Writing By Order Of Importance
Order of importance is one of the most frequently-employed organizing principles used in essays and informational pieces. Because it provides the details of a subject in a manner that makes sense for many (a pyramid structure), it makes a lot of writing easier to follow (with the help of a grammar proofing software, of course).
This type of writing organization can be used in one two ways, either discussing the details from the most important to the least or the other way around. Both approaches can work, depending on your overall intent for the material.
Most Important First
Using this structure means revealing the most significant information early on, filling in the rest of the details as the writing moves forward. News pieces and magazine articles that use “order of importance” as their writing structure usually flow this way. Most opinion essays are also arranged in this manner, drawing the reader in with the most impactful ideas upfront.
The “most important,” of course, can vary, depending on the subject. When writing a profile of a personality, for instance, you want to get the most remarkable details early to inform the reader why they should be reading about the individual. An argument piece, on the other hand, will usually see the most convincing arguments offered up right along the top.
Least Important First
Some writers like to employ this method when writing a negative piece, easing readers into the bad features of a product or reporting an investigative piece without shocking at the onset. It can also be employed with the most significant detail acting as a twist – one that shifts the whole perspective into your argument, while the reader teeters in the brink towards its entirety.