Rhetorical Devices for Transitions

Some writers may argue that logically moving from one point to another in a piece of writing is important. However, I’d argue that moving a reader from one point to another in a piece of writing is even more important. This is where the idea of transitions comes into play, and this is my topic for today. In previous articles related to rhetorical devices, I included several uncommon words. Today, I’ll be doing the same, but of course, the words are not as important as the concepts, and the concepts are easy to understand. As usual, there are resources at the end for further reading.

Procatalepsis

When a writer anticipates objections and then addresses those concerns, the writer is using procatalepsis (or prolepsis). If done properly, it can create a form of a back-and-forth conversational dialogue.

Procatalepsis I: It may be objected that _______. However, such an objection does not hold because _______. 

Procatalepsis II: Opponents to this idea may say_______. Such an objection misrepresents _______.

Procatalepsis III: A common argument on this idea is _______. An argument like that, however, overlooks _______.

Anticipated objections are generally summarized in one or two sentences. Anything longer is a bit much. The focus should be on the rebuttal or response. Since the response is the focus, the writer should take as much space as needed to explain. Procatalepsis can be useful in creating the structure of a paragraph or even an entire section of an essay.

Metabasis

Metabasis (also called transitio) is a way of giving a summary statement about points previously made. Summary statements help readers stay focused on the point you are trying to make. Certain stock words or phrases are generally used for summary statements and the follow-ups. Below are a few structures to keep in mind.

Metabasis I: Up to this point, I have introduced_______, but now, I’d like to consider the effect of _______ in our work.

Metabasis II: In the previous paragraphs, we have explored _______. At this point, I’d like to focus more on _______.

Metabasis III: After having discussed _______, let’s look a bit more closely at _______.

Metabasis is made of two distinct parts. The first is a signal to mark where the summary begins, and the second is a signal to mark the new discussion point. Given that metabasis makes use of a summary with a follow-up discussion point, it works best in longer works. It would be out of place in a short essay (fewer than five pages) since a short essay is in itself a summary of the writer’s thoughts. Use metabasis sparingly; depending on the nature of your work, a two-hundred-page dissertation could probably benefit with a few uses, but for a ten- or twenty-page essay, just one (maybe two) would likely suffice.

Hypophora

Hypophora (also subjectio) refers to using a question or several questions to move an argument forward. Honestly, it is my least favorite transitional device because it is often lazily applied. Question transitions need to be naturally included to stimulate curiosity. Throwing in a random question simply because you couldn’t think of something to move to a new topic is a poor approach. Rather than positioning a transition like “Why is ABC important? ABC is important because _______,” try to make better use of hypophora with the following ideas.

Hypophora I: A question that generally arises at this point is _______.

Hypophora II: This idea brings up the question of _______.

Hypophora III: Now, we can better see the issue of _______.

Hypophora can be useful and practical. It is one of the easiest transitional devices to employ. However, don’t be lazy with it. Use it only when it makes sense to do so; use ideas based on the examples given above; and most of all, use your creativity.

Conclusion

There are many ways to signal transitions in your work. Today, I highlighted three. Using transitions helps readers better navigate your thought process, giving you a better conduit to express your ideas.

References

Harris, Robert A. 2018. Writing with Clarity and Style: A Guide to Rhetorical Devices for Contemporary Writers. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.

Lanham, Richard A. 1991. A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms. 2nd ed. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Quinn, Arthur. 1982. Figures of Speech: 60 Ways to Turn a Phrase. Salt Lake City: Gibbs M. Smith, Inc.