Ask the Center Staff
My students were asking about a “pyramid” structure to use to help set up their paragraphs and to connect each section back to their claims. I am unfamiliar with this–do you have any information about it?
Thank you! — Kirsti Sandy
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Great question, Kirsti. Pyramids are used as writing structures in two main ways. The first, and the one I think you are asking about, is a concept for thinking about argumentation and other kinds of essay writing. The second, an inverted pyramid, is a structure sometimes used in journalism. Although both are pyramids, they differ in emphasis because both the purposes of each genre and the expectations of their readers differ. I’ll focus this post on ways to think about academic writing. Another post, Pyramids, Part 2 , discusses the structure’s uses in journalism.
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PYRAMIDS, Part 1: ESSAY WRITING
THE POINT: Think of the point of the pyramid as the main point of your essay. It need not necessarily be positioned at the very beginning, but it is the central point the essay makes: the claim, the thesis, the focus, or the big idea you want readers to come away understanding. Every other part of the essay is chosen and developed to create a strong foundation for that main point.
THE FOUNDATION: Form the corners of the pyramid’s foundation using compelling evidence to provide a sound basis for your argument. This can be flexible rather than formulaic. The number and order of sections is up to you, as is how many different kinds of evidence you choose. The main thing is to make sure the cornerstones of your essay are powerful enough to hold up the all-important main point.
THE CORNERSTONES: These are the major structural supports for the essay. Here are some options:
– An anecdote or other relevant narrative can illustrate or introduce the issue or provide important background information in an engaging way.
– Relevant findings from credible sources such as scholarly articles, books, and newspapers can substantiate the points you make.
– Results of interviews, a survey, or other first-hand research can substantiate your point with information you’ve personally gathered.
– Including naysayer positions can strengthen your argument if you address why your main point remains valid despite reasonable alternative perspectives.
THE MORTAR: Connections between these cornerstones and that main point are the mortar of the pyramid. Every part needs to relate to the next part as well as to the main point. Connections, mortar, transitions — whatever you call this, it’s what holds the structure together for your readers. A wonderful guide to crafting transitions comes from our colleagues at the UNC Writing Center: Transitions
REVISING WITH YOUR READERS IN MIND: As you read each section of a draft, imagine interested but skeptical readers who expect your point to be clear and the evidence supporting it to be compelling. Anticipating their questions and where they might get lost or bored can help you revise your writing well, section by section. Sharing your draft with another writer is a good way to learn how your main point is coming across, where you need to add more stones and mortar to your pyramid, or whether some of those stones might fit better in a different project. Our handout, How to Give and Get Good Feedback, suggests constructive ways to share work with a peer.