
CoherenceĪn essay must have coherence. The sentences must flow smoothly and logically from one to the next as they support the purpose of each paragraph in proving the thesis. . Extraneous information in any part of the essay which is not related to the thesis is distracting and takes away from the strength of proving the thesis. The introduction paragraph introduces the thesis, the body paragraphs each have a proof point (topic sentence) with content that proves the thesis, and the concluding paragraph sums up the proof and restates the thesis. Just as the content of a paragraph should focus on a topic sentence, the content of an essay must focus on the thesis. 4th ed., Allyn and Bacon, 2000.Unity is the idea that all parts of the writing work to achieve the same goal: proving the thesis. She gives us at least two reasons to accept her argument and incorporates some examples in order to give those reasons more validity. The writer gives herself enough space to develop the topic. The writer also presents her sub-topics in an orderly fashion that the reader can follow easily. There are good transitions employed in the paragraph. There is a flow of thoughts and ideas among the sentences in this paragraph. All the sentences effectively relate back to the topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph. This paragraph is effective for the following reasons: The hatred between dogs and cats has lasted for many centuries, so it is unlikely that this conflict will ever end. For example, when dogs are walked by their masters (and they happen to catch sight of a stray cat), they will pull with all their strength on their leash until the master is forced to yield the typical result is that a feline is chased up a tree. Today this type of cruelty between these two domestic pets can be witnessed in regions as close as your own neighborhood. Archaeologists in recent years have discovered Egyptian texts in which there are detailed accounts of canines brutally mauling felines.

This enmity between these two species can be traced back to the time of the early Egyptian dynasties. It is commonly recognized that dogs have an extreme antagonism toward cats. Don't ever assume that the reader can read your mind: be specific enough to develop your ideas thoroughly, but avoid repetitionĪn effective paragraph might look like this:

Also, details and descriptions help the reader to understand what you mean. Generalizations should be supported with examples or illustrations.
/Getty_coherence-175822213-57d4ce985f9b589b0abc1349.jpg)
Remember that a paragraph should have enough sentences so that the main idea of the topic sentence is completely developed.

Third, structuring each paragraph according to one of the following patterns helps to organize sentences: general to particular particular to general whole to parts question to answer or effect to cause. Second, ordering thoughts in numerical sequence helps to direct the reader from one point to the next. For more on transitions, see the Write Right on Transitions. First, using transitions helps connect ideas from one sentence to the next. Coherence can be achieved in several ways. For a further explanation on topic sentences, see the Write Right on Topic Sentences.Ī coherent paragraph has sentences that all logically follow each other they are not isolated thoughts. In order to successfully do so, however, it is essential that the paragraph be written in a unified and coherent manner.Ī unified paragraph must follow the idea mentioned in the topic sentence and must not deviate from it. In each paragraph of an essay, one particular idea or topic is developed and explained. COVID-19 Information for The Writing Center.
