Hi, I'm Mr. Sato. Let's talk about paragraph transitions.
Listen to this and see if it makes sense to you. "The couple served not cake, but pie
at their wedding. We should elect a Jedi to be President."
That's what young people like to call "totally random."
The two sentences don't seem to be related in any way.
But there is a connection. I just didn't show it to you with a transition.
Here it is with the transition: "The couple served not cake, but pie at their wedding.
It was unconventional, but a great idea. Why not? Here's another unconventional idea: we
should elect a Jedi to be President."
Now it makes sense. That's what transitions are for. They help your reader follow
your reasoning by showing the connections between statements.
And one place where writers must learn to put transitions
is between paragraphs.
So, let's look at 2 kinds of paragraph transitions.
1) standard transitional devices
2) paragraph links
The easiest kind of transition is the standard transitional device. Here's a list.
These are easy, and perfectly acceptable, but remember that you use
different transitions in different situations.
Pay attention to what they mean. You'd use "Furthermore" or
"Moreover" if you've already made a point, and are about to give
another supporting example.
You'd use, "On the other hand," when you're going to give a contrasting example
or make a point that disagrees with your previous one.
You'd use "Nobody denies" when you're going to concede
a point contrary to your thesis.
Easiest of all, you may also use standard devices that show a sequence: First, Firstly,
Second, Secondly, Third, Thirdly, To begin with, Next, and Finally. (Note: never use
the slangy "First off..." in an academic essay.)
Also, try to avoid "in conclusion" because it's overused;
the simple "so" does the same thing (as I will show you in my next sentence).
So, these easy transitional devices are perfectly OK. Just make sure that
the transition you choose is appropriate to
the content of the two paragraphs you're connecting. And if a
simple transition is all you need, you can stop watching here.
But, honestly, these kinds of paragraph transitions are pretty simple and mechanical
and aren't going to impress anybody.
If you're ready for a more sophisticated kind of transition
try what I'll call a link.
In an old textbook from the 1970s, Lucile Vaughn Payne calls
these "paragraph hooks" but I already call something else in an essay a hook,
so to avoid confusion,
I call this a paragraph link. And we'll talk about two different kinds: the
word-link and the idea-link.
Paragraph links are less obvious and more graceful than the devices I just showed you.
Before I explain what it is, here's an example of a word link.
...the Jedi robe is elegant, formal, and would look great at State dinners.
The robe is impressive, but not half as impressive as a light saber.
Many dignitaries and kings in the past
have worn beautiful ceremonial swords, so why not a president with
a light saber?
See how the word "robe" is used twice? This writer has taken the word from the
first paragraph and repeated it in the
first sentence of the next paragraph. That word links
the two separate paragraphs.
Another kind of paragraph link is the idea-link. Here, rather than using a word, you
refer to an idea from the previous paragraph, like this:
...the Jedi robe is elegant, formal, and would look great at State dinners.
That would probably impress visiting heads of state, but not as much as a light saber
hanging from the president's belt.
The words, "this" or "that," or the phrases "that concept" and "such an idea," can be
used to refer to an idea or image in the previous paragraph. An idea link connects
an idea you've just described to whatever
you're about to say next. I like these and recommend them.
If you want to show off a little, you could do two at the same time. You might connect
those two paragraphs with an idea-link and a word-link.
...the Jedi robe is elegant, formal, and would look great at State dinners.
While this draped garment would impress at a State dinner, imagine the impression he
or she would make stepping out of the Presidential Landspeeder with
a light saber hanging from his or her belt?
Using the word "this" is an idea link. Quoting the phrase "State dinner" is a word link.
Or here's one more; let's say you wanted to use the word "elegant" as a paragraph-link.
You could use a standard transitional device as well. Mix and match.
...the Jedi robe is elegant, formal, and would look great at State dinners. In the
same way, the light saber is, as Obi-wan said, "an elegant weapon
for a more civilized age."
The phrase, "in the same way" is a standard transitional device and
"elegant" is a word link.
Using both makes your transition even stronger.
Some teachers might tell you to put your transition at the end
of the first paragraph instead of the beginning
of the second one. I don't really care for this myself, but it's fine.
Here's what it looks like.
...the Jedi robe is elegant, formal, and would look great at State dinners.
So would a light saber.
Obi-wan called it "an elegant weapon for a more civilized age." It's still impressively
dangerous, but dangerous in the service of civilization.
Do you see how the last line in the first paragraph mentions the light saber
right before the paragraph that's
actually about light sabers? That's another way to do it.
Paragraph transitions help guide your reader through your writing,
so they don't get confused.
They show your reader your line of reasoning, so your sentences
don't come off as "totally random."
They show that your paragraphs are a well-organized chain of ideas
working together to support your thesis,
whatever that might be. Good luck with your essay,
and may the Force be with you.