Cohesion and Clarity
12- 3
Look at the characteristics of linear writing and nonlinear writing:
Linear writing
▪
Is sequential.
▪ States the thesis or topic first (that is, it has a hypothesis or topic sentence). ▪ Narrowly restricts the supporting evidence to the topic. ▪ Is deductive.
Nonlinear writing, on the other hand, ▪ Is digressive or circular. ▪ States the thesis or topic last or only implies it. ▪ Loosely connects the supporting evidence. ▪ Is inductive.
Writing Linear Paragraphs
The principles of linear writing apply to paragraphs and sections of a manuscript, as well as to manuscripts as a whole. The paragraph below is an example of linear writing. The topic is stated in the first sentence (in bold), and the next sentences all support or relate back to that sentence. How a polyQ tract contributes to aggregate formation and how the aggregates promote disease progression are still under debate . On the one hand, polyQ proteins either on their own or in aggregates are neurotoxic in vitro and in vivo, supporting the notion that the polyQ tract is a critical structural component of pathogenesis. On the other hand, comparison of triplet repeat diseases has not yielded a simple correlation between polyQ tract length and clinical progression, and the cells most affected in these diseases often are not the sites of maximal polyQ aggregate formation. These findings imply that the aggregates themselves may be a symptom arising from the aberrant protein rather than a primary component of the pathogenic mechanism. (From Heintz, 2003*)
(*References are included at the end of this chapter.)
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