Synthesis Essay
Definition, Expectations, How To,
etc.
What is Synthesis? (simple words)
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Synthesis happens when two or more
sources combine in a meaningful way to
back up a student’s (writer’s)
argument/thesis.
It’s your ideas supported by a “chorus” of
sources.
Synthesis in Everyday Life
Question: Do you want to see this movie?
 Sources:
1. Rotten Tomatoes
2. Trailer
3. Rolling Stone
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What is Synthesis?
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Written discussion that draws on one or more
sources.
Your ability to write syntheses depends on your
ability to infer relationships among sources essays, articles, fiction, and also nonwritten
sources, such as lectures, interviews,
observations.
In an academic synthesis, you make explicit the
relationships that you have inferred among
separate sources.
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What “explicit relationship” will you be inferring for this
assignment?
Purpose of Synthesis
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Evaluate texts
Argue a position/theme on a topic
Compare and contrast items
Explain cause and effect relationships (not
necessarily for this assignment).
Using Sources
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Determine what parts are applicable to your
thesis (theme)
Relate/connect/combine then to one
another
Your purpose of writing will help you
connect the sources and know at what
point in your essay to use them
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What is the point of your essay?
Key Features of a Synthesis
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Accurately reports information from the
sources using different phrases and
sentences
Organized in such a way that the readers
can immediately see where the information
from the sources overlap
Makes sense of the sources and helps a
reader understand them in greater depth
Standards for Synthesis Essays
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You are using your sources to support
your ideas and claims, not the other way
around.
Original thought and insightful analysis are
required
Will create an ongoing “dialogue” between
the student’s ideas and his/her sources
and also among the sources themselves.
Standards (cont).
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Address audience appropriately. Establish
credibility and provide sufficient
information.
Organize your paper logically (Explained
later)
Select words precisely with sentences clear
and unambiguous.
Standards (cont.)
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Avoid passive voice, stay in same verb
tense, person (no you or I), comma errors,
spelling, etc. PROOF READ
MLA Documentation. Check, double
check, triple check.
Descriptive and attention-getting title
Proper format and posted to your web site
correctly
Understanding Synthesis – Activity
1. Come up with a list of words or phrases
that can be used to show the relationships
between sources:
How to Write a Synthesis Essay
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Introduction (one short paragraph)
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One sentence statement that sums up the focus
of your synthesis (provided!)
Introduces the texts to be synthesized
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Title of each source
Name of author
Sometimes, includes background about authors,
texts or general topic from which texts are drawn
Example Thesis
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J.K Rowling’s life experiences, novels,
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
as well as an article by R.P. Bailey, “Harry
Potter, literary insult or revolutionary tale”
demonstrate that the stories are more than
pop-culture fantasy but an exploration of
bullying and its effects on young adults,
which remains a prominent theme in
teenage life world-wide.
The Body
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This should be organized by theme, point,
similarity or aspect of the topic.
Your organization will be determined by
either key points, or the material you are
synthesizing.
Each Paragraph:
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Topic sentence that relates to the thesis
and states the key idea of the paragraph
Includes information from more than one
source
Each idea is supported and developed by
textual detail/direct quotations
In text citations
Concluding/Transitional Sentence
Conclusion
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Reminds readers of the theme and the
connection amongst the texts
Impact and relevance to today
References sources one last time
Questions for Synthesis
1. Is the relationship between sources made clear?
2. Are synthesis words or phrases used to link two
or more different sources?
3. Does the synthesis word or phrase accurately
summarize the relationship between /among
sources?
4. Does synthesized source material overwhelm
your voice?