Summarize the Cohesion Transcript, make it short, keep it relevant
A STUDENT sits at a desk with a tablet and some balls of colored clay.
STUDENT: Cohesion. It’s what makes everything stick together. Without cohesion, your essay would be just a bunch of disconnected bits. When your pieces have cohesion, they all work together, and it feels like one essay, not a bunch of pieces.
The STUDENT tears off parts of clay and mixes various colors together.
STUDENT: So, how do you do that with your essay? Look at every sentence from the point of view of your reader. Can you tell why this sentence was included and how it relates to the other sentences? Does anything seem confusing or out of place? If so, try adding or rearranging words, phrases, or clauses to show how everything goes together. Here’s an example from my essay arguing that students should be encouraged to take a walk outside between assignments.
The STUDENT reads aloud from the tablet.
STUDENT: Some people believe that taking a walk during the day is just wasted time. According to one study, students are more productive after exercise. How could I create cohesion?
The STUDENT adds more different colored clay to the growing ball.
STUDENT: I got it! I could add a phrase to the beginning of the second sentence.
The STUDENT types on her tablet.
STUDENT: Some people believe that taking a walk during the day is just wasted time. They may be surprised to learn that according to one study, students are more productive after exercise. That introductory clause shows that the study contradicts the opposing viewpoint. Let’s think of another one...
STUDENT: Oh! Okay, so you could combine and rephrase the sentence. Despite some people’s belief that taking a walk during the day is just wasted time, in reality, a walk makes people more productive, according to one study. By making the first sentence into a dependent clause using the word despite, you’re emphasizing the second fact, that a walk makes students more productive, which helps support your claim.
STUDENT: After you’ve written a draft of your essay, go over it again, make sure the ideas are cohesive, so everything can really stick together!
The STUDENT presents the multicolored colored ball of clay to the camera.