Coherence of Manuscripts

1. Coherence of Manuscripts Scientific Communication, Week 3

2. Manuscript Coherence • Readers should discern the overall topic of the paper quickly and easily. • Readers should readily identify the topics of individual paragraphs and sentences quickly and easily. • Readers should recognize how a string of topics “hangs together” as a logical set.

3. Manuscript Coherence ? The particular ideas toward the beginning of sentences define what a passage is “about” for a reader, so a sense of coherence depends on topics. Moving through a paragraph from a cumulatively coherent point of view is made possible by a sequence of topicalized ideas. A seeming absence of context for each sentence is one consequence of making random shifts in topics. Feelings of dislocation, disorientation, and lack of focus will occur when that happens.

4. Manuscript Coherence ? Topics are crucial for readers because they depend on topics to focus their attention on particular ideas toward the beginning of sentences so that they can understand what a whole passage is “about.” If readers feel that a sequence of topics is coherent, then they will feel they are moving through a paragraph from a cumulatively coherent point of view. But if through that paragraph readers feel that topics seem to shift randomly, then they have to begin each sentence out of context, from no coherent point of view. When that happens, readers feel dislocated, disoriented, out of focus.

5. Topics in Preceding Examples Passage (1a)Passage (1b) The particular ideas toward…. Topics, they, they a sense of coherence…. readers, they Moving through a paragraph…. readers, topics A seeming absence of context…. readers, topics, they Feelings of dislocation…. readers

6. Manuscript Coherence: Diagnosis • Underline the first five or six words of every sentence; then read what you have underlined straight through. • If you do not quickly see what you think is a series of concise topicsin your sentences, your readers are likely to have a hard time finding them. • If you do see your topics, but you can see few or no connections among them, your readers are unlikely to see any either. • Even if you can see connections, think hard about how likely it is that your readers will do so

7. Manuscript Coherence: Revision • Decide globally what a passage is “about” by imagining a title for it consisting of no more than three or four nouns. Those nouns will provide most of your topics. • In most of your sentences, signal those topics by making them the subjects of your sentences. • Locate most of those subjects close to the beginning of your sentences. Do not obscure them using long introductory phrases.

8. Coherence Factors • Logical, sequential flow of ideas • Use of clear and appropriate words to convey meaning • Sentences are succinct • Words are reused minimally • Avoid jargon and complex words