Signposting

Signposts are words and phrases that guide the reader through your argument. This language feature indicates the logical progression of your critical position and the links between your points. You can use signposts to introduce your critical position, indicate the development of your position, introduce alternative views, rebut alternative views, make comparisons and contrasts as well as signal your conclusions.

Most commonly, signposts are transitional words and phrases as well as prepositional phrases. Both of these signposts show relationships between ideas and facts in a sentence or within a paragraph as well as provide coherence. They stitch words together. Such words and phrases serve various purposes in helping you communicate a complex and well-rounded critical position on a topic.

Examples of transitional words and phrases

Purpose	Example	Purpose	Example
Indicate time	In the interim, thereafter	Indicate result	Consequently, thereby
Indicate place	First/second/third, adjacent to	Indicate purpose	In response to, with this object
Indicate frequency	A percentage, throughout	Indicate coincidence	Incidentally, equally important
Indicate subtraction	However, although	Indicate sequence	Simultaneously, previously
Provide example	A case in point, by way of demonstration	Indicate comparison	Alike, whereas
Indicate contrast	On the contrary, a variation is	Indicate additional idea	Furthermore, also
Indicate opposite idea	An alternative is, despite	Indicate emphasis	According to, primarily
Indicate conclusion or summary	On the whole, ultimately

Examples of prepositional phrases

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In accordance with	A capacity for	In common with
In conformity with	In consideration of	In contrast with
In default of	To a great extent	In keeping with
The opposite of	For the purpose of	With reference/regard to
In that regard	Without regard for	Resistance to
In respect of	In view of	With a view to

Student Academic Success

Student Academic Success

Signposting