Undergraduate Writing Center Handouts

Writing with good flow and strong transitions is easy to follow. Each sentence builds on the ideas in the last, and each paragraph has clear links to the preceding one. The reader does not have to work to follow the writer’s train of thought, so the writing doesn’t get in the way of the content.

Elegant writing isn’t effortless. Revising for good flow and strong transitions takes attention to detail, because flow can fail at any of the many joints in a piece of writing—between the sentences, at the boundaries of the paragraphs, or on the borders of major sections of the document. Focusing on these areas as you revise can make your writing clear and concise.

If you have a draft that seems choppy, the first task is finding the problem spots. Since these can come at every level of your organization, it’s best to take them one at a time. Start with the relationship between the sections, check the transitions between paragraphs, then look at the organization within your paragraphs. The following is a plan for breaking this job into manageable steps.

Step One: Create a Reverse Outline

• In the margin of your draft, jot down a short phrase summing up the topic of each paragraph.

• Use the list of paragraph topics you’ve created to decide where the main themes of your paper start and stop. For example, you might have paragraphs setting up your argument in the beginning, and a group of paragraphs on one area of your evidence next.

• Make a visual division of the main sections of your paper—draw a line, insert a page break, or hit enter a few times.

Step Two: Evaluate the Relationship Between Sections

• Write a short phrase that summarizes the point of each section. Your introduction might be “outlines the problem” and your next section could be “summarizes and critiques prior studies.”

• Look at the series of section topics. What sort of organization do they follow? You may have used a chronological, spatial, or logical structure, or you might have followed a set of standards used in your discipline—like a lab report, for example.

• Once you’ve identified your organization and the sections you’ve written, decide if everything’s in the right place. Would a reader know why you put each section in the order you did? If not, rearrange the sections.

• Look at the paragraphs at the boundaries of your sections. The subjects you noted in the margins of your paper should be clearly related. If they aren’t, think of adding a paragraph to explain why you followed one section with the next. Alternatively, think of adding a bit of the subject of the next section into the final paragraph of first.

Step Three: Check the Links Between Paragraphs

• Take it one section at a time, and read the list of paragraph topics you wrote in the margin. Do they all relate to the subject of the section? If not, move the paragraphs to a section where they fit.

• Once you’re sure all the paragraphs fit into the section, look for the theme you used to organize them. Again, you might have used logical, spatial, chronological, or something else. Once you’ve identified it, write it in the margin.

• Look at the order of your paragraphs and make sure it follows the rule of organization you chose for that section. It has to be obvious.

• If you’ve found problems, decide what kind they are. Is a paragraph in the wrong place, or is there missing information that would link the two paragraphs?

• You’ll need to add any information that’s missing. You can do this by adding sentences to existing paragraphs, writing a new paragraph, or just splicing it into your existing sentences.

Step Four: Examine the Organization Within the Paragraphs

• Start by reviewing your note about the topic of the paragraph. Make sure each sentence relates to the topic, and consider starting a new paragraph with sentences that don’t relate.

• Identify the organization strategy you used within the paragraph. Remember: this is distinct from the topic of the paragraph.

• Check for any missing information that would help your reader understand your organization. If you find any, add it to your draft.

• Next, think critically about the ends and beginnings of your sentences. Do any of them need linking phrases to help your reader follow your organization? If you find you need linking phrases and are lost for words, you might consult a resource such as the Scott Foresman Handbook for Writers, which contains a chart of common transitional phrases.

Step Five: Read the Revised Draft

• With a clean copy of your revised draft, complete another reverse outline.

• Look at the document as a whole, and decide on the organization strategy you used. Refer to your reverse outline, and make sure it reflects your organization strategy.

• Read through the entire paper, and make sure you stuck to your plan. Remember: if it’s not obvious, add more information.

Now that you’ve done a thorough revision of your draft, it might be helpful to have someone else read it. Another person can help you see where your thinking isn’t apparent in your writing.