Coherence in Writing

English for Biology Students

Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada
 The concept of writing
• Aim: to communicate ideas to readers.
• Problem: writers & readers might draw
different meanings from the text.
• Solution: to organize words systematically and
coherently to guide the readers’
interpretation.
"The big parts of a story should stick together,
but the small parts need some stickum as well.
When the big parts fit, we call that good feeling
coherence; when sentences connect, we call it
cohesion.“

(Roy Peter Clark, Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every

Writer. Little, Brown, 2006)
 Coherence
• Definitions:
– Logical or natural connection or consistency.
– Logical and orderly and consistent relation of
parts.
• Refers to how easy it is to understand the
writing.
• Is the product of two factors:
1. Paragraph unity.
2. Sentence cohesion.
 1. Paragraph Unity
• A good paragraph contains:
1. A topic sentence.
– A single generalization that serves as the focus of
attention; expression of the central idea.
2. Supporting sentences.
– Contain more specific information than the topic
sentence
– Maintain the same focus of attention as the topic
sentence.
• All sentences are linked.
 Example: Topic and supporting sentences

Smoking is harmful for four reasons. Firstly, it is a

very expensive habit. Frequently, the price of
cigarettes rises. Secondly, it is bad for the
respiratory system. Smokers get colds, which last
for a long time. Additionally, they get bronchitis
and pneumonia more easily than nonsmokers.
Thirdly, everyone knows that there is a connection
between lung-cancer and smoking. Finally, smoking
gives you bad breath. Most non-smokers hate the
smell of tobacco and they do not want to sit near
someone who will puff smoke all over them. In my
opinion, it is better not to start smoking
 Example: Topic and supporting sentences
My hometown is famous for several amazing natural features.
First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and
beautiful. On either side of this river, which is 175 feet wide,
are many willow trees which have long branches that can
move gracefully in the wind. In autumn the leaves of these
trees fall and cover the riverbanks like golden snow. Also, on
the other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual
because it is very steep. Even though it is steep, climbing this
hill is not dangerous, because there are some firm rocks along
the sides that can be used as stairs. The third amazing feature
is the Big Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and
is probably about six hundred years old. These three
landmarks are truly amazing and make my hometown a
famous place.
 2. Sentence Cohesion
• Cohesion
– Refers to connectivity in a text.
– The link of one sentence to the next.
– Gives us our experience of “flow.”
• Many different techniques.
– Repetition, synonymy, antonymy, pro-forms,
collocation, enumeration, parallelism.
– Transitions: identity, opposition, addition, cause
and effect, etc.
 http://gordonscruton.blogspot.co.uk/

"My favourite colour is blue. I like it because it is calming

Coherent
Cohesive
and it relaxes me. I often go outside in the summer and
lie on the grass and look into the clear sky when I am
stressed. For this reason, I'd have to say my favourite
colour is blue.“
Not coherent

"My favourite colour is blue. Blue sports cars go very

Cohesive

fast. Driving in this way is dangerous and can cause

many car crashes. I had a car accident once and broke
my leg. I was very sad because I had to miss a holiday in
Europe because of the injury.“
Not cohesive
Coherent

"My favourite colour is blue. I'm calm and relaxed. In the

summer I lie on the grass and look up."
 Common techniques to achieve cohesion

• Repetition, synonymy, antonymy:

– Referencing an information from the previous
sentence in the next by repeating it, or using its
synonym or antonym.
 Example 1
• How might you fix the following sentences so that they are
more coherent?

“Some astonishing questions about the nature of

the universe have been raised by scientists studying
black holes in space. The collapse of a dead star
into a point perhaps no larger than a marble
creates a black hole. So much matter compressed
into so little volume changes the fabric of space
around it in puzzling ways.”
 Example 1 - Revised

Some astonishing questions about the nature of

the universe have been raised by scientists
studying black holes in space. A black hole is
created by the collapse of a dead star into a point
perhaps no larger than a marble. So much
matter compressed into so small a volume
changes the fabric of space around it in puzzling
ways.
1. Some astonishing questions about the nature of the
universe have been raised by scientists studying black holes
in space.
2. The collapse of a dead star into a point perhaps no larger
than a marble creates a black hole.
3. So much matter compressed into so little volume changes
the fabric of space around it in puzzling ways.

1. Some astonishing questions about the nature of the

universe have been raised by scientists studying black holes
in space.
2. A black hole is created by the collapse of a dead star into a
point perhaps no larger than a marble.
3. So much matter compressed into so small a volume changes
the fabric of space around it in puzzling ways.
 Example 2
The relentless heat of California’s great Central
Valley makes the summer almost unbearable at
times. Over 110 degrees is not an unusual
temperature reading in the summer. Bakersfield
often records the hottest temperature in the valley.

The relentless heat of California’s great Central Valley

makes the summer almost unbearable at times. It’s not
unusual for the temperature to reach 110 degrees in
Bakersfield, often the hottest spot in the valley.
 Common techniques to achieve cohesion
• Repetition, synonymy, antonymy:
– Referencing an information from the previous sentence in
the next by repeating it, or using its synonym or antonym.
• Transitions:
– Using a conjunction or conjunctive adverb to link sentences
with particular logical relationships.
– Are words that join one idea to another idea.
– Examples: that is, that is to say, in other words, yet,
however, nevertheless, still, although, whereas, in contrast,
also, furthermore, moreover, in addition, besides, in the
same way, similarly, therefore, so, consequently, as a
consequence, thus, as a result, hence, etc.
 Example 1
• To many foreigners, the American word
“family” is confusing. Foreigners often hear an
American say : “My family is coming to visit”.
In this sentence, family means grandparents
and perhaps other relatives. However, at other
times, the same American might say, “I am
going to stay home with my family this
weekend”. In this case, he is talking about his
wife and children.
 Example 2

• When an American today says, “My family is

coming to visit”, he or she is using family to
include cousins, uncles, grandparents, or any
other relatives who do not live with him or her.
That is, this person is using “family” the way it
was used 150 years ago when the majority of
Americans were farmers. In that earlier time, of
course, three or more generations lived under
one roof. Yet, family is a very vague word. It can
mean, for example, the speaker’s parents, who
do not live with him or her. On the other hand, it
can mean uncles and aunts, nieces and nephews.
 Example 3
Soils represent major sinks for metals like cadmium that are released
into the environment. Soil does not have an infinite capacity to
absorb metal contaminants, and when this capacity is exhausted,
environmental consequences are incurred. Contamination of soils by
cadmium and other heavy metals has become a global concern in
recent years because of the increasing demands of society for food
production, waste disposal, and a healthier environment. The main
causes of cadmium contamination in soils are amendment materials
(e.g., municipal waste sludge) and fallout from nonferrous metal
production and power plants.
 Example 3 – revised
Such sources as mines, smelters, power plants, and municipal waste
treatment facilities release metals into the environment. These
heavy metals, especially cadmium, then find their way into the soil.
The soil does not have an infinite capacity to absorb these metals.
Instead, unabsorbed metals move through the soil into the
groundwater or are extracted by crops that take the contamination
into the food chain.
 Exercise 1
I live in a house in Izmit. It isn't old or modern. It's a normal Turkish
house. We can say it is near the sea. It takes about 10 minutes to go
to the sea side on foot. We have one bedroom, one living room. We
also have two other rooms, too. We use them as a dining room.
Naturally, we have a kitchen, a bathroom, and a toilet. I live with my
parents. And our house has a little garden; my parents spend their
time there to grow vegetables and fruit.

Cohesive? Coherence? Or both?

Which is “A topic sentence?”
What is the idea of this paragraph?
Which are “Supporting sentence?”
Is there any phrase which is incoherence?
Writing Tips
 General
• Remember the following recommendations:
– Use simple language.
– Use simple and clear sentences.
– Write well-structured paragraphs (with a topic
sentence, supporting details, and a concluding
sentence).
– Prefer active voice to passive voice.
– Avoid slang language.
• Good writers usually use plain English words!
 Paragraph
• Concentrate on one main point per paragraph.
Summarize this point in the first sentence
(topic sentence).
• All sentences that follow support the main
point or limit its scope (supporting sentences).
• The last sentence is a summary of the main
point of the paragraph and is used as a
transition to the next paragraph (concluding
sentence).
 How to structure your text
• General to specific
– General statement followed by details and examples.
• Specific to general
– Details and examples followed by a generalization.
• Known to unknown/familiar to unfamiliar
– Provide new information based on what readers
already know.
• Least important to most important
– Catch and keep readers' attention
• Chronology (ordering by time)
Now write a paragraph about your….
…..favorite thing (animal, plant, music, person,
hobby, movie, leisure activity, food, etc…..).

Explain why!

Try your best to make it coherent and cohesive!