1. Mathla’ul Anwar University
Unity and Coherence
Edi Brata, S.Pd.
Mathla’ul Anwar University

2. What is Unity?
Unity means single idea. In other words, unity in writing is the connection all ideas to a single topic. In an essay all ideas should relate to the thesis statement, and the supporting ideas in a main body paragraph should relate to the topic sentence. For example, if your essay is about the advantages of nuclear power, discuss only that. Do not discuss about the disadvantages.

3. Keeping Unity in an Essay
One way to keep unity in an essay is to edit the outline for ideas that are not relevant to the thesis statement or topic sentence. Also, after you have written the essay, it is helpful to review the text and look for ideas that do not relate to the thesis statement or the topic sentence.

4. What is Coherence?
Coherence is related to unity. Ideas that are arranged in a clear and logical way are coherent. The purpose of coherence is to make the readers can easily understand the main points.

5. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
When organising your ideas, think about what type of organisation is the best for your topic or essay type. Here are some examples of types of writing and good ways to organise them
Type of Writing
Type of Organisation
Chronology
Order by time or order of events/ steps
Description
Order by position, size, and shape of things
Classification
Group of ideas and explain them in a logical order
Comparison/ Contrast
Organise in point-by-point or block style
Argumentation/ persuasion/ cause effect
Order from least important to most important

6. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Cohesive Devices
Cohesive devices are words and phrases that connect sentences and paragraphs together, creating a smooth flow of ideas. Here are three kinds of cohesive devices that can be used:
transition signals
pronoun references
repetion of key noun

7. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Cohesive Devices (Transition Signals)
Transition signals can be categorized into three groups by grammatical function. The three groups are:
sentence connectors (including transition phrases and conjunctive adverbs) ,
clause connectors (including coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions), and
mixed group called others.

8. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Cohesive Devices (Transition Signals)
Meaning/ Function
Sentence Connectors
Clause Connectors
Others (Adjectives, Verbs, and Prepositions)
Coordinators
Subordinators
To introduce similar additional idea
also
besides
furthermore
in addition
moreover
too
and
nor
(“and not)
another
an additional
To compare things
likewise
similarly
both ... and
not only ... but also
neither ... nor as
just as
as ... as
like/ alike
just like
similar to
be alike
be similar
To introduce an opposite idea, and to contrast things
however
in contrast
instead
in/ by comparison
nevertheless
nonetheless
on the other hand
on the contrary
still
but
yet
although
even though
though
whereas
while
despite
in spite of
compared to/ with
be different (from)
be dissimilar
be unlike
differ (from)

9. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Cohesive Devices (Transition Signals)
Meaning/ Function
Sentence Connectors
Clause Connectors
Others (Adjectives, Verbs, and Prepositions)
Coordinators
Subordinators
To introduce an example
for example
for instance
such as
an example of
To emphasize
in fact
To explain and restate
indeed
that is
To introduce an alternative
otherwise or if
unless
To signal chronological order
first, second, etc.
first of all
then, next
now, then, soon
last finally
meanwhile
gradually
after that
since then
after as
as soon as
before
since
until
when
while
the first, the second
the next, the last, the final
before lunch
after the war
since ....
in the year ...

10. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Cohesive Devices (Transition Signals)
Meaning/ Function
Sentence Connectors
Clause Connectors
Others (Adjectives, Verbs, and Prepositions)
Coordinators
Subordinators
To indicate order of importance
above all
first and foremost
more/ most
importantly/
significantly
primarily
a more important
the most important
the second most significant
the primaily
To introduce a cause or reason
for
because
since as
result from
be the result of
due to
because of
the effect of
the consequence of
as a result of
as a consequence of
To introduce an effect or result
accordingly
as a result
as a consequence
consequently
hence, thus
therefore So
result in
cause
have an effect on
affect
the cause of
the reason for

11. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Cohesive Devices (Transition Signals)
Meaning/ Function
Sentence Connectors
Clause Connectors
Others (Adjectives, Verbs, and Prepositions)
Coordinators
Subordinators
To conclude
all in all,
in brief,
in conclusion,
in short,
in summary,
indeed,
It is clear that ...
We can see that ...
The evidence suggets that ...
These examples show that ...

12. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Cohesive Devices (Pronoun References)
Two sentences can be connected by the use of pronoun. A pronoun (he, she, it, they, etc.) takes the place of a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea) or noun phrase (several words that refer to a person, place, thing, or idea).
Example:
Gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental puposes.
The pronoun it refers back to the subject, Gold, and connects the two sentence together.

13. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Cohesive Devices (Repetition of Key Noun)
Another way to connect ideas in an essay is by repeating important words and phrases. This will help the reader remember the main ideas in the text.
Example:
Modern medicine focuses on illness. If a patient with a cough visits a modern doctor, then the doctor will give the patient a medicine to stop the cough. If the patient also has a fever, the doctor may give a different medicine to stop the fever. For every person with a cough, the doctor will probably recommend the same cough medicine. The philosophy of modern medicine is to stop problems like coughing and fever as quickly as possible.

14. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Cohesive Devices (Repetition of Key Noun)
Another way to connect ideas in an essay is by repeating important words and phrases. This will help the reader remember the main ideas in the text.
Example:
Modern medicine focuses on illness. If a patient with a cough visits a modern doctor, then the doctor will give the patient a medicine to stop the cough. If the patient also has a fever, the doctor may give a different medicine to stop the fever. For every person with a cough, the doctor will probably recommend the same cough medicine. The philosophy of modern medicine is to stop problems like coughing and fever as quickly as possible.

15. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Cohesive Devices (Repetition of Key Noun)
Another way to connect ideas in an essay is by repeating important words and phrases. This will help the reader remember the main ideas in the text.
Example:
Modern medicine focuses on illness. If a patient with a cough visits a modern doctor, then the doctor will give the patient a medicine to stop the cough. If the patient also has a fever, the doctor may give a different medicine to stop the fever. For every person with a cough, the doctor will probably recommend the same cough medicine. The philosophy of modern medicine is to stop problems like coughing and fever as quickly as possible.

16. How to Make Our Essay Coherence?
Exercise
Zemach and Rumisek, 2005:83, 84, 85

17. References:
Oshima, Alice and Hogue, Ann Writing Academic English. New York: Longman. (Page: 40-50)
Zemach, Dorothy E and Rumisek Lisa A Academic Writing form Paragraph to Essay. Macmillan. (Page: 78-86)
Many of the materials are directly quoted.

18. Thank You! edibrata@ymail.com