The document discusses four features of a strong arrangement in an academic writing: 1) It develops the thesis statement by explaining its key ideas, 2) It organizes these ideas in a logical and progressive sequence building to a climax, 3) It devotes most space to the most original, interesting, and/or controversial aspects of the thesis, and less space to less significant aspects, and 4) It stays focused on the thesis without straying. A strong arrangement also has an underlying organizing principle such as moving from simple to complex or cause to effect.

1. Arrangement
The art of organizing your discourse

2. FOUR FEATURES OF A STRONG ARRANGEMENT
1. It DEVELOPS the thesis statement by fleshing out its key
ideas.
1. It organizes those ideas in a LOGICALLY PROGRESSIVE
SEQUENCE THAT BUILDS TO A CLIMAX.
1. It devotes the MOST SPACE to the most original,
interesting, and/or controversial aspects of the thesis, and
LESS SPACE to the less original, interesting, and/or
controversial aspects of the thesis.
2. It DOESN’T STRAY from the thesis.

3. FOUR FEATURES OF A STRONG ARRANGEMENT
A “climactic” sequence has an underlying organizing
principle. For example:
Simple to complex
Cause to effect
Problem to solution
Least controversial to most controversial
These are just examples; there are many more potential
organizing principles than these four. Moreover, there isn’t a
“right” organizing principle. The most important thing is that
you choose one and that you can put a name to it.