One of the tricks to essay writing is finding a way to showcase all of your wonderful research and ideas in a way that seems natural and “flowy.” That’s where paragraph transitions come in. Paragraph transitions let you change the subject or slot in your next piece of information, without interrupting the reader’s flow. Some of this is just trickery: if you put the word “similarly” or the phrase “in the same vein,” at the start of a paragraph, a clever enough reader will probably figure out some connection to the previous paragraph, even if you haven’t figured it out yourself. In the same vein, if you use contrast phrases like “by contrast,” or “this situation is complicated by the fact that,” the reader will likely either figure out the complication, or take for granted that there is one. Anyway, here are some transitions you can use in your writing, along with examples of how to use them. Or download the word doc here.

• The _________ similarly indicates the relative importance/insignificance/impermanence of __________
  • The fall of the Roman Empire similarly indicates the relative importance of moderation
  • Benjamin Franklin’s discovery of electricity similarly indicates the relative insignificance of caution to scientific exploration.
  • The brief popularity Cabbage Patch Dolls similarly indicates the impermanence of trends.

• ______’s ______ offers/provides another illustrative example of _________
  • England’s refusal to adopt the Euro provides another illustrative example of a successful resistance to change.
  • Juliet’s desire to follow Romeo to the grave offers a poignant example of the power of true love.
  • President Obama’s health care reform law provides another clear example of the inefficacy of political compromise.

• ______’s _________, however, pales in comparison to ______________
  • Juliet’s sacrifice for true love, however, pales in comparison to that of Wagner’s Isolde.
  • The hard work supporting the genius of Thomas Edison, however, pales in comparison to that of the Wright Brother’s.
  • My struggles with calculus, however, pale in comparison to Einstein’s efforts to formulate a unified field theory.
    
• Perhaps the most telling example of _________ is _________, who/which
  • Perhaps the most telling example of calm under fire is that of Nathan Hale, who declared at his own execution, “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”
  • Perhaps the most telling examples of false heroism are the scores of athletes who broke records and were later found to have used steroids.
  • Perhaps the most telling example of the adaptability of life is the DNA molecule, which mutates randomly to produce new life forms.

• The history/science/experience of _______ further illustrates the importance/insignificance of _______
  • The history of Nazi Germany further illustrates the importance of caution when ceding power to a single person.
  • The science of astronomy illustrates further the importance of mathematics to our understanding of the universe.
  • The experiences of Huckleberry Finn in Mark Twain’s famous novel further illustrate the enlightening effects of travel and adventure.

• [STATEMENT A (also)], as [the example of]  ______ [clearly] illustrates/demonstrates
  • Leaders who advocate war or violence should also be rigorously questioned, as the example of the U.S.’s involvement in the Iraq War clearly illustrates.
  • Genius requires not only inspiration and perspiration, but also quite a bit of luck, as Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin clearly demonstrates.