A. Material: 1. Native of the Rocky Mountains. 2. Blooms abundantly. 3. Grows on shady slopes. 4. Color—blue, white, occasionally pink, never red. 5. Sepals—ovate with slender spurs, spreading; double length of the petals with which they alternate. 6. Petals—round and lighter in color than sepals. 7. Size—three inches broad. 8. Beauty—so great that it has been introduced into gardens.
[In this example, the material has fallen of its own accord into a good order: general statements, 1, 2, 3; color, 4; form, 5, 6; size, 7; beauty, 8. In this case, therefore, it will not be necessary to rearrange the material.]
B. Topic sentence: The long-spurred columbine is an exquisite flower.
C. Whole paragraph: The long-spurred columbine is an exquisite flower. It is a native of the Rocky Mountains, where it blooms abundantly on shady slopes. It often wears a blue gown; it also wears white and occasionally pink, but never red. The ovate sepals, with their slender spurs, are spreading, and double the length of the round, lighter-colored petals with which they alternate. In size it is quite three inches across. It is so beautiful that it has been introduced into many gardens.
Example II. Subject of paragraph: Emigration to California in 1849.
A. Material: 1. In '49, "gold fever" reaches Eastern states. 2. Rush for West. 3. Eighty thousand men reach California before end of year. 4. A few gain riches. 5. The greater part barely make a living by exhaustive toil. 6. Hardships of journey across Isthmus of Panama and across continent (overland route). 7. San Francisco, from an insignificant settlement, sprang into city of twenty thousand inhabitants.
B. Material rearranged: 1. In 1849—"gold fever" reaches Eastern states. 2. Rush for West. 3. Hardships of journey. 4. Eighty thousand men reach California. 5. San Francisco's rapid growth. 6. A few gain riches. 7. The greater number barely make a living by their exhausting toil.
[Notice that 6 has been made 3. The hardships of the journey should naturally be described before the facts about the arrival are given.]
C. Topic sentence: In 1849 the "gold fever" reached the Eastern states, and a great rush of emigration began, both by land and by sea.
D. Whole paragraph: In 1849 the "gold fever" reached the Eastern states, and a great rush of emigration began both by land and by sea. Many died of sickness contracted in crossing the Isthmus of Panama; multitudes more perished on the overland route across the continent. Notwithstanding the hardships and loss of life, over eighty thousand men succeeded in reaching California before the end of the year. From an insignificant settlement San Francisco suddenly sprang into a city of twenty thousand inhabitants. A few of these emigrants gained the riches they so eagerly sought, but the greater part barely made a living by the most exhausting toil.