# HOW TO ORGANIZE THE INFORMATION

The easiest way to organize your information (for you and your readers) is to divide it into sections and then decide on the best sequence in which to present these.
You can use catalog cards to help you sort your information — write a relevant point, piece of information or reference on each card and then experiment. Start off with four or five major headings to serve as key points and lay these out on your desk. Then add the cards with relevant facts, explanations and reasoning that will lead to your conclusions and recommendations.
Read through these, checking for any repetition or missing information, and moving the cards around until you’re satisfied you have all the necessary data.
Keep related issues in groupings according to common characteristics and their contribution to achieving the purpose of your report.
You then need to arrange these groupings or headings into a logical sequence:
> If your purpose is to show what happened, organize the information chronologically.
> If you have to explain why something happened, you can use a cause-and-effect structure or discuss the present situation and then go back in time to explain how the problem or situation arose.
> If your purpose is to show what should be done, you can compare and contrast alternative solutions, assembling evidence and then making a recommendation based on the information presented.