Logical division of ideas is a form of essay organization
that is used to group related items according to some quality they have in
common. Logical division can be useful in planning an academic paper because it
will help you divide a broad subject into several categories or groups and in
that way focus the topics for discussion. Then each subtopic can be discussed
in order.
For instance, as an engineer, you might write a paper in
which you classify the various options available to students in the field of
engineering. You might divide the' main field in the following subclasses:
civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering. space
engineering, and electronic engineering. By dividing the field into subclasses,
you can discuss each one separately, which simplifies the task of explaining
such a broad subject. Then study the model
essay. Which discusses some of the influences of Native Americans on
modern American culture. Notice that the same techniques used for logical
division paragraphs can also be used for whole essays.
Native American Influences on Modern American Culture
When the first Europeans came to the North American
continent. they encountered the completely new cultures of the Native
American peoples of North America. Native Americans, who had highly developed
cultures in many respects. must have been as curious about the strange European
manners and customs as the
Europeans were curious about them. As always happens when two
or more cultures come into contact. there was a cultural exchange. Native
Americans adopted" some of the Europeans' ways. and the Europeans adopted
some of their ways. As a result. Native Americans have made many valuable
contributions to American culture. particularly in the areas of language. art,
food. and government.
Native Americans left a permanent imprint on the English
language. The early English speaking settlers borrowed from several different
Native American languages words for the new places and new objects that they
had found in this new land. All across the country. one can find cities. towns.
rivers. and states ,with Native American names. For example. the states
of Delaware. Iowa. Illinois. And Alabama are named
after Native American tribes as are the cities of
Chicago. Miami. and Spokane. In addition to place names. English adopted from
various Native American languages the words for animals and plants that were to
be found only in the Americas and no place else. Chipmunk. moose. raccoon.
skunk. tobacco. and potato are just a few examples.
Although the vocabulary of English is the
area that shows the most Native American influence. it is not the only area
of American culture that was shaped by contact with Native Americans. Art is
another area of important Native American contributions. Wool rugs woven by women
of the Navajo tribe in Arizona and New Mexico are highly valued works of art in
the United States. Also, Native American jewelry made from silver and turquoise
is very popular and very expensive. Especially in the western and south western
regions of the United States. native crafts such as pottery, handcrafted
leather product, and bead work can be found in many homes. Indeed. native art
and handicrafts are a treasured part of American culture.
In
addition to language and art, agriculture is another area in which Native
Americans had a great and lasting influence on the peoples who arrived here
from Europe. Africa. and Asia. Being skilled farmers. the Native Americans of
North America taught the newcomers many things about farming techniques and
crops. Every American schoolchild has heard the story of how Native Americans
taught the first settlers to place a dead fish in a planting hole to provide
fertilizer for the
Grown plant. Furthermore. they taught the
settlers irrigation methods and crop rotation. In addition. many of the foods
Americans eat today were introduced to the Europeans by Native Americans. For
example. potatoes. Chocolate and peanuts were unknown in Europe. Now they are
staples in the American diet.
Finally. it may surprise
some people to learn that Americans are also indebted' to the native people for
our form of government. The Iroquois. who were an extremely large tribe with
many branches called "nations," had developed a highly sophisticated2 system
of government to settle disputes that arose between the various branches. Five
of the nations had joined together in a confederation called "The League
of the Iroquois." Under the League, each nation was autonomous' in running
its own internal affairs. but the nations acted as a unit when dealing with
outsiders. The League kept the Iroquois from fighting among themselves and was
also valuable in diplomatic relations with other tribes. When the thirteen
American colonies were considering what kind of government to establish after
they won their independence from Britain. someone suggested that they use a
system similar to that of the League of the Iroquois. Under this system. each
colony or future state would be autonomous in managing its own affairs but
would join forces with the other states to deal with matters that concerned
them all. This is exactly what happened. As a result. the present form of
government of the United States can be traced directly back to a Native
American model.
In
conclusion. we can easily see from these few examples the extent of Native
American influence on our language.
our art forms. our eating habits. and our government. Modern Americans are
deeply indebted to Native Americans for their contributions to United States
culture.
A logical division essay is
organized just like a logical division paragraph. a large topic is divided up
into smaller subtopics, each of which can be discussed in a separate paragraph.
The introductory paragraph introduces the main topic, and the thesis statement
may give the number of subtopics, or it may name them. Each body paragraph
discusses one subtopic. The concluding paragraph brings the essay to a close by
reminding the reader of the essay's main points.
Transition Signals and Thesis Statements
Transition signals are the same for logical division
paragraphs and logical division essays. and thesis statements for logical
division essays are similar to topic sentences for logical division paragraphs.
A thesis statement may name the subtopics or simply indicate that there are a
certain number of subtopics, as in these examples:
Subtopics not named: A college education is a necessity in
today's competitive world for two main reasons. Subtopics named: A college
education is a necessity in today's competitive world not only because of the
knowledge you gain but also because of the social contacts you make.
A. Outlining 'Working alone or in a group. make an outline
of the model essay about Native American influences on American culture. Follow
the model outline on pages 108-109. If you work in a group, assign one
paragraph to each student to outline. When you are finished, combine all of the
group's outlines on one paper.
B. Transition Signals Circle the transition signals in the
model essay.
C. Transitions between Paragraphs Copy the words, phrases,
and clauses that serve as links between the six paragraphs.
Between 1 and
2:
Between 2
and 3:
Between 3 and 4:
Between 4
and 5:
Between 5
and 6:
Alternate Topic Suggestions
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Kinds of students. teachers.
shoppers.
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The various career options that
are
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automobile drivers, etc.
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available to graduates in your
field of
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The various submajors in your
major
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study
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Breeds of dogs (or cats)
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Clothing styles among your peers
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