Determining an approach
We are walking through the landscape of our topic, focusing our minds on our ultimate goal. How do we get there? The trick is to find a self-evident sequence to discuss each of the parts of your argument in turn, so that each part locks into the other.

That is a question of approach. Any mountaineer knows that a mountain has various approaches. In approaching a topic you have to determine how you are going to reach your goal. To do this you have to distinguish the various stages of your journey.

To stick with the example of the parallels between Jamaica and West Africa, the approach strategy might be to:

· describe the built fabric of Jamaica

· give evidence for the connection between the people of Jamaica and the communities you intend to investigate in West Africa

· describe the built fabric of those communities in West Africa

· compare the buildings of Jamaica with those of Africa and come to a conclusion about the nature of their relationship.

· come to a conclusion as to the significance (that is practical implications) of that relationship.

That is relatively straightforward but it gets more complicated when you have to decide on what particular kind of evidence is relevant to your argument. Would looking at parallels in religious practices help? Would it help to investigate building techniques? Would it help to investigate family structures? Would it help to look at decorative schemes? Selecting what is relevant to your purpose among these subjects will determine your approach.

Every stage along the argument will discuss a separate issue. It is useful to separate these stages into chapters or subheadings.