5.13: Improving Cohesion
- Page ID
- 304814
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)American academic writing prizes ideas that are logically connected to one another. This clear, logical connection is called cohesion, and it comes in many forms and should occur in many places. The places where readers look for cohesion in essays fall into two main categories: within paragraphs and between parts of the essay.
Between: & Between:
• Research question and thesis statement &
•Thesis statement and topic sentences &
| • Topic sentences and claims |
| - Bubpoints |
The strategies below can help writers connect these elements to increase cohesion and logical flow of the argument.
- list supporting points and subpoints in the thesis statement or topic sentences, respectively
- discuss supporting points in body paragraphs in the same order as they appear in the thesis statement
- repeat vocabulary:
- same words from the thesis statement in the topic sentences of your body paragraphs
- word forms (members of the same word family)
- synonyms (words that have the same or similar meaning)
use transition words and phrases; see Chapter 3 for a list
\(>\) use pointing words such as this, that, these, and those
use similar sentence beginnings
use similar prepositional phrases or subjects and verbs
use correlative conjunctions such as not only . . . but also, and both . . . and
Use a variety of these methods to 1 ) increase cohesion, and 2 ) keep the reader interested.
PRACTICE 1: Identifying Cohesion Strategies
Analyze the following examples, and mark and label the various cohesion strategies that are used to connect the thesis statement and topic sentences.
- Thesis Statement: We could relieve our environment by restricting the building, by improving water-related systems, by strengthening the natural environment.
Topic Sentences:
We could relieve our environment by restricting and limiting the buildings in the city.
We could relieve our environmental issues in cities by enhancing cities’ water-related systems, like the drain system, river control and redirect ideas.
We could relieve environmental issues in cities by enhancing cities’ natural environment.
2. Thesis Statement: Being able to focus on building skills for the future, decreasing the amount of student debt, and decreasing income inequality are three reasons why higher education should be free.
Topic Sentences:
First of all, higher education should be free because students could focus on their academic work and build skills in internships, both of which get students ready for their future.
Another reason college should be free is the amount of debt students graduate with would decrease, allowing new graduates to start their lives on a positive path and add more to the country’s economy.
Lastly, free college education would allow low-income students to succeed by broadening school choice and eliminating the barrier to enter school.
3. Thesis Statement: Renewable energy sources are more effective than nuclear energy in terms of their waste, safety, and storage.
Topic Sentences:
First, the amount of waste makes renewables more attractive than nuclear because wind and solar don’t have byproducts and nuclear energy waste takes up a lot of space.
Nuclear energy is less safe than wind energy because the waste is dangerous to store and nuclear technology can also be used to make bombs.
Not only is renewable energy more effective because of waste and safety, but also it is easier to store because of batteries and the amount of time it can be stored.
PRACTICE 2: Applying Cohesion Strategies within Context
In the sentences below, decide how the ideas fit together, and identify the type of transition that best fits. Then select the word that identifies the appropriate transition word or phrase.
| SENTENCE | TYPE OF TRANSITION NEEDED | APPROPRIATE TRANSITION |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ahmed loves to ride their bike in the summer. \(\qquad\) , their allergies are so bad that they usually stay inside. | example contrast cause/effect | Therefore For instance However |
| 2. Whenever Wei goes to the airport, he has a certain ritual. \(\qquad\) , after he goes through security, he buys a cup of coffee and a pastry and finds somewhere quiet to read. | example addition cause/effect | For example Moreover As a result |
| 3. \(\qquad\) they have the new sneakers I want, I need to save up for a new laptop, so I’m not going to buy them. | cause/effect contrast time | Therefore On the other hand Even though |