Week 4: Revising: Adding Structure and Transitions

Now that you have a first draft, you will begin the iterative process of revising your work on your way to submitting a final draft during Week 7. Each week until then, you will revise your writing, focusing on a different component of revision each time.

This week, you will focus on using structure and transitions to connect the three paraphrased main ideas from last week’s Assignment. These components contribute to the overall cohesion and flow of the information being presented. After reviewing the Learning Resources for this week, you will post a reflection on your strategy for using structure and transitions in your paragraphs, sharing your thoughts and experiences with colleagues. You will then apply your strategy by connecting the three paraphrased main ideas from last week’s Assignment.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Describe their strategy for using structure and transitions to connect three main ideas
• Discuss this strategy with their colleagues
• Focus on the rhetorical strategies of structure and transitions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLM7NbPzilFBdf2CdCqzGwF9C1485qsoOp&v=cF_PoOz2Tl4

Discussion: Revising Your Writing: Structure and Transitions

Structure refers to how you begin and conclude a paragraph, whereas transitions are the subtle ways you guide the reader, compare, and connect ideas. These concepts are represented in the “M” and “L” (main idea and lead-out) sections of the MEAL plan for paragraphs. They are also necessary in scholarly writing to ensure your reader’s engagement and interest.

This week’s Learning Resources provide a useful framework for better understanding ways to use structure and transitions in your writing to create flow between paragraphs and overall cohesion for your essay.

For this Discussion, you will reflect on your own writing in relation to creating structured, well-connected paragraphs. Based on what you have learned from the week’s Resources, you will share your thoughts and experiences on structure and transitions.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review the Learning Resources on transitions, paragraph development, and the MEAL plan.
• Reflect on your writing process in relation to structure and transitions.

By Day 3

Post a 1- to 2- paragraph reflection on your skills in using structure and transitions to create a sense of flow in an essay. Include any phrases, words, or sentences that you have used in the past. (Note: You may choose to reflect specifically on how you will apply strategies for structure and transitions in this week’s Assignment.)