Language of Learning and Teaching

(HLLT022)
Second Semester 2022

Lesson 7
 Cohesion and Coherence in Academic
Writing
Lesson objectives

Develop an understanding of what academic writing is.

Draw distinctions between cohesion and coherence.

Understand the significance of cohesion and coherence in academic

writing.
 Defining academic writing
•Is any type of writing conducted within a science of knowledge,
particularly within the academic settings.

•This includes books, journals, articles, conference paper, book

chapters etc.

•It is different from personal and creative writing in that it is discipline-

specific and evidence-based.
Defining academic writing…
•It requires us to demonstrate scientific knowledge and understanding of
our subject matter (phenomenon), as well as skills of synthesising and
presenting information within specific disciplines.

•It is often done to fulfil specific requirements in a discipline, a college,

university or conference and publication.
Academic writing as a “Literacy Task” (Irvin, 2010)
•Irvin (2010) describes academic writing as a complex literacy task
that encapsulates two key elements/characteristics: arguments and
analysis.
•Academic writing as an argument:
•This implies that an academic text must be based on valid arguments
•The arguments must be supported by evidence and citations to
enhance understanding to the reader.
•Unlike colloquial arguments, in academic writing, arguments are not
supported for one to win a case.
Academic writing as an argument…

•Academic writing as an argument suggests that writers should be

open-minded and consider that others may disagree with their
views.
•Thus, the main aim of writing in this view is to present arguments,
evidence and conclusions that can help both sides to understand a
phenomenon much better.
•Arguments may be supported by statistics, literature, demographics,
multimodal evidence, citations and references.
 Academic writing as an analysis
•Academic writing is a process that involves analysing one’s viewpoint and
those of others.
•In academic writing as an analysis we yearn to answer the ‘how and why’
questions more than the ‘what’ questions.
•Academic writing as an analysis involves three important activities (Irvin,
2010: 10):
•1. “engaging in an open inquiry where the answer is not known at first”
•2. “identifying the meaningful parts of the subject”
•3. “examining the separate parts and determining how they relate each
other”
Academic writing as an analysis…
•Academic writers should always consider their audience, purpose, organisation,
style, flow and presentation.
•Audience are the target populations to which you intend to convey your message
(WHO).
•The purpose speaks to the writer’s aim of writing a text (WHY).
•Organisation, style, flow and presentation speak to HOW the writer structures their
text.
•Essay – Introduction, body and conclusion.
•Research proposal – background statement, problem statement, literature review,
theoretical framework, methodology…
•Research report: declaration, dedication, acknowledgement, abstract, chapters, appendices
What to avoid in academic writing

•Colloquial language: (I don’t know nothing, I ain’t doin nothing, I wl c

u 2mrw @ 8, I cnt w8 2 c u).
•Contractions: I’m (Im or am), can’t (cant), don’t (dont), won’t
(wont), couldn’t (couldnt), didn’t (didn’t) etc.
•Negating statements, multi-word or phrasal verbs and redundant
statements.
•N.B. writers should have a good flow of connected ideas in their
texts.
Cohesion and Coherence

•Cohesion and coherence are important for presenting a

flow of ideas and inter-relating our thoughts in writing.
•They help writers and readers to determine relationships
between ideas represented through sentences, paragraphs
and chapters.
Cohesion

“Cohesion refers to the relations of meaning that exist

within the text, and is expressed through the striatal
organization of the text… It occurs where the interpretation
of some elements in the text is dependent on that of
another” (Halliday & Hasan, 1976: 4).
 Cohesion
•It occurs where the interpretation of some elements in the
text is dependent on that of another.
E.g., The state of literacy in South Africa is in turmoil.
However, the implementation of Annual National
Assessments seems to give promise to finding remedy for
the literacy crisis.
Load shedding affected my test yesterday. Therefore, I had
to write two hours after the test was posted.
Cohesive devices/ties

In our use of cohesive devices/ties we need to know their different

purposes:
e.g., Comparison: also, equally, similarly, likewise, compared with…
Addition: And, also, additionally, in addition, further, furthermore, in
that regard…
Exemplification: For example, for instance, to name a few…
Cohesive devices/ties

Sequencing: Firstly, Secondly, then, thence, thereafter…

Result: As a result, resultantly, consequently, as such, therefore,
because, thus, hence…
Contrast: In comparison, in contrast, on the other hand, conversely…
Qualifying: But, however, although, (even) though, except, unless…
Reformulation: In other words, put more simply, that is to say, rather,
in simple terms…
Cohesive devices/ties…

Highlighting: In particular, especially, selectively, in emphasis,

above all…
Transition: Turning to, with regards to/regarding, with reference to,
as far as 1 is concerned…
Two types of cohesion (Grammatical and lexical
cohesion).
Grammatical cohesion refers to the cohesive tie that binds two
independent clauses based on the grammatical systems of a language,
i.e., reference, substitution, ellipsis and conjunctions.
E.G., Your pair of jeans is very nice! Where did you buy it? – reference
Are you going to attend the meeting today? If so, what about you be the
chairperson? – substitution
We can have the fifth assessment if we need to. - ellipses
My students passed the test. However, there were just few with
distinctions. – conjunctions.
Lexical cohesion
Lexical cohesion refers to the use of the same vocabulary or
semantically related vocabulary to connect ideas.
Lexical cohesion can be noted through reiteration, repetition, synonyms,
superordinate/general word.
E.g., I have a puppy. The pup is black. – reiteration.
I have a puppy. The puppy is black. – repetition.
I have a puppy. The baby dog is black. – synonyms.
I have a puppy. The dog/baby dog is black. –superordinate/general word.
Coherence in academic writing
•Yule (2008) views, “Coherence is everything fitting together well, and it
is not something that exists in words or structures, but something that
exists in people” (p 126).
•Coherence is the result of the interpretation of the meaning of the text,
and it depends on the relation between the audience and the text
(Tanskanen, 2006).
•The coherence of a text can be perceived only if the reader’s
background knowledge is sufficient enough to interpret the linkage of
messages in the discourse.
Coherence…
•Example: Teachers have difficulties teaching through the remote
models. They should be trained to improve on these skills.
•In cohesion: Teachers have difficulties teaching through the remote
models. They should be trained to improve on these skills.
•In coherence: Teachers have difficulties teaching through the remote
models. It is advisable that they be given proper training to improve on
these skills.
•In cohesion, the surface elements appear connectedly, whereas in
coherence, the elements of knowledge or sense appear to form
conceptual connectivity.
Coherence…
•The fact that a text has countless cohesive devices or connectors does
not mean that it is coherent.
•E.g. The escalating figures of tavern shootings are a nightmare.
Additionally, it will end if police take good action against the
perpetrators.
-The escalating figures of tavern shootings are a nightmare. It will end if
police take good action against the perpetrators.
•A highly cohesive text with lots of connections and ties may cause
difficulty in the interpretation of the message (Yule, 2008).
Conclusion

•Thus, a text can have connecting devices but still lack coherence.
•On the other hand, although coherence without cohesion might be
possible, it unusual in academic writing to find a coherent text without
cohesive devices.
•Thus, coherence depends on the interaction of cohesive devices called
cohesive harmony.
•Cohesion and coherence are independent, but are intertwined to
create more comprehensible texts.
End of lesson.
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS