LEADS and Effective Transitions Mini-Lesson

1. Start with a Snapshot. When you paint a picture, you draw the reader in. Notice the difference between these two leads to a report about ice-skating. When you paint a picture, you draw the reader in. Notice the difference between these two leads to a report about ice-skating. Boring Ice-skating is my favorite sport. Boring Ice-skating is my favorite sport. Better It's ten degrees below zero and the river is frozen a foot thick. It makes snapping sounds like the limbs of trees cracking. A long figure glides along the black ice, moving toward the city. The only sound is the scraping of each blade as it bites into the river. That's me doing my favorite sport, ice-skating. Better It's ten degrees below zero and the river is frozen a foot thick. It makes snapping sounds like the limbs of trees cracking. A long figure glides along the black ice, moving toward the city. The only sound is the scraping of each blade as it bites into the river. That's me doing my favorite sport, ice-skating.

2. Start with an important observation. Start with an important observation. Don't start in the general. Put your most surprising or important observation into you opening. Start with an important observation. Don't start in the general. Put your most surprising or important observation into you opening. General The human brain is a complex and amazing organ. General The human brain is a complex and amazing organ. Better Seeing stars, it dreams of eternity. Hearing birds, it makes music. Smelling flowers, it is enraptured. Touching tools, it transforms the earth. But deprived of these sensory experiences, the human brain withers and dies. (Inside the Brain --- Ronald Kotulak) Better Seeing stars, it dreams of eternity. Hearing birds, it makes music. Smelling flowers, it is enraptured. Touching tools, it transforms the earth. But deprived of these sensory experiences, the human brain withers and dies. (Inside the Brain --- Ronald Kotulak)

3. Start with a strongly stated question your readers might have. In some ways all writing is about trying to answer our best questions. A strong question is one we all want to know the answer to. In some ways all writing is about trying to answer our best questions. A strong question is one we all want to know the answer to. Weakly-stated In this paper I will attempt to answer the question why history is important. Weakly-stated In this paper I will attempt to answer the question why history is important. Better What's the point of studying history? Who cares what happened long ago? After all, aren't the people in history books dead? Better What's the point of studying history? Who cares what happened long ago? After all, aren't the people in history books dead?

4. Put your connection with the subject in the lead. Why are you attracted to the subject? Do you have a personal reason for writing about this subject? What specific memories of the subject come to mind? Why are you attracted to the subject? Do you have a personal reason for writing about this subject? What specific memories of the subject come to mind? General The problem of longitude was one of the greatest scientific challenges of its day. General The problem of longitude was one of the greatest scientific challenges of its day. Better Once on a Wednesday excursion when I was a little girl, my father bought me a beaded wire ball that I loved. At a touch, I could collapse the toy into a flat coil between my palms, or pop it open to make a hollow sphere. Rounded out it resembled a tiny Earth, because its hinged wires traced the same pattern intersecting circles that I had seen on the globe in my school room -- the thin black lines of latitude and longitude. (Longitude --- Dava Sobel) Better Once on a Wednesday excursion when I was a little girl, my father bought me a beaded wire ball that I loved. At a touch, I could collapse the toy into a flat coil between my palms, or pop it open to make a hollow sphere. Rounded out it resembled a tiny Earth, because its hinged wires traced the same pattern intersecting circles that I had seen on the globe in my school room -- the thin black lines of latitude and longitude. (Longitude --- Dava Sobel)

5. Flaunt your favorite bit of research/ most interesting or thought-provoking piece of information in the lead. Start with the facts that made you smile, laugh, go "ahaaa" or just plain grossed you out. Start with the facts that made you smile, laugh, go "ahaaa" or just plain grossed you out. General Did you ever wonder why God created flies? General Did you ever wonder why God created flies? Better Though we've been killing them for years now, I have never tested the folklore that with a little cream and sugar, flies taste very much like black raspberries. Better Though we've been killing them for years now, I have never tested the folklore that with a little cream and sugar, flies taste very much like black raspberries.

Transitions… are the glue that hold your ideas together. Whether you use single words, phrases, or full sentences, transitions establish the logical connection between paragraphs and sections of your paper-whether a memo, brief or scholarly work. The purpose of transitions is to tell the reader how your work is organized and to signal changes between old and new ideas as the reader progresses.

Transitions within Paragraphs- Even within a paragraph readers needs transitions which function as clues to help them anticipate what is coming. Often these can be simple phrase or merely one- word. Even within a paragraph readers needs transitions which function as clues to help them anticipate what is coming. Often these can be simple phrase or merely one- word.

Transitions between Paragraphs- Often neglected in memos and other short documents, the use of transitions can make your meaning clearer and your work score more highly. You may summarize, or show the reader the progression of the relationship existing in the document by using simple phrases or words ( Similarly, in addition, however, for example, expanding on its reasoning, in contrast) or even a sentence. Often neglected in memos and other short documents, the use of transitions can make your meaning clearer and your work score more highly. You may summarize, or show the reader the progression of the relationship existing in the document by using simple phrases or words ( Similarly, in addition, however, for example, expanding on its reasoning, in contrast) or even a sentence.

Examples… SIMILARLY also, in the same way, just as, likewise, similarly, so too. SIMILARLY also, in the same way, just as, likewise, similarly, so too. CONTRAST/EXCEPTION but, however, on the one hand... nevertheless, still, yet, CONTRAST/EXCEPTION but, however, on the one hand... nevertheless, still, yet, in contrast, on the contrary, conversely, in spite of

More examples… TIME after, at last, before, during TIME after, at last, before, during earlier, later, simultaneously, meanwhile, now, then, at last, subsequently, currently SEQUENCE/ORDER first, second, third, then, next SEQUENCE/ORDER first, second, third, then, next CAUSE AND EFFECT so, accordingly, therefore, thus CAUSE AND EFFECT so, accordingly, therefore, thus consequently, hence consequently, hence

More examples… EMPHASIS more importantly, indeed, in fact, truly, even EMPHASIS more importantly, indeed, in fact, truly, even EXPANSION OF ONE IDEA additionally, also, as well, EXPANSION OF ONE IDEA additionally, also, as well, besides, further, furthermore, moreover, then again CONCLUSION/SUMMARY finally, in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in summary, thus, to conclude CONCLUSION/SUMMARY finally, in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in summary, thus, to conclude