Organisational strategies for written material and language techniques

See also: Chapter 2 The modes of writing Chapter 3 Organising, preparing and writing for academic purposes

Organisational Strategies

 
Throughout this book, we have looked at strategies for organising written material.
 
Additionally, Table 1 provides four examples of patterns of organisation in writing (see also Chapter 3, page 56).
 
 

Transitional words

The transition words provide clues to help you to recognise, or execute, a particular mode of writing.
 
 
 

Transition words: also called link words or connectives as they are used to link ideas together.

Note: some words are used for more than one organisational pattern, so you must also be aware of the writer’s purpose and the context of the writing.

 

PATTERNS OF ORGANISATION IN WRITING
ORGANISATIONAL PATTERN	TRANSITIONAL WORD
Listing: Anything can be listed – causes, effects, characteristics, groups, classifications of information and so on	also, additionally, another [reason/factor], next, finally, in addition, as well as, first, second, third and so on
Time sequence: This pattern uses details placed in the order in which they occur in time	first, next, lastly, then, before, after, then, prior to, later, at the beginning, once, subsequently
Compare and contrast: Information is organised according to similarities and differences between persons, events or things	Compare: similarly, additionally, whereas Contrast: however, nevertheless, on the other hand
Cause and effect: Details are organised according to their causes and effects/results	Cause: because, thus, then Effect: as a result, thus, therefore, whereas

Table 1

Transitional words and phrases are indispensable literary tools that are used to enhance speech, but more so in writing essays and research papers.
Transitional words are also called connectives; they provide coherence to the body of the writing and help to create structure, logic and continuity in the movement, or transition, of thoughts and ideas.
Table 2 gives several examples of each type of connective to help you incorporate them in your speech and writing, but they are not exhaustive. Try to find some more of your own.
 

EXAMPLES OF CONNECTIVES
USE	TRANSITIONAL WORD
To illustrate	such as, thus, to illustrate, namely, a case in point is, in particular, equally important is
To add	in addition to, moreover, another, equally important is, furthermore, also, likewise, too, coupled with
To provide contrast	on the contrary, in contrast, conversely, yet, on the other hand, or, at the same time, while this may be true, however, though, but, nevertheless, regardless, by the same token
To indicate a comparison	similarly, likewise, in the same way, in like manner
For emphasis	furthermore, above all, surely, indeed, also, chiefly, in particular
To conclude	in conclusion, in sum, in short, to summarise, in summary, altogether, finally, in the final analysis, all things considered
To indicate a cause and effect/consequence	consequently, hence, therefore, thus, since, to this end, as a result
To note sequence	firstly, secondly, lastly, first of all, to begin with
To note time	recently, lately, in the meantime, meanwhile, shortly, afterward
To indicate position	adjacent to, beneath, surrounding, in the foreground, in the background, opposite

Table 2