Link your ideas effectively

Linking words show the reader the logical relationship between your ideas. In the above paragraph, some of the linking words and phrases include:

The type of assignment question that you are responding to will affect the types of logical relationships between your ideas, and therefore the types of linking words you use.

Frequent use of key words from the assignment question also helps ensure that you are answering the question. For example, notice how the key words from the following assignment question have been used regularly in this paragraph to make it clear how the question is being answered:

What are the causes of diabetes and how can they be managed?

One factor that can cause diabetes is poor diet, which refers to the consumption of sugar and fats that outweighs the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and grains (Edmund, 2019). Carrie (2020) argues that diabetes can be managed by eating a healthier diet, such as increasing the intake of wholegrains and vegetables, and reducing the intake of processed foods that are high in sugar and salt. However, diabetes is not only caused by behavioural factors. Research shows that genes also play a key role in determining the onset of diabetes (Smith, 2020). As a result, Smith has argued that dietary changes may not be enough to manage diabetes, and instead advocates for gene therapy as a more effective solution. In summary, it is clear that management of diabetes must take into account all possible causes.

You also need to show how the ideas in different paragraphs are linked to each other. This can be done by using key words from the assignment question in the topic sentence of each paragraph. A suitable topic sentence for a follow-up paragraph to the example above, also using key words (or synonyms), would be:

Another common reason that people become diabetic is lack of exercise.

Similarly, to show the reader that the second part of the question is also being adequately addressed, key words can again be used.

The most effective ways to manage diabetes are to make improvements to diet and increase the amount of exercise.

The next paragraph would do the same.

Another way of limiting the impact of diabetes is to conduct gene testing at a young age.