Definition of Coherence Coherence

15 coherence analysis, and ways in developing coherence. This part also clarifies importance of coherence.

a. Definition of Coherence

The term coherence can be defined into some similar ideas. Initially, the word coherence has the same meaning as sticking together in a logical way McCrimmon, 1984; White, 1986 . Then, Jones 2007: 134 believes that “writing is coherent if the ideas flow smoothly from one sentence to the next sentence and the parts of the text logically relate to one another.” Similarly, Oshima and Hogue 2006: 21 believe that: For coherence in writing, the sentences must hold together, that is, the movement from one sentence to the next must be logical and smooth. There must be no sudden jumps. Each sentence should flow smoothly into the next one. Harmer 2007: 276 also believ es that “a coherent writing makes sense because you can follow the sequence of ideas.” Considering the definitions of coherence McCrimmon, 1984; White, 1986; Jones, 2007; Oshima Hogue, 2006; Harmer, 2007, this research states that coherence is a logical arrangement of ideas within a written work in which every stated idea is connected one another. The logical arrangement and connection of ideas would help readers understand as well as follow the ideas stated in a written work easily. The term coherence in a written work is also related to a paragraph level. Clearly, McCrimmon 1984: 209 points out that: 16 A paragraph is coherent when the sentences are woven together in such away that our readers can move easily from one sentence to the next and read the paragraph as an integrated whole, rather than a series of separate sentences. Identically, Smalley and Ruetten 1986 also mention that a paragraph is coherent when it contains sentences that have logical arrangement and flow smoothly. A coherent paragraph will make readers see a continuous line of thought flowing from a particular sentence to its subsequent sentence Heffernan Lincoln, 1990. Reviewing the coherent theories in a paragraph level, this research underlines that a coherent paragraph consists of integrated sentences whose relation among one sentence to other sentences should give a continuous line of thought, have a logical arrangement, and not be seen as a series of separate sentences. Based on the ideas about a coherent paragraph, the concept of coherence in a paragraph is closely related to the unity in a paragraph Bram, 1995; Oshima Hogue, 2006. Bram 1995 believes that writers can unify their paragraphs by writing mutually supported sentences in their paragraph. In this point, he asserts that in achieving the unity, writers should write a good and clear topic sentence, so they can control the flowing of information written in a paragraph and avoid writing irrelevant some information into the paragraph they write. Example [1] would illustrate the explanation Bram, 1995: 20: Melisa has chosen five possible future careers. Firstly, she wants to become a journalist for an English magazine. Her friends at campus plan to do much more challenging jobs, anyway. Secondly, she might become a dress designer. Finally, she could possibly be a tourist guide. 17 The paragraph shown in example [1] does not try to explain what the paragraph should explain. Obviously, example [1] consists of a series of separate sentences. In that case, Bram 1995: 20 believes that “if the topic sentence states that Melisa has five choices, the paragraph has to inform the readers about the five choices.” The example would clearly reflect that the logical arrangement and connection of ideas becomes the key of achieving coherence in a paragraph. In terms of unity in a paragraph, Oshima and Hogue 2006 propose a similar idea to that proposed by Bram 1995. They believe that in achieving unity, writers should also discuss only one main idea from the beginning to the end in their paragraph Oshima Hogue, 2006. If the writers write about the advantages of owning a car in their paragraph, they should also discuss the advantages of it. If they write about the disadvantages of owning a car in their paragraph, they will break the unity in the paragraph. In addition, writers should ensure that “every supporting sentence must directly explain or prove the main idea” Oshima Hogue, 2006: 18. Example [2] can illustrate the explanation on the topic sentence Oshima Hogue, 2006: 19: In a paragraph about the high cost of prescription drugs in the United States, you could mention buying drugs from pharmacies outside the United States as an alternative, but if you write several sentences about buying drugs outside the United States, you are getting off the topic, and your paragraph will not have unity. Finally, the close relation among coherence and unity in a paragraph with the coherence in a written work would firmly show that a coherent written work should consist of united paragraphs as the components of the written work. Therefore, the relation between unity and coherence cannot be separated and PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 18 should always stand together to write a coherent written work. It is confirmed by the ideas that “coherence is the overall unity of a text” Spencer Fitzgerald, 1993: 212 and is the sense of unity and flow that exists between the ideas expressed in a piece of writing” Murray Hughes, 2008: 197.

b. Idea Relationships