Mrs. Brown’s Transitions

Transitions allow us to move from idea to idea in our paper. They connect our thoughts so the people reading our paper stay interested and understand what we have written about. Transitions show how ideas are related. They give your paper a more organized feeling. There are three ways we use transitions:

1. To connect our thoughts within a paragraph: Transitions connect one sentence to the next. These are usually words and short phrases.

EXAMPLE: Suppose I have many related ideas within a paragraph, but my paper may sound choppy. I need to give the paragraph better flow; I may write:

…(middle of paragraph)… I walked on eggshells around the children because I was afraid that I would give them a ‘psychological complex.’ I remember hearing my mother, who worked in the mental health industry, tell me, “don’t talk to the children that way. You’ll give them a complex. Don’t coddle them too much. You’ll give them a complex. If you don’t coddle them enough, you’ll give them a complex.” Over the last few years, I have decided that my children will be embarrassed and possibly devastated over anything I do. No matter how hard I try not to, I will most possibly “give them a complex.” …(middle of paragraph)…

2. To connect our thoughts from paragraph to paragraph: Transitions connect one paragraph to the next. These are usually short phrases or sentences.

EXAMPLE: Suppose I am writing a paper that each paragraph has a similar topic to the previous. I need to be able to move from one paragraph to the next; I may write:

…(end of paragraph)… In America being different needs to once again be okay.

Unfortunately in America being different linguistically does cause a number of other problems. …(beginning of paragraph)…

3. To connect our sections of a paper: Transitions connect the subtopics so that your paper may flow more smoothly. These are usually sentences.

EXAMPLE: Suppose I am writing a paper that has both statistics and how they affect people; I may write:

…(end of subtopic)…As you have read, the statistics are astounding.

Now that you have the numbers, let us explore how this directly affects you. ...(beginning of new subtopic)…

You may also want to dedicate an entire paragraph to summarize your section if the paper is a long research paper.

Here is a chart of different transitional expressions to help you on your quest to a better flowing paper:

Logical Relationship

Transitional Expression

Logical Relationship

Transitional Expression

Similarity

also, in the same way, just as, so, too, likewise, similarly

Example

for example, for instance, namely, specifically, to illustrate

Time

after, afterward, at last, before, currently, during, earlier, immediately, later, meanwhile, now, recently, simultaneously, subsequently, then

Conclusion / Summary

finally, in a word, in brief, in conclusion, in the end, in the final analysis, on the whole, thus, to conclude, to summarize, in sum, in summary

Sequence / Order

first, second, third, ... next, then, finally

Emphasis

even, indeed, in fact, of course, truly

Place / Position

above, adjacent, below, beyond, here, in front, in back, nearby, there

Cause and Effect

accordingly, consequently, hence, so, therefore, thus

Additional Support or Evidence

additionally, again, also, and, as well, besides, equally important, further, furthermore, in addition, moreover, then

Exception / Contrast

but, however, in spite of, on the one hand, on the other hand, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, in contrast, on the contrary, still, yet

Chart from The Writing Center at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

TRANSITIONS POWERPOINT

If you need more assistance, you can contact me from the links at the left.

Logical Relationship	Transitional Expression	Logical Relationship	Transitional Expression
Similarity	also, in the same way, just as, so, too, likewise, similarly	Example	for example, for instance, namely, specifically, to illustrate
Time	after, afterward, at last, before, currently, during, earlier, immediately, later, meanwhile, now, recently, simultaneously, subsequently, then	Conclusion / Summary	finally, in a word, in brief, in conclusion, in the end, in the final analysis, on the whole, thus, to conclude, to summarize, in sum, in summary
Sequence / Order	first, second, third, ... next, then, finally	Emphasis	even, indeed, in fact, of course, truly
Place / Position	above, adjacent, below, beyond, here, in front, in back, nearby, there	Cause and Effect	accordingly, consequently, hence, so, therefore, thus
Additional Support or Evidence	additionally, again, also, and, as well, besides, equally important, further, furthermore, in addition, moreover, then	Exception / Contrast	but, however, in spite of, on the one hand, on the other hand, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, in contrast, on the contrary, still, yet