Page 140 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

You may also wish to experiment with reverse emphatic order,
beginning with your most important idea and leading to the less

important ideas. This type of organization suggests that your strongest

idea carries such weight that it demands to be heard first. Your lesser

points shore up that idea and lend your thesis further support.

Whether you choose emphatic order or reverse emphatic order, your
technique will be sound. The first and last body paragraphs are always

strong points of emphasis because readers are more likely to

remember points that come first or last.

Example of Emphatic Order

Thesis: Internet radio is preferable to traditional broadcast radio.

Topic sentence 1: Internet radio has a broader range of content
than can be found on a typical FM band.

Topic sentence 2: For those willing to pay, Internet radio is also

available without commercials.

Topic sentence 3: Most important, Internet radio stations can be
customized according to the user’s taste.

Example of Reverse Emphatic Order

Thesis: When I bought a new car recently, I looked for cars with
the features that were most important to me.

Topic sentence 1: When I began my search for a new car, the