52 / Methods of Development
explain the familiar or the easy-to-understand first, followed by the unfamiliar, com-
plicated, difficult-to-understand. Consider each method of organization:
Part-by-part organization requires the writer to explain a single point or part of
the comparison, first for one topic of the analogy and then for the other topic. Next
the writer explains the second point, or part, of the comparison for each topic of the
analogy, and so on until he completes the analogy.
By contrast, whole-by-whole organization allows the writer to explain all points of
one topic of the analogy and then all points of the other topic.
The following outline best illustrates the two patterns:
Part-by-part organization Whole-by-whole organization
Point 1 Topic A
Topic A Point 1
Topic B Point 2
Point 2 Point 3
Topic A Topic B
Topic B Point 1
Point 3 Point 2
Topic A Point 3
Topic BNext, decide whether to use chronological order or one of the orders of importance
discussed in Step 4.
First, consider part-by-part organization arranged chronologically as in this analogy
comparing the stock market to a roller-coaster ride:
Point 1: January
Topic A: roller-coaster ride
Topic B: stock-market index
Point 2: June
Topic A: roller-coaster ride
Topic B: stock-market index
Point 3: December
Topic A: roller-coaster ride
Topic B: stock-market index
If the part-by-part analogy is organized by order of importance, Point 1 will represent
the item of greatest importance.