P IECING IT T OGETHER : T RANSITIONS Unit 7 Seminar

W HAT ARE T RANSITIONS ? Using transitions in your writing will make it read more smoothly. A transition is either a single word or phrase that joins ideas and information. You can use these in paragraphs to link ideas; you can also use these to move from one paragraph to another.

T RANSITIONS To Show Connection andalsoas well furtherfurthermore in addition moreover next second too

T RANSITIONS To Give Examples for example for instance to illustrate as indicated by in fact

T RANSITIONS To Compare on the other hand in the same manner similarly likewise

T RANSITIONS To Contrast but, however, on the other hand, in contrast, nevertheless, still, even though, on the contrary, yet, although

T RANSITIONS To Summarize or Conclude in other words in short in summary to sum up therefore

T RANSITIONS To Show Time after, as, before next, during, later, finally, meanwhile, then when, while, immediately

T RANSITIONS To Indicate Relationships if, so, therefore, consequently, thus, as a result, for this reason, since

T RANSITIONS To Indicate Differences of course naturally although it is true that granted that

A DDING T RANSITIONS The following example has no transitions: Socialized healthcare is standard in nearly every industrialized country. This medical care is free. Every citizen is able to receive the care he or she needs regardless of private health insurance or how much he or she can pay. Medications like antibiotics are easily available and help prevent more serious diseases. In a society without socialized medicine, a non-insured person might need surgery for a minor ulcer. This could develop into a more significant and costly health problem if surgery is delayed. Sixty million Americans, including many children, do not have insurance to pay for basic medical care (Reinhardt, 2004).

A DDING T RANSITIONS Now, look at the difference when transitions are included: Socialized healthcare is standard in nearly every industrialized country. This medical care is free; therefore, every citizen is able to receive the care he or she needs regardless of private health insurance or how much he or she can pay. For example, medications like antibiotics are easily available and help prevent more serious diseases. In fact, in a society without socialized medicine, a non-insured person might need surgery for a minor ulcer. This could develop into a more significant and costly health problem if surgery is delayed. Nevertheless, sixty million Americans, including many children, do not have insurance to pay for basic medical care (Reinhardt, 2004). Notice how this version connects ideas and guides the reader through the paper

I NTERNAL T RANSITIONS These transitions are called internal transitions because they are included in the course of a paragraph. Notice the first transition “therefore” bridges two sentences, so the writer has chosen to use a semicolon to create a single sentence. All of these changes improve the paragraph by unifying its ideas.

L INKING P ARAGRAPHS Transitions should also be used to link paragraphs. This helps your reader move from one topic to another. It also gives the writer a chance to show how his or her ideas are related. Let’s look at how we can do this:

L INKING P ARAGRAPHS Socialized healthcare is standard in nearly every industrialized country. This medical care is free; therefore, every citizen is able to receive the care he or she needs regardless of private health insurance or how much he or she can pay. For example, medications like antibiotics are easily available and help prevent more serious diseases. In fact, in a society without socialized medicine, a non- insured person might need surgery for a minor ulcer. This could develop into a more significant and costly health problem if surgery is delayed. Nevertheless, sixty million Americans, including many children, do not have insurance to pay for basic medical care (Reinhardt, 2004). However, these statistics do not include the massive number of uninsured, illegal immigrants. By including the last sentence, the writer indicates a transition away from Americans without insurance and toward a discussion of the problem of healthcare for illegal immigrants. This signals that the next paragraph will focus on this idea.