Academic writing is like a funnel

A PR guru says that we - the reader - have a short attention span, so we need to “Tell [our] reader what it is [we] are trying to tell [them] right away” (Favorito, 2007, p. 40). In PR we begin wide, then get specific: it helps our reader to understand the story. In academic writing too, imagining our writing as a funnel may help us to flow our narrative from the general to the specific. 

This "‘funnel’ approach" is where "students begin their [writing] with broad information about their subject before arriving at the narrower focus" of the piece of work under construction (Barratta & Jones, 2008, p. 21). This idea can work with a larger piece of work - a report containing a general introduction, a more refined body, then into the specifics of a summary - or in a paragraph, which begins with a topic sentence, then hones in on the details of the argument we are building.

This is particularly pertinent for writing introductory paragraphs: 

"A funnel introduction has two parts: several general statements and one thesis statement. The general statements give the reader background information about the topic of the essay. They should lead your reader gradually from a very general idea of your topic to a very specific idea. The first general statement in a funnel introduction just introduces the topic. Like the lens of a camera moving in for a close-up picture, each sentence that follows becomes more and more focused on a specific topic. The thesis statement is normally the last sentence in an introductory paragraph" (Oshima & Hogue, 2007, p. 150).

The funnel metaphor can help us to outline our overall structure, to plan our work. Writing up a list of the topics as they narrow down - and juggling the order until we get logical flow - can help us to see where we are going, to find information, and to guide how we write. An outline can help us to hold onto the thread of where we want to go. 

From using PowerPoint YEARS ago, I used to start with the PowerPoint Wizard which would step me through the outline of what I wanted to say, and I got used to doing that with any piece of writing. Now the first thing I do is to write where I am intending to go, then to list the main headings. I start populating ideas under each of the headings, and finding resources. Over time I start writing around the fragments, and fleshing them out into full paragraphs. What keeps me on track is the rough mental map which I frames my writing as I am working through my ideas. Sometimes the contents of some areas may evolve, but often those components which I started with are where I end up.

Working from the general to the specific. And telling a good story.

Sam

References:

Baratta, A., & Jones, S. (2008). Using film to introduce and develop academic writing skills among UK undergraduate students. The Journal of Educational Enquiry, 8(2), 15-37. https://ojs.unisa.edu.au/index.php/EDEQ/article/view/465/345

Favorito, J. (2007). Sports Publicity: A Practical Approach. Reed Elsevier.

Oshima, A., & Hogue, A. (2007). Introduction to Academic Writing (3rd ed.). Pearson.