When
you are getting ready on your essay, there are a lot of things on your mind.
You have to write a strong intro, do research, use good vocabulary, make
arguments, etc. Sometimes students forget about the simplest of things. Sign
posting is one of those simple things that are usually taken for granted, but
when viewed from a reader’s perspective, they carry a huge importance. Your
reader has to know what is being referred to at some particular point. Many
people who have written a lot of essays don’t even know what signposting is!
Signposting
is actually using words in an essay to tell the readers about the content. For
example, “This essay explores the theoretical and practical approaches to
communication” is a sentence that gives
you a clear cut indication about what the readers are going to read about
throughout the essay, but it does not mention any content itself.
Among
the types of signposting, small-scale and large-scale signpostings are done on
different levels. The signposting done on a small scale refers to using one or
two words or a phrase to show the reader
where you are going with your argument. Words like “However” and “hence” are
common examples of small scale signposting. Large-scale signposting is using a
full fledge sentence to signal what the coming paragraph is about. The example
quoted in the second paragraph is
essentially an example of large-scale signposting.
There
are a lot of ways to ensure effective use of signposting in essay writing. Firstly, you must ensure
that you use a variety of words for small-scale signposting. For example, the
words “hence” and “thus” can be used interchangeably. Secondly, you should use the large-scale
signposting sentences at the start of the paragraph. This would help the reader know about what
the whole paragraph is about. Thirdly, try to keep sign posting in check. Yes,
it helps your essay a lot, but too much of it can make your essay look messy.
There should be a perfect balance between signposting and the content.
Fourthly, whenever you proofread your essay, make sure you pay special
attention to your signposts. If any of them goes wrong, it can change the whole
direction or meaning of your essay. And
finally, make sure that you are smart with your choice of signposts. Read about
them on the internet so that you know in what specific sense they are used in
the English language.
