Connecting ideas in writing

Suggestions for connecting ideas at the sentence and paragraph level in academic writing.

In academic writing, it is of import to present an argument clearly and cohesively. In addition, you may exist required to discuss and evaluate existing research or ideas about the topic under discussion. Ofttimes you will be assessed on your ability to do both. Developing the language to connect ideas in academic writing will help you with both these tasks. The appropriate use of 'discourse markers,' that is, words or phrases that point a human relationship, can reveal and reinforce the direction that your argument is taking, and make clear the relations between sections of your writing.

Here we provide suggestions for sentence openers, 'linking words' within sentences and between paragraphs, and culling vocabulary choices you lot might use when connecting ideas in writing.

Connectives used in and between sentences

Connectives permit usa to be more precise virtually the relationships betwixt statements in a sentence or between sentences. Particular phrases and words serve dissimilar functions in connecting ideas and arguments. For example, different clauses or words can signal or 'signpost' additional or similar data, opposition or dissimilarity, concession, cause or result, emphasis, description, or a human relationship in fourth dimension or sequence. Some useful examples of each are categorised by function beneath.

Note that most of these terms tin can also exist used to beginning new paragraphs. However, some of them need to be incorporated into fuller sentences to be constructive every bit paragraph openers. For case, if you employ notwithstanding as a paragraph opener y'all may take to add together other content words to provide more information such as "Nothwithstanding a lack of natural resources, the region has…"

Improver To add an idea

Additionally, and, besides, apart from this, equally well (as), in addition, moreover, further, furthermore.

Status to provide a condition

If, in that instance, provided that, unless.

For comparing To show how things are like

Correspondingly, equally, for the same reason, in a like manner, in comparison, in the same mode, on the one manus, similarly.

For dissimilarity To evidence how things are dissimilar

Alternatively, although, simply, conversely, despite, fifty-fifty so, fifty-fifty though, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, on the contrary, contrary to, however, withal, notwithstanding, on the other hand, rather, still, though, yet, whereas, while.

For accent To put forrad an idea more forcefully

Once more, in fact, interestingly, indeed, information technology should exist noted (that), more than important(ly), most chiefly, to repeat, (un)fortunately, unquestionably.

For illustration To provide examples

A farther instance of this is..., an example of this is…, for example, for instance, such as, thus, as follows.

For restatement For rephrasing statements

In other words, more simply, namely, only put, to put it differently / another style, such as, that is.

The cause of things To attribute the reasons for something occurring

A / the consequence of, because, due to, for, the result of …, since, the result of …

The effect of things To show the effect of something

Accordingly, as a result/issue, consequently, for this reason, hence, then, therefore, thus.

For concession / qualification Conceding something

Admittedly, although, conspicuously though, even though, nevertheless, indeed, obviously.

Generalisation Making a full general statement

Equally a rule, for the almost part, mostly, in full general, in most cases, commonly, on the whole, commonly.

Fourth dimension lodge To indicate a chronological sequence

Outset, 2d, third (etc), next, before, earlier, finally, following, given the above, later, meanwhile, subsequently, then, to conclude, while.

A note almost presentation and style

Check a usage guide for verbal rules for punctuation. Many introductory phrases have a comma later on them. For example, 'therefore,' and 'in addition,'.

Connecting paragraphs

Apart from using the linking words / phrases above, showing the link between paragraphs could involve writing 'manus-belongings' sentences. These are sentences that link back to the ideas of the previous paragraph. For instance, when outlining the positive and negative issues almost a topic you could utilize the post-obit:

Example (from beginning of previous paragraph):

  • One of the main advantages of Ten is…

When you are ready to move your word to the negative issues, y'all could write 1 of the following as a paragraph opener:

Example

  • Having considered the positive effects of 10, negative bug may now need to be taken into business relationship…
  • Despite the positive effects outlined above, negative bug also need to exist considered...

It is always of import to make paragraphs part of a coherent whole text; they must not remain isolated units.

Checking for paragraph links in your own work

When you are editing your next written assignment, ask yourself the following questions equally you read through your work (Gillett, Hammond, & Martala, 2009):

  • Does the start of my paragraph give my reader plenty data about what the paragraph will be about?
  • Does my paragraph add to or elaborate on a point fabricated previously and, if so, have I made this explicit with an appropriate linking word / phrase?
  • Does my paragraph introduce a completely new indicate or a different viewpoint to before and, if then, have I explicitly shown this with a suitable connective?
  • Have I used like connectives repeatedly? If yes, try to vary them using the above list.

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