Getting from Point A to Point B: Creating Good Transitions

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Getting from Point A to Point B Creating Good
Transitions

• Al Kammerer
• and
• Bobbi Olson
• 11 October 2006

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What is a transition?

• Bridges parts of your paper together
• 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

Point B
Point A
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What is a transition?

• Transitions link sentences and paragraphs
  together smoothly.
• so there are no abrupt jumps

• or breaks between ideas

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Types of Transitions

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

• Others make your reader compare
• or draw conclusions from preceding
• thoughts

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

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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.

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

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Example of Paragraph Transitions
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Sources

• Information courtesy of
• Purdue OWL Transitional Devices (Connecting
  Words) http//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pri
  nt/general/gl_transition.html
• Standout Essays Writing Tutorial Creating Smooth
  Transitions http//www.standoutessay.com/tutoria
  l/transitions.html
• The Writing Center, University of North Carolina
  at Chapel Hill Transitions http//www.unc.edu/d
  epts/wcweb/handouts/transitions.html

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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

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       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.

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• 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.     

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• 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.

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• 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.