do you use transition words in a research paper

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Effective Transition Words for Research Papers

What are transition words in academic writing?

A transition is a change from one idea to another idea in writing or speaking and can be achieved using transition terms or phrases. These transitions are usually placed at the beginning of sentences, independent clauses, and paragraphs and thus establish a specific relationship between ideas or groups of ideas. Transitions are used to enhance cohesion in your paper and make its logical development clearer to readers.

Types of Transition Words

Transitions accomplish many different objectives. We can divide all transitions into four basic categories:

• Additive transitions  signal to the reader that you are adding or referencing information
• Adversative transitions  indicate conflict or disagreement between pieces of information
• Causal transitions  point to consequences and show cause-and-effect relationships
• Sequential transitions  clarify the order and sequence of information and the overall structure of the paper

Additive Transitions

These terms signal that new information is being added (between both sentences and paragraphs), introduce or highlight information, refer to something that was just mentioned, add a similar situation, or identify certain information as important.

Adversative Transitions

These terms and phrases distinguish facts, arguments, and other information, whether by contrasting and showing differences; by conceding points or making counterarguments; by dismissing the importance of a fact or argument; or replacing and suggesting alternatives.

Causal Transitions

These terms and phrases signal the reasons, conditions, purposes, circumstances, and cause-and-effect relationships. These transitions often come after an important point in the research paper has been established or to explore hypothetical relationships or circumstances.

Sequential Transitions

These transition terms and phrases organize your paper by numerical sequence; by showing continuation in thought or action; by referring to previously-mentioned information; by indicating digressions; and, finally, by concluding and summing up your paper. Sequential transitions are essential to creating structure and helping the reader understand the logical development through your paper’s methods, results, and analysis.

How to Choose Transitions in Academic Writing

Transitions are commonplace elements in writing, but they are also powerful tools that can be abused or misapplied if one isn’t careful. Here are some ways to ensure you are using transitions effectively.

• Check for overused, awkward, or absent transitions during the paper editing process. Don’t spend too much time trying to find the “perfect” transition while writing the paper.
• When you find a suitable place where a transition could connect ideas, establish relationships, and make it easier for the reader to understand your point, use the list to find a suitable transition term or phrase.
• Similarly, if you have repeated some terms again and again, find a substitute transition from the list and use that instead. This will help vary your writing and enhance the communication of ideas.
• Read the beginning of each paragraph. Did you include a transition? If not, look at the information in that paragraph and the preceding paragraph and ask yourself: “How does this information connect?” Then locate the best transition from the list.
• Check the structure of your paper—are your ideas clearly laid out in order? You should be able to locate sequence terms such as “first,” “second,” “following this,” “another,” “in addition,” “finally,” “in conclusion,” etc. These terms will help outline your paper for the reader.

For more helpful information on academic writing and the journal publication process, visit Wordvice’s  Academic Resources  Page. And be sure to check out Wordvice’s professional English editing services if you are looking for  paper editing and proofreading  after composing your academic document.

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Other Resources Around the Web

• MSU Writing Center.  Transition Words.
• UW-Madison Writing Center.  Transition Words and Phrases.

Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Change will not be effected, say some others, unless individual actions raise the necessary awareness.

While a reader can see the connection between the sentences above, it’s not immediately clear that the second sentence is providing a counterargument to the first. In the example below, key “old information” is repeated in the second sentence to help readers quickly see the connection. This makes the sequence of ideas easier to follow.  

Sentence pair #2: Effective Transition

Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Other experts argue that individual actions are key to raising the awareness necessary to effect change.

You can use this same technique to create clear transitions between paragraphs. Here’s an example:

Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Other experts argue that individual actions are key to raising the awareness necessary to effect change. According to Annie Lowery, individual actions are important to making social change because when individuals take action, they can change values, which can lead to more people becoming invested in fighting climate change. She writes, “Researchers believe that these kinds of household-led trends can help avert climate catastrophe, even if government and corporate actions are far more important” (Lowery).

So, what’s an individual household supposed to do?

The repetition of the word “household” in the new paragraph helps readers see the connection between what has come before (a discussion of whether household actions matter) and what is about to come (a proposal for what types of actions households can take to combat climate change).

Sometimes, transitional words can help readers see how ideas are connected. But it’s not enough to just include a “therefore,” “moreover,” “also,” or “in addition.” You should choose these words carefully to show your readers what kind of connection you are making between your ideas.

To decide which transitional word to use, start by identifying the relationship between your ideas. For example, you might be

• making a comparison or showing a contrast Transitional words that compare and contrast include also, in the same way, similarly, in contrast, yet, on the one hand, on the other hand. But before you signal comparison, ask these questions: Do your readers need another example of the same thing? Is there a new nuance in this next point that distinguishes it from the previous example? For those relationships between ideas, you might try this type of transition: While x may appear the same, it actually raises a new question in a slightly different way. 
• expressing agreement or disagreement When you are making an argument, you need to signal to readers where you stand in relation to other scholars and critics. You may agree with another person’s claim, you may want to concede some part of the argument even if you don’t agree with everything, or you may disagree. Transitional words that signal agreement, concession, and disagreement include however, nevertheless, actually, still, despite, admittedly, still, on the contrary, nonetheless .
• showing cause and effect Transitional phrases that show cause and effect include therefore, hence, consequently, thus, so. Before you choose one of these words, make sure that what you are about to illustrate is really a causal link. Novice writers tend to add therefore and hence when they aren’t sure how to transition; you should reserve these words for when they accurately signal the progression of your ideas.
• explaining or elaborating Transitions can signal to readers that you are going to expand on a point that you have just made or explain something further. Transitional words that signal explanation or elaboration include in other words, for example, for instance, in particular, that is, to illustrate, moreover .
• drawing conclusions You can use transitions to signal to readers that you are moving from the body of your argument to your conclusions. Before you use transitional words to signal conclusions, consider whether you can write a stronger conclusion by creating a transition that shows the relationship between your ideas rather than by flagging the paragraph simply as a conclusion. Transitional words that signal a conclusion include in conclusion , as a result, ultimately, overall— but strong conclusions do not necessarily have to include those phrases.

If you’re not sure which transitional words to use—or whether to use one at all—see if you can explain the connection between your paragraphs or sentence either out loud or in the margins of your draft.

For example, if you write a paragraph in which you summarize physician Atul Gawande’s argument about the value of incremental care, and then you move on to a paragraph that challenges those ideas, you might write down something like this next to the first paragraph: “In this paragraph I summarize Gawande’s main claim.” Then, next to the second paragraph, you might write, “In this paragraph I present a challenge to Gawande’s main claim.” Now that you have identified the relationship between those two paragraphs, you can choose the most effective transition between them. Since the second paragraph in this example challenges the ideas in the first, you might begin with something like “but,” or “however,” to signal that shift for your readers.  

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Transitions are words and/or phrases used to indicate movement or show change throughout a piece of writing. Transitions generally come at the beginning or end of a paragraph and can do the following:

• Alert readers of connections to, or further evidence for, the thesis
• Function as the topic sentence of paragraphs
• Guide readers through an argument
• Help writers stay on task

Transitions sentences often indicate or signal:

• Change to new topic
• Connection/flow from previous topic
• Continuity of overall argument/thesis

Transitions show connections between ideas. You must create these connections for the reader to move them along with your argument. Without transitions, you are building a house without nails. Things do not hold together.

Transition Words and Phrases

Transitions can signal change or relationship in these ways:

Time - order of events

Examples: while, immediately, never, after, later, earlier, always, soon, meanwhile, during, until now, next, following, once, then, simultaneously, so far

Contrast - show difference

Examples: yet, nevertheless, after all, but, however, though, otherwise, on the contrary, in contrast, on the other hand, at the same time

Compare - show similarity

Examples: in the same way, in like manner, similarly, likewise

Position - show spatial relationships

Examples: here, there, nearby, beyond, wherever, opposite to, above, below

Cause and effect

Examples: because, since, for that reason, therefore, consequently, accordingly, thus, as a result

Conclusion - wrap up/summarize the argument

Writing strong transitions often takes more than simply plugging in a transition word or phrase here and there. In a piece of academic writing, writers often need to use signposts, or transition sentences that signal the reader of connections to the thesis. To form a signpost, combine transition words, key terms from the thesis, and a mention of the previous topic and new topic.

Transition/signpost sentence structure: 

[Transition word/phrase] + [previous topic] + [brief restatement of or reference to thesis/argument] + [new topic]  = Signpost

• Do not think of this as a hard and fast template, but a general guide to what is included in a good transition.
• Transitions link the topic of the previous paragraph(s) to the topic of the present paragraph(s) and connect both to the overall goal/argument. You'll most often find signposts at the beginning of a paragraph, where they function as topic sentences .

Sample signpost using complimentary transition phrase:

According to [transition phrase] the same overall plan for first defeating Confederate forces in the field and then capturing major cities and rail hubs [overall thesis restated] that Grant followed by marching the Army of the Potomac into Virginia [previous topic] , Sherman likewise [transition word] advanced into Georgia to drive a dagger into the heart of the Confederacy [new topic] .

Contrasting ideas have the same essential format as complimentary but may use different transition words and phrases:

In contrast to [transition phrase] F.D.R., who maintained an ever-vigilant watchfulness over the Manhattan project [previous topic + reference to overall thesis] , Truman took over the presidency without any knowledge of the atomic bomb or its potential power [new topic] .

The overall structure of an essay with transitions may look something like this:

*Note how transitions may come at beginning or end of paragraphs, but either way they signal movement and change.

You can learn more about essay structure HERE .

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Transition Resources

Here are a couple of good sites with extensive lists of transition words and phrases:

  https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Transitions.html   

 Academic Phrasebank  http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk

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Effective Transitions in Research Manuscripts

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• A transition is a word or phrase that connects consecutive sentences or paragraphs
• Transitions can strengthen your argument by joining ideas and clarifying parts of your manuscript

Updated on June 25, 2013

A transition is a word or phrase that connects consecutive sentences or paragraphs. Effective transitions can clarify the logical flow of your ideas and thus strengthen your argument or explanation. Here, two main transitional tools are discussed: demonstrative pronouns and introductory terms.

Demonstrative pronouns

The demonstrative pronouns this , that , these , and those can be used to emphasize the relationship between adjacent sentences. For example, “Western blotting is a widely used method. This [technique] is favored by protein biochemists.” The use of This or This technique rather than The technique helps to connect the two sentences, indicating that Western blotting is still being discussed in the second sentence. Note that the inclusion of a noun ( technique ) after the pronoun ( this ) decreases ambiguity .

Introductory words or phrases

These transitions are placed at the beginning of the second sentence and are often followed by a comma to improve readability. Introductory words and phrases are distinct from coordinating conjunctions ( and , but , for , nor , or , so , yet ), which are used to bridge two independent clauses within a single sentence rather than two separate sentences. These conjunctions should not be placed at the beginning of a sentence in formal writing. Below are several examples of transitional words and phrases that are frequently used in academic writing, including potential replacements for common informal terms:

To learn more about the special usage of the italicized terms in the table, please see our post on introductory phrases .

Keep in mind that transitions that are similar in meaning are not necessarily interchangeable (such as in conclusion and thus ). A few other transitional words may be particularly helpful when writing lists or describing sequential processes, such as in the methods section of a research paper: next , then , meanwhile , first , second , third , and finally .

In sum, transitions are small additions that can substantially improve the flow of your ideas. However, if your manuscript is not well organized, transitions will not be sufficient to ensure your reader's understanding, so be sure to outline the progression of your ideas before writing.

We hope that this editing tip will help you to integrate effective transitions into your writing. Keep in mind - AJE's English Editing Service specializes in word choice and grammar. Utilize our service for professional help. As always, please email us at [email protected] with any questions.

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4 Types of Transition Words for Research Papers 

Researchers often use transition words in academic writing to help guide the reader through text and communicate their ideas well. While these facilitate easy understanding and enhance the flow of the research paper, setting the wrong context with transition words in academic writing can disrupt tone and impact.

So how do you appropriately use transition words in research papers? This article explores the importance of using transitions in academic writing and explains the four types of transition words that can be used by students and researchers to improve their work.

Table of Contents

Why are transition words used in academic writing, additive transitions, adversative transitions, causal transitions, sequential transitions.

Transition words are the key language tools researchers use to communicate their ideas and concepts to readers. They not only reiterate the key arguments being made by the authors but are crucial to improving the structure and flow of the written language. Generally used at the beginning of sentences and paragraphs to form a bridge of communication, transition words can vary depending on your objective, placement, and structuring.

The four types of transition words in academic writing or research papers are additive transitions, adversative transitions, causal transitions, and sequential transitions. Let us look at each of these briefly below.

Types of Transition Words in Academic Writing

These types of transition words are used to inform or alert the reader that new or additional information is being introduced or added to something mentioned in the previous sentence or paragraph. Some examples of words in this category are – moreover, furthermore, additionally, and so on. Phrases like in fact, in addition to, considering this are examples of additive transition phrases that are commonly used.

Used to show contrast, offer alternative suggestions, or present counter arguments and differences, adversative transitions allow researchers to distinguish between different facts, or arguments by establishing or suggesting positions or alternatives opposing them. Examples of adversative transitions include, however, conversely, nevertheless, regardless, rather, and so on. Phrases like on the contrary, in any case, even though provide an adversative transition to arguments in a research paper.

By using causal transitions in their writing, authors can let readers know that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between two or more ideas or paragraphs. It is used to establish the key/important reasons, circumstances, or conditions of the argument being made or while studying hypothetical associations. Since, unless, consequently are some of the words in this type of transitions while in the event that, as a result are some of the causal phrases.

These transition words help to convey the continuation of a thought or action by a numerical sequence by alluding and referring to information or arguments that have been made earlier. Sequential transitions essentially bring order to the researcher’s main points or ideas in the research paper and help to create a logical outline to the arguments. These transition words and phrases essentially guide the reader through the research paper’s key methods, results, and analysis. Some examples of this type of transitions are initially, coincidentally, subsequently and so on. First of all, to conclude, by the way are a few examples of sequential transition phrases.

Researchers must carefully review their research paper, ensuring appropriate and effective use of transition words and phrases in academic writing. During the manuscript editing process, watch for transitions that may be out of context or misplaced. Remember, these words serve as tools to connect ideas and arguments, fostering logical and coherent flow in paragraphs. Double-check the necessity and accuracy of transitions at the beginning of sentences or paragraphs, ensuring they effectively bind and relate ideas and arguments. And finally, avoid repetition of the same transition words in your academic writing.

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• How to Paraphrase Research Papers Effectively
• 3 Easy Ways for Researchers to Improve Their Academic Vocabulary
• Paraphrasing in Academic Writing: Answering Top Author Queries

What is a Descriptive Essay? How to Write It (with Examples)

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Introduction to Academic Reading and Writing: Transitions

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Do the work for the reader. Use transitions to cue the reader to the connections between ideas they should make.

Transitions are only as effective as the organization of your paper. Check your paragraphing and the order of your points to ensure that your ideas link together logically and clearly. 

After examining your paper’s organization, think about the order in which you present your points and the relationships between those points. Order (first, second, finally) and logical relationship (however, furthermore, consequently) will determine the types of transitions you use.  

Build in  transitions within paragraphs  (from Purdue OWL). Short phrases and single words should cue the reader to the relationship between ideas within the paragraph.  

Build  transitions between paragraphs  (from Purdue OWL). Summarize the ideas contained in the previous paragraph and suggest what the next paragraph will cover. You can begin or end a paragraph this way.  

Video by Writing Center, Walden University, 2017.

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• Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Published on 20 October 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 15 March 2023.

Transition words and phrases (also called linking words, connecting words, or transitional words) are used to link together different ideas in your text. They help the reader to follow your arguments by expressing the relationships between different sentences or parts of a sentence.

The proposed solution to the problem did not work. Therefore , we attempted a second solution. However , this solution was also unsuccessful.

For clear writing, it’s essential to understand the meaning of transition words and use them correctly.

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Table of contents

When and how to use transition words, types and examples of transition words, common mistakes with transition words.

Transition words commonly appear at the start of a new sentence or clause (followed by a comma ), serving to express how this clause relates to the previous one.

Transition words can also appear in the middle of a clause. It’s important to place them correctly to convey the meaning you intend.

Example text with and without transition words

The text below describes all the events it needs to, but it does not use any transition words to connect them. Because of this, it’s not clear exactly how these different events are related or what point the author is making by telling us about them.

If we add some transition words at appropriate moments, the text reads more smoothly and the relationship among the events described becomes clearer.

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Consequently , France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. The Soviet Union initially worked with Germany in order to partition Poland. However , Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.

Don’t overuse transition words

While transition words are essential to clear writing, it’s possible to use too many of them. Consider the following example, in which the overuse of linking words slows down the text and makes it feel repetitive.

In this case the best way to fix the problem is to simplify the text so that fewer linking words are needed.

The key to using transition words effectively is striking the right balance. It is difficult to follow the logic of a text with no transition words, but a text where every sentence begins with a transition word can feel over-explained.

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There are four main types of transition word: additive, adversative, causal, and sequential. Within each category, words are divided into several more specific functions.

Remember that transition words with similar meanings are not necessarily interchangeable. It’s important to understand the meaning of all the transition words you use. If unsure, consult a dictionary to find the precise definition.

Additive transition words

Additive transition words introduce new information or examples. They can be used to expand upon, compare with, or clarify the preceding text.

Adversative transition words

Adversative transition words always signal a contrast of some kind. They can be used to introduce information that disagrees or contrasts with the preceding text.

Causal transition words

Causal transition words are used to describe cause and effect. They can be used to express purpose, consequence, and condition.

Sequential transition words

Sequential transition words indicate a sequence, whether it’s the order in which events occurred chronologically or the order you’re presenting them in your text. They can be used for signposting in academic texts.

Transition words are often used incorrectly. Make sure you understand the proper usage of transition words and phrases, and remember that words with similar meanings don’t necessarily work the same way grammatically.

Misused transition words can make your writing unclear or illogical. Your audience will be easily lost if you misrepresent the connections between your sentences and ideas.

Confused use of therefore

“Therefore” and similar cause-and-effect words are used to state that something is the result of, or follows logically from, the previous. Make sure not to use these words in a way that implies illogical connections.

• We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. Therefore , the average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

The use of “therefore” in this example is illogical: it suggests that the result of 7.5 follows logically from the question being asked, when in fact many other results were possible. To fix this, we simply remove the word “therefore.”

• We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. The average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

Starting a sentence with also , and , or so

While the words “also,” “and,” and “so” are used in academic writing, they are considered too informal when used at the start of a sentence.

• Also , a second round of testing was carried out.

To fix this issue, we can either move the transition word to a different point in the sentence or use a more formal alternative.

• A second round of testing was also carried out.
• Additionally , a second round of testing was carried out.

Transition words creating sentence fragments

Words like “although” and “because” are called subordinating conjunctions . This means that they introduce clauses which cannot stand on their own. A clause introduced by one of these words should always follow or be followed by another clause in the same sentence.

The second sentence in this example is a fragment, because it consists only of the “although” clause.

• Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. Although other researchers disagree.

We can fix this in two different ways. One option is to combine the two sentences into one using a comma. The other option is to use a different transition word that does not create this problem, like “however.”

• Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed, although other researchers disagree.
• Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. However , other researchers disagree.

And vs. as well as

Students often use the phrase “ as well as ” in place of “and,” but its usage is slightly different. Using “and” suggests that the things you’re listing are of equal importance, while “as well as” introduces additional information that is less important.

• Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf, as well as presenting my analysis of To the Lighthouse .

In this example, the analysis is more important than the background information. To fix this mistake, we can use “and,” or we can change the order of the sentence so that the most important information comes first. Note that we add a comma before ‘as well as’ but not before ‘and’.

• Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf and presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse .
• Chapter 1 presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse , as well as discussing some background information on Woolf.

Note that in fixed phrases like “both x and y ,” you must use “and,” not “as well as.”

• Both my results as well as my interpretations are presented below.
• Both my results and my interpretations are presented below.

Use of and/or

The combination of transition words “and/or” should generally be avoided in academic writing. It makes your text look messy and is usually unnecessary to your meaning.

First consider whether you really do mean “and/or” and not just “and” or “or.” If you are certain that you need both, it’s best to separate them to make your meaning as clear as possible.

• Participants were asked whether they used the bus and/or the train.
• Participants were asked whether they used the bus, the train, or both.

Archaic transition words

Words like “hereby,” “therewith,” and most others formed by the combination of “here,” “there,” or “where” with a preposition are typically avoided in modern academic writing. Using them makes your writing feel old-fashioned and strained and can sometimes obscure your meaning.

• Poverty is best understood as a disease. Hereby , we not only see that it is hereditary, but acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

These words should usually be replaced with a more explicit phrasing expressing how the current statement relates to the preceding one.

• Poverty is best understood as a disease. Understanding it as such , we not only see that it is hereditary, but also acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

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Transitional Devices

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Transitional devices are like bridges between parts of your paper. They are cues that help the reader to interpret ideas a paper develops. Transitional devices are words or phrases that help carry a thought from one sentence to another, from one idea to another, or from one paragraph to another. And finally, transitional devices link sentences and paragraphs together smoothly so that there are no abrupt jumps or breaks between ideas.

There are several types of transitional devices, and each category leads readers to make certain connections or assumptions. Some lead readers forward and imply the building of an idea or thought, while others make readers compare ideas or draw conclusions from the preceding thoughts.

Here is a list of some common transitional devices that can be used to cue readers in a given way.

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

To Compare:

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

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

To Show Exception:

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

To Show Time:

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

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

To Emphasize:

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

To Show Sequence:

first, second, third, and so forth. A, B, C, 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

To Give an Example:

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, to illustrate

To Summarize or Conclude:

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

Connecting Ideas Through Transitions

Writing that Establishes Relationships and Connections between Ideas

Introduction Common Kinds of Relationships Writers Establish between Ideas Cohesion Coherence Transition Words and Phrases

Introduction

According to poet and science writer Diane Ackerman, “one of the brain’s deepest needs [is] to fill the world with pathways and our lives with a design.” We naturally look for how things are related. In writing, this means that readers tend to assume that two side-by-side sentences or adjacent paragraphs relate to each other. If the pathways and design of your writing aren’t clear to readers, readers will either get confused or frustrated or try to mistakenly intuit their own connections. Both responses can be disastrous.

Good writing provides clear passages through all of your ideas so that readers don’t get lost or start to blaze their own conceptual trail. These connections between ideas occur at the sentence, paragraph, section, and (for longer works) even chapter level. As a writer, it is your responsibility to make sure that your readers follow this progression, that they understand how you arrive at your various ideas and how those ideas relate to each other. In this page, we explore how to make your connections between ideas understandable by using common relationship categories to compose sentences that are cohesive, paragraphs that are coherent, and transitions that clearly order and introduce ideas.

Common Kinds of Relationships Writers Establish between Ideas

Writers are always working to establish clear relationships between and within all of their ideas. Consider how Derek Thompson moves naturally between one concept to another in this short passage from his The Atlantic feature about the future of jobs entitled “A World Without Work”:

[1] One common objection to the idea that technology will permanently displace huge numbers of workers is that new gadgets, like self-checkout kiosks at drugstores, have failed to fully displace their human counterparts, like cashiers. [2] But employers typically take years to embrace new machines at the expense of workers. [3] The robotics revolution began in factories in the 1960s and ’70s, but manufacturing employment kept rising until 1980, and then collapsed during the subsequent recessions.

In the first sentence, Thompson begins with an idea that is familiar to readers at three different levels. The argument that machines haven’t replaced all retail employees and therefore won’t do so in the future is common to anyone who has thought much about workplace technology. This idea is also specifically familiar to the individuals who have been reading Thompson’s article. Finally, Thompson makes this idea even more familiar by connecting it to an example that his readers are familiar with: the effects of self-checkout kiosks. In his second sentence, Thompson uses the transition word “but” to establish a contrastive relationship; what he is about to say in some way opposes what he just said. He concludes this passage with a sentence providing chronologically organized evidence for the idea he raised through that contrast. In this example, he very quickly leads us from the 1960s to the late 20 th century and is able to cover a lot of ground clearly because he starts with happened earlier and concludes with what has happened more recently.

In just these three sentences, we can see Thompson establishing different kinds of relationships between concepts. He is:

• guiding us from familiar ideas into unfamiliar ones,
• comparing two unlike things,
• providing examples for his claims, and
• presenting information chronologically.

Familiarity, contrast, example, and chronology are four common ways that topics can be related, but there are several others. The following lists identifies key relationships that we tend to find naturally in the world around us when we ask questions like, “Why did that happen?” and, “How do these two things fit together?” If you can obviously situate any your ideas within these well-known structures, then readers will be able to more quickly understand the connections you are establishing between your ideas. In the list that follows we identify these common relationship categories, explain them, and provide examples of sentences that establish these kinds of relationships. (All off these sample sentences are about research in Lake Mendota—the body of water just north of the UW-Madison campus.)

Familiarity– Connecting what readers know to what they don’t known.

Learning often involves drawing from existing knowledge in order develop new knowledge. As a result, this is one of the most important relationships you can establish in your writing. Start with what your readers know (either because you can assume a common knowledge or because you’ve already told them about this earlier in your paper or even in the preceding sentence) in order to then take them to something they don’t know.

Example: When you dive into a lake for a quick swim, you’re actually entering a diverse limnology laboratory—the research field for the ecologists who study inland waters.

Causation– Connecting the instigator(s) to the consequence(s)

We are very familiar with thinking about ideas and processes in relationship to cause and effect. You can use the prevalence of this relationship to your advantage by relating your ideas to causation.

Example: In the mid-19 th century, the white sand beaches that used to line Lake Mendota were engulfed by the additional four feet of water that the Tenney Locks brought into the lake (Van Eyck).

Chronology– Connecting what issues in regard to when they occur.

This is particularly useful if you are describing a sequence of events or the steps of a process.

Example: In 1882, E.A. Birge was gathering data about the prevalence of blue-green algae in Lake Mendota (Van Eyck). By 1897, he was publishing about plankton (Birge). Even when he became president of UW-Madison several years later, his interest in freshwater lakes never waned (“Past presidents and chancellors”).

Combinations

Lists–connecting numerous elements..

You can think of this as a “this + this + this” model. You are saying that a collection of concepts or elements contribute equally or simultaneously to something. Within lists, it’s still important that you are being strategic about which elements you are identifying, describing, or analyzing first, second, and third.

Example: Across its studied history, Lake Mendota has been negatively affected by blue-green algae, Eurasian milfoil, spiny water fleas, and zebra mussels, among others (Van Enyck).

Part/Whole— Connecting numerous elements that make up something bigger.

This is a “this + this + this = that” model. You are showing how discrete elements form something else through their connections.

Example: Across generations, the damage Lake Mendota has sustained as a result of the unnaturally prolific prevalence of blue-green algae, Eurasian milfoil, spiny water fleas, and zebra mussels has irreparably altered these waters.

Contrast– Connecting two things by focusing on their differences.

This establishes a relationship of dis-similarity. It helps readers understand what something is by comparing it with something that it is not.

Example: But whereas boosting the population of walleye and northern perch in Lake Mendota effectively reduced the prevalence of Eurasian milfoil, scientists haven’t been able to develop a plan to respond to the damaging spiny water fleas (Van Eyck).

Example– Connecting a general idea to a particular instance of this idea.

Arguments are made more understandable and persuasive when you develop your overall claims in relationship to specific evidence that verifies or exemplifies those claims. Which examples will be the most persuasive (e.g., statistical data, historical precedent, anecdotes, etc.) will depend on the knowledge, interests, disposition, and expectations of your reader.

Example: “These new challenges demand new solutions, some behavioral (such as cleaning boats from lake to lake) and some research-driven (for example, identifying a natural predator for the invasive species)” (Van Eyck).

Importance– Connecting what is critical to what is more inconsequential.

This can also be thought of as connecting what is big to what is small. You may also choose to reverse these relationships by starting with what matters least or what is smallest and building to what is the most important or what is the most prominent. Just make sure that you are helping your reader understand which end of the spectrum you are starting with.

Example: Boaters were inconvenienced by the Eurasian milfoil clogging their propellers, but the plants’ real harm was dealt to the lake’s native flora and, consequently, its fish (Van Eyck).

Location– Connecting elements according to where they are placed in relationship to each other.

Even if you aren’t writing about geographical entities, you can still clarify how various ideas are positioned in relationship to each other.

Example: Whether or not the lake is pretty is peripheral to the issue of whether or not its natural ecosystems are in balance.

Similarity– Connecting two things by suggesting that they are in some way alike.

This highlights commonalities to show readers how elements or ideas are serving the same function.

Example: Just as invasive water flora (i.e., Eurasian milfoil) disrupted Lake Mendota’s ecosystem in the 1970s, in 2009 scientists discovered that the lake was being damaged by invasive water fauna (i.e., spiny water fleas) (Van Eyck).

While the examples provided above for each of these relationships is a sentence or short series of sentences where relationships are established through sequencing and transition words, you should also develop these kinds of common connections between ideas on a large scale through grammatical parallelism, paragraph placement, and your progression from one section to another.

Also, as can be seen in these examples, sometimes multiple different relationships are functioning simultaneously. For instance, consider again the example for the “Importance” item:

The ideas in this sentence work within the following relationship categories:

• Importance—Connecting what is more inconsequential (i.e., how boaters are bothered by Eurasian milfoil) to what is most critical (i.e., how the lake’s ecosystem is disrupted by Eurasian milfoil),
• Contrast—Connecting two things (i.e., boaters’ concerns and the lake’s wellbeing) by focusing on their differences,
• Causation—Connecting an instigator (i.e., Eurasian milfoil) to consequences (i.e., native plants’ destruction and, secondarily, the native animals’ destruction).

This collection of interwoven relational connections doesn’t mean that these ideas are jumbled; this is just an indication of how relationships can become interconnected.

Since clearly working within these relationship categories can be useful for organizing your key concepts as well as guiding readers through the structure of entire papers or particular paragraphs as well as sentences, different kinds of connections can be similarly layered across the whole structure of a paper. For example, if you are composing an argument about why it’s so hard for meteorologists to pin-point the severity and location of tornadoes, the overarching relationship of your ideas might be part/whole because you’re interested in how a range of factors contribute to a difficult prediction process. However, within your paragraphs, you might have to use chronological and causation relationships to describe the physical processes by which tornadoes are formed. And from sentence to sentence, you’ll need to make sure that you are starting with what’s familiar to your readers before moving into what’s new.

Joseph Williams and Joseph Bizup, in their handbook Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace , identify the process of moving from what is known to what is unknown as “cohesion.” “Sentences are cohesive ,” they write, “when the last few words of one sentence set up the information that appears in the first few words of the next” (67). They relate this careful sequencing to the issue of “flow”—readers find that ideas follow each other naturally when one sentence begins where the previous sentence left off.

Consider another annotated example passage from Derek Thompson’s economic analysis of the effects of automation and technology on jobs. This paragraph comes after one about how horses (once primary forces for industrial production) were made obsolete by transportation technology.

[1] Humans can do much more than trot, carry, and pull. [2] But the skills required in most offices hardly elicit our full range of intelligence. [3] Most jobs are still boring, repetitive, and easily learned. [4] The most-common occupations in the United States are retail salesperson, cashier, food and beverage server, and office clerk. [5] Together, these four jobs employ 15.4 million people—nearly 10 percent of the labor force, or more workers than there are in Texas and Massachusetts combined. [6] Each is highly susceptible to automation, according to the Oxford study.

Thompson’s most obvious application of Williams and Bizup’s concept of cohesion happens at the end sentence 4 and the beginning of sentence 5 where he first lists four professions (salesperson, cashier, server, and clerk) then begins the next sentence with, “these four jobs.”

But even on a conceptual level, Thompson is continuously moving from old information to new information. Consider this analysis of the conceptual shifts within each of these six sentences where Thompson’s ideas have been stripped down and his key concepts have been highlighted in different colors:

[1] Humans have more skills than horses. [2] Humans’ full range of skills aren’t always utilized by many office jobs . [3] Many jobs don’t push us to our full potential. [4] Here are the most common jobs . [5] These jobs employ many people. [6] These jobs could be eliminated through automation .

Thompson begins this paragraph by connecting a new idea (i.e., humans’ present occupational relationship to technology) to an old idea from the previous paragraph (i.e., horse’s past relationship to technology). After introducing the human subject, he then uses it to bring in his next topic: workplace skills. Then, through skills he brings in the issue of jobs, and jobs eventually lead him to the issue of automation. This sequence holds together like a line of conceptual dominoes.

Connecting new ideas to old is a practice that you should implement across sentences, paragraphs, and even whole sections of your writing. However, be careful. If this practice becomes heavy-handed or overdone, your writing can become patronizing to your readers. Make sure that you are clearly and comprehensively connecting ideas and not just sequencing subjects.

In Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace , Joseph Williams and Joseph Bizup also write about the importance of coherence. While “cohesion” and “coherence” sound similar, they are two different things. “Cohesion” is about ideas that connect to each other “the way two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle do,” whereas “coherence” “is when all the sentences in a piece of writing add up to a larger whole” (69). Sometimes this is also called “unity.” Coherence is achieved when the things you are writing about all clearly contribute to the same overarching topic. For example, let’s return to the domino example from above. The movement from humans to skills to jobs to automation works because Thompson’s larger article establishes a thematic connection between all of these topics: work changes in response to technological developments. Thompson is even able to start this paragraph with an otherwise unexpected reference to horses because in the previous paragraph he has shown his readers how horses also relate to this theme of work changing in response to technological development. Within your writing, it’s important to make sure that all of your smaller ideas are related to and pointed towards the same goal.

Williams and Bizup suggest one way of making sure that your writing is coherent or unified is to pay attention to what each of your sentences is about—its subject (the noun or pronoun that guides a sentence) and topic (the idea that is the focus of that sentence). In most sentences, your subject and topic should be the same thing. Also, most of the time your topic should be short and direct, and each paragraph should be primarily dedicated to one topic. As an example, consider again this paragraph from the Thompson article about human skills, jobs, and automation. The subjects/topics of each sentence have been highlighted.

1] Humans can do much more than trot, carry, and pull. [2] But the skills required in most offices hardly elicit our full range of intelligence. [3] Most jobs are still boring, repetitive, and easily learned. [4] The most-common occupations in the United States are retail salesperson, cashier, food and beverage server, and office clerk. [5] Together, these four jobs employ 15.4 million people—nearly 10 percent of the labor force, or more workers than there are in Texas and Massachusetts combined. [6] Each is highly susceptible to automation, according to the Oxford study.

Note that after setting up this paragraph in a way that connects back to the previous paragraph’s focus on horses, Thompson settles into the issue of jobs as his clear and primary focus. The final four sentences have some version of “jobs” as their subject and topic. This consistency allows him to develop coherent ideas about this one issue.

For more information about writing intentionally structured and unified paragraphs, check out our resource on paragraphing. Additionally, if you are trying to discern whether or not your paragraphs are functioning coherently across your entire paper, we recommend the practice of reverse outlining. You can find out more about this technique here.

Transition Words and Phrases

The best way to clearly communicate the logical pathways that connect your ideas is to make sure that you move smoothly from old information to new information (cohesion) and that your readers always understand how your primary topics contribute to the big picture of your overall argument (coherence). While we’ve considered ways that whole sentences and paragraphs can do this work, sometimes even individual words can help you establish clear, cohesive, and coherent relationships between your ideas. In writing these are often called “transition words.”

The following is a list of useful transition words and phrases. Following the list of common relationship categories provided above, these words are organized according to the kinds of relationships they frequently develop. Of course, establishing clear relationships between ideas requires much more than just dropping one of these into the start of a sentence, but used sparingly and carefully based on the logical associations they establish, these words can provide usefully obvious indications to your readers of the kind of connections you are trying to develop between your ideas.

Causation– Connecting instigator(s) to consequence(s).

accordingly as a result and so because

consequently for that reason hence on account of

since therefore thus

after afterwards always at length during earlier following immediately in the meantime

later never next now once simultaneously so far sometimes

soon subsequently then this time until now when whenever while

Combinations Lists– Connecting numerous events. Part/Whole– Connecting numerous elements that make up something bigger.

additionally again also and, or, not as a result besides even more

finally first, firstly further furthermore in addition in the first place in the second place

last, lastly moreover next second, secondly, etc. too

after all although and yet at the same time but

however in contrast nevertheless nonetheless notwithstanding

on the contrary on the other hand otherwise though yet

as an illustration e.g., (from a Latin abbreviation for “for example”)

for example for instance specifically that is

to demonstrate to illustrate

chiefly critically

foundationally most importantly

of less importance primarily

above adjacent to below beyond

centrally here nearby neighboring on

opposite to peripherally there wherever

Similarity– Connecting to things by suggesting that they are in some way alike.

by the same token in like manner

in similar fashion here in the same way

likewise wherever

Other kinds of transitional words and phrases Clarification

i.e., (from a Latin abbreviation for “that is”) in other words

that is that is to say to clarify to explain

to put it another way to rephrase it

granted it is true

naturally of course

finally lastly

in conclusion in the end

to conclude

Intensification

in fact indeed no

of course surely to repeat

undoubtedly without doubt yes

for this purpose in order that

so that to that end

to this end

in brief in sum

in summary in short

to sum up to summarize

Works Cited

Ackerman, Diane. “I Sing the Body’s Pattern Recognition Machine.” The New York Times , 15 June 2004. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/15/science/essay-i-sing-the-body-s-pattern-recognition-machine.html . Accessed 6 June 2018.

Birge, Edward Asahel. Plankton Studies on Lake Mendota . Harvard University Library of the Museum of Comparative Zoolog., 1897.

“Past presidents and chancellors.” Office of the Chancellor , University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2016. https://chancellor.wisc.edu/past-presidents-and-chancellors/ . Accessed 16 June 2018.

Thompson, Derek. “A World Without Work.” The Atlantic , July/August 2015, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/07/world-without-work/395294/. Accessed 14 June 2018.

Van Eyck, Masarah. “Lake Mendota: a scientific biography.” L&S News , College of Letters and Sciences University of Wisconsin-Madison, 29 Aug. 2016. http://ls.wisc.edu/news/lake-mendota-a-scientific-biography . Accessed 15 June 2018.

Williams, Joseph M. and Joseph Bizup. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace . 12 th ed., Pearson, 2017.

Improving Your Writing Style

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Transitional Words and Phrases

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All the Transition Words You'll Ever Need for Academic Writing

In academic writing, transitions are the glue that holds your ideas together. Without them, your writing would be illogical and lack flow, making it difficult for your audience to understand or replicate your research.

In this article, we will discuss the types of transitions based on their purpose. Familiarizing yourself with these most-used and best transition terms for academic writing will help bring clarity to your essays and make the writing process much easier on you.

Types of transitions

There are four types of transitions: Causal, Sequential, Adversative and Additive. Below, we've listed the most commonly used transitions in each of these categories, as well as examples of how they might be used to begin a paragraph or sentence.

When you use causal transitions, you are letting your reader know that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between ideas or paragraphs or consequences.

• Accordingly ("Accordingly, the author states…")
• All else being equal ("All else being equal, these ideas correlate…")
• As a consequence ("As a consequence, all data were aggregated…")
• As a result (of this) ("As a result of this finding, scholars now agree…")
• Because (of the fact that) ("Because of the fact that these numbers show signs of declining,…")
• Because (of this) ("Because of this, scholars determined…")
• Consequently ("Consequently, the research was stalled…")
• Due to (the fact that) ("Due to the fact that all prior studies showed similar results,…")
• For the purpose(s) of ("For the purposes of our argument, we will…")
• For this reason ("For this reason, the researchers…")
• Granted (that) ("Granted that the numbers were significantly higher, the study…")
• Granting (that) ("Granting that the data was collected incorrectly, the researchers felt…")
• If…then ("If this data is significant, then it is obvious that…")
• If so ("If so, the data is not useable…")
• In the event ("In the event that it is not significant, we should consider that…")
• Inasmuch as ("Insomuch as the authors attempt to refute these findings, research suggests that…")
• In the hope that ("In the hope that new data will encourage more in-depth research, the author found that….")
• In that case ("In that case, we've found that…")
• Only if ("Only if data is insubstantial should findings be ignored, thus…")
• Otherwise ("Otherwise, the research would continue…")
• Owing to (the fact) ("Owing to the fact that the gathered data is incorrect, …")
• Provided (that) ("Provided that the same results occur, we can assume that…")
• Since ("Since it would seem futile to continue to study this topic, we posit that…")
• So as to ("So as to clarify past remarks, we initiated further research…")
• So long as ("So long as there is established credibility, this journal seeks….")
• So much (so) that ("The data is manipulated so much so that it can't be used to clarify…")
• Therefore ("Therefore, this result compromises the exploration into…")
• That being the case ("That being the case, we should look into alternatives…")
• Thus ("Thus, it would see that further research…")
• Unless ("Unless this calls to question the original hypothesis, the exploration of this topic would be…")
• With (this fact) in mind ("With this fact in mind, let's consider another alternative…")
• Under those circumstances ("Under those circumstances, fewer participants…")

Sequential transitions show a numerical sequence or the continuation of a thought or action. They are used to establish an order to your main points in an academic essay, and help create a logical outline for your writing.

• (Once) again ("Once again, this is not a reason for lack of rigor…")
• After (this) ("After this, it would seem most prudent to…")
• Afterwards ("Afterwards, it seemed a moot point to determine…")
• Altogether ("Altogether, these data suggest that…")
• Anyway ("Anyway, such loss would prove to be damaging..")
• As (was) mentioned earlier/above ("As was mentioned above, the lack of attention given to…")
• As (was) stated before ("As was stated before, there is little evidence show…")
• As a final point ("As a final point, consider the connection between…")
• At any rate ("At any rate, loss of significance was vital to…")
• By the way ("By the way, one can't assume that…")
• Coincidentally ("Coincidentally, this affected the nature of…")
• Consequently ("Consequently, Smith found that…")
• Eventually ("Eventually, more was needed to sustain…")
• Finally ("Finally, we now know that…"
• First ("First, it seems that even with the additional data…")
• First of all ("First of all, none of the respondents felt that…")
• Given these points ("Given these points, it's easy to see that…")
• Hence ("Hence, we see that the above details…")
• In conclusion ("In conclusion, since the data shows significant growth...")
• In summary ("In summary, there are not enough studies to show the correlation…")
• In the (first/second/third) place ("In the first place, we found that…")
• Incidentally ("Incidentally, no findings showed a positive outlook…")
• Initially ("Initially, we noticed that the authors….")
• Last ("Last, the most significant growth appeared to happen when…")
• Next ("Next, it's important to note that…")
• Overall ("Overall, we found that….")
• Previously ("Previously, it was shown that…")
• Returning to the subject ("Returning to the subject, careful observation of trends…")
• Second ("Second, it was impossible to know the…")
• Secondly ("Secondly, in looking at variable related to…")
• Subsequently ("Subsequently, we found that…")
• Summarizing (this) ("Summarizing this, the authors noted that…")
• Therefore ("Therefore, the connection is unknown between…")
• Third ("Third, when data were collected…")
• Thirdly ("Thirdly, we noticed that…")
• Thus ("Thus, there was no evidence that…)
• To conclude ("To conclude, the findings suggest that…")
• To repeat ("To repeat, no studies found evidence that…")
• To resume ("To resume the conversation, we began discussing…")
• To start with ("To start with, there is no evidence that…")
• To sum up ("To sum up, significant correlation was found…")
• Ultimately ("Ultimately, no studies found evidence of…")

Adversative Transitions

Adversative transitions show contrast, counter arguments or an alternative suggestion.

• Above all ("Above all, we found that…"
• Admittedly ("Admittedly, the findings suggest that…")
• All the same ("All the same, without knowing which direction the study would take…")
• Although ("Although much is to be learned from…")
• At any rate ("At any rate, we concluded that...")
• At least ("At least, with these results, we can…")
• Be that as it may ("Be that as it may, there was no significant correlation between…")
• Besides ("Besides, it is obvious that…")
• But ("But, the causal relationship between…")
• By way of contrast ("By the way of contrast, we note that…")
• Conversely ("Conversely, there was no correlation between…")
• Despite (this) ("Despite this, the findings are clear in that…")
• Either way ("Either way, studies fail to approach the topic from…")
• Even more ("Even more, we can conclude that…")
• Even so ("Even so, there is a lack of evidence showing…")
• Even though ("Even though the participants were unaware of which ….")
• However (However, it becomes clear that…")
• In any case ("In any case, there were enough reponses…")
• In any event ("In any event, we noted that…")
• In contrast ("In contrast, the new data suggests that…")
• In fact ("In fact, there is a loss of…")
• In spite of (this) ("In spite of this, we note that…")
• Indeed ("Indeed, it becomes clear that…")
• Instead (of) ("Instead of publishing our findings early, we chose to")
• More/Most importantly ("More importantly, there have not been any…")
• Nevertheless ("Nevertheless, it becomes clear that…")
• Nonetheless ("Nonetheless, we failed to note how…")
• Notwithstanding (this) ("Notwithstanding this, there was little evidence…")
• On the contrary ("On the contrary, no active users were…")
• On the other hand ("On the other hand, we cannot avoid…")
• Primarily ("Primarily, it becomes significant as…")
• Rather ("Rather, none of this is relevant…")
• Regardless (of) ("Regardless of previous results, the authors…")
• Significantly ("Significantly, there was little correlation between…")
• Still ("Still, nothing was noted in the diary…")
• Whereas ("Whereas little evidence has been given to…")
• While ("While causality is lacking…")
• Yet ("Yet, it becomes clear that…")

Additive Transitions

You'll use an additive transition to relate when new information is being added or highlighted to something that was just mentioned.

• Additionally ("Additionally, it can be noted that…")
• Also ("Also, there was no evidence that….")
• As a matter of fact ("As a matter of fact, the evidence fails to show…")
• As for (this) ("As for this, we can posit that…")
• By the same token ("By the same token, no studies have concluded…")
• Concerning (this) ("Concerning this, there is little evidence to…")
• Considering (this) ("Considering this, we must then return to…")
• Equally ("Equally, there was no correlation…")
• Especially ("Especially, the study reveals that…")
• For example ("For example, a loss of one's….")
• For instance ("For instance, there was little evidence showing…")
• Furthermore ("Furthermore, a lack of knowledge on…")
• In a similar way ("In a similar way, new findings show that…")
• In addition to ("In addition to this new evidence, we note that…")
• In fact ("In fact, none of the prior studies showed…")
• In other words ("In other words, there was a lack of…")
• In particular ("In particular, no relationship was revealed…")
• In the same way ("In the same way, new studies suggest that…")
• Likewise ("Likewise, we noted that…)
• Looking at (this information) ("Looking at this information, it's clear to see how…)
• Moreover ("Moreover, the loss of reputation of…")
• Namely ("Namely, the authors noted that…")
• Not only…but also ("Not only did the study reveal new findings, but also it demonstrated how….")
• Notably ("Notably, no other studies have been done…")
• On the subject of (this) ("On the subject of awareness, participants agreed that….")
• One example (of this is) ("One example of this is how the new data…")
• Particularly ("Particularly, there is little evidence showing…")
• Regarding (this) ("Regarding this, there were concerns that…")
• Similarly ("Similarly, we note that…")
• Specifically ("Specifically, there were responses that…")
• That is ("That is, little attention is given to…")
• The fact that ("The fact that the participants felt misinformed…")
• This means (that) ("This means that conclusive findings are…")
• To illustrate ("To illustrate, one participant wrote that….")
• To put it another way ("To put it another way, there is little reason to…")
• What this means is ("What this means is the authors failed to…")
• With regards to (this) ("With regards to this, we cannot assume that…")

Making the choice

When deciding which transition would best fit in each instance, keep in mind a few of these tips:

• Avoid using the same transition too much, as it could make your writing repetitive.
• Check at the beginning of each paragraph to ensure that a) you've included a transition, if one was needed, and b) it's the correct transition to accurately relate the type of logical connection you're forming between ideas.
• Be sure that if you are using sequential transitions, they match. For example, if you use "first" to highlight your first point, "second" should come next, then "third," etc. You wouldn't want to use "first", followed by "secondly."

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Need an academic editor before submitting your work?

10.6 Editing Focus: Paragraphs and Transitions

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Implement transitional words and phrases in a position argument.
• Apply genre conventions in paragraphs and transitions for general and specific situations.

In the initial drafts of your paper, you may have concentrated on single ideas for your body paragraphs and single thoughts within those paragraphs. Your argument will read more smoothly, however, if you use transitional words and phrases to show readers how your ideas are connected or opposed to each other.

Using Transitional Words and Phrases

To organize your paper most effectively, use transitional words or phrases , which show readers the relationship between different ideas—that is, how ideas connect with or are separate from each other. In the paragraph below, transitional words and phrases are underlined.

student sample text To get a copy of your transcript from Abbott Community College, underline first end underline log on to the college web site. underline Next end underline , click the “Transcript” link underline to the left of end underline the college logo. underline When end underline the link opens, fill out the information requested in the boxes. underline Then end underline upload a copy of your student ID underline and end underline pay $10 electronically. underline Finally end underline , submit your form. Your transcript will be emailed to you, underline but end underline you may have to wait up to three days underline before end underline you receive it. end student sample text

The transitional words and phrases show readers the sequence of steps they need to follow to get a transcript. If you remove the transitional words and phrases, the paragraph would be choppy, and readers might not follow the steps as easily.

Transitions also help guide readers between paragraphs. Below are the body paragraphs a student wrote about the need for a traffic light at a street that leads into his college. The first version has no transitions.

student sample text Many vehicles speed through the intersection without regard to the posted speed limit. A traffic signal would make vehicles slow down. They would not be able to speed through the signal. end student sample text

student sample text Pedestrian safety is a problem. Many students and others cross this intersection when coming to or leaving campus, and they must dodge traffic to get across. A traffic signal would allow them to cross at appropriate times. end student sample text

student sample text The amount of traffic has increased dramatically. A manufacturing plant opened four blocks from the intersection. The number of businesses in the strip mall at the intersection has grown by 50 percent. The college has changed its traffic routing for football games. Fans must enter via this intersection. end student sample text

student sample text The most compelling reason to install a traffic signal is that the number of accidents has risen far past an acceptable limit. According to recent police reports, a traffic accident occurs at least three times a month. One accident resulted in a loss of life. end student sample text

The student then added transitions and changed the wording accordingly to help readers follow his ideas. The underlined transitions at the beginning of each paragraph alert readers to the four reasons he presents and to where he changes from one to another. The underlined transitions within the paragraphs help readers understand the relationship of ideas.

student sample text underline First end underline , many vehicles speed through the intersection without regard to the posted speed limit. A traffic signal would make vehicles slow down, underline for end underline they would not be able to speed through the signal. end student sample text

student sample text underline Second end underline , pedestrian safety is a problem. Many students and others cross this intersection when coming to or leaving campus, and underline now end underline they must dodge traffic to get across. A traffic signal, underline therefore end underline , would allow them to cross at appropriate times. end student sample text

student sample text underline Another reason to install the traffic signal has to do with end underline the amount of traffic, which has increased dramatically underline in recent years end underline . underline Two years ago end underline , a manufacturing plant opened four blocks from the intersection. underline In the past 16 months end underline , the number of businesses in the strip mall underline at the intersection end underline grew by 50 percent. underline Furthermore end underline , the college has changed its traffic routing for football games, underline and now end underline fans must enter via this intersection. end student sample text

student sample text underline Finally end underline , the most compelling reason to install a traffic signal is that the number of accidents has risen far past an acceptable limit. According to recent police reports, a traffic accident occurs at that intersection at least three times a month. underline In fact end underline , one of those accidents resulted in a loss of life. end student sample text

Frequently Used Transitional Words and Phrases

Addition: again, and, further, in addition, next, then, also, as well as

Cause-and-effect : accordingly, consequently, for this reason, hence, therefore, thus, as a result

Amplification : again, also, apparently, first (second, third), moreover, indeed, more, most, in fact

Chronological order : after, before, during, earlier, finally, first (second, third), immediately, last, next, then, later

Concession or agreement : although, at least, at any rate, certainly, (even) though, in spite of, of course, still, nevertheless, nonetheless

Compare and contrast : at the same time, comparatively, conversely, however, instead, likewise, moreover, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, rather, similarly, still, yet, despite

Detail : including, in particular, namely, specifically, to list

Emphasis or clarification : above all, again, certainly, especially, furthermore, in fact, particularly, indeed

Example : chiefly, for example (instance), in other words, in particular, mainly, specifically

Intention : for this purpose, in order to do this, to this end, with this in mind

Location : above, along, behind, below, here, near, next to, opposite, to the left (right) of, under

Summary : finally, in conclusion, in short, in other words, thus

For more information about paragraphs and transitions, see Paragraphs and Transitions .

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Paragraphs: Transitions

Transitions.

The strength of any argument largely hinges on the writer's ability to make clear connections between his or her assessments, assertions, and research. This means that every sentence needs to rely on the previous sentence and contribute to the next. After all, this sort of logic-based linking is what ultimately guides your reader from one idea to the next and explains the relationships between your research and assessments.

In the links below, you will find a list of possible connections or relationships writers frequently make in their papers. By clicking on these links, you can read a list of transitional terms that highlight these specific kinds of relationships between the research a writer has drawn upon and the assessments, or assertions he or she is making. In addition, each link includes a list of examples indicating the use of a successful transitional word or phrase.

Transitions Video Playlist

Note that these videos were created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

• Academic Paragraphs: Introduction to Paragraphs and the MEAL Plan (video transcript)
• Academic Paragraphs: Types of Transitions Part 1: Transitions Between Paragraphs (video transcript)
• Academic Paragraphs: Types of Transitions Part 2: Transitions Within Paragraphs (video transcript)
• Academic Paragraphs: Appropriate Use of Explicit Transitions (video transcript)
• Engaging Writing: Incorporating Transitions (video transcript)
• Engaging Writing: Examples of Incorporating Transitions (video transcript)

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Using The Transition Words For a Research Paper

The function of the transition words.

Many things distinguish an average paper from a great one. Achieving greatness sounds like an impossible task. It’s actually simple. The key is knowing what to focus on. A single transition word can change the essay’s sound, making it more precise and concise. Changing the ideas or subjects from one to another gets easier when using transition words in a research paper.

When working on any writing task, it’s vital to make it understandable, easy to follow, and clear for those reading it. There’s nothing worse than an essay that’s confusing. Avoiding confusion is best achieved with research paper transition words. Transitions help establish the bond between groups of ideas.

Helpful Transition Words and Phrases for the Research Papers

If usage of transition words for a body paragraph in research paper or other parts you find unfamiliar, don’t worry. It’s all pretty easy to understand. Most students struggled with writing problem statement for the research paper , and still, they’ve become excellent at writing those over time. The same goes for transitional phrases. Learn the basics, and start implementing transitions.

Demonstrative pronouns — words including that, this, those, and these are often used to express the bond between adjacent sentences. Here’s an example:

“There’re many formulas of coordinate geometry. These (formulas) help calculate different things, including lengths and distances.”

Introductory phrases or words — These are mainly used at the start of the following sentence. They accomplish different things, including adding information, comparing, providing an alternative, giving an example, concluding, etc. Some words and phrases are also, besides, furthermore, moreover, yet, similarly, on the other hand, however, in particular, in fact, in conclusion, therefore, etc.

“The data showed many different factors. Furthermore, it pointed out that factor Y is the most important one.”

These are some general examples of transition words to use in a research paper. These can be used in different parts of it, including the results section of a research paper or other segments that you find more suitable. It all depends on the articles in question and your writing style. One thing is sure — just one transitional phrase can change the study flow and make it more professional. Over time, they’ll become part of all your papers and essays.

Depending on the article and subject, a transition word can be placed in other segments of the article. For example, if suitable, you can add them in the discussion section of your research paper , where you’ll be presenting different ideas and opinions on the topic. You can even use transition words to start a paragraph. Again, it’s up to you. Mix things up, try different options, and keep practicing.

Types of Transition Words

Using good transition words for a research paper is a game changer. The writing task becomes more serious, professional, on-point, and concise with just several phrases. With that said, it’s crucial to start using transitions. If you don’t have time or need assistance, you may consider a  professional research paper writing service , as these are legit and extremely helpful. What’s more, they are available at affordable prices.

Now, let’s go back to transitions. They are used for different purposes. Below you’ll find transition words for conclusion, and you’ll figure out how to use transition words between paragraphs. All are very useful. Start with one word, and you’ll notice how the entire sentence sounds more professional and clearer. Now, let’s explore it all and start learning the basics.

Additive transitions

Let’s explore additives and when they’re used:

When adding more info — Moreover, furthermore, in addition

When pointing to similarities — Likewise, similarly, in a similar way

When specifying — Namely, specifically

Adding references — Regarding, concerning

Here’re some examples:

“Considering all the work that has been completed, we are satisfied.”

“Moreover, the data showed additional evidence.”

Adversative transitions

These are used in many situations, including:

Contrasting — In contrast, when in fact, however, yet, nevertheless

Emphasizing — Indeed, most importantly, primarily, significantly

Offering an alternative — Rather, on the other hand, alternatively

Disbanding the argument — In any case, regardless, either way

“However, the study requires more facts.”

“Most importantly, the results are excellent.”

“Either way, the study was effective.”

Causal transitions

These are often used in academic writing in different occasions, such as:

Signaling the reason — Because of, for the reason, due to, since

Showing the motive/purpose — In the hope that, for the purpose, in order to

Representing the effects — For the reason, thus, accordingly, therefore, for this reason

A few examples:

“Accordingly, the appropriate measures were included.”

“Since all the members are here, we can start.”

Sequential transitions

You’ll see these among helpful academic tips. They help build a structure in articles and essays.

Number organizing — Firstly, initially, secondly

Pointing something out again — as said before, as mentioned, again

Providing a conclusion — In summary, in sum, thus, hence, thus, therefore

“As said before, the results are amazing.”

“Thus, all is well.”

If you find all this too complicated to remember and implement, you may consider getting professional assistance. When you are struggling, are in a hurry, or have lots of work, you may beg your siblings or parents, please, write me a research paper , and you keep repeating the request hoping someone will agree to help you. But, you can always turn to professionals instead and focus on other things.

How to Avoid Plagiarism in Your Research Paper?

Providing 100 % authentic content is beyond important when working on papers and essays. Now, many in college keep wondering how plagiarism can be avoided. The easiest option of all is to explore a super simple and completely free plagiarism checker for students that will make your work easier and simpler in many ways. It’ll help you deliver articles that are original and plagiarism-free.

The checker is very easy to use, and it will ensure your paper is original and has no issues of this kind. Use it to check your essays, papers, and articles, focusing on authenticity and originality. Plus, original work will help you get better grades. If you find this task impossible, you can hire a professional. You can get research papers for sale online from a renowned website. Using their services, you can get a great essay.

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