Area VII · Cognitive Load & Information Design
Given–New Information Structure
Known first, new last
Open each sentence with familiar information and end it with the new point.
Definition & mechanics
The given–new contract observes that readers attach new information to something they already hold. Begin a sentence with what is already known (the given) and place the new, important material at the end (the stress position). Prose that honors this feels connected; prose that violates it feels choppy even when every sentence is correct.
A curiosity
The end of a sentence is its loudest spot. Whatever lands there gets the emphasis—so burying your key term in the middle quietly wastes it.
Example
BeforeA distributed consensus algorithm is used by the system. Network partitions are tolerated by this algorithm. Availability is its main advantage.
After (given–new)The system uses a distributed consensus algorithm. That algorithm tolerates network partitions, and its main advantage is availability.
Copy-ready prompt
Copyable Prompt
Apply the concept of Given–New Ordering (reorder information within and across sentences so each sentence opens with already-known or previously-mentioned material and ends with the new, important point; place the most significant term in each sentence's final stress position) to the provided text and rewrite in place. Apply the edits directly to the file as a clean, production-ready deliverable. Output ONLY the revised document text without embedding revision notes, changelogs, or meta-commentary in the file itself—put any explanations in your chat response only.