Based on our concern for the number of doctoral students who abandon their program at the thesis writing stage, we focused our research on the academic support given by supervisors, in particular concerning textual coherance. We examined the way in which electronic communication aids in the development of reference continuity and thematic progression. We referred to concepts of academic support as well as textual coherence. The study was restricted to a doctoral supervisor and five doctoral candidates. We tracked the electronic interactions and examined how they facilitated the students’ development of textual coherence. An analysis of discursive interactions led to the following results: exchanges focusing on referential continuity and thematic progression were numerous, as was feedback supporting the students’ deepening understanding of textual coherance. The doctoral students in question were guided to make connections between the theory and their own data analysis as well as to make adjustments to their scientific reasoning.