Transitions help readers understand the relationships among sentences, paragraphs, and even sections of a document. Essentially, they smooth the way for readers, helping them understand how information, ideas, and arguments are related to one another. Transitions are most effective when they don’t call attention to themselves, but instead move the reader’s eye along to the next sentence, paragraph, or section. Consider the following examples of the steps involved in preparing fish.

No Transitions

Catch the fish. Clean the fish. Filet the fish. Cook the fish. Eat the fish. Catch another fish.

Inconsistent Transitions

First, catch the fish. Secondly, clean the fish. When you’ve done that, filet the fish. Next, cook the fish. Fifth, eat the fish. After all is said and done, catch another fish.

Consistent Transitions

First, catch the fish. Second, clean the fish. Third, filet the fish. Fourth, cook the fish. Fifth, eat the fish. Finally, catch another fish.

Transitions frequently appear as words and phrases, such as those used in the previous example. They can also take the form of sentences and paragraphs. Transitional sentences, such as the following, often appear at the end or the beginning of paragraphs and serve to link two paragraphs.

The results of the tests revealed a surprising trend.

Incredibly, the outcome was far better than we could have hoped.

Transitional paragraphs, such as the following example, call attention to a major shift in focus within a document.

In the next section, we explore the reasons behind this surprising development. We focus first on the event itself. Then we consider the reasons underlying the event. Our goal is to call attention to the unique set of relationships that made this development possible.

Headings and subheadings can also act as transitions. Section headings serve as transitions by signaling to the reader, through formatting that differs from body text, that a new section is beginning. You can read more about formatting headings and subheadings later in this chapter.

As you create transitions, pay attention to the order in which you introduce new information and ideas in your document. In general, it is best to begin a sentence with a reference to information and ideas that have already been presented and to introduce new information and ideas at the end of the sentence.

Common transitions and their functions are presented below.