Questioning the order of a grouping
质疑分组顺序

You know that ideas in any grouping must be placed in logical order. In deductive groupings, of course, that is no problem, since logical order is the order imposed by the structure of the argument. In inductive groupings, however, you have a choice of how to order. Thus, you need to know how to make the choice, and how to judge that you have made the right choice.
你知道，任何分组中的思想都必须按逻辑顺序排列。在演绎分组中，这不是问题，因为逻辑顺序是由论证结构决定的。然而，在归纳分组中，你可以选择如何排序。因此，你需要了解如何做出选择，以及如何判断自己的选择是否正确。

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To this end you must understand that ideas grouped together in writing are never brought there by chance.
为此，你必须明白，写作中被分组在一起的思想绝不是偶然放置的。

They are always picked out of your mind because it sees them as having a logical relationship. For example:
它们总是因为在你的思维中呈现出逻辑关系而被挑选出来。例如：

• Three steps to solve a problem.
  解决问题的三个步骤。

• Three key factors for success in an industry.
  一个行业成功的三个关键因素。

• Three problems in a company.
  一个公司面临的三个问题。

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1. It can determine the causes of an effect.
1. 它可以确定一个结果的原因。

Whenever you make statements in writing that tell the reader to do something – fire the sales manager, say, or delegate profit responsibility to the regions – you do so because you believe the action will have a particular effect.
当你在写作中告诉读者去做某事（例如解雇销售经理，或将利润责任分配给地区）时，你是因为相信这一行动会产生特定结果。

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Exhibit 28: The source of the grouping dictates its order.
图表28：分组的来源决定其顺序。

1. It can determine the causes of an effect.
   它可以确定一个结果的原因。
   Time order
   时间顺序

2. It can divide a whole into its parts.
   它可以将整体分解为部分。
   Structural order
   结构顺序

3. It can classify like things.
   它可以对相似事物分类。
   Ranking order
   排名顺序

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2. It can divide a whole into its parts.
2. 它可以将整体分解为部分。

You are familiar with this technique in creating organization charts or picturing the structure of an industry.
在创建组织结构图或描绘行业结构时，你会熟悉这种技术。

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3. It can classify like things together.
3. 它可以将相似的事物分类在一起。

Whenever you say that a company "has three problems," you are not speaking literal truth.
当你说一家公司有“三个问题”时，这并非字面意义上的真实情况。

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These orders can be applied singly or in combination, but one of them must always be present in a grouping.
这些顺序可以单独或组合使用，但在一个分组中必须至少存在一种顺序。

Let me tell you more about each of them and how you can use them to check your thinking.
让我告诉你更多关于它们的信息，以及如何用它们检查你的思路。