Transition Words and Phrases

Transitions are connecting words or phrases that strengthen the internal cohesion of your writing. Transition words tell the reader how one idea relates to another. Using them appropriately makes your argument more convincing because the reader is able to understand the flow between and within paragraphs, including the relationship between different ideas, evidence, and analysis. 

Addition

• additionally • again • also • another • as well as • besides • coupled with • further • furthermore • equally important • in addition • likewise • moreover

Cause/Effect/Result

• accordingly • after • as consequence • as a result • at that time • before • concurrently • consequently • finally • followed by • for this purpose • for this reason • hence • initially • next • otherwise • previously • so then • subsequently • then • therefore • thus

Comparison

• as well as • comparatively • conversely • correspondingly • coupled with • in the same way • likewise • moreover • on the one hand • similar • similar to • similarly • together with • whereas • while

Contrast/Exception/Concession

• a different view is • admittedly • albeit • alternatively • although • and (yet) • conversely • despite/in spite of (+ noun) • differing from • even so • even though • granted • however • in contrast • instead • it could also be said that • nevertheless • notwithstanding (+ noun) • nonetheless • on the contrary • on (the) one hand • on the other hand • otherwise • rather • regardless of (+ noun) • still • unlike • whereas

Emphasis

• above all • especially • in fact • in particular • indeed • particularly

Example/Illustration

• as an example • as an illustration • chiefly • for example • for instance • illustrated by • in particular • in the/this case • including • markedly • namely • notably • on this occasion • specifically • such as • to demonstrate • to illustrate

Extension

• after all • all things considered • at the same time • clearly • in brief • in essence • in fact • in other words • in short • indeed • it seems • namely • naturally • of course • on the whole • that is • that is to say • to be sure • to put it differently

Sequence

• after • at that time • before • concurrently • finally • followed by • first, second, third, etc. • initially • next • previously • subsequently • then

Summary/Conclusion

• after all • as a result • briefly • by and large • consequently • finally • hence • in any case • in any event • in brief • in conclusion • in short • in other words • in summary • on the whole • overall • therefore • thus • to conclude • to sum up • to summarize • ultimately

Time

• after • afterward • at length • at that/this point • at that/this time • at present • at the same time • before • currently • during • earlier • finally • formerly • immediately • in the future • in the meantime • in the past • initially • later • meanwhile • now • presently • previously • prior to • recently • shortly • simultaneously • soon • subsequently • then • thereafter

While 3 qualitative data is helpful in gauging graduate student responses to Boot Camp, it is also crucial that we undertake data-driven analysis to support the value of the four-day writing event. Currently 10, quantitative measures of satisfaction of Dissertation Boot Camp participants are tracked in two ways: through a formal survey posted through SurveyMonkey and an informal survey that is handwritten at the end of the Camp. In fact 5, to ensure reliable data for analysis, the SurveyMonkey questionnaire is filled out by students at three different times: before Camp, on the first day of Camp, and 30 days after Camp. The decision to send the survey at three different times was made in order to ensure that attitudes prior to Camp matched attitudes on the first day, and to then compare that to results after Camp. However 4 the current survey questions are somewhat informal, and none have been psychometrically tested. In order to improve the reliability and usefulness of the collected data, we will need to revise some of our Likert-scale based questions using currently-available test questions from other indices. Ultimately 9, this combination of quantitative and qualitative data will help us to make decisions about the program as it is offered in subsequent semesters.