The document discusses cohesion and coherence in writing. It defines cohesion as the feeling of connectedness between sentences achieved through word arrangement and linking ideas. Coherence refers to a writing maintaining a connected theme throughout despite changes in subject. The principles of "old before new" and consolidating subjects with pronouns can improve cohesion and coherence by introducing familiar ideas before new ones and linking topics.

1. COHESION & COHERENCE
or: Writing That “Hangs Together”

2. The two capital secrets in the art of prose composition are these:
first, the philosophy of transition and connection; or the art by
which one step in an evolution of thought is made to arise out of
another: all fluent and effective composition depends on the
connections; secondly, the way in which sentences are made to
modify each other; for the most powerful effects in written
eloquence arise out of this reverberation, as it were, from each
other in a rapid succession of sentences.
- writer Thomas de Quincey on the accoustodynamics of prose

3. ~ COHESION ~

4. ~ COHESION ~
 A feeling of connectedness and fluidity elicited, from sentence to sentence,
by the arrangement of words

5. ~ COHESION ~
 A feeling of connectedness and fluidity elicited, from sentence to sentence,
by the arrangement of words
 Achieved when a writer uses the end of the sentence preceding to set up the
beginning of the following sentence:
 e.g., “A black hole is created by the collapse of a dead star into a point
perhaps no larger than a marble. So much matter compressed into so
little volume changes the fabric of space around it in puzzling ways.”

6. ~ COHESION ~
 A feeling of connectedness and fluidity elicited, from sentence to sentence,
by the arrangement of words
 Achieved when a writer uses the end of the sentence preceding to set up the
beginning of the following sentence:
 e.g., “A black hole is created by the collapse of a dead star into a point
perhaps no larger than a marble. So much matter compressed into so
little volume changes the fabric of space around it in puzzling ways.”
 Passive constructions, though normally frowned upon, come in handy
here as they enable cohesive arrangement

7. ~ COHESION ~
 A feeling of connectedness and fluidity elicited, from sentence to sentence,
by the arrangement of words
 Achieved when a writer uses the end of the sentence preceding to set up the
beginning of the following sentence:
 e.g., “A black hole is created by the collapse of a dead star into a point
perhaps no larger than a marble. So much matter compressed into so
little volume changes the fabric of space around it in puzzling ways.”
 Passive constructions, though normally frowned upon, come in handy
here as they enable cohesive arrangement
 Cohesion between sentences is more important than clarity within an
individual sentence

8. If he would inform, he must advance regularly from Things known to
things unknown, distinctly without Confusion, and the lower he
begins the better. It is a common Fault in writers, to allow their
Readers too much knowledge: They begin with that which should be
in the Middle, and skipping backwards and forwards, ’tis impossible
for any one but he who is perfect in the Subject before, to understand
their Work, and such an one has no Occasion to read it.
- Benjamin Franklin, the “Old Before New” principle

9. ~ Old Before New ~

10. ~ Old Before New ~
 For the purposes of cohesion, writers are encouraged to introduce new information
into a sentence only after having prefaced it with information familiar to the reader

11. ~ Old Before New ~
 For the purposes of cohesion, writers are encouraged to introduce new information
into a sentence only after having prefaced it with information familiar to the reader
 Familiarity is established in the previous sentence or sentences, or assumed when
what is being presented is thought to be common knowledge

12. ~ Old Before New ~
 For the purposes of cohesion, writers are encouraged to introduce new information
into a sentence only after having prefaced it with information familiar to the reader
 Familiarity is established in the previous sentence or sentences, or assumed when
what is being presented is thought to be common knowledge
 e.g., “The collapse of a dead star into a point perhaps no larger than a marble
creates a black hole. So much matter compressed into so little volume changes
the fabric of space around it in puzzling ways. Astronomers have reported
that…”

13. ~ Old Before New ~
 For the purposes of cohesion, writers are encouraged to introduce new information
into a sentence only after having prefaced it with information familiar to the reader
 Familiarity is established in the previous sentence or sentences, or assumed when
what is being presented is thought to be common knowledge
 e.g., “The collapse of a dead star into a point perhaps no larger than a marble
creates a black hole. So much matter compressed into so little volume changes
the fabric of space around it in puzzling ways. Astronomers have reported
that…”
 The introduction of “astronomers” into the writing does not ignore the
principle or disorient the reader because topical familiarity has been
established–it is clear that the passage is about phenomena in outer space

14. ~ Old Before New ~
 For the purposes of cohesion, writers are encouraged to introduce new information
into a sentence only after having prefaced it with information familiar to the reader
 Familiarity is established in the previous sentence or sentences, or assumed when
what is being presented is thought to be common knowledge
 e.g., “The collapse of a dead star into a point perhaps no larger than a marble
creates a black hole. So much matter compressed into so little volume changes
the fabric of space around it in puzzling ways. Astronomers have reported
that…”
 The introduction of “astronomers” into the writing does not ignore the
principle or disorient the reader because topical familiarity has been
established–it is clear that the passage is about phenomena in outer space
 Adhering to this principle is difficult as a writer: after working at length with
information and ideas, one is sure to develop a blindness to what would be unfamiliar
to the reader

15. Exercise #1
 Old/familiar information is boldfaced
 Improve the cohesive flow of the follow short
sentences:
 She went clubbing on her first night there. She sighted a
celebrity while at the club.
 Tweet your answers #eatingcrows

16. ~ COHERENCE ~

17. ~ COHERENCE ~
 Involving a great deal more than the sequence flow of sentences, this is the
totalizing quality of writing that remains connected from beginning to end,
through all of its changes in subject

18. ~ COHERENCE ~
 Involving a great deal more than the sequence flow of sentences, this is the
totalizing quality of writing that remains connected from beginning to end,
through all of its changes in subject
 Internally unrelated subjects cannot be made to cohere

19. ~ COHERENCE ~
 Involving a great deal more than the sequence flow of sentences, this is the
totalizing quality of writing that remains connected from beginning to end,
through all of its changes in subject
 Internally unrelated subjects cannot be made to cohere
 The following wildly digressive passage is an example of writing that is
cohesive but incoherent:
 Sayner, Wisconsin, is the snowmobile capital of the world. The buzzing of
snowmobile engines fills the air, and their tank-like tracks crisscross the
snow. The snow reminds me of mom’s mashed potatoes, covered with
furrows I would draw with my fork.

20. ~ COHERENCE ~
 Nothing can be done to remedy a passage with disconnected subjects

21. ~ COHERENCE ~
 Nothing can be done to remedy a passage with disconnected subjects
 However, disorganization/incoherence occasioned by subject-topic difference
and overlong, inconsistent topics is another matter…
 …as in the following disjointed passage, color-coded for your
convenience: Consistent ideas toward the beginning of sentences,
especially in their subjects, help readers understand what a passage is
generally about. A sense of coherence arises when a sequence of topics
comprises a narrow set of related ideas. But the context of each sentence
is lost by seemingly random shifts of topics.

22. ~ COHERENCE ~
 Nothing can be done to remedy a passage with disconnected subjects
 However, disorganization/incoherence occasioned by subject-topic difference
and overlong, inconsistent topics is another matter…
 …as in the following disjointed passage, color-coded for your
convenience: Consistent ideas toward the beginning of sentences,
especially in their subjects, help readers understand what a passage is
generally about. A sense of coherence arises when a sequence of topics
comprises a narrow set of related ideas. But the context of each sentence
is lost by seemingly random shifts of topics.
 With the aid of pronouns, subjects and topics can be consolidated

23. ~ COHERENCE ~
 Nothing can be done to remedy a passage with disconnected subjects
 However, disorganization/incoherence occasioned by subject-topic difference
and overlong, inconsistent topics is another matter…
 …as in the following disjointed passage, color-coded for your
convenience: Consistent ideas toward the beginning of sentences,
especially in their subjects, help readers understand what a passage is
generally about. A sense of coherence arises when a sequence of topics
comprises a narrow set of related ideas. But the context of each sentence
is lost by seemingly random shifts of topics.
 With the aid of pronouns, subjects and topics can be consolidated, and
it is advisable that the subject-topic be concentrated towards the
beginning of the sentence
 When consolidated, subjects and topics can form what is called a Topic
String (e.g. readers, they, that, topics, etc.), with a single anchoring subject
(in this case readers)—this is a test of coherence

24. Exercise #2
 Improve the following short sentences by reducing
and consolidating subjects and topics
 New models at the back of the store, especially designer
ones, motivate consumers to empty their pockets. A feeling
of frivolity emerges when the madness subsides. Left in its
wake is the certainty that history will repeat itself next
holiday season.
 Tweet your answers (*might require two
tweets) #eatingcrows

25. ~ Errors That Impair Coherence ~
 Bogging sentences down in throat-clearing that delays the
subject/topic, e.g., “And therefore, it is important to note that, in
Eastern states since 1980, acid rain has become a serious problem.”
 When done repeatedly in the space of a single text, the focus is
obscured
 Faking coherence with strategically placed and inappropriate
conjunctions meant to create a logical connection where none exist
 e.g., “Both reporters and the president are human, however, subject to
error and favoritism.”

26. Exercise #3
 Edit/rearrange the following sentence in order to
clarify it and give its subject priority
 Moreover, it should be made known that, at the 1984 trial,
the prosecution failed to mount an adequate case against
the defendant.
 Tweet your answers #eatingcrows

27. Exercise #4
 Rectify the following passage by replacing the
conjunction with two or more better choices
 The clerk and his wife keep a registered revolver in their
dépanneur. Nevertheless, their son has furnished them with
many a firearm to keep at home.
 Tweet your answers #eatingcrows

28. ~ OVERVIEW ~
 Subjects that rehash familiar ideas/information before the introduction of
new ideas/information are key to Cohesion
 Reduce topics, consolidate with subjects and standardize with the aid of
pronouns in order to make a text coherent
The spectrum:
Clarity < Cohesion < Coherence

29. THANK YOU