The Jigsaw Test

How can you know if you have successfully organized your paper? Give it the Jigsaw Test.

Once you have typed up a draft of your paper, set it aside for a day or two. When you return to it, cut the draft into paragraph "pieces." Shuffle the pieces around and see if you can re-assemble the paragraphs in the correct order. Better yet, see if a friend is able to do it. If you can't arrange the paragraphs in the right order, you'll know that your paper can benefit from clearer transitions--either cue words or the repetition of a key word or phrase from the previous paragraph--that will help guide the reader through your ideas.