though, is the bond that it helps create between the dog and his caretaker.
  • For all of these reasons, proper dog training is important and should not be overlooked.

C, A, D, B, E

Spatial Order

As stated in  Chapter 4: What Are You Writing, to Whom, and How? , spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
  • Writing a descriptive essay

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your reader, whose perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you.

The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives you have learned in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transitional words and phrases to include when using spatial order:

  • Just to the left or just to the right
  • On the left or on the right
  • Across from
  • A little further down
  • To the south, to the east, and so on
  • A few yards away
  • Turning left or turning right

Self-Practice Exercise  5.13

H5P:  Spatial Order

Put the statements in the correct spatial order. The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

  • When you first enter the property through the farm gate, there is a red barn to the right.
  • To the immediate left of the red barn is a pig pen and a chicken coup.
  • The rest of the area within the gate is a meadow of clover and flowers.
  • Reflecting on this space reminds me that nice to have somewhere to go that is so calm and soothing.
  • The farmyard is a peaceful and familiar space.
  • Across the farmyard from the animals is the farm house, which has a duck pond in the backyard.

E, A, B, F, C, D

Self-Practice Exercise  5.14

Look back at your outline from Self-Practice Exercise 5.9. Please share your formal sentence outline with a classmate and together evaluate whether you have organized your points chronologically, by order of importance, or spatially. Discuss if you have organized your paragraphs in the most appropriate and logical way.

In the next chapter, you will build on this formal sentence outline to create a draft and develop your ideas further. Do not worry; you are not expected to have a completed paper at this point. You will be expanding on your sentences to form paragraphs and complete, well-developed ideas.

Key Takeaways

  • The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to your thesis statement.
  • A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
  • Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
  • Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
  • Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
  • Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.

Supplemental Exercises

On a separate sheet of paper, choose one of the examples of a proper thesis statement from this chapter (one that interests you) and form three supporting points for that statement. After you have formed your three points, write a topic sentence for each body paragraph. Make sure that your topic sentences can be backed up with examples and details.

Group activity. Choose one of the topics from Self-Practice Exercise 5.4 and form a yes/no question about that topic. Then, take a survey of the people in your class to find out how they feel about the subject. Using the majority vote, ask those people to write on slips of paper the reasons for their opinion. Using the data you collect, form a thesis statement based on your classmates’ perspectives on the topic and their reasons.

On a separate sheet of a paper, write an introduction for an essay based on the thesis statement from the group activity using the techniques for introductory paragraphs that you learned in this chapter.

Start a journal in which you record “spoken” thesis statements. Start listening closely to the opinions expressed by your teachers, classmates, friends, and family members. Ask them to provide at least three reasons for their opinion and record them in the journal. Use this as material for future essays.

Open a magazine and read a lengthy article. See if you can pinpoint the thesis statement as well as the topic sentence for each paragraph and its supporting details.

Journal Entry 4

H5P: Question Prompts

Think back to times when you had to write a paper and perhaps struggled to get started. What did you learn this week that you will apply in future assignments to get the ideas flowing?

Reflect on all of the content you have learned so far. What did you find challenging but are now more confident with? What, if anything, still confuses you or you know you need to practice more? How have your study skills, time management, and overall writing improved over the past month?

Writing for Success - 1st Canadian H5P Edition Copyright © 2021 by Tara Horkoff is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

random order essay

Library homepage

  • school Campus Bookshelves
  • menu_book Bookshelves
  • perm_media Learning Objects
  • login Login
  • how_to_reg Request Instructor Account
  • hub Instructor Commons
  • Download Page (PDF)
  • Download Full Book (PDF)
  • Periodic Table
  • Physics Constants
  • Scientific Calculator
  • Reference & Cite
  • Tools expand_more
  • Readability

selected template will load here

This action is not available.

Humanities LibreTexts

1.5: Methods of Organizing Your Writing

  • Last updated
  • Save as PDF
  • Page ID 6708

  • Kathryn Crowther et al.
  • Georgia Perimeter College via GALILEO Open Learning Materials

The method of organization for essays and paragraphs is just as important as content. When you begin to draft an essay or paragraph, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner; however, your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas to help them draw connections between the body and the thesis. A solid organizational pattern not only helps readers to process and accept your ideas, but also gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your essay (or paragraph). Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. In addition, planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research. This section covers three ways to organize both essays and paragraphs: chronological order, order of importance, and spatial order.

Chronological Order

Chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic
  • To tell a story or relate an experience
  • To explain how to do or to make something
  • To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing, which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first, second, then, after that, later, and finally . These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis. For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first, then, next, and so on. Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

Exercise 12

Choose an accomplishment you have achieved in your life. The important moment could be in sports, schooling, or extracurricular activities. On your own sheet of paper, list the steps you took to reach your goal. Try to be as specific as possible with the steps you took. Pay attention to using transition words to focus your writing.

Exercise 13

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use the chronological key words, such as first, second, then, and finally.

Order of Importance

Order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with the most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case. During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

Exercise 14

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

Spatial Order

Spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
  • Writing a descriptive essay

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your readers, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you. The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point. Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

Attached to my back bedroom wall is a small wooden rack dangling with red and turquoise necklaces that shimmer as I enter. Just to the right of the rack, billowy white curtains frame a large window with a sill that ends just six inches from the floor. The peace of such an image is a stark contrast to my desk, sitting to the right of the window, layered in textbooks, crumpled papers, coffee cups, and an overflowing ashtray. Turning my head to the right, I see a set of two bare windows that frame the trees outside the glass like a three-dimensional painting. Below the windows is an oak chest from which blankets and scarves are protruding. Against the wall opposite the billowy curtains is an antique dresser, on top of which sits a jewelry box and a few picture frames. A tall mirror attached to the dresser takes up much of the lavender wall.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives covered in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two objectives work together. The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

  • Just to the left or just to the right
  • On the left or on the right
  • Across from
  • A little further down
  • To the south, to the east, and so on
  • A few yards away
  • Turning left or turning right

Exercise 15

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph using spatial order that describes your commute to work, school, or another location you visit often.

Collaboration : Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

key takeaways

  • The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to your thesis statement.
  • A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
  • Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
  • Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
  • Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
  • Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.

Random Topic Generator for Essays & Speeches

Looking for a random topic generator? Try the tool on this page! Our random essay topic generator will create a bunch of writing ideas and prompts for your paper or speech.

Follow a few simple steps to generate a topic for your assignment:

  • Enter your search term
  • Press the “Search topic” button and view the ideas proposed by the topic randomizer
  • In case you need more options, press the button once again to refresh the list

Are you in this situation? You have been assigned an essay and not only do you have to write it, but you also need to come up with the topic you want to write about. Choosing an idea for a paper or speech can be tricky.

Having a seemingly endless number of essay topic possibilities can feel overwhelming. Especially when you have to navigate through the mountains of information available online. Is choosing a topic really that difficult of a task for a student?

Simplify this process with Custom-Writing.org!

Custom Writing offers topics for persuasive essays, informative speeches, creative writing - you name it! With just a few clicks, our random essay topic generator will provide you with brilliant ideas for your next assignment. You will be surprised by the creativity of our amazing generating tool.

  • ⭐ The Tool's Benefits
  • 🤨 Choosing an Essay Topic

🔍 References

⭐ essay & speech topic generator: the benefits.

Our essay and speech topic generator can provide you with fresh original content ideas. Why is it better than other tools out there?

In other words:

It’s free and requires no registration

How many times have you encountered a supposedly free tool only to be asked to sign up? This time, that’s not a problem! Use the random topic generator without payment or registration.

The generator is fast (and furious)

The search speed can play a significant role if you have a deadline. With this topic creator, you don’t have to deal with slow processing speeds. This automatic generating tool as fast as can be.

Instead of spending your time on choosing a topic, you can concentrate on researching the subject and editing your writing.

It’s user-friendly

You don’t really need detailed instructions on how to use this writing topic generator. It has a super intuitive interface. There are two categories to pick from and one button—that’s it!

Our tool is accessible online

You don’t have to download anything to use our topic creator. If you have access to the internet, you have access to this free tool!

The tool has a huge database of information

There are a lot of unutilized ideas out there waiting for you. Our generating tool collects them from a variety of sources and suggests them here. It regularly updates its list of topics to propose more relevant ideas.

Our random topic generator is the perfect choice for you. In case you prefer looking at the full list of ideas rather than at its parts, there are quite a few of them that you can find online.

🤨 Steps to Generate an Essay or Speech Topic

When you have a number of different options, you can find yourself struggling to make a choice. Which one is the most appropriate one for your academic writing or speech? How can you select it from the bunch?

W questions: Who? Where? When? Why? How

Who are you talking about? Why should the reader know about them?

Where is your topic being researched? Where is your topic relevant?

When is your assignment due? When did the majority of research on your topic get published (especially important in the sciences)?

Why is your topic being researched? Is it an important, urgent issue? Why do you like your topic?

How are you going to do your research? How will you phrase your thesis or research question? How will you focus your topic?

To answer this, check out our guide!

🎓 Select an Assignment

Let’s start with the basics: did your professor or tutor ask you to prepare an assignment in a particular format, such as an essay? Or are you required to choose your own format and assignment type? If so, select one from the list!

With our topic maker, you can search for an idea specifically for:

Consider what you can write about for a blog. Discover what ideas are relevant and can attract potential readers.

There are a variety of academic papers, with essays being the most common one for students. If you’re assigned to write one, use our topic randomizer to pick the best idea.

The 4 main types of academic writing

Our topic generator can propose titles according to a paper type, with each one having specific characteristics. There are ideas for expository, descriptive, persuasive, argumentative, and creative essays. The tool forms them so that the title and the writing style fit the format.

Whether it’s an assignment or your desire to compose something creative—it doesn’t matter! The topic generator can provide you with an idea that can boost your imagination and give you inspiration.

Whether you’re planning a college essay or a blog post, the generating tool can be helpful. If you don’t find your assignment type listed, search by the subject of interest instead. More on that below.

🙋 Pick a Subject

Do you have an area of research that you're required or willing to dive into? If the answer is yes, then consider the subjects that our generator proposes.

The tool can be a great random science topic generator when you need one. It provides a collection of unique topics on natural sciences, as well as healthcare and medicine. Get ready for extensive research or a quick search for useful information—whatever you choose!

What’s more:

The topic maker also covers social studies. You can find an idea for a paper on law, business, political sciences, history, or even religion. Nowadays, topics on theology are increasingly popular, and our tool can help propose ideas on what to write about.

The themes of theology include God, humanity, the world, savation, and eschatology (the study of last times).

When you’re looking for a creative idea, there are art and design topics for you. You can also find suggestions related to literature or language if it’s your sphere of interest. And ideas for such subjects such as media and education can be helpful regardless of your initial task.

Whatever subject you select, you will get a bunch of engaging ideas. So, what’s next?

👀 Consider the Topics

Having found a list or used the research paper topic generator, look at the proposed ideas. Which ones do you find most intriguing? Worthy of your time?

Choose a few topics and eliminate them one by one. Copy the picked ones and paste elsewhere or write the ideas down. From the ideas proposed by our topic generator, make your own list to compare and contrast items later.

Keep in mind:

If the selected ideas are broad, that’s great! You can narrow your topic down further. A vague idea will give you a starting point from which you can determine specifics later. Remember, you don't want your subject matter to be too narrow, as it can be hard to find any credible information on it.

Don't rush with idea finalization

To figure out the perfect in-between, neither too broad, nor too narrow, try selecting a specific aspect or angle for your essay topic. Or you can explore how various factors affect the narrow subject matter.

Overall, improve the topic!

Don’t be afraid to modify the topic to your needs. You’re the one who will be doing the research and essay writing. You should call the shots.

🎯 Define a Thesis Statement

Now that you have your topic area, see if you can create a thesis statement . You don't have to do it right away, but it can help direct your research and develop your arguments.

To create a thesis statement, try turning the given sentence into a question and then try to answer it. Study the subject matter further if you’re unsure where to begin. It’s crucial as this claim will become your thesis.

Bear in mind:

A thesis statement is neither an essay title nor an announcement. It’s a specific assertion that expresses the essential idea of academic writing. It’s the point you will argue throughout your essay, drawing on examples that prove or support this thesis statement. You create it at the beginning of your paper to make a reader understand the point of your work from the start.

3 steps to write a thesis statement

So, use a topic to come up with one key point that you will write in your thesis statement. If it’s impossible for you, find another point or subject matter. An essay question generator can always help you with the latter.

🔎 Research Your Topic and Start an Outline

At this point, you're ready to start, but for any good paper or speech, you need an in-depth knowledge of the idea that you have chosen to write about. You need to find some factual information to support your thesis statement.

Handbooks and encyclopedias - how useful are they

Start by investigating the idea and composing an outline. If you see that you can't structure and write an appropriate text, change the topic a bit or select an entirely new one. It’s more appropriate to change a subject matter while you are writing, rather than suffer through attempting to compose an entire paper.

To organize your essay or research, include topic sentences at the beginning of each paragraph. They should include the idea you are discussing in that paragraph and they should link to your thesis statement. Coming up with them beforehand can help offer structure to your writing and your research.

Congratulations!

You have now successfully chosen a topic for your academic writing. Use our essay idea generator for future projects and share this article to help others with their writing.

❓ Speech Topic Generator FAQ

❓ how do you create ideas for an essay.

First of all, understand the assignment and the subject. When it’s done, there are 4 key methods:

  • Brainstorming. Write down all the words and phrases that you associate with the subject.
  • Freewriting. Write non-stop for a few minutes.
  • Idea web. Create a web of terms and phrases related to the subject.
  • Daydreaming. Let your mind wander, write when you’re ready.

❓ How do you choose a topic for an essay?

The following tips will help you with picking the perfect topic:

  • Start from examining the task. Understand your assignment and determine your field.
  • Find something that you’re curious about. Eliminate boring topics from the start.
  • Select an idea that is neither too broad nor too narrow. Improve the topic, if you’re allowed to.
  • Check whether there are trustworthy sources for your essay.

❓ How do you develop a research topic?

When deciding on a research idea, keep in mind the following:

  • You can select a topic or come up with one. Improve its initial version later to suit you better.
  • Determine your area of interest. Consider what you know and whether it intrigues you.
  • Define your title. Make it narrow enough to know what to focus on.
  • Find reliable and relevant sources.

❓ How can I start writing?

Writing should start from you ensuring that you have enough time to write without distractions. Then, create or choose a good idea. Composing will come naturally from you contemplating on and researching a fruitful topic.

Take notes and make an outline before you proceed to actually write. If you can’t start from the beginning, start composing from any other part.

❓ What is a good persuasive speech topic?

A good persuasive speech topic is the one that you have something to say about. If you care about what you’re talking about, you have a higher chance of convincing your audience.

Make your topic appropriate and relevant to your listeners. But find one that not everyone heard about. Even the most engaging topic becomes boring when it’s overdone.

  • Introduction to Research: Cornell University Library
  • Prewriting Strategies: KU Writing Center
  • Choosing a Topic: Purdue Writing Center
  • Tips on Choosing a Topic for Long-Term Blogging Success: Susan Gunelius, Lifewire
  • How to Choose Your Thesis Topic: Central European University
  • Thesis Statement: Literacy Education Online

Organizing Your Writing

Learning objectives.

  • Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused.
  • Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay.
  • Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay.
  • Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.

The method of organization you choose for your essay is just as important as its content. Without a clear organizational pattern, your reader could become confused and lose interest. The way you structure your essay helps your readers draw connections between the body and the thesis, and the structure also keeps you focused as you plan and write the essay. Choosing your organizational pattern before you outline ensures that each body paragraph works to support and develop your thesis.

This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs:

  • Chronological order
  • Order of importance
  • Spatial order

When you begin to draft your essay, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. Your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas in order to help process and accept them.

A solid organizational pattern gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your draft. Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. Planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research.

Chronological Order

In Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?”, you learned that chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic
  • To tell a story or relate an experience
  • To explain how to do or to make something
  • To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing , which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first , second , then , after that , later , and finally . These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first , then , next , and so on.

Writing at Work

Choose an accomplishment you have achieved in your life. The important moment could be in sports, schooling, or extracurricular activities. On your own sheet of paper, list the steps you took to reach your goal. Try to be as specific as possible with the steps you took. Pay attention to using transition words to focus your writing.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and in what order, and the introduction should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use the chronological key words, such as first , second , then , and finally .

Order of Importance

Recall from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” that order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with your most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case.

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly , almost as importantly , just as importantly , and finally .

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

Spatial Order

As stated in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?”, spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
  • Writing a descriptive essay

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your reader, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you.

The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

The paragraph incorporates two objectives you have learned in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

  • Just to the left or just to the right
  • On the left or on the right
  • Across from
  • A little further down
  • To the south, to the east, and so on
  • A few yards away
  • Turning left or turning right

Key Takeaways

  • The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to, your thesis statement.
  • A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
  • Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
  • Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
  • Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
  • Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.
  • Successful Writing. Authored by : Anonymous. Provided by : Anonymous. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Footer Logo Lumen Candela

Privacy Policy

FREE AUTOMATED ESSAY GENERATOR

Essay-maker is an AI tool that can generate an essay on any topic within a couple of minutes. Just follow these simple steps to get your paper:

  • State the topic of your future paper
  • Press “Continue”
  • Revise and edit the essay to fit it to your needs

Generating an essay is only half of the work. We cannot guarantee that this text will be 100% original. Get expert editing help to get a unique, plagiarism-free paper written according to your instructions

You’ve reached your daily limit of 1 automatically generated essay. Please come back tomorrow or you can order the original paper from our professional writers right now.

Sorry, the essay generator can't proceed with your request now. Please, try again later or use our writing service.

Generating Essay ...

How to use the essay maker tool:

Essay generator is an automated AI tool that can create an essay on any topic within a couple of minutes. Just follow these simple steps to get your paper:

  • Paste the topic for the essay you need
  • Click "Continue" button to activate tool
  • Revise and edit the essay to fit your needs

(Votes: 29 )

How to avoid plagiarism?

Proper citation style.

Avoid plagiarism by always listing the source and formatting it correctly when you are note-taking. Take care of the proper formatting and citation style when using content from outside sources.

Write on your own

Avoid borrowing and overusing large pieces of the content from outside sources, especially Wikipedia. Write your own thoughts and use sources only to support your opinion (remember to cite it though!).

Rewriting Service

PapersOwl Expert can rewrite up to 75% of your content, and edit and proofread your paper to make it plagiarism free and ready to use.

Editing Service

PapersOwl expert can edit up to 50% of your content, proofread and polish your paper to make it plagiarism free and ready to use.

Writing Service

PapersOwl expert can rewrite your paper from scratch according to instructions and guidelines and make it plagiarism free and ready to use.

Suits your similarity index. Consider using it!

How to Use Free Essay Generator

To use the essay generator online, all you have to do is to provide the title or the keywords. Click generate, and the tool will generate the essay. It is that simple. You can generate again and again, until you are happy with the outcome. It features rearranges sentences, so plagiarism is less likely to happen. Just in case, we recommend you to polish your essay and use our plagiarism tool to check its originality.

As you know, plagiarism checks are mandatory these days for all papers of all types. The tool can help you with any type of academic writing in seconds, and you are left with a great paper that will need your editing only. It ensures that writing is professional, accurate, and to the point. 

What Subjects You Can Get Help With

For the lack of a better word, you can use the tool for all subjects, period. The essay generator AI is modern, advanced software that can complete any task in no time and there is no need to worry about it. It automatically replaces weak words and generate essays of great quality. As we have mentioned, you can provide the keywords and the tool will complete the task in no time. This makes essay writing easier than ever before and finally gives you the time you need to invest in your other tasks or to have fun. You can replace words using synonyms later on to make this even better or to look more professional. 

The tool can check the keywords and compare them with our database. It will learn about the topic you need done and also what subject is in question. This is how it is capable to work on any subject and on any topic. 

College Essay Generator Advantages

The essay generator is an amazing tool and the one we are happy to share with you. The first advantage is the fact you will get a generated essay within seconds, so you don’t need to invest a lot of time into writing it. You can work on other tasks, and let’s face it, you have too many of them already.

The second advantage is the fact you will get a professionally written essay. All you have to do then is to download essay in high quality, and you are done. As you can see, this works well and has a ton of advantages as well. There is no need to worry about the quality or anything similar.

After the topic entered process, you will click generate, and you are done. As you can see, this is an extremely simple tool to use, and there are no complicated and hour-long guides you need to read first. For students who are in the rush and who don’t have enough time to work on the papers, the tool is essential. 

We can also see that the tool can work on any essay topic and can help you boost your skills and make them much better. You can use these essays as inspiration, to learn how to write, or to get an idea for your own paper. The possibilities here are endless, and there are countless, the ones we really like.

HOW DOES AN ESSAY GENERATOR WORK?

  • All you need to do is enter your essay's topic. The tool will browse our essay collection and generate a paper based on the theme of your assignment.
  • As you push the button, the tool starts creating an essay. The solution scans our essay sample base, analyzes vocabulary info, and generates a paper based on the chosen subject criteria.
  • It takes no more than 2 minutes for the tool to generate an essay. The paper you get is error-free, contains zero plagiarism and comprehensively covers the topic.
  • The final stage is entirely optional. If you are having trouble with the editing or don't like the final version, you may get professional writing help from specialists.

Polish your paper and get rid of plagiarism!

  • Reliable Editors
  • Any Field of Study
  • Fair Prices

Essay Generator is rated 4.9 /5 based on 435 user reviews.

Want your voice to count in? Send us your review with all the details.

ESSAY GENERATOR

Our essay rewriter is a revolutionary tool designed to help you refine your essay. It can process any content type. Developed by professionals, it delivers results in a matter of seconds providing a 100% original essay. Check out the further benefits:

You don’t have to pay a cent to get your improved paper. Simply upload your essay and enjoy the outcome in just a few seconds!

Click on the Rewrite button and wait… well, you don’t have to wait. Your essay will be processed super fast demonstrating to you all the growth points. You will proceed fast to obtaining a refined essay.

We know the value of authentic texts and did our best to present an instrument that would generate original papers. Whatever the type of your content, our rewriter analyzes the text and optimizes it so that you end up with a unique paper.

A tool that inspires the writer… Sounds like magic, and it actually is to an extent. Whenever you feel burned out, lacking desire, or just spent, try using our rewriter. It surely will highlight ideas making your essay play out in fresh colours.

Free Tools for Writing

Contact our Support Team. We’ll take care of you!

  • [email protected]
  • Call +1 (343) 222-4444
  • Contact support

Papersowl contacts

What’s the word limit for essays?

Can i generate an essay if i have no specific title, does the tool provide original papers.

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy.

random order essay

List Randomizer

Feed the randomizer any number of items (numbers, letters, words, IDs, names, emails, etc.) and it will return them in a truly random order, resulting in a randomly shuffled list. Free online random list generator & list shuffler.

Related randomizers

  • Using the randomizer
  • How many items can the randomizer process?
  • Example applications of the randomizer

Random Team Picker

Random awards picker, randomly distributing chores or tasks, shuffling song lists.

  • Is the randomized list truly random?
  • Shuffling algorithm used in the randomizer
  • Randomizer vs. Randomiser

    Using the randomizer

Using this list randomizer you can shuffle any list in random order. It uses strong cryptographic algorithms to generate random numbers which are then used in an algorithm for unbiased randomization of the list items (more on this below). The result is a truly randomly shuffled list consisting of the initial items.

To use the tool, simply enter a list of items of any sort, one item per row (copy/pasting from a spreadsheet works great). It could be a list of numbers, words, names, emails, countries, songs, tasks, and so on. This website uses a secure connection over HTTPS and does not store any of the information you enter in the field above, so the randomizer should generally be safe to use even for somewhat sensitive information, but it is best that you consult your information security officer if you have any concerns.

The easiest way to retrieve the randomized list is to select it all (Ctrl+A on a PC), and then copy it (Ctrl+C on a PC).

    How many items can the randomizer process?

The maximum number of items per list the randomizer will process is 100,000 . If your items contain a lot of text this number may be subject to further restrictions such as the maximum request size allowed, or the memory limit allotted to our scripts. If you run into such issues, consider replacing the items with short numerical item IDs before feeding them to the shuffler as a list.

    Example applications of the randomizer

A free online randomizer like this can have many possible uses. Here we list a few more common ones.

The classic way to randomly distribute players across teams in a sports game or board game is to randomly draw names out of a hat. Using the list randomizer you can spread players into two or more teams fairly and without bias. Simply enter all the player names and click "Randomize list". If you need two teams, select the first half of the shuffled names for team 1 and the second for team 2. A similar process can be followed for any number of teams as long as the total number of players is divisible by the number of teams to fill. The same logic can be used to distribute students for school group projects.

Despite the above examples, it is more convenient to use our dedicated random team generator which supports multiple teams easily.

If you have a number of names, emails, or identifiers of some sort, and you want to randomly sort them so that only the top 1, 5, 10 etc. receive an award, you can enter the list and randomize it to obtain the list of winners. If the awards are numbered from, say, 1 to 10, you can dole out the awards following the order of the shuffled list.

In case you need to distribute chores or tasks over a group of people or over several days simply list the chores or tasks and shuffle them with our software. Then start with the first on the list and proceed till the end. Similarly, you can randomize a list of your child's names to determine in what order they will do the dishes, sweep the floors, or throw out the garbage in the next few days.

If you are a schoolteacher, you may use this to randomly pick students for different home assignments, projects, etc. While a physical spinning wheel might be more fun, using an online list randomizer is easier.

In yet another scenario, you might want to shuffle a list of songs, books, games, or other things you want to get in random order. In this sense our tool can be used as a random order generator.

These are just several scenarios for using a list shuffler, but we are sure you can come up with many more.

    Is the randomized list truly random?

If your requirements for the randomness of the shuffle are high, you may be wondering if you can trust that our randomizer engine results in unbiased shuffles . Bias here has the technical meaning of 'systematically skewed'. In list shuffling a systematic skewness will be exhibited if items in a certain position in the initial list have an expected probability for ending up in a given position in the shuffled list which is different than the probability of ending up in any other position.

In order to check the randomizer unbiasedness , we devised a straightforward simulation , consisting of shuffling a list of 4 items 4,000,000 times. For simplicity, the four items were the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4, fed to the randomizer each time in that order.

The results were collected and for each of the four possible positions we summed up the numbers that ended up there in the 4,000,000 simulations. This is the resulting histogram:

randomizer list shuffle simulation

As you can see, there is no bias towards any of the positions, each having a sum of approximately 1,000,000 out of the total sum of 4 million. A statistical goodness-of-fit test was conducted which resulted in a p-value of 0.86, firmly indicating conformity to the expected uniform distribution. As a further precaution we examined the distributions of ones, twos, threes and fours in all positions and found them to be uniformly distributed across them. Goodness-of-fit tests were performed for each of these and the results were again within the expected bounds, confirming that our randomizer produces truly random shuffled lists which should be safe to use in any application requiring robust randomness in the shuffle.

    Shuffling algorithm used in the randomizer

For this random list generator we employ the robust, efficient, and unbiased Fisher–Yates shuffle [1] , also known as the Knuth shuffle . In particular, we implement its modern variant (the initial algorithm was for pen, paper, and a dice!) as described in Richard Durstenfeld's 1964 work [2] . The algorithm was popularized by D.Knuth in his book "The Art of Computer Programming".

The random numbers required for the algorithm's application are generated using a cryptographic pseudo-random number generator (CPRNG) supplied by urandom, the Linux kernel's random number source.

    Randomizer vs. Randomiser

A brief note for those of you who might be confused and wondering as to the correct spelling of the word. Both are correct, however. 'Randomizer' is the American version while 'Randomiser' is the preferred spelling in British English.

    References

1 Fisher, R.A., Yates, F. (1948) [1938] "Statistical tables for biological, agricultural and medical research" (3rd ed.), London: Oliver & Boyd pp.26–27.

2 Durstenfeld, R. (1964) "Algorithm 235: Random permutation", Communications of the ACM 7(7),p.420. DOI:10.1145/364520.364540

3 Knuth, D. E. (1969). "Seminumerical algorithms. The Art of Computer Programming." 2, Reading, MA: Addison–Wesley pp. 139–140.

Cite this randomizer & page

If you'd like to cite this online randomizer resource and information as provided on the page, you can use the following citation: Georgiev G.Z., "List Randomizer" , [online] Available at: https://www.gigacalculator.com/randomizers/randomizer.php URL [Accessed Date: 14 Apr, 2024].

     Random generators

Free AI Paragraph Generator

Get your writing process off to a great start by generating fully coherent, compelling paragraphs.

Write about...

Use cases of ahrefs’ paragraph generator.

Content creation. Ahrefs’ Paragraph Generator can be utilized to quickly generate engaging and informative paragraphs for various types of content. Whether it's blog posts, articles, product descriptions, or social media captions, the tool can assist in generating compelling paragraphs, saving time and effort for content creators.

Academic writing. Students and researchers can benefit from Ahrefs’ Paragraph Generator when working on papers, essays, or research articles. By providing the necessary instructions, the tool can generate well-structured paragraphs that present key arguments, evidence, and analysis, aiding in the writing process.

Personal writing and communication. Individuals who need to write emails, personal letters, or other forms of written communication can leverage Ahrefs’ Paragraph Generator. It can help in composing coherent and well-structured paragraphs, ensuring effective expression of thoughts and ideas, while also saving time by providing a starting point for the writing process.

The technology behind Ahrefs’ Paragraph Generator

Ahrefs’ Paragraph Generator uses a language model that learns patterns, grammar, and vocabulary from large amounts of text data – then uses that knowledge to generate human-like text based on a given prompt or input. The generated text combines both the model's learned information and its understanding of the input.

Other writing tools you may find helpful

Acronym generator.

Looking for an easy way to generate acronyms? Try our AI Acronym Generator today and streamline your workflow.

Grammar Checker

Elevate your writing with our free AI grammar checker. Effortlessly catch grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, ensuring your content is polished and error-free.

Conclusion Generator

Instantly craft compelling conclusions with this user-friendly tool. Elevate your writing effortlessly.

Emoji Translator

Unlock emotions with our AI translator! Seamlessly convert text to expressive emojis. Communicate with feelings effortlessly.

Lorem Ipsum Generator

Lorem ipsum is a placeholder text used in graphic design, print, and publishing for previewing layouts and visual mockups.

Outline Generator

Input your rough ideas and transition from a blank page to an organized, well-structured outline in minutes.

Paragraph Rewriter

Improve any paragraph's readability and rewrite it to make it sound more human-like with this powerful free tool.

Paraphrasing Tool

Quickly rephrase and reword any text for essays, articles, emails, and more.

Rewording Tool

Swiftly reword and rephrase sentences or paragraphs for posts, emails or articles.

Sentence Rewriter Tool

Enhance the quality and clarity of any sentence and improve its construction with this powerful free tool.

Summarizer Tool

Experience the power of efficiency! Our free summarizer simplifies content, saving time and effort. Summarize with precision, read smarter.

Powered by Ahrefs

Everything you need to rank higher & get more traffic.

Advertisement

What Solar Eclipse-Gazing Has Looked Like for the Past 2 Centuries

Millions of people on Monday will continue the tradition of experiencing and capturing solar eclipses, a pursuit that has spawned a lot of unusual gear.

  • Share full article

In a black-and-white photo from 1945, nine men, some in military uniforms, stand in the middle of a New York City street. They are holding a small piece of what looks like glass or a photographic negative above their heads to protect their eyes as they watch the eclipse. The original border of the print, as well as some numbers and crop marks drawn onto it, are visible.

By Sarah Eckinger

  • April 8, 2024

For centuries, people have been clamoring to glimpse solar eclipses. From astronomers with custom-built photographic equipment to groups huddled together with special glasses, this spectacle has captivated the human imagination.

Creating a Permanent Record

In 1860, Warren de la Rue captured what many sources describe as the first photograph of a total solar eclipse . He took it in Rivabellosa, Spain, with an instrument known as the Kew Photoheliograph . This combination of a telescope and camera was specifically built to photograph the sun.

Forty years later, Nevil Maskelyne, a magician and an astronomy enthusiast, filmed a total solar eclipse in North Carolina. The footage was lost, however, and only released in 2019 after it was rediscovered in the Royal Astronomical Society’s archives.

random order essay

Telescopic Vision

For scientists and astronomers, eclipses provide an opportunity not only to view the moon’s umbra and gaze at the sun’s corona, but also to make observations that further their studies. Many observatories, or friendly neighbors with a telescope, also make their instruments available to the public during eclipses.

Fredrik Hjalmar Johansen, Fridtjof Nansen and Sigurd Scott Hansen observing a solar eclipse while on a polar expedition in 1894 .

Women from Wellesley College in Massachusetts and their professor tested out equipment ahead of their eclipse trip (to “catch old Sol in the act,” as the original New York Times article phrased it) to New London, Conn., in 1922.

A group from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania traveled to Yerbaniz, Mexico, in 1923, with telescopes and a 65-foot camera to observe the sun’s corona .

Dr. J.J. Nassau, director of the Warner and Swasey Observatory at Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, prepared to head to Douglas Hill, Maine, to study an eclipse in 1932. An entire freight car was required to transport the institution’s equipment.

Visitors viewed a solar eclipse at an observatory in Berlin in the mid-1930s.

A family set up two telescopes in Bar Harbor, Maine, in 1963. The two children placed stones on the base to help steady them.

An astronomer examined equipment for an eclipse in a desert in Mauritania in June 1973. We credit the hot climate for his choice in outfit.

Indirect Light

If you see people on Monday sprinting to your local park clutching pieces of paper, or with a cardboard box of their head, they are probably planning to reflect or project images of the solar eclipse onto a surface.

Cynthia Goulakos demonstrated a safe way to view a solar eclipse , with two pieces of cardboard to create a reflection of the shadowed sun, in Lowell, Mass., in 1970.

Another popular option is to create a pinhole camera. This woman did so in Central Park in 1963 by using a paper cup with a small hole in the bottom and a twin-lens reflex camera.

Amateur astronomers viewed a partial eclipse, projected from a telescope onto a screen, from atop the Empire State Building in 1967 .

Back in Central Park, in 1970, Irving Schwartz and his wife reflected an eclipse onto a piece of paper by holding binoculars on the edge of a garbage basket.

Children in Denver in 1979 used cardboard viewing boxes and pieces of paper with small pinholes to view projections of a partial eclipse.

A crowd gathered around a basin of water dyed with dark ink, waiting for the reflection of a solar eclipse to appear, in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 1995.

Staring at the Sun (or, How Not to Burn Your Retinas)

Eclipse-gazers have used different methods to protect their eyes throughout the years, some safer than others .

In 1927, women gathered at a window in a building in London to watch a total eclipse through smoked glass. This was popularized in France in the 1700s , but fell out of favor when physicians began writing papers on children whose vision was damaged.

Another trend was to use a strip of exposed photographic film, as seen below in Sydney, Australia, in 1948 and in Turkana, Kenya, in 1963. This method, which was even suggested by The Times in 1979 , has since been declared unsafe.

Solar eclipse glasses are a popular and safe way to view the event ( if you use models compliant with international safety standards ). Over the years there have been various styles, including these large hand-held options found in West Palm Beach, Fla., in 1979.

Parents and children watched a partial eclipse through their eclipse glasses in Tokyo in 1981.

Slimmer, more colorful options were used in Nabusimake, Colombia, in 1998.

In France in 1999.

And in Iran and England in 1999.

And the best way to see the eclipse? With family and friends at a watch party, like this one in Isalo National Park in Madagascar in 2001.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

  • Knowledge Base

Methodology

  • Simple Random Sampling | Definition, Steps & Examples

Simple Random Sampling | Definition, Steps & Examples

Published on August 28, 2020 by Lauren Thomas . Revised on December 18, 2023.

A simple random sample is a randomly selected subset of a population. In this sampling method, each member of the population has an exactly equal chance of being selected.

This method is the most straightforward of all the probability sampling methods , since it only involves a single random selection and requires little advance knowledge about the population. Because it uses randomization, any research performed on this sample should have high internal and external validity, and be at a lower risk for research biases like sampling bias and selection bias .

Systematic Sampling

Table of contents

When to use simple random sampling, how to perform simple random sampling, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about simple random sampling.

Simple random sampling is used to make statistical inferences about a population. It helps ensure high internal validity : randomization is the best method to reduce the impact of potential confounding variables .

In addition, with a large enough sample size, a simple random sample has high external validity : it represents the characteristics of the larger population.

However, simple random sampling can be challenging to implement in practice. To use this method, there are some prerequisites:

  • You have a complete list of every member of the population .
  • You can contact or access each member of the population if they are selected.
  • You have the time and resources to collect data from the necessary sample size.

Simple random sampling works best if you have a lot of time and resources to conduct your study, or if you are studying a limited population that can easily be sampled.

In some cases, it might be more appropriate to use a different type of probability sampling:

  • Systematic sampling involves choosing your sample based on a regular interval, rather than a fully random selection. It can also be used when you don’t have a complete list of the population.
  • Stratified sampling is appropriate when you want to ensure that specific characteristics are proportionally represented in the sample. You split your population into strata (for example, divided by gender or race), and then randomly select from each of these subgroups.
  • Cluster sampling is appropriate when you are unable to sample from the entire population. You divide the sample into clusters that approximately reflect the whole population, and then choose your sample from a random selection of these clusters.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

There are 4 key steps to select a simple random sample.

Step 1: Define the population

Start by deciding on the population that you want to study.

It’s important to ensure that you have access to every individual member of the population, so that you can collect data from all those who are selected for the sample.

Step 2: Decide on the sample size

Next, you need to decide how large your sample size will be. Although larger samples provide more statistical certainty, they also cost more and require far more work.

There are several potential ways to decide upon the size of your sample, but one of the simplest involves using a formula with your desired confidence interval and confidence level , estimated size of the population you are working with, and the standard deviation of whatever you want to measure in your population.

The most common confidence interval and levels used are 0.05 and 0.95, respectively. Since you may not know the standard deviation of the population you are studying, you should choose a number high enough to account for a variety of possibilities (such as 0.5).

You can then use a sample size calculator to estimate the necessary sample size.

Step 3: Randomly select your sample

This can be done in one of two ways: the lottery or random number method.

In the lottery method , you choose the sample at random by “drawing from a hat” or by using a computer program that will simulate the same action.

In the random number method , you assign every individual a number. By using a random number generator or random number tables, you then randomly pick a subset of the population. You can also use the random number function (RAND) in Microsoft Excel to generate random numbers.

Step 4: Collect data from your sample

Finally, you should collect data from your sample.

To ensure the validity of your findings, you need to make sure every individual selected actually participates in your study. If some drop out or do not participate for reasons associated with the question that you’re studying, this could bias your findings.

For example, if young participants are systematically less likely to participate in your study, your findings might not be valid due to the underrepresentation of this group.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • Student’s  t -distribution
  • Normal distribution
  • Null and Alternative Hypotheses
  • Chi square tests
  • Confidence interval
  • Quartiles & Quantiles
  • Cluster sampling
  • Stratified sampling
  • Data cleansing
  • Reproducibility vs Replicability
  • Peer review
  • Prospective cohort study

Research bias

  • Implicit bias
  • Cognitive bias
  • Placebo effect
  • Hawthorne effect
  • Hindsight bias
  • Affect heuristic
  • Social desirability bias

Probability sampling means that every member of the target population has a known chance of being included in the sample.

Probability sampling methods include simple random sampling , systematic sampling , stratified sampling , and cluster sampling .

Simple random sampling is a type of probability sampling in which the researcher randomly selects a subset of participants from a population . Each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected. Data is then collected from as large a percentage as possible of this random subset.

The American Community Survey  is an example of simple random sampling . In order to collect detailed data on the population of the US, the Census Bureau officials randomly select 3.5 million households per year and use a variety of methods to convince them to fill out the survey.

If properly implemented, simple random sampling is usually the best sampling method for ensuring both internal and external validity . However, it can sometimes be impractical and expensive to implement, depending on the size of the population to be studied,

If you have a list of every member of the population and the ability to reach whichever members are selected, you can use simple random sampling.

Samples are used to make inferences about populations . Samples are easier to collect data from because they are practical, cost-effective, convenient, and manageable.

Sampling bias occurs when some members of a population are systematically more likely to be selected in a sample than others.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Thomas, L. (2023, December 18). Simple Random Sampling | Definition, Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/simple-random-sampling/

Is this article helpful?

Lauren Thomas

Lauren Thomas

Other students also liked, sampling methods | types, techniques & examples, stratified sampling | definition, guide & examples, sampling bias and how to avoid it | types & examples, unlimited academic ai-proofreading.

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

IMAGES

  1. 010 Random Essay Generator Example Topic Success Spatial College L

    random order essay

  2. Chronological Order in Essay Writing

    random order essay

  3. Chronological Order in Essay Writing

    random order essay

  4. Order Essay

    random order essay

  5. random-essay

    random order essay

  6. 010 Random Essay Generator Example Topic Success Spatial College L

    random order essay

VIDEO

  1. Phos’ First Word Changes Everything

  2. Ordering Chaos

  3. Speedy Paper Review by Martyn

  4. (April Fools 2024) A Normal Video About TWEWY

  5. Research Paper Order Essay

  6. Order statistics -Algorithms (Ahmed Fawzy)

COMMENTS

  1. 7 Different Ways to Organize an Essay

    Random Order. One of the rarest organizational structures is random order, in which information is presented without a fixed plan and without regard to logical progression. This type of organization is most useful for impressionistic or descriptive essays. However, it is difficult to pull off in an academic essay, where great weight is placed ...

  2. 9.3 Organizing Your Writing

    Spatial order; When you begin to draft your essay, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. Your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas in order to help process and accept them.

  3. 5.2 Methods of Organizing Your Writing

    When you begin to draft an essay or paragraph, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. However, your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, ... This section covers three ways to organize both essays and paragraphs: chronological order, order of importance, and spatial order. Chronological Order.

  4. 5.1 Methods of Organizing Your Writing

    When you begin to draft an essay or paragraph, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. However, your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, ... This section covers three ways to organize both essays and paragraphs: chronological order, order of importance, and spatial order. Chronological Order.

  5. Example of a Great Essay

    Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order: An opening hook to catch the reader's attention. Relevant background information that the reader needs to know. A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument. The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay.

  6. Organizing Your Writing

    Spatial order; When you begin to draft your essay, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. Your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas in order to help process and accept them.

  7. Organizing Your Writing

    Exercise 3. On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

  8. How to Structure an Essay

    The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body. This article provides useful templates and tips to help you outline your essay, make decisions about your structure, and ...

  9. 5.4 Organizing Your Writing

    5.4 Organizing Your Writing. Learning Objectives. Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focussed. Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay. Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay. Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.

  10. PDF Paragraph Basics: Logical Order and Transitions

    Model Paragraph #3. The first year of life is a time of great motor development in human babies. (2) In the first month of life, reflexes control the arm, leg and hand movements of an infant, and nonreflexive activity is gross and random. (3) The baby wiggles, kicks and flings her arms and legs in all directions.

  11. Generate Topic Ideas For an Essay or Paper

    Example: Expository essay prompt Choose a historically significant invention and explain the key events and processes that contributed to its development. This prompt gives us a very general subject. It doesn't ask for a specific type of essay, but the word explain suggests that an expository essay is the most appropriate response.

  12. Organizing Body Paragraphs

    This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs: Chronological order. Order of importance. Spatial order. When you begin to draft your essay, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. Your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ...

  13. 1.5: Methods of Organizing Your Writing

    Exercise 14. On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

  14. RANDOM.ORG

    List Randomizer. This form allows you to arrange the items of a list in random order. The randomness comes from atmospheric noise, which for many purposes is better than the pseudo-random number algorithms typically used in computer programs.

  15. Random Topic Generator: Essay & Speech Ideas for Free

    Try the tool on this page! Our random essay topic generator will create a bunch of writing ideas and prompts for your paper or speech. Follow a few simple steps to generate a topic for your assignment: Place your order and get your paper in 1 hour , without plagiarism! Let's Start.

  16. Organizing Your Writing

    Exercise 3. On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

  17. How to Write a Chronological Essay

    5 Tips on Writing a Chronological Essay. 5.1 Pick an Idea and Make a Plan. 5.2 Use a Variety of Sentence Structures to Keep Your Writing Interesting. 5.3 Provide Sufficient Details. 5.4 Use Transitional Words and Phrases, Such As "First," "Next," and "Then," to Indicate the Chronological Flow. 5.5 Use Headings and Subheadings to ...

  18. FREE AUTOMATED ESSAY GENERATOR

    Essay-maker is an AI tool that can generate an essay on any topic within a couple of minutes. Just follow these simple steps to get your paper: State the topic of your future paper. Press "Continue". Revise and edit the essay to fit it to your needs. Topic Keywords.

  19. Online Randomizer

    List randomizer and random order generator. Input a list of numbers, letters, words, IDs, names, emails, or anything else and the randomizer will return the items in random order. Random list generator to randomly shuffle any list. List shuffler with true randomness (CPRNG). Maximum list length for the randomiser is 100,000 items.

  20. Free AI Paragraph Generator

    Students and researchers can benefit from Ahrefs' Paragraph Generator when working on papers, essays, or research articles. By providing the necessary instructions, the tool can generate well-structured paragraphs that present key arguments, evidence, and analysis, aiding in the writing process. Personal writing and communication.

  21. Random Order Show™

    🏆 the #1 podcast about anything 🏆by @RandomOrderStudiosaudio-exclusive episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & RandomOrder.org

  22. Random Assignment in Experiments

    Random sampling (also called probability sampling or random selection) is a way of selecting members of a population to be included in your study. In contrast, random assignment is a way of sorting the sample participants into control and experimental groups. While random sampling is used in many types of studies, random assignment is only used ...

  23. Opinion

    Where Is America's 'Rules-Based Order' Now? Mr. Ackerman is a foreign-policy columnist for The Nation and the author of "Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced ...

  24. In Photos: What Solar Eclipse-Gazing Has Looked Like Through History

    What Solar Eclipse-Gazing Has Looked Like for the Past 2 Centuries. Millions of people on Monday will continue the tradition of experiencing and capturing solar eclipses, a pursuit that has ...

  25. Simple Random Sampling

    Revised on December 18, 2023. A simple random sample is a randomly selected subset of a population. In this sampling method, each member of the population has an exactly equal chance of being selected. This method is the most straightforward of all the probability sampling methods, since it only involves a single random selection and requires ...