Totalitarianism in Stalinist Russia

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Writers choose their words carefully to convey meaning. They rely on text structure, which includes the organizational structure of the text, to help convey this meaning. There are five basic types of organizational structures of the text:

Description
Sequence or Timeline
Compare and Contrast
Cause and Effect
Problems and Solution

Sometimes you will also see a writer use "signal words," which can give you a hint about what kind of text structure is being used. Review each topic below to learn more about the different types of text structure.

Term	Signal words	Text example
Description Writers use description to describe something, or convey how something looks, acts, feels, tastes, sounds and so on.	for example for instance most important in front beside near looks like sounds like such as is a feature of also another	Joseph Stalin established a totalitarian government in the Soviet Union. A feature of totalitarianism is that the government controls all aspects of public and private life whenever possible.

Term

Signal words

Text example

Description
fountain pen on top of a form field titled Description

Writers use description to describe something, or convey how something looks, acts, feels, tastes, sounds and so on.

for example
for instance
most important
in front
beside
near
looks like
sounds like
such as
is a feature of
also
another

Joseph Stalin established a totalitarian government in the Soviet Union. A feature of totalitarianism is that the government controls all aspects of public and private life whenever possible.

What signal words demonstrate that the text is an example of Description?

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The signal words that demonstrate Description are:

A feature of

Joseph Stalin established a totalitarian government in the Soviet Union. A feature of totalitarianism is that the government controls all aspects of public and private life whenever possible.

Term	Signal words	Text example
Sequence or Timeline Writers use sequence to explain how events or steps in a process take place.	first second third before after next at the same time on now preceding when then following finally	After Vladimir Lenin’s stroke in 1922, competition began to become his successor. Stalin began his climb to power from 1922 to 1927. By 1928, Stalin was in command of the Communist Party. Following the elimination of his competitors, Stalin then seized absolute power as a dictator.

Term

Signal words

Text example

Sequence or Timeline six red numbered balls placed sequentially with the lowest number closest to the screen

Writers use sequence to explain how events or steps in a process take place.

first
second
third
before
after
next
at the same time
on
now
preceding
when
then
following
finally

After Vladimir Lenin’s stroke in 1922, competition began to become his successor. Stalin began his climb to power from 1922 to 1927. By 1928, Stalin was in command of the Communist Party. Following the elimination of his competitors, Stalin then seized absolute power as a dictator.

What signal words demonstrate that the text is an example of Sequence or Timeline?

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The signal words that demonstrate Sequence or Timeline are:

after
following
then

After Vladimir Lenin's stroke in 1922, competition began to become his successor. Stalin began his climb to power from 1922 to 1927. By 1928, Stalin was in command of the Communist Party. Following the elimination of his competitors, Stalin then seized absolute power as a dictator.

Term	Signal words	Text example
Compare and Contrast Writers use compare and contrast to explain similarities and differences.	similar different from although instead but yet likewise like unlike also too both in contrast on the other hand however	Unlike democracies in which citizens have many rights and personal freedoms, totalitarian states control all aspects of society. In contrast to democracies, totalitarian governments control the press, media and other sources of information.

Term

Signal words

Text example

Compare and Contrast an apple and an orange on a balanced scale

Writers use compare and contrast to explain similarities and differences.

similar
different from
although
instead
but
yet
likewise
like
unlike
also
too
both
in contrast
on the other hand
however

Unlike democracies in which citizens have many rights and personal freedoms, totalitarian states control all aspects of society. In contrast to democracies, totalitarian governments control the press, media and other sources of information.

What signal words demonstrate that the text is an example of Compare and Contrast?

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The signal words that demonstrate Compare and Contrast are:

unlike
in contrast

Unlike democracies in which citizens have many rights and personal freedoms, totalitarian states control all aspects of society. In contrast to democracies, totalitarian governments control the press, media and other sources of information.

Term	Signal words	Text example
Cause and Effect Writers use cause and effect to explain how an event caused another to occur.	causes effects as a result of since because of for this reason consequently if then this led to therefore in order to produces	Stalin aimed to create a perfect communist state in Russia. In order to achieve his goal, he believed he needed to eliminate his enemies. For this reason, anyone who disagreed with his policies was arrested, imprisoned or executed.

Term

Signal words

Text example

Cause and Effect hand drawing arrows linking the words Cause and Effect

Writers use cause and effect to explain how an event caused another to occur.

causes
effects
as a result of
since
because of
for this reason
consequently
if
then
this led to
therefore
in order to
produces

Stalin aimed to create a perfect communist state in Russia. In order to achieve his goal, he believed he needed to eliminate his enemies. For this reason, anyone who disagreed with his policies was arrested, imprisoned or executed.

What signal words demonstrate that the text is an example of Cause and Effect?

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The signal words that demonstrate Cause and Effect are:

in order
for this reason

Stalin aimed to create a perfect communist state in Russia. In order to achieve his goal, he believed he needed to eliminate his enemies. For this reason, anyone who disagreed with his policies was arrested, imprisoned or executed.

Term	Signal words	Text example
Problem and Solution Writers use problem and solution to describe a problem and the steps taken to solve it.	because the problem is a solution is the question is difficulty help solve one answer is steps taken to solve (prevent) solution resolution answer	Because Stalin wanted to boost food production, he took steps to collectivize, or place all farmland under government control. The kulaks, or wealthy peasants, resisted by destroying livestock and crops. Stalin’s solution was the elimination of the kulaks.

Term

Signal words

Text example

Problem and Solution checkbox for Problem crossed while checkbox for Solution selected

Writers use problem and solution to describe a problem and the steps taken to solve it.

because
the problem is
a solution is
the question is
difficulty
help
solve
one answer is
steps taken to solve (prevent)
solution
resolution
answer

Because Stalin wanted to boost food production, he took steps to collectivize, or place all farmland under government control. The kulaks, or wealthy peasants, resisted by destroying livestock and crops. Stalin’s solution was the elimination of the kulaks.

What signal words demonstrate that the text is an example of Problem and Solution?

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The signal words that demonstrate Problem and Solution are:

Because
solution was

Because Stalin wanted to boost food production, he took steps to collectivize, or place all farmland under government control. The kulaks, or wealthy peasants, resisted by destroying livestock and crops. Stalin's solution was the elimination of the kulaks.