Bow Tie Kreative Writing System
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Rules / structure

STR-015 Heuristic layer: section

Choose table only for cross-comparison

IF readers must compare repeated fields across three or more items, THEN use a table; IF order or action matters, use a list ELSE use prose.

Why the rule exists

Tables reveal repeated-field comparisons but impede linear reading when comparison is not the task.

Condition

The rule fires when this evaluates true. Paths marked below must be present in the fact base; the engine reports the rest rather than guessing them.

  • ALL
    • content.entity_count gte 3
    • content.repeated_field_count gte 2
    • content.comparison_task eq true

Facts this rule reads

PathSource
content.entity_count You supply it
content.repeated_field_count You supply it
content.comparison_task You supply it

Then

  1. convert — target content.structure

Else

  1. select — target content.structure

LAKA

Smallest sufficient intervention
Yes
Primary axes

Sources

  • Handbook of Technical Writing — Gerald J. Alred; Charles T. Brusaw; Walter E. Oliu
    Grammar, mechanics, formats, and workplace documents.
  • Technical Communication — Mike Markel; Stuart A. Selber
    Audience, design, ethics, research, and technical genres.
  • Writing for Web Accessibility — W3C Web Accessibility Initiative link
    Clear structure, descriptive labels, alternatives, and understandable content.
The raw rule record

Verbatim from 10-paragraph-document-rules.json. Also available at /v1/rules/STR-015.

{
  "id": "STR-015",
  "name": "Choose table only for cross-comparison",
  "domain": "structure",
  "layer": "section",
  "strength": "heuristic",
  "human_logic": "IF readers must compare repeated fields across three or more items, THEN use a table; IF order or action matters, use a list ELSE use prose.",
  "when": {
    "all": [
      {
        "path": "content.entity_count",
        "operator": "gte",
        "value": 3
      },
      {
        "path": "content.repeated_field_count",
        "operator": "gte",
        "value": 2
      },
      {
        "path": "content.comparison_task",
        "operator": "eq",
        "value": true
      }
    ]
  },
  "then": [
    {
      "action": "convert",
      "target": "content.structure",
      "to": "table"
    }
  ],
  "else": [
    {
      "action": "select",
      "target": "content.structure",
      "by": "reader_task",
      "map": {
        "sequence": "numbered_list",
        "simple_set": "bullets",
        "explanation": "prose"
      }
    }
  ],
  "unless": [],
  "because": "Tables reveal repeated-field comparisons but impede linear reading when comparison is not the task.",
  "diagnostics": [],
  "examples": {},
  "source_ids": [
    "BK-025",
    "BK-026",
    "WEB-005"
  ],
  "laka": {
    "smallest_sufficient_intervention": true,
    "primary_axes": [
      "scope",
      "depth",
      "magnitude",
      "reversibility"
    ]
  }
}

Other structure rules

  1. STR-001 One controlling move per paragraph IF a paragraph performs more than one unrelated rhetorical move, THEN split it at the move boundary ELSE retain. Context default
  2. STR-002 Expose the paragraph point IF the paragraph’s controlling point is absent or recoverable only after rereading, THEN state or move it to a strategic position ELSE retain an intentional delayed reveal. Heuristic
  3. STR-003 Support consequential claims IF a paragraph makes a consequential factual claim, THEN provide evidence, cite it, qualify it, or remove the claim ELSE retain. Hard constraint
  4. STR-004 Keep evidence beside the claim IF evidence is separated from the claim it supports by unrelated material, THEN move it closer or label the relation ELSE retain. Context default
  5. STR-005 Use transitions that name the relation IF adjacent paragraphs have a meaningful but unstated relation, THEN add a transition that expresses that relation ELSE retain. Context default
  6. STR-006 Delete orphan paragraphs IF a paragraph neither advances the purpose nor supports another necessary move, THEN delete or relocate it ELSE retain. Heuristic
  7. STR-007 Section answers one reader question IF a section answers multiple unrelated reader questions, THEN split and label them ELSE retain. Context default
  8. STR-008 Heading predicts content IF a heading does not accurately predict its section, THEN rename the heading or repair the section ELSE retain. Hard constraint