Transition and flow

Effective Communication in Management and Business

Seminar 11John Morgan

Flow of writing: signposting

Among the difficulties that writers face is the issue of linking ideas together through the text to make a coherent flow (understandable) in a cohesive way (sticking together as a single unit).

This depends significantly on the logical sequencing and grouping of ideas for coherence (see the argument of fact from seminar 7) and on the signposting and transition of ideas for cohesion.

If a writer can achieve a high level of each of these it will help with the ability to skim, scan and read in-depth without the need to reread significant amounts of the writing; which in effect is how students with spelling and grammatical errors can still get good grades.

Signposting includes the type of statement that you make at the end of an introduction:

“In this essay I will firstly review the theories related to creating brand identity, then I will give some examples of successful brand names that have emerged over the past ten years. After this I will…”

This example indicates that there will be three main sections to the body of the paper. This does not include the introduction and conclusion and as a result of a statement like this, you have the ability to structure three independent sections with three subheadings.

Check what you have written in the introduction again at the end of a paper. Edit it according to the body to very clearly indicate the structure.

Signposting can also take place within each section and also within and across paragraphs. It commonly happens when we enumerate ideas such as:

Prose paragraph format

This is better when you need to discuss; a list can precede or follow a discussion as a summary of items, but should not replace it).

“It can be seen that the creation of brand identity includes a number of different issues. Firstly… Secondly… Finally…”

Numbered format

This is preferable if you know exactly how many things you are referring to

It can be seen that the creation of brand identity includes a number of different issues.

1)

2)

3)

Bullet format

This is better with random numbers of items or where enumeration is not important)

It can be seen that the creation of brand identity includes a number of different issues. … … …