Signposting

Signposting tells readers how the current move connects to what came before and to the argument’s larger route.

路标式表达让读者知道当前内容怎样承接前文，以及它位于整条论证路线的什么位置。

Three Functions

look back -> state the current move -> point forward

A strong topic sentence can summarize its paragraph, bridge from the previous section, and indicate progress relative to the thesis or organizational statement.

Common Forms

• subordinate clause: compress earlier material before introducing the new emphasis;
• question and answer: turn description into a new analytical problem;
• bridge sentence: connect an earlier condition to a later development;
• pivot: acknowledge one direction, then turn toward the writer’s main claim.

Signposting is not the same as filling the essay with first, second, or moreover. Logical relationships should carry the connection whenever possible.

Connections

• Local logic: Paragraph Coherence
• Reader guidance: Reader-Centered Writing
• Essay map: Thesis Statement
• Source lecture: 大学写作第 2 课 - 段落连贯、引用整合与改述