Weekly
Writing Tip #8
Dear Master’s Programs student,
Our last two writing tips focused
on topic
sentences that cue the main idea and topic
sentences that cue neither too much nor too little. Continuing with this theme, this week we’ll
look at transitions in topic sentences.
Order and organization within
your paper are established by the sequence of your ideas and paragraphs (here’s
a link to a helpful
graphic organizer). Even a well-ordered
paper, however, benefits from solid transitions that help provide the feeling of continuity and organization
for your reader. These transitions help
establish what many writers refer to as “flow.”
One technique to create smoother
transitions is the use of transition words.
Conjunctive adverbs such as moreover,
however, therefore, or subsequently
help to show the logical link between a paragraph and the one that preceded
it. These words also have the benefit of
providing the reader an instant cue about what will follow. For example, when I see a topic sentence that
includes moreover, I immediately know
the paragraph will build upon what was just discussed. Conversely, however cues me to expect counter-argument or a change from what I’ve
just read. Therefore lets me know the upcoming paragraph will discuss a
consequence of the previous section.
Another way to establish these
transitional links is through the use of pronouns such as this, that, these, and those. Pronouns link back to their antecedents (the
words to which the pronouns refer), so they’re a natural way to connect to
ideas and terms from the preceding paragraph.
For example, the topic sentence of this paragraph uses the phrase “these
transitional links.” This phrase reminds
the reader you’ve already discussed transitional links, and will continue to
examine “these links” in the paragraph that follows.
Sometimes the gap between two
paragraphs will be too great to span with a simple word like this or furthermore. In that case,
you’ll want to make sure you’ve arranged your paragraphs in the best order
possible (again, see our Rough
Plan worksheet). If your paragraphs are
still too disparate to link easily, consider writing a “bridge paragraph.” As its name suggests, this kind of
mini-paragraph helps bridge the idea-chasm between two sections of your
paper. When preparing a bridge
paragraph, ask yourself what relationship exists between the two sections, and
consider the best way to explicate that connection. It’s usually a good idea to start by talking
about the ideas of the first paragraph, and move toward an ending that focuses
on the ideas of the second.
Happy writing!
James
James
