ENGL&102Jewell – SYNTHESIS ESSAY
Zero draft due Tuesday May 27 – Rough draft due May 29 - Final draft due Monday June 2
A synthesis is a written discussion that draws on two or more sources, finding significant meaning in the
connections between them. Your ability to write syntheses depends on your ability to infer relationships
between different works. Even more so than with an analysis, it is not about finding inferences but rather
making inferences and creating meaning.
For this essay, you may use any combination of materials (three sources minimum) we have read in class or that
you discovered in your independent research, but you must include one of the books: Literary Theory: A Very Short
Introduction, Super Sad True Love Story, The Giver, or Anthem. I encourage you first to think about what you might
want to say, what kind of purpose you might take up, before focusing on your selection of texts. Consider what
you have found interesting in class discussions, or how you might apply ideas from class to a larger question. It
does not have to be strictly about dystopian literature, but, obviously, given the selection of texts, your essay topic
will have to be related in some way (check with me if you fear you are getting too off-topic).
You can approach a synthesis in a couple of ways:
1) Lens Essay or Compare/Contrast: A lens essay uses one text to shed light on others in order to show readers
something they would not have been able to see if they had examined the texts in isolation. A compare and contrast
essay looks at related texts and attempts to make meaning based on their similarities and differences. In each case,
this kind of focus on texts often leads students to only mention what the differences or similarities are, and not
why they are important or worth comparing.
2) Inquiry: An inquiry-driven synthesis focuses first on the possible conversations that might be had in a topic
area, and then looks for ways the texts might contribute to the discussion. Start by identifying some idea, concept,
or theme that is a common thread between texts, and consider what types of questions might be asked around it.
This essay must be thesis-driven; the thesis a) constructs an argument about the relationship between the two
texts and b) answers the question, “So what?” or, “Why do/should we care?” You may include your own reaction to
these texts in the form of your own agreements, disagreements, or mixed feelings, and you are certainly allowed to
use your own experience, but the body of your paper should focus primarily on analyzing quotes or examples,
extending themes, and seeking out points of connection.
It will be impossible to create the kind of conversation this assignment demands if you treat sources separately or
produce one body paragraph about each source. Your goal is to tell a story or present a theory about the
relationships these sources have to each other. Your body paragraphs will have to be organized by ideas and treat
sources in some combination with each other.
4-6 pages, double-spaced, 12 pt Times New Roman, 1” margins. Please include your name, the date, and your class
section in the upper left hand corner of the first page. All essays should include a title and must use MLA citations
of referenced work.
Grading Rubric
Process (rough drafts, peer review, proper format)
Interesting, non-obvious, and arguable thesis that addresses source texts
Reflects critical reading of multiple texts from different perspectives
Develops meaningful connections between texts (beyond simple compare/contrast)
Thoughtful analysis and effective argument
Well-organized (by idea, not source) with clear transitions between important ideas
Proper use of MLA citation and good grammar/punctuation/spelling
TOTAL
10 pts
10 pts
10 pts
20 pts
25 pts
15 pts
10 pts
100 pts