Writing with Purpose: Understanding Methods of Development

by Lorraine Thompson

I still remember the day my mother spread three different opinion pieces across our kitchen table, her red editor's pen poised in hand. "Watch how each writer builds their argument differently," she said. One writer used vivid descriptions of a local park to argue for its preservation. Another compared two education policies, point by point. The third traced how a single city ordinance had triggered a chain of unexpected consequences.

As an opinion writer now myself, I use these methods every day. Let me show you how they work.

Definition: Making Things Clear

Last week, I needed to write about artificial intelligence. Before diving into the debate, I had to define what AI actually means. Here's how definition works:

  • Formal definitions: "Artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science that creates systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence."

  • Extended definitions: Explaining through examples - like describing how AI powers everything from spam filters to self-driving cars

  • Negation: Clarifying by explaining what something isn't - "Unlike traditional computer programs that follow fixed rules, AI systems learn from experience"

My father, the textbook editor, always said, "If readers don't understand your terms, they can't follow your argument."

Description: Creating Mental Pictures

When I covered the opening of a new community center, I couldn't just say it was "big and nice." Instead, I wrote about:

  • Visual details: The sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows

  • Sounds: Children's laughter echoing in the gymnasium

  • Movement: Seniors doing tai chi in the garden

  • Atmosphere: The buzz of activity in the computer lab

Good description helps readers experience a place or situation as if they were there.

Comparison and Contrast: Finding Connections

Recently, I compared two proposed solutions for our city's traffic problem. You can organize comparisons two ways:

Subject by Subject:

  • Solution A: Cost, implementation time, expected results

  • Solution B: Cost, implementation time, expected results

Point by Point:

  • Cost: Solution A vs. Solution B

  • Implementation time: Solution A vs. Solution B

  • Expected results: Solution A vs. Solution B

Cause and Effect: Showing Relationships

When writing about a local business district's revival, I traced multiple relationships:

Causes:

  • New parking policies

  • Small business grants

  • Street beautification

Effects:

  • Increased foot traffic

  • Higher business revenue

  • More community events

Sometimes one cause has many effects, or many causes lead to one effect. Understanding these patterns helps readers see how things connect.

Exemplification: Bringing Ideas to Life

Examples are like windows into abstract ideas. When I wrote about our city's volunteer spirit, I used:

  • Brief examples: "The Jones family has delivered meals to homebound seniors every Thursday for fifteen years."

  • Extended examples: A detailed story about how volunteers transformed an abandoned lot into a community garden

  • Hypothetical examples: "Imagine if every high school student volunteered just one hour per week..."

Process Analysis: Breaking Things Down

Process analysis can be:

Directional - Like my piece explaining how to:

  • Register to vote

  • Find your polling place

  • Request an absentee ballot

Explanatory - Like my article showing how a bill becomes law:

  • Introduction in council

  • Committee review

  • Public comment

  • Final vote

Classification and Division: Creating Order

When writing about local transportation options, I divided them into categories:

  • Public transit (buses, light rail, subway)

  • Personal vehicles (cars, motorcycles, bicycles)

  • Shared services (ride-sharing, bike-sharing, scooters)

  • Active transport (walking, jogging, skating)

Putting It All Together

Strong writing usually combines several methods. When I wrote about our city's farmers market, I:

  • Defined terms like "locally sourced" and "organic"

  • Described the market's sights, sounds, and smells

  • Compared prices with supermarket costs

  • Explained cause-effect relationships between buying local and supporting the economy

  • Provided examples of successful vendors

  • Analyzed the process of getting from farm to market

Making Choices

Choose your methods based on:

  • Your purpose (Are you informing? Persuading? Explaining?)

  • Your audience (What do they already know? What do they need to understand?)

  • Your subject (Which methods best fit your topic?)

For example, when I write about:

  • City policies - I use definition and process analysis

  • Community issues - I use description and exemplification

  • Proposed changes - I use comparison-contrast and cause-effect

Learning to Analyze

When reading others' writing, ask:

  • What's the main method they're using?

  • How do they support their main ideas?

  • Why did they choose these particular methods?

  • How effective are their choices?

As my mother always said, "Understanding how writers build their arguments helps you build better ones yourself." She was right. These methods aren't just writing techniques - they're thinking tools that help you both analyze what you read and strengthen what you write.

Now it's your turn. Look at a piece of writing and identify the methods being used. How do they work together? What makes them effective? The more you practice recognizing these patterns, the better you'll become at using them in your own writing.