Signposting — English definition
Defined in 2 courses:
- Language that shows the order and relationship of ideas. (English 6)
- Metacommentary — sentences that tell the reader where they are in the argument and how the current part relates to the thesis. (English 12: Complex Texts, Independent Inquiry & Public Voice)
Where it is taught
- Presentation, Visual Support & Response — Research, Media, Discussion & Presentation, English 6, Grade 6
- The Extended Argument — Research & Source-Based Writing, English 12: Complex Texts, Independent Inquiry & Public Voice, Grade 12
In use
A formal presentation may use more explicit signposting than a conversation, but a home dialect or accent is not evidence of weak thinking.
Presentation, Visual Support & Response
Because no reader can hold a dozen pages in mind at once, a long argument has to guide them out loud, and that is what signposting is for.
The Extended Argument
Questions using signposting
Problem 1
In a fifteen-page essay, why is explicit signposting (metacommentary) structural rather than filler?
- It removes the need to provide evidence within each section.
- It isn't; formal writing should never tell the reader what the writer is doing.
- It exists mainly to pad the page count toward a length requirement.
- Because a reader cannot hold many pages in mind at once, sentences that say where they are and how a part connects to the thesis are what keep them from drifting.
Answer and explanation
Because a reader cannot hold many pages in mind at once, sentences that say where they are and how a part connects to the thesis are what keep them from drifting.
Over a long span, metacommentary is what keeps a reader oriented and following the argument; it is not padding, forbidden, or a substitute for evidence.