Last update 11/13/2017
Video Length: 2:10
Visual: Walden logo at bottom of screen along with notepad and pencil background.
Audio: Guitar music.
Visual: The video’s title is displayed on a background image of a table with a computer, notebook, and phone. The screen opens to the following slides: Appropriate Use of Explicit Transitions
Without transitions, the connection between ideas isn’t clear:
Jones (2009) found that pigeons were dirty animals. Fillmore (2006) stated that pigeons made great pets.
Audio: Accurately representing the relationship of ideas is really important when using any kind of transition, but it is often most important when using explicit transitions. If you use the wrong transition, you may be indicating a different relationship than you intended or you may be misrepresenting the relationship between the ideas. Either way, you’re communicating a different idea to your reader than you intended.
Visual: A picture with a stack of cards with question marks on them appears on the screen with the following text:
· How do these ideas relate to one another?
· What relationship do you want the reader to see between these ideas?
Audio: To choose an explicit transition, ask yourself questions about the ideas: about how the ideas relate to one another and what relationship you want the reader to see between the ideas.
Visual: The screen changes to the following: Appropriate Use of Explicit Transitions
Audio: Here we can see how three different transitions indicate three different relationships between these same two sentences:
In this first sentence, the use of “previously” indicates a chronological relationship, while the next example’s use of “on the other hand” indicates a contradictory relationship. The last example uses “nevertheless”, showing a concession.
None of these transitions are inherently wrong, it’s all dependent on the author’s intended meaning. Which transition the writer chooses really depends on what relationship they want to show to the reader.
Visual: Slide changes to the following with a picture of a hand writing on a notebook: Appropriate Use of Explicit Transitions
Use the most appropriate transition for the relationship you want to communicate to the reader.
Audio: So when using explicit transitions, also make sure that you’re using the most appropriate transition for the relationship you want to communicate to your reader.
Visual: Slide changes to the following: Types of Explicit Transitions
Relationship
Term/Phrase
Addition
Also, moreover, furthermore, additionally, first/second/third
Concession
However, in spite of, nevertheless
Causation
Hence, accordingly, consequently, because of, therefore
Summation
Altogether, finally, in conclusion, hence, consequently
Audio: With that in mind, it is helpful to become familiar with the different kinds of explicit transitions at your disposal and the relationships that they show. Here are a few examples, and if you’re unfamiliar with any of these transitional words—and the relationship they indicate—it can be helpful to have a chart like this nearby as you write. We also have these examples—and many more—on our website, which could be helpful to bookmark. It’s also useful to analyze your writing and any places you use these transitions, analyzing whether those transitions were the most appropriate choice for the relationship you were trying to express to your reader.
Use these tools—and what you learned in this video—to ensure you are using the most appropriate explicit transitions to communicate the relationship between ideas to your reader.
Visual: The screen changes to end with the words “Walden University Writing Center” and “Questions? E-mail writingsupport@mail.waldenu.edu.”
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