Transitions by Tom Pace

Transitions signal coherence and cohesiveness from one sentence to the next and from one paragraph to the next. Transitions help writers to make connections between ideas that might otherwise be missed by the audience. Use transitions with care, making sure, for example, not to use consequently when an also is more precise. Also, be careful to select transitions that are appropriate to the tone of the piece you are writing. For instance, some readers may prefer so to thus in more informal writing, or in summary rather than in short in a more scholarly piece. Below are some examples of transitions taken from different writing formats:

From a scholarly essay:
All four students stress the desire to be alone, and they all note that they have a room or a place to call their own when they write. A significant difference, however, is that the female students seem to be more adamant about their privacy. For example, Karen reiterates her wish to be alone in her room when she writes. In a similar vein, Lisa emphasizes that she must be alone as well.

From a business memo:
We will receive the new personal computers next week for the assistants in production, promotion, and editorial. In preparation, I would like you to take part in a training program and to rearrange your work areas to accommodate the new equipment.

Tip: To check how well you've provided signposts for you readers, 'gloss' your drafts by writing notes in the margins next to each paragraph that outline the relationships between them. Then, make sure you have included transitions that signal those relationships to your audience.

From a Research Analysis:
Gateway considers this convergence a key component to the information age. In short, their future plans focus on these convergence products, while simultaneously updating and expanding their desktop and portable computer lines. Subsequently, a recent development affects this future success is the introduction of Gateway's YourWare program.

Common Transitions: