Creating Coherence - Signal Words and Transitions

Signal Words

Use signal words to help your reader understand the purpose of a quotation you're introducing or to indicate your analysis of a reading.
Some examples include:

comments, describes, explains, notes, observes
infers, analyzes, asks, concludes, finds, suggests
argues, claims, contends, disagrees, holds, maintains
agrees, admits, concedes, concurs, grants, acknowledges

Transitions

Think of transitions as connections or bridges between what you just wrote and what you'll next write. Besides the words listed here, you may use pronouns for nouns, repeated keywords, or keyword synonyms as connections.

To show time: afterward, as long as, as soon as, at last, at length, before, during, earlier, formerly, immediately, in the past, lately, later, meanwhile, now, presently, shortly, simultaneously, since, soon, subsequently, then, thereafter, until, when

To show place or direction: above, below, beyond, nearby, opposite, here, to the left, to the east

To show logical relationship, such as

To show addition or sequence: again, and, also, besides, finally, first, further, in addition, last moreover, next second, still, too
To compare: also, in the same manner, likewise, similarly
To contrast: although, but, however, on the other hand, in contrast, nevertheless, still, even though, on the contrary, yet, despite
To give examples: for example, for instance, to illustrate, in fact, specifically
To repeat, summarize, conclude: in other words, in short, that is, therefore, to summarize, in brief, to conclude
To show cause or effect: accordingly, as a result, because, consequently, for this purpose, hence, otherwise, since, then, therefore, thus, to this end.

sbooth@qcc.mass.edu (Sheila Booth)