Writing Book 4 · Lesson 2

Three levels: I, A, 1

Notes can show three levels: the main idea, what supports it, and an example.

What it is

Two levels of notes sort ideas into big and small. Three levels do something harder and more useful: they separate a support from an example. A support is a reason the main idea is true. An example is one particular case of that reason. If you cannot tell them apart, your notes flatten into a list and you cannot write from them later.

Watch it built

1
Read the passage and find the one idea everything else serves. That is level I.
I. Deserts are hard to live in
2
Find a reason that idea is true. A reason is level A.
  A. There is very little water
3
Find a particular case of that reason. A case is level 1.
    1. Some years no rain falls at all

One more

A. Camels store fat in their humps
↓
A. Animals there are built for it / 1. Camels store fat in their humps
Remember
I = the idea. A = a reason it is true. 1 = one case of that reason.
Ask yourself: “Is this a main idea, a support, or an example?”

Remember

I, A, 1 — three levels, three sizes of idea.

41