Signposting in academic writing: the art of guiding your reader

When writing an academic text, it’s not only the clarity of your ideas and the strength of your research that matter but also how easily your reader can follow your work. This is where signposting comes into play. So, what exactly is signposting, and how can it be used more effectively?

What is Signposting?

Signposting refers to the set of words and phrases used to make your writing clearer and more accessible. Anyone who has done a bit of research on academic writing in English knows how crucial these guiding expressions are for crafting a coherent and flowing text. Phrases like however, therefore, for example, and as noted above help the reader understand where they are in the text and where the discussion is heading. Like a map, signposting allows the reader to travel alongside the writer.

However, in many basic English writing guides, signposting is reduced to a list of specific words and phrases. This reduction not only misleads academic writers but also traps their texts in formulaic and overly technical language, weakening readability. But signposting is not just a matter of vocabulary lists; here, I suggest treating it as a method in its own right.

Signposting Fallacy

One of the most common signposting techniques is introducing the structure of a paper in a sequential manner:

"This article is structured as follows. First, I outline the historical background [of …]. Next, I discuss key theoretical frameworks, [including … and …]. Then, I present case studies, followed by an examination of critiques. Finally, I summarize the main findings and suggest future directions."

Many of you probably think this structure, especially common in article abstracts, is quite effective. My students seem to think so too, as they love writing their assignments using this exact template, despite all my guidance. Even worse, most of them believe that this introductory section is their argument. If you also think so, keep reading.

Renowned scholar Steven Pinker, a Canadian-American psycholinguist and authority on academic writing, refers to this style in his book The Sense of Style not as good signposting but as metadiscourse—that is, “chatter about chatter” (Pinker, A Sense of Style, 2014). While writers may believe they’re guiding their readers with this structure, what they’re actually doing is narrating their own thinking process. Indeed, what the reader really needs is the clearest and most concise presentation of the topic.

According to Pinker, this common mistake among “novice” writers stems from classical rhetoric. In long speeches, such techniques were used to maintain the audience’s attention. But in written texts, this approach is unnecessary. In everyday conversation, we don’t categorize or sequence everything we say beforehand.

How to Use Signposting More Naturally and Effectively

This doesn’t mean signposting should be discarded altogether. On the contrary, instead of relying on excessive wording and artificial transitions, you can make your writing more readable through evocative language and well-chosen phrases. The key is to simplify your writing, use signposting expressions sparingly, and favor wording and sentence structures that foreground your research content.

For example:

Clichéd version: “This section explores the factors influencing shifts in teaching methodologies.”

More natural alternative: “What causes teaching methodologies to evolve over time?”

Now let’s consider this paragraph:

In this example, the data and main argument are presented clearly and fluently, without relying on redundant technical jargon. There’s a natural flow between this paragraph and the ones before and after it. Even when read in isolation, the paragraph gives the reader a good sense of the broader discussion. Interestingly, not even linking words such as because, therefore, or however are used. This is a signposting approach that lets the reader focus directly on the topic.

In short, rather than filling your academic writing with artificial signposting phrases, using evocative wording that naturally shows the connection between ideas will make your writing stronger. Drawing your reader’s attention not to long-winded explanations but to your actual content will make your scholarly work more effective and engaging.

So, are you willing to try this approach in your own writing?