Business English: A Practice Book by Rose Buhlig

=Exercise 155--The Divisions of the Subject= After you have selected your subject, decide into what divisions it naturally falls. If it is of the proper length, it probably will divide itself into two or three divisions. Each of these will constitute one-half or one-third of your composition, and within each division illustrations, reasons, and explanatory details will appear. Arrange the divisions in the order in which they naturally come, according to their relative time of happening or according to their relative importance, reserving the most important for the last. Sometimes this sort of division is difficult to make, because a subject can frequently be treated from different points of view, the point of view deciding the divisions. Sometimes you will find that you have made a number of small divisions, in each of which you can say only one or two sentences. This will at once suggest that you have not found the main parts of the subject, but have made unimportant divisions. Again, it may seem that you cannot divide your subject into satisfactory parts. In that case, you probably do not know enough about it. Think about it again, and, if you find that you really cannot divide it, choose another. * * * * * Choose one of the following subjects. Is the title definite and clear? If it is not, change it so that it will be. For example, _Photography_ (5) is not a definite title. No one could attempt to explain the entire subject of photography in a few minutes. A better title for a theme would be one of the following: _How to Develop a Negative_; _How to Intensify [_or_ reduce] a Negative_; _Our Camera Club_; _The Photography Exhibit at the Art Museum_; _Kinematography_; _Flash Light Pictures without Smoke or Odor_; _The Conditions Necessary for a Good Snap Shot Picture_; _The Advantages of Using a Developing Machine_; _How My Camera Helped Pay for My Vacation_. Can you suggest still others? After having selected your title, decide into what divisions the subject naturally falls. For example, let us take (2) below. _A Ball Game_ is not a definite title. Instead, let us choose _Last Saturday's Football Game_. As stated above, a subject may be treated from different points of view, the point of view deciding the divisions. Thus, in treating _Last Saturday's Football Game_, we may divide: _a_ LAST SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL GAME I. The first quarter. II. The second quarter. III. The third quarter. IV. The fourth quarter. _b_ LAST SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL GAME I. The excitement for a week before the game. II. The tension during the struggle. III. The celebration after the game. _c_ THE TWO DECISIVE PLAYS IN SATURDAY'S GAME I. The long forward pass. II. The end run to the five-yard line. Still other divisions may be made if we consider the subject from the point of view of the teams or the players themselves. Can you suggest any such divisions? In the same way choose one of the subjects given below. Change it, if necessary. Then write out the topic of each division in as few words as possible.