How to write coherent paragraphs
In scientific writing, a paragraph is a unit of about 250 words that focus on a single topic or argument.
1. Make use of role sentences
A common issue is that paragraphs try to cover more than one topic or argument, which leads to confusion. Focusing on a single purpose and maintaining clear internal logic makes each paragraph easier to follow and strengthens the overall clarity and persuasiveness of your writing.
A well-structured paragraph follows a logical flow, where each sentence has it’s own role:
- Context sentence (optional): Links back to information from the previous paragraph.
- Topic sentence: Provides the topic/argument for the current paragraph.
- Paragraph body (multiple sentences): Develops the topic with supporting details, evidence, or explanations.
- Concluding sentence: Summarises the paragraph or connects it to the next idea.
2. Use signposting to link sentences
Use signposting, or linking words, to explain your reasoning to the reader. For example:
❌ X is a common method in ecology. Y has also been used. Z is not well studied.
✅ X is a common method in ecology. In contrast, Y has been used less frequently. However, Z is not well studied.
| Function | Signposting words and phrases |
|---|---|
| 🧩adding | and, also, furthermore, moreover, additionally |
| 🆚contrasting | but, however, on the other hand, although |
| 📚examples | for example, for instance, such as |
| 🎯concluding | therefore, thus, consequently, overall, hence |
| 🌟emphasising | importantly, notably, indeed |
| 🔢ordering | first, next, finally |
| 🔦clarifying | in other words, that is, specifically |
3. Use the old-to-new principle to create flow
In the old-to-new principle, you refer back to previously established concepts before introducing a new concepts. For example:
❌ Climate change affects plant phenology. Earlier flowering has been observed in many temperate species.
✅ Climate change affects plant phenology. This shift is evident in the earlier flowering observed in many temperate species.
4. Mix up sentence length to create natural rhythm
Long sentences (>25 words) are difficult to understand, as your reader needs to hold a lot of information in their working memory. Mix long sentences with shorter ones to create a natural rhythm similar to a conversation. This is easier to comprehend (and more fun to read).
Overly long sentences are difficult to understand, as the reader needs to hold a lot of information in their head. Using sentences of reasonable length mixed with shorter sentences, creates a natural rhythm – more similar to a conversation. This is easier to comprehend.
❌ Over the course of the past millennia, the physical characteristics of marine ecosystems have predominantly remained static. Stationarity does not imply absolute immutability, but rather denotes that temperature is derived from a distribution, where each year’s temperature can be envisioned as derived from a probability distribution with a consistent mean and standard deviation.
✅ For most of the last 10,000 years, the physical conditions in marine ecosystems have been nearly stationary. Stationarity does not mean unchanging. It means that you can think of each year’s temperature as being drawn from a probability distribution with a stable mean and standard deviation.