Roadmap and Transitions

Good essay writers guide their readers. In the first or second paragraph they give the reader a roadmap for the essay.  The old saw,"Tell them what you will say, say it, and tell them what you said" is good advice.  Along the way good essay writers provide signposts or transitions that direct the reader. 

Here is a link to the final version of a sample student moral philosophy paper: http://www.williams.edu/philosophy/fourth_layer/faculty_pages/jcruz/moraltutor/5thFinal.html

Go through it to locate the roadmap and transitional phrase/sentences that make it an effective essay.

Jim Pryor has excellent advice about writing philosophy papers at http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html   Note the section entitled:  "Make the structure of your paper obvious."

To learn more about transitions in general, to to this helpful handout on transitions:   http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/transitions.html

Here is a link to the excellent complete Cruz moral philosophy paper writing tutor:   Writing papers for introductory moral philosophy courses .