In the kitchen, chefs and home cooks know the magic of baking is about artful combinations. Winning recipes blend ingredients to create tastier treats than their components. Successful mixtures also fuse well and integrate the right flavors. The same is true in writing. When elements of a composition work for a common purpose, connecting correlating ideas consistently, the result is a unified, cohesive, and “delicious” original piece that is more than the sum of its parts.

Make a Whole “PIE”

Like a recipe, every written work needs an overarching goal, with multiple sections acting in concert. As flour, butter, or milk alone cannot form a biscuit, a disconnected introduction, body, or conclusion does not compose a unified essay. If a paper lacks connections between the required portions of an assignment, the outcome will be more akin to a list of ingredients than a complete product. Lists leave readers feeling bored or confused about the point. Therefore, each part of an essay must unite around a consistent theme.

Bakers employ binding agents, and writers do too. A thesis or central idea holds everything together when incorporated throughout an essay. Within the first paragraph (the introduction), an effective thesis presents a claim about a topic and briefly states reinforcing details. Body paragraphs then elaborate on one detail at a time in the same order mentioned. It is also helpful to structure paragraphs around the PIE (point, illustrate, explain) method (Clements, n.d.). This means starting each paragraph with a topic sentence that matches a point of the thesis, illustrating the concept with examples or evidence, and explaining how that information relates to the overall contention of the thesis. Summarizing with a concluding paragraph that echoes the thesis is like frosting on a cake. It all comes together in a meaningful and satisfying way because every segment combines to create a well-connected whole.

Use Quality Ingredients and Complementary Flavors

If a flavor fails to complement other ingredients in a dish, a cook would be wise to omit it. Similarly, writers should remove anything that does not link to their thesis. For example, research about fine motor development is unnecessary for a thesis highlighting the importance of modeling critical thinking skills in early childhood. However, information about cognition would be appropriate since it corresponds to critical thinking. Likewise, writers should only include high-quality evidence to emphasize points. The best chefs source fresh, first-rate ingredients. The best writers ensure evidence is up-to-date, credible, and complementary to the topic.

Combine with Care

Beyond evidence or thesis, synthesizing sentences and paragraphs calls for cohesion. Jago (2002) says this happens when “separate pieces stick or cling firmly to one another” (p. 1). In general, logical sequencing ties a text together. Across sentences, Witte and Faigley (1981) recommend keeping verb forms consistent. They also note the usefulness of joining clauses with conjunctions. Examples include, however, when, whether, although, and before or after. Showing relationships between paragraphs might involve repeating key phrases or transitional language. The Purdue Global Writing Center offers guidance on these methods and others here. The American Psychological Association also publishes an excellent guide to transitions. Much like checking cooking instructions, consulting guides or resources is a superb strategy for producing cohesive compositions.

Enjoy!

Bakers and writers can fine-tune their crafts with patience, practice, and attention. In baking, a wonderful world of flavors exists. It is their combination that delights. The same principle applies to writing. Words, sentences, and paragraphs can invent original thinking when ordered with intent. Writers who see their work as an intact whole, centered around a single theme, carefully selecting, organizing, and joining text and ideas, will enjoy a unified and cohesive “treat” unlike any other when they finish.

References

Clements, K. (n.d.). (Host). Paragraph development with PIE podcast [Audio podcast]. Academic Success Center, Purdue Global. https://campus.purdueglobal.edu/media/paragraph-development-with-pie-podcast

Jago, C. (2002). Cohesive writing: Why concept Is not enough. Heinemann.

Witte, S. P., & Faigley, L. (1981). Coherence, cohesion, and writing quality. College Composition and Communication, 32(2), 189–204. https://doi.org/10.2307/356693