Writing cohesively

Good academic writing has a clear flow. Each phrase or sentence is linked to those that come before and after. Let's explore what makes academic writing cohesive.

Write cohesively by using:

• Organic structure: used as the basis for paragraph organisation.
• Cohesive devices: repetition, substitution, and linking words are then used to further enhance the flow.
• Avoid ambiguity: good sentence structure prevents confusion.

These strategies help to build a 'lexical chain', which creates a natural flow.

Organic structure

An organic structure is used as the basis for paragraph organisation. Each new point relates either directly to the last part of the previous point, or back to the main idea.
Read the following paragraph, then open the Organic structure example folder to see how each sentence complements other sentences in the paragraph.

Complete paragraph

Screen reader users, this text uses visual highlights to indicate different features of the text. Each highlight is explained for your convenience.

Cohesive devices

Here are some of the cohesive devices that can be used to create greater cohesion in your writing.

Keyword and phrases

Keywords and concepts should connect the topic and linking sentences in each paragraph to the next. This can be done through the repetition of keywords or terms, and by using synonyms (words and phrases that have a similar meaning).

Linking words and phrases

Using linking words and phrases explains to your reader the connection between your ideas. For example, some linking words and phrases show contrast (e.g. however, in spite of), while others show addition (e.g. additionally, moreover) and others introduce examples (e.g. to illustrate, for example).

For more information, visit the Linking words page.

Demonstrative adjectives

This, that, these and those are used to refer to something that has previously been mentioned. For example:

• Pemberton (2023) describes a system that could be implemented into the education of high school students. This system has many benefits.

Relative pronouns

Words such as which, that, who and where are relative pronouns. They are used to link parts of a sentence together, creating cohesion in the sentence. In the following example, the first part of the sentence mentions micromanagement. Later, which also refers to micromanagement:

• Micromanagement is a management style which can lead to inefficiencies and high turnover rates in an organisation.

Example of language features and cohesion

In the following paragraph, the language features that give the paragraph cohesion are highlighted.

Screen reader users, this text uses visual highlights to indicate different features of the text. Each highlight is explained for your convenience.

Avoid ambiguity

By using clear sentence structures with well-defined subjects and objects, and providing specific information, you can remove ambiguity from your writing, which improves the flow and meaning of your text.

Example 1: Clarify pronouns

Pronouns are often used to replace nouns or noun phrases. However, sometimes who or what the pronoun refers to can be confusing, particularly if more than one noun or noun phrase has been used in the sentence. Reread your sentences to check for clarity.

In the original sentence, it is not clear who he refers to; is it the manager or the staff member? The revised sentence uses a more specific term instead of he to avoid ambiguity.

Example 2: Who did what?

The passive voice is frequently used in academic writing to avoid mentioning who or what performed an action. However, in some cases it is necessary to mention the agent to avoid ambiguity or confusion.

Example 3: Be specific

Avoid vague terms like many, a lot, few, etc. Give your reader more specific information so that they won't misinterpret your meaning.