Effective essay writing tips.

COHERENCE – SEMANTIC PROPERTY

Coherence is a quality of a piece of text that makes it meaningful in the minds of the
readers. When the text begins to make sense on the whole, it is said to be coherent. If the
readers can follow and understand a text easily, it obviously has coherence.

Coherence can be achieved through the use of titles, subtitles, paragraphing, formatting,
logical ordering, orthography (spelling, punctuation, capitalisation) and so forth. For
example, this article itself is coherent as it has proper paragraphs that are logically ordered
from one another, it has proper subtitles to divide the text into coherence and cohesion, and
it makes use of bolding and capitalisation to signal important parts.

OHESION – FLOW OF A TEXT

Cohesion can be thought of as glue sticking different parts of furniture so that it takes the
shape the writer wants it to give.

Cohesion is the grammatical and lexical linking within a text or sentence that holds a text
together and gives it meaning. In short, the links that stick different sentences and make
the text meaningful can be thought of as cohesion in the text.

Establishing connections between sentences, sections, and even paragraphs using

synonyms, adverbials, conjunctions etc. is what brings cohesion in a text.

For example, have you ever wondered WHY your teacher keeps telling us to use adverbials
within your essay body paragraphs (e.g. furthermore, in addition, similarly, likewise etc).
These all add flow to the text.
Consider this cohesive example:
Joni went to the shops. Joni bought an ice-cream. Joni ate the ice-cream.
The above are sentences are a little repetitive and monotonous, right?
Now let’s remove the cohesion (flow) in this text and see what happens
Joni went to the shops and he bought an ice-cream then [-] ate it.

As can be seen in the cohesive example above, three cohesive devices have been used:

1. Ellipsis (‘he’ has been omitted in ‘then [he] ate it’)

2. Conjunctions (‘and’ & ‘then’ are the linkers)
3. Substitution (John becomes ‘he’, and the ice-cream becomes ‘it’)

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 Effective Composition

Coherence and Cohesion are two important aspects of a composition. Essentially they are
the part of a composition. Most of you have little understanding of it. An essay without
Coherence and Cohesion will limit your achievement in section C in the exam.
Coherent Order: – SEMANTIC PROPERTY

Paragraphs may be organised according to a sequence of time (chronological/time order),

space order (describing something from top to bottom or foreground to background) or
arranging information in order of importance. Another common way of ordering information
in a paragraph is to present the most general information first and then move on to focus
on the more detailed, specific information or least to the most important.

Coherence can be achieved through the use of titles, subtitles, paragraphing,

formatting, logical ordering, orthography (spelling, punctuation, capitalisation)
and so forth.

Cohesion: – FLOW OF A TEXT

Cohesion, or coherence, is the intangible glue that holds paragraphs together. Cohesion is
the grammatical and lexical linking within a text or sentence that holds a text together. A
paragraph has good cohesion when each sentence is clearly linked to the next. In short, the
links that stick different sentences and make the text meaningful.

Cohesion in a paragraph is achieved by establishing connections between sentences,

sections, and using synonyms, adverbials, conjunctions/connectives substitutions,
word associations and ellipsis etc.

Without cohesion, a written work can seem choppy and may not flow well and a lack of
coherence challenges the reader and can hurt comprehension, thus rendering your attempt
at communication ineffective at best.

Consider this cohesive example:

Joni went to the shops. Joni bought an ice-cream. Joni ate the ice-cream.
The above are sentences are a little repetitive and monotonous, right?
Now let’s remove the cohesion (flow) in this text and see what happens
Joni went to the shops and he bought an ice-cream then [-] ate it.

As can be seen in the cohesive example above, three cohesive devices have been used:

1. Ellipsis (‘he’ has been omitted in ‘then [he] ate it’)

2. Conjunctions (‘and’ & ‘then’ are the linkers)
3. Substitution (John becomes ‘he’, and the ice-cream becomes ‘it’)
 Cohesive devices

As we know an essay is composition of some paragraphs, we will look for use of some
common cohesive markers to bring cohesion in paragraph. How to develop a body of
paragraph by using cohesive markers will be discussed categorically with examples.

1. To show addition: And, furthermore, also, moreover, besides, in addition

Examples: This food is very tasty. It is also nutritious. Luna is pretty. Besides, she is
intelligent. This house is very old. Moreover, the price is too high.

2. To show contrast: But, on the other hand, however, on the contrary, nevertheless,
instead, unlike
Examples: I like fruit juice but I hate fizzy drink. Hasid is not foolish. On the contrary, he
is very clever. He doesn’t study at all. Instead, he sits and day-dreams.

3. To show comparison: Likewise, in the same way, similarly, in like manner

Examples: A garrulous person is loved by others. Likewise a reticent person is not always
well liked. Parents love their children. Similarly, children love their parents.

4. To show emphasis: In fact, indeed, certainly, as a matter of fact

Examples: Though Lamia is a proud girl everyone likes her. In fact she is often
surrounded by a number of young men. I seldom travel. As a matter of fact, I hate
travelling.

5. To introduce an example: For example, for instant, that is, in other words
Examples: Nader has no manners at all. For example, he cut me dead in the street.
Money cannot insure happiness. For instance, although Mr. Hakim is rich, he is very
unhappy.

6. To introduce a result: So, as a result, therefore, hence, consequently, accordingly

Examples: The weather was bad. So I stayed indoors. Ruby was ill. Therefore, she was
absent from school yesterday. He did not pay the telephone bill. As a result, his telephone
was disconnected.

7. To show a sequence: First, second, next

Examples: If you want to do well in your examination, you have to do these things. First,
you must attend your classes regularly. Second, you must do your home work. Third, you
must review your notes frequently.

8. To introduce a conclusion: In short, to sun up, in conclusion, finally, in a word

Examples: Luna did not answer my letter; she refused to talk to me when I called on her.
In short, she behaved rudely.
Jabir is handsome, he is rich, and he has a beautiful wife. In a word, he is very fortunate

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 Cohesion markers/Transitions

They can be simple conjunctions, like and  and but,  or they can be more complex. Here
is a chart of transitional devices accompanied by a simplified definition of their function:

Transition Function

again, also, and, and then, besides, equally important,

finally, first, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first
Addition place, last, moreover, next, second, still, too

Comparison also, in the same way, likewise, similarly

although, and yet, at the same time, but at the same time,
despite that, even so, even though, for all that, however, in
contrast, in spite of, instead, nevertheless, notwithstanding,
on the contrary, on the other hand, otherwise, regardless,
Contrast still, though, yet

Concession granted, naturally, of course

Emphasis certainly, indeed, in fact, of course

after all, as an illustration, even, for example, for instance, in

conclusion, indeed, in fact, in other words, in short, it is true,
Example/illustratio of course, namely, specifically, that is, to illustrate, thus,
n truly

all in all, altogether, as has been said, finally, in brief, in

conclusion, in other words, in particular, in short, in simpler
terms, in summary, on the whole, that is, therefore, to put it
Summary differently, to summarize

after a while, afterward, again, also, and then, as long as, at

last, at length, at that time, before, besides, earlier,
eventually, finally, formerly, further, furthermore, in
addition, in the first place, in the past, last, lately,
meanwhile, moreover, next, now, presently, second, shortly,
simultaneously, since, so far, soon, still, subsequently, then,
Time sequence thereafter, too, until, until now, when

Place/direction above, below, father on, nearby, to the right

Relationships therefore, so, consequently, for this reason, since

Cohesion
Cohesion concerns the flow of sentences and paragraphs from one to another. It involves
the tying together of old information and new. When we write academic essays,
particularly in the humanities, we work hard to foster cohesion structurally,
which enhances a reader's understanding of our ideas.

Essay organization
The first paragraph should include a thesis statement, which announces the main idea or
argument of the paper. The rest of the sentences should lead up to or anticipate the
thesis, either directly or indirectly.
The body paragraphs should support the thesis statement and should be arranged in a
clear hierarchy.
Readers should be able to understand how each paragraph relates to what has come
before it. This can be accomplished by the use of transition sentences.

Repetition
Repetition helps to enhance a reader's understanding of what the author has written.
Pointers are used as a tool in sentences to use repetition for better understanding.
Pointers are words, phrases, or ideas that appear in a sentence, and are repeated in the
next.

Example: Epilepsy is a brain or neurological disorder where excess electrical energy

causes seizures. Seizures  result when the brain's nerve cells, or neurons, produce an
excessive or abnormal amount of electrical activity. Depending on this activity…
Example: Depending on this activity, three results may occur. First, the seizure may start
and stop in one location. Next,  it may spread a bit and stop. Finally,  it may go through
the body's nervous system before stopping.
To prevent repetitions from becoming dull, an author may use:
Variations of the word (golf, golfer, golfing)
Pronouns (doctors…they)
Synonyms (jump, hop, bounce)

n each part of a paper, specific types of statements direct

the reader to your argument.  These sentences help create
flow within the different sections of the essay as well as
remind the reader of your argument.
Your TA or professor is looking for cohesion within your paper, so if these
statements are absent, it can make the paper seem choppy.

Yes, this is yet another thing that will negatively affect your final grade. Sad but true!
Keep reading to find out how you can make your next essay as smooth as butter.

What to include in the introduction of an essay

Within the introduction, there are three kinds of statements that you must include to properly
organize your paper and help set the tone for the rest of your essay.

Introductory statement
The very first part of your essay will be the introductory statement (or statements), which grabs
the reader’s attention and introduces the general topic.  The introductory statement can be:
 a quotation
 a memorable statement
 a short narrative
 a shocking statistic
 or something else as long as it relates to the topic of your essay and is not a sweeping
generalization

Thesis statement
Following that you have the thesis statement, which clearly states your topic as well as an
arguable opinion .

Mapping statement
Lastly, your essay should contain a mapping statement (sometimes also called the essay map),
which states the points you will argue in the body paragraphs in the order they appear.   When you
are writing this sentence, you should try to keep it in parallel structure , as it is more readable that
way.

How to structure the body paragraphs of an essay

Because university-level essays tend to be different stylistically than high school essays , how you
structure your body paragraphs can vary.  Sometimes an argument will be composed of multiple
paragraphs and that is OK.  However, you should still include two specific kinds of statements
related to your arguments.

Topic sentence
The very first sentence will be a topic sentence, which:
 transitions your new argument from the last paragraph
 introduces the topic for the current paragraph, and
 links this topic to the thesis

The important stuff

After the topic sentence, you should include the various arguments and proofs in order to prove your
thesis.
Concluding sentence
Finally, you will end your argument with a concluding sentence (or sometimes two), which wraps
up your topic and ties it back to the thesis.
And for each argument in your paper you will lather, rinse and repeat until all of your claims have
been thoroughly supported.

How to write an essay conclusion

At this point, you’re almost done your paper but you need a couple of solid statements to wrap up
everything in a neat little package (bow optional).

Repeat yourself
You have to re-state your thesis, except you should use different phrasing than you did in the
introduction.  This reminds the reader what you were trying to prove within your paper.
Afterward, you must sum up the points you made within the body paragraphs.   It is preferable to
sum up each argument into one or possibly two sentences, rather than summing them all up in one.  
Again, this reminds the reader what you proved elsewhere in your paper.

Concluding statement
Finally, you want a strong and memorable concluding statement.  This should tie up any loose
ends in your paragraph.  It should also mirror the introductory statement from within the introduction
as much as possible, to develop a sense of cohesion from the start of the paper to the end.
 

More articles in the Essay Writing series:

 Part 1: University Vs. High School
 Part 2: How To Organize An Essay
 Part 3: How To Form A Proper Thesis Statement
 Part 4: How To Write An Introduction
 More coming soon!

(a) \

(b) Cohesive devices:

Individual sentences can have connections within them. A word that connects parts of a
sentence is called a conjunction. The common coordinating conjunctions are: 'and', 'but',
'or', 'yet', 'nor'. There are also subordinating conjunctions. These establish the relationship
between a dependent clause and the rest of the sentence. A few common examples are:
'as', 'because', 'whereas', 'in order that', 'since', 'although'.

Sentences within a paragraph are also linked together. There are various ways of linking
one sentence to another:

 repetition of important words,

 substitution of pronouns (e.g. 'it', 'this', 'these'),
  substitution by synonyms (words with nearly the same meaning)
 using linking words or phrases which show the relationship between ideas, e.g.
'however' indicates a contrast, 'in addition' gives more information (see below for
more examples),
 using grammatical words, especially articles, e.g. 'the' may refer back to a specific noun
previously mentioned.

Cohesion, or coherence, is the intangible glue that holds paragraphs together. Having good
coherence in a writing project means that your ideas stick together and flow smoothly from
one sentence to the next, so that readers of your work can easily understand where you are
taking them. Without cohesion, a written work can seem choppy and may not flow well; a
lack of coherence challenges the reader and can hurt comprehension

Cohesion is achieved by linking ideas or concepts and controlling threads and relationships across a whole

text using referring words, text connectives, substitutions, word associations and ellipsis.