Signposting
What is Signposting?
Signposting is making use of words or phrases to guide the reader
through your argument or discussion to show how the parts of your
document are connected. There are two main types of signposting:
 Major signposts
 Minor Signposts
Major Signposts
Major signposts outline the overall structure of the text. They act like
a map that lets the reader know what to expect and how the
argument or discussion will unfold. They often appear in
introductions, topic sentences and conclusions. Their purpose is to
show the reader the order in which the topics will be discussed and
how they fit together.
Examples of Major Signposts
 “This essay will first analyse the causes of water scarcity in rural
areas, then explore its social and economic impacts, before
finally discussing strategies for sustainable water
management.”
 “In the next section, the methodology will be outlined…”
 “The following chapter will focus on the case study of
Indonesia…”
 “Finally, this essay will conclude by evaluating possible
solutions…”
These examples all show what will be discussed as you read the
document.
Minor Signposts
Minor signposts are words and phrases that link sentences and
paragraphs. They don’t map out the entire document but instead
they guide the reader step by step, showing connections such as
contrast, similarity, sequence or cause and effect. They mainly
appear within sentences and paragraphs. Their purpose is to make
transitions between different ideas smooth, prevent confusion and
to clarify the relationships between different ideas.
Examples of Minor Signposting
 “Water scarcity affects rural and urban areas differently.
However, in rural regions the impact is often more severe due
to limited infrastructure.”
 “Firstly, secondly, thirdly” (to show sequence).
 “For example…” or “for instance…” (to introduce evidence).
 “As a result…” “therefore” (to show cause and effect).
 “In contrast…” or “on the other hand” (to show difference).
All the examples guide the reader step by step through the
document and make the document easier to follow.
Summary
To summarise, signposting is the use of guiding words and phrases
that help readers follow the structure of a document. Major
signposts create a map for the overall structure of the document
which outlines what will be discussed and in what order while minor
signposts connect ideas in the document through the use of linking
words such as “however”, “as a result”, among others.