Getting from Point A to Point B: Creating Good Transitions

Al Kammerer and Bobbi Olson 11 October 2006

What is a transition?

Bridges parts of your paper together

Point B

Point A

Helps you (writer) carry over a thought from one sentence to another, from one idea to another, or from one paragraph to another with words or phrases

Guides the reader to interpret ideas the way you (as a writer) want them to

What is a transition?

Transitions link sentences and paragraphs together smoothly.

so there are no abrupt jumps or breaks between ideas

Types of Transitions
There

are several types of transitional devices; each leads your reader to make certain connections or assumptions about the areas youre connecting

Some lead the reader forward to build on an idea or thought

Others make your reader compare or draw conclusions from preceding thoughts

Types of Transitions

A transition can be

A single word A phrase A sentence An entire paragraph

All function the same way a transition either directly summarizes the content of a preceding sentence, section, etc., or it helps the reader anticipate or comprehend NEW information that youre going to present.

Transition Placement

Between Sections

In longer works, it may be necessary to include transitional paragraphs that summarize for the reader what was just covered and specify how it connects to what is going to be covered next.
If you have done a good job of arranging paragraphs so that the content of one leads logically to the next, the transition will highlight a relationship that already exists by summarizing the previous paragraph and suggesting something of the content of the paragraph that follows.

Between Paragraphs

A transition between paragraphs can be a word or two (however, for example, similarly), a phrase, or a sentence.

Example of Paragraph Transitions

Transition Placement

Within Paragraphs:

As with transitions between sections and paragraphs, transitions within paragraphs act as cues by helping readers to anticipate what is coming before they read it.

Within paragraphs, transitions tend to be single words or short phrases.

Transitions To Add

These words signify that youre elaborating on an idea in your writing:

And, again, and then, besides, equally important, finally, further, furthermore, nor, too, next, lastly, whats more, moreover, in addition, first (second, etc.)

Example: Friends is a television show about six friends. It shows how relationships are often complicated. Friends is a television show about six friends. Furthermore, it shows how relationships are often complicated.

Transitions To Compare

These words signify youre comparing a previous idea to a new one in your paper, or describing two different things:

Whereas, but, yet, on the other hand, however, nevertheless, on the other hand, on the contrary, by comparison, where, compared to, up against, balanced against, although, conversely, meanwhile, after all, in contrast, although this may be true

Example: Ross and Rachel are dating. Ross and Monica are siblings. Ross and Rachel are dating. However, Ross and Monica are siblings.

Transitions To Prove

Use these words to indicate support for your argument:

Because, for, since, for the same reason, obviously, evidently, furthermore, moreover, besides, indeed, in fact, in addition, in any case, that is

Example: Monica loves food. She is a chef. Monica loves food. In fact, she is a chef.

Transitions To Show Exception

These words help you move to an idea that counters an earlier idea

Yet, still, however, nevertheless, in spite of, despite, of course, once in a while, sometimes

Example: Phoebe acts unintelligently. She has some of the smartest observations. Phoebe acts unintelligently. Yet, she has some of the smartest observations.

Transitions To Show Time

When telling events in a chronological sequence, these words help make the order clear:

Immediately, thereafter, soon, after a few hours, finally, then, later, previously, formerly, first (second, etc.), next, and then

Example: Ross and Rachel get married. They get a divorce. They have a baby. First, Ross and Rachel get married. Soon after, they get a divorce. Then, they have a baby.

Transitions To Repeat

These types of transitional devices help remind the reader what you have mentioned before:

In brief, as I have said, as I have noted, as has been noted

Example: Ross and Rachel have a crazy relationship. As has been shown, Ross and Rachel have a crazy relationship.

Transitions To Emphasize

Emphasis words do just that serve to emphasize points that you want the reader to really be aware of and understand:

Definitely, extremely, obviously, in fact, indeed, in any case, absolutely, positively, naturally, surprisingly, always, forever, never, emphatically, unquestionably, without a doubt, certainly, undeniably, without reservation

Example: Ross has been married three times. Ross likes to get married. Ross has been married three times. Obviously, Ross likes to get married.

Transitions To Show Sequence or Results

If there is no clear order or youre writing that one idea causes another, use the following words:

First, second, third, and so forth, next, then, following this, at this time, now, at this point, after, afterward, subsequently, finally, consequently, previously, before this, simultaneously, concurrently, thus, therefore, hence, next, and then, soon

Example: Joey went to film a movie in Las Vegas. Ross and Rachel got married. Joey went to film a movie in Las Vegas. At this time, Ross and Rachel got married.

Transitions To Give an Example

Words such as these clearly indicate when youre giving an example to support yourself:

For example, for instance, in this case, in another case, on this occasion, in this situation, take the case of, to demonstrate, to illustrate, as an illustration

Example: Joey does not share food. He will not even share with Emma, Rachels baby. Joey does not share food. For example, he will not even share with Emma, Rachels baby.

Transitions To Summarize or Conclude

When trying to summarize your points, using these words clearly signals your intent:

In brief, on the whole, summing up, to conclude, in conclusion, as I have shown, as I have said, hence, therefore, accordingly, thus, as a result, consequently, on the whole

Example: Friends shows the lives of six friends. It shows how they interact with each other. Friends shows the lives of six friends. Consequently, it shows how they interact with each other.

Transitions: Repeating Key Words

Transitions dont always have to be one of these signal words; they can also be words that you have used before to remind the reader of what you are talking about Example: Friends is about six friends who remain loyal to each other despite all of the issues that come up in their lives.

Because of the loyalty Friends portrays, many people are attracted to the show.

Sources

Information courtesy of:

Purdue OWL: Transitional Devices (Connecting Words) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/general/gl _transition.html Standout Essays Writing Tutorial: Creating Smooth Transitions http://www.standoutessay.com/tutorial/transitions.html The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Transitions http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/transitions. html

Transition Exercises

George Bernard Shaw wrote a series of maxims beginning with four that define one of the most ancient of these forms of advicethe Golden Rule.

Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same. Never resist temptation. Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good. Do not love your neighbor as yourself. If you are on good terms with yourself it is an impertinence; If on bad, an injury. The golden rule is that there are no golden rules

As maxims, these sentences work because we add transitions Shaw leaves out. Let's make an essay out of them by adding transitional words and phrases.

Two forms of the Golden Rule have surfaced through the yearsthe negative and the positive. The negative form advises that we should not treat others in ways we would not want to be treated. If something is a pain to you, this negative Golden Rule advises us not to inflict that treatment on others. The positive form advises that we should treat others the way we like to be treated. If something is pleasurable to you, you should treat others to its pleasure. In his first maxim, Shaw advised against the latter, but he would probably also disagree with the former negative phrasing statement. He advised that we resist the temptation to do unto others as we would that they do unto us because our tastes might differ.

Shaw further advised that we need to use temptation rather than resist it. He said: "Never resist temptation. Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good." By testing our impulses scientifically, we might better learn which of our whims might actually lead to self improvement. In other words, by experimenting, we can discover the truth. Only then, can we learn to follow the better of our angels rather than those that make us worse. In this way, we can learn about our real rather than our imagined strengths and weaknesses.

Due to this constant learning process, Shaw did not think we automatically know what is best for ourselves. Writing during the earliest phase of modern psychology, Shaw knew that some of us are uncomfortable being the way we are. He gave two reasons for advising that we should not love our neighbor as ourselves. The first was that if we love ourselves, we might act impertinently or overly familiar to those not ready with such familiarity. The second, was that if we do not love ourselves, we might injure others by treating them as badly as we treat ourselves. For instance, we may like smoking, but our neighbor may not enjoy us blowing smoke in his face. Shaw said: "Do not love your neighbor as yourself. If you are on good terms with yourself, it is an impertinence. If on bad, an injury." Shaw shows how an innocent ideal rule can lead to trouble.

Rather than injure each other with such an easily misunderstood ideal, he advised that we forget the Golden Rule, saying that "the Golden Rule is that there are no golden rules." The dangers of misapplying similar ideals in the shape of rules were clear to Shaw, and the logic of his conclusions is clear and compelling. We should test our ideals and rules rather than accept them naively.