signal phrases

Examples of signal phrases in the following topics:

• MLA: In-Text Citations and Parentheticals

  • If you choose, you can integrate the author’s name into the sentence itself—this is known as a "signal phrase"—and provide just the page number in parentheses:
  • If an author has multiple publications that you want to cite in the same sentence, include the author's name in a signal phrase and the titles of the referenced sources instead in the parentheticals:

• APA: In-Text Citations and Parentheticals

  • If you choose, you can integrate the author’s name into the sentence itself—this is known as a "signal phrase"—and provide just the year in parentheses:
  • If you choose to use a signal phrase instead, use the word “and” rather than an ampersand:

• Transitions, Signal Phrases, and Pointing Words

  • Within paragraphs, transitions tend to be single words or short phrases.
  • Also within paragraphs, signal phrases alert the reader that he or she is about to read referenced material, such as a quotation, a summation of a study, or statistics verifying a claim.
  • Ideally, your signal phrases will connect the idea of the paragraph to the information from the outside source.
  • Such phrases prepare the reader to receive information from an authoritative source and subconsciously signal the reader to process what follows as evidence in support of the point being made.
  • Here are some common signal-phrase verbs: acknowledges, adds, admits, argues, asserts, believes, claims, confirms, contends, declares, denies, disputes, emphasizes, grants, implies, insists, notes, observes, points out, reasons, refutes, rejects, reports, responds, suggests, thinks, writes.

• Highlighting the Main Points

  • Textual cues relate to the content of the speech: signal words and phrases, examples, anecdotes, and selections of text that appear on a slide or handout.
  • Visual aids such as slides, handouts, and posters are excellent ways to highlight key phrases, definitions, quotes, and lists.
  • You can save time with an outline that converts easily into visual aids: remember this when you choose subject headings, definitions, quotes, and key phrases.
  • Signal words and phrases are designed to command attention.
  • Here are some examples of signal words and phrases that will alert your audience to pay attention: important, noteworthy, crucial, vital, major, principal, primary, central, valuable, defining, distinctive, relevant, above all, in the end

• Using Signal Verbs that Fit the Action

  • Within the body of an essay, deploying specific phrases can assist the reader in tracking the movement of your argument.
  • Within the body of an essay, deploying specific phrases can assist the reader in tracking the movement of your argument.
  • Including phrases such "to begin" or "in conclusion" signal larger argumentative transitions, while phrases such as "in other words" or "it is worth noting that" tend to be used to elaborate smaller, more local claims.
  • Use signal verbs and phrases to point your reader in the right direction.
  • List phrases you can use to assist the reader in tracking the movement of your argument

• Making Concessions

  • Indicate these difficulties with a phrase that signals your concession.
  • Here are some other phrases you can use to respond to this sort of objection:
  • No matter what phrases you use to make concessions, your goal is the same: To demonstrate that you have considered the opposing viewpoint fairly, that you can recognize when the opposition brings up a good point, and that your argument still holds true despite this valid objection .

• Components of a Speech: Main Points, Introduction, Conclusion, and Transitions

  • On a written page, formatting provides a helpful road map: the reader sees topic headings, paragraph breaks, and other visual cues that signal transitions naturally.
  • Speakers can replicate these cues and signal transitions using visual aids and body language, but it will take more conscious effort than simply hitting "enter" to create a paragraph break.
  • Speakers can emphasize transition points with visual aids, body language, vocal delivery, and transitional words and phrases.
  • These words and phrases signal a change, giving the audience a "heads up" about an upcoming transition:

• Incorporating Your Sources Into Your Paper

  • Direct quotations are words and phrases that are taken directly from another source, and then used word-for-word in your paper.
  • If you incorporate a direct quotation from another author's text, you must put that quotation or phrase in quotation marks to indicate that it is not your language.
  • When paraphrasing, you may put any part of a source (such as a phrase, sentence, paragraph, or chapter) into your own words.
  • It is common to use a mixture of paraphrased text and quoted words or phrases, as long as the direct quotations are inside of quotation marks.
  • Signaling who is saying what is an important part of the writing process.

• Types of Transitions

  • Various types of transactions include: transitional phrases, internal previews, internal summaries, and signposts.
  • Transitional Phrase: A word or phrase that indicates when a speaker has finished one thought and is moving onto another one.
  • Internal previews are more detailed than simple transitional phrases, but serve a similar function.
  • Differentiate between and give examples of transitional phrases, internal previews, internal summaries, and signposts

• Melodic Phrases

  • A musical phrase is actually a lot like a grammatical phrase.
  • How do you spot a phrase in a melody?
  • In vocal music, the musical phrases tend to follow the phrases and sentences of the text.
  • Often, phrases come in definite pairs, with the first phrase feeling very unfinished until it is completed by the second phrase, as if the second phrase were answering a question asked by the first phrase.
  • When phrases come in pairs like this, the first phrase is called the antecedent phrase, and the second is called the consequent phrase.