My paper is about plastic surgery and the risks it presents when it comes to surgery time. The concerns I have are trying to make sure my paper stays on topic and it flows really well.
1) How can I make sure that when I switch from one topic and go to the next one?
2) What are some organizational tools to help me make it flow?
A way to help with the flow of the paper is make sure the last sentence of a paragr connects in some way to the topic sentence of the next paragraph.
ReplyDeleteA great organizational tool is an outline. I would write the topic of each paragrapgh and the main points that each topic will focus on. This way in the outline you can get the structure you want for your paper.
Look at some good transitions online. Maybe create an outline and try to condense topics down into major topics/ideas?
ReplyDeleteCheck out my comment to Alice about reverse outlines. I think that could really help you with organization and flow. Once you see each paragraph's ideas laid out, you can reorder if necessary to flow better content-wise. As for transitioning from paragraph to paragraph, this is easiest when your essay is ordered properly, as it has somewhat of a natural flow to it. Make sure your new paragraph connects to the last one in some way—one easy way is to reference the last concept and how it relates/differs in the first sentence of the new paragraph. As with sentence structure in general, just be sure to vary the way you transition to keep it interesting and flowing.
ReplyDeleteIf you read your paper out loud (or even record yourself reading it and listen back), you'll get a really good idea of the overall flow. Make sure to read at a normal pace and pause properly for all punctuation. You'll notice parts that get confusing or wordy, ideas/points that seem out of place, and any leaps in logic. It's odd, but this works better than merely reading it, as you get to listen to how it flows (the sentences themselves as well as the transitions and how it all connects).