1. BUILDING YOUR ARGUMENT
Using Bruffee’s Organizational Patterns to Strengthen A Rhetorical Writing

2. On the blue card, write your thesis (statement of your claim or proposition).
Write down your first reason in favor of the proposition/claim on the first green card. On the back, in complete sentences, provide a few key examples of this reason.
Use the remainder of green cards for other pro reasons. Get more if needed.

3. Use the red cards for your con reasons (reasons against the proposition/claim). On the back, give key examples.
On the orange card, provide a hook—a strong image, punchy quote—something to get and keep the reader’s attention.
Continue this process until you have a con for every pro and a pro for every con.

4. Take three white note cards and a copy of the transitions handout.
Find a partner. Sit with that person.
Refer back to the essay patterns notes and review the following patterns:
Two Reasons
Nestorian Order
Straw Man
Concession.

5. Organizing Your Prewriting
Using the essay patterns, work with your partner to find the pattern that best fits your essay. You do NOT both have to have the same pattern! Make sure to try them all out.
Remember, you can mix and match aspects of the different patterns—focus on what works best for YOUR piece.

6. Create Transitions
Refer to the sheet on transitions that you got as you entered. Use the white cards to create transitions between your ideas.
You may use other transitions, of course.
Work with your partner to ensure that your transitions are clear.

7. Wrap-Up Before Drafting
In your “Conference Notes” section of your writer’s notebook, answer the following:
1. Which pattern worked best for your piece? Explain your choice in detail.
2. Did you combine any patterns? How? Why?
3. What’s your next step? How will you go about putting together your draft? Explain.
When you are ready, begin drafting your essay!