Maintaining Unity and Coherence in Essays

What is Unity?
Unity means single idea. In other words,
unity in writing is the connection all ideas to
a single topic. In an essay all ideas should
relate to the thesis statement, and the
supporting ideas in a main body paragraph
should relate to the topic sentence. For
example, if your essay is about the
advantages of nuclear power, discuss only
that.
Do
not
discuss
about
the
disadvantages.
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2

Keeping Unity in an Essay
One way to keep unity in an essay is to edit
the outline for ideas that are not relevant to
the thesis statement or topic sentence. Also,
after you have written the essay, it is helpful
to review the text and look for ideas that do
not relate to the thesis statement or the topic
sentence.


3

What is Coherence?
Coherence is related to unity. Ideas that are
arranged in a clear and logical way are
coherent. The purpose of coherence is to
make the readers can easily understand the
main points.


4

How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
When organising your ideas, think about what type of
organisation is the best for your topic or essay type. Here are
some examples of types of writing and good ways to organise
them
Type of Writing

Type of Organisation

Chronology

Order by time or order of events/ steps

Description

Order by position, size, and shape of things

Classification

Group of ideas and explain them in a
logical order

Comparison/ Contrast

Organise in point-by-point or block style

Argumentation/ persuasion/
cause effect

Order from least important to most
important


5

Cohesive Devices
Cohesive devices are words and phrases that
connect sentences and paragraphs together,
creating a smooth flow of ideas. Here are
three kinds of cohesive devices that can be
used:
1.transition signals
2.pronoun references
3.repetion of key noun

6

Cohesive Devices (Transition Signals)
Transition signals can be categorized into three
groups by grammatical function. The three groups
are:
a.sentence connectors (including transition phrases
and conjunctive adverbs) ,
b.clause connectors (including coordinating
conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions), and
c.mixed group called others.


7

Meaning/ Function
To introduce similar
additional idea

To compare things

To introduce an
opposite idea, and to
contrast things

Clause Connectors

Sentence
Connectors

Coordinators

Subordinators

Others (Adjectives, Verbs,
and Prepositions)

also
besides
furthermore
in addition
moreover
too
also
likewise
similarly
too

and
nor
(“and not)

another
an additional

and
both ... and
not only ... but also
neither ... nor

as
just as

however
in contrast
instead
in/ by comparison
nevertheless
nonetheless
on the other hand
on the contrary
still

but
yet

although
even though
though
whereas
while

as ... as
like/ alike
just like
similar to
be alike
be similar
despite
in spite of
compared to/ with
be different (from)
be dissimilar
be unlike
differ (from)


8

Meaning/ Function
To introduce
example
To emphasize
To
explain
restate
To introduce
alternative

Clause Connectors

Sentence
Connectors

an for example
for instance
in fact
and indeed
that is
an otherwise

To
signal first, second, etc.
chronological order
first of all
then, next
now, then, soon
last finally
meanwhile
gradually
after that
since then


Coordinators

and Prepositions)

Subordinators

such as
an example of

or

if
unless

after
as
as soon as
before
since
until
when
while

the first, the second
the next, the last, the final
before lunch
after the war
since ....
in the year ...

9

Meaning/ Function

To indicate order of above all
importance
first and foremost
more/ most
importantly/
significantly
primarily

To introduce a cause
or reason

To introduce
effect or result

Clause Connectors

Sentence
Connectors

an accordingly
as a result
as a consequence
consequently
hence, thus
therefore


Coordinators

Subordinators

and Prepositions)

a more important
the most important
the second most significant
the primaily

for

because
since
as

So

result from
be the result of
due to
because of
the effect of
the consequence of
as a result of
as a consequence of
result in
cause
have an effect on
affect
the cause of
the reason for

10

Meaning/ Function
To conclude

Clause Connectors

Sentence
Connectors
all in all,
in brief,
in conclusion,
in short,
in summary,
indeed,


Coordinators

Subordinators

and Prepositions)
It is clear that ...
We can see that ...
The evidence suggets that ...
These examples show that ...

11

Cohesive Devices (Pronoun References)
Two sentences can be connected by the use of pronoun. A pronoun (he, she, it, they, etc.) takes the place of a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea) or noun phrase (several words that refer to a person, place, thing, or
idea).
Example:
Gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental puposes.

The pronoun it refers back to the subject, Gold, and connects the two sentence together.


12

Cohesive
Noun)

Devices

(Repetition

of

Key

Another way to connect ideas in an essay is by repeating important words and phrases. This will help the reader remember the main ideas in the text.
Example:
Modern medicine focuses on illness. If a patient with a cough visits a modern doctor, then the doctor will give the patient a medicine to stop the cough. If the patient also has a fever, the doctor may give a
different medicine to stop the fever. For every person with a cough, the doctor will probably recommend the same cough medicine. The philosophy of modern medicine is to stop problems like coughing and
fever as quickly as possible.


13

Cohesive
Noun)

Devices

(Repetition

of

Key

Example:
different medicine to stop the fever. For every person with a cough, the doctor will probably recommend the same cough medicine. The philosophy of modern medicine is to stop problems like coughing
and fever as quickly as possible.


14

Cohesive
Noun)

Devices

(Repetition

of

Key

Example:
different medicine to stop the fever. For every person with a cough, the doctor will probably recommend the same cough medicine. The philosophy of modern medicine is to stop problems like coughing
and fever as quickly as possible.


15

Transitions
Link ideas so that they relate to one another
in the same way

as a result

similarly

therefore

likewise

finally

while

in conclusion

on the other hand

in summary

although

lastly

however

in addition

Maintaining Unity and Coherence in Essays

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