In the last couple of weeks, the students in my writing classes have focused on creating effective transitions. I usually cover the basics in just one 75-minute class, and it’s rewarding to see how readily students can grasp and apply this skill.
I approach the lesson in four steps, focusing on transitions between paragraphs.
First, building on students’ prior knowledge, I ask the class what transitions are and why they are important. Answers vary—and will often reveal a range of insights—but they typically include some mention of “flow.” I write students’ answers on the board to capture their ideas and encourage further discussion. For instance, one of my students recently pointed out that transitions establish “systematic flow,” a nuanced suggestion that allowed the whole class to consider how the ideas in a paper are logically interconnected. (5-10 minutes)
Second, we review a handout that describes and provides examples of three types of transitions: mechanical, key word, and conceptual. (10-15 minutes)
- Mechanical transitions. These include terms such as for example, however, moreover, and so on. I use the list of transitional terms and phrases available on Writer’s Help (with attribution).
- Key words. Key words are single words or very short terms that can be repeated to create transitions. For instance, a key word might appear in the last sentence of a paragraph and then again in the first sentence of the following paragraph. I provide students with an example connected to the course content, so that students can understand how the key words help to bridge essential points.
- Conceptual transitions. Conceptual transitions link key ideas. Of the three types of transitions, this one may be the hardest for students to grasp, but it’s also the most important, since it requires students to develop logical connections in their writing. Here, too, providing one or two examples related to course content will allow students to see how conceptual transitions function.
Third, I ask students to pair up (pairs work better than small groups for this exercise) and find two examples of each type of transition in their course texts. I have students look in the books for my course, but it could also be interesting to have them use books from their other courses. (10 minutes)
Fourth, I distribute a worksheet that asks students to write out transitions between pairs of paragraphs. I’ve found a very useful worksheet from Write Content Solutions that gives students a concluding sentence from a paragraph and then just the idea with which they should begin the next paragraph. Students need to create a new sentence based on this idea, including a transition. Depending on the time, I ask students to use at least one of each of the transition types. Here’s the URL: http://www.write.com/writing-guides/assignment-writing/writing-process/paragraph-transitions-making-connections/paragraph-transitions-making-connections-worksheet/. (20-30 minutes)
We end class by regrouping to discuss the written transition exercise—what kinds of transitions were easy/hard to use and why, as well as how context determined the type of transitions students chose.
I try to sequence this lesson in my syllabus so that students can apply the skill to an in-progress essay—one that’s far enough along that the basic ideas are already in place—so that students can zero in on establishing and fine-tuning transitions as part of the revision process.