SHS
PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1
Quarter 1 - Module 17
Putting All the Pieces Together
Practical Research 1
Quarter 1 – Module 17– Putting All the Pieces Together
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Reviewers: Lany M. Abainza and MASBATE PROVINCE DIVISION
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MODULE 17
Putting All the Pieces Together
(Synthesizing Information from Relevant Literature)
Hello! It’s me again, Teacher Jill.
Welcome back to the Practical Research 1 class.
You have made a lot of progress.
But there are still a lot of lessons in store for you.
I know it is quite daunting to gather a bulk of information from relevant
literature. However, it is one of the most essential parts of conducting a
study. Today, we will explore another useful topic in the world of
research.
Objectives: Specifically, after working on this module, you should be able to:
1. Define synthesis.
2. Apply the key considerations in synthesizing information.
3. Synthesize information from relevant literature.
YOUR READINESS CHECK
Before we start, let’s see how well you know the topic. Do this on a separate sheet of
paper.
I. Which do you think is the synthesized example between these paragraphs below?
A.
Franz (2008) studied undergraduate online students. He looked at 17 females
and 18 males and found that none of them liked APA. According to Franz, the
evidence suggested that all students are reluctant to learn citations style. Perez
(2010) also studies undergraduate students. She looked at 42 females and 50
males and found that males were significantly more inclined to use citation
software (p < .05). Findings suggest that females might graduate sooner.
Goldstein (2012) looked at British undergraduates. Among a sample of 50, all
females, all confident in their abilities to cite and were eager to write their
dissertations.
The Chicago School
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B.
Studies of undergraduate students reveal conflicting conclusions regarding
relationships between advanced scholarly study and citation efficacy. Although
Franz (2008) found that no participants enjoyed learning citation style, Goldstein
(2012) determined in a larger study that all participants watched felt comfortable
citing sources, suggesting that variables among participant and control group
populations must be examined more closely. Although Perez (2010) expanded on
Franz's original study with a larger, more diverse sample...
The Chicago School
II. Cite at least three reasons why you think it is the synthesized example.
1. ______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
How well did you do in your readiness check?
Well done if you were able to give three reasons! But, don’t worry
if you only provided one reason from the task because there are
a lot of activities in store for you.
YOUR VOCABULARY BUILDER
In this lesson, you will encounter new words like:
relevant
literature
synthesis
Directions: Look up their meaning in the dictionary. Write your answer on a separate
sheet of paper.
1. demonstrative
2. possessive
-__________________________________________
-_____________________________________________
Congratulations, learner!
You did well in preparing yourself with the needed skills to further
understand this lesson. With this, enjoyable tasks await you in your journey.
Good luck!
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YOUR INITIAL TASK
TASK: PICTURE ANALYSIS
Analyze the pictures below. Describe the concept of synthesis in conducting a
research based on the pictures. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
Hmmm…. We’re slowly getting there!
You must have done well in your initial tasks.
Reading more about the lesson is all you need.
Let’s START!
YOUR GUIDE
When you write a literature review or essay, you have to go beyond just summarizing the
articles you’ve read – you need to synthesize the literature to show how it all fits together
(and how your own research fits in).
Synthesizing simply means combining. Instead of summarizing the main points of each
source in turn, you put together the ideas and findings of multiple sources in order to make an
overall point.
At the most basic level, this involves looking for similarities and differences between your
sources. Your synthesis should show the reader where the sources overlap and where they
diverge.
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Here are the key steps in synthesizing information from relevant literature.
STEP 1: ORGANIZE YOUR SOURCES
After collecting the relevant literature, you’ve got a lot of information to work through, and no
clear idea of how it all fits together.
Before you can start writing, you need to organize your notes in a way that allows you to see
the relationships between sources. One way to do this is by creating a synthesis matrix.
A synthesis matrix is useful when your sources are more varied in their purpose and
structure – for example, when you’re dealing with books and essays making various
arguments about a topic.
Each column in the table lists one source. Each row is labelled with a specific concept, topic
or theme that recurs across all or most of the sources.
Then, for each source, you summarize the main points or arguments related to the theme.
Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4
Theme 1
Theme 2
Theme 3
STEP 2: OUTLINE YOUR SOURCES
Now you should have a clear overview of the main connections and differences between the
sources you’ve read. Next, you need to decide how you’ll group them together and the order
in which you’ll discuss them.
There are a few different approaches you can take to help you structure your synthesis.
If your sources cover a broad time period, and you found patterns in how researchers
approached the topic over time, you can organize your discussion chronologically.
That doesn’t mean you just summarize each paper in chronological order; instead, you
should group articles into time periods and identify what they have in common, as well as
signaling important turning points or developments in the literature.
If the literature covers various topics, you can organize it thematically.
That means that each paragraph or section focuses on a specific theme and explains how
that theme is approached in the literature.
If your topic involves a debate between different schools of thought, you can organize
it theoretically.
That means comparing the different theories that have been developed and grouping
together papers based on the position or perspective they take on the topic, as well as
evaluating which arguments are most convincing.
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STEP 3: WRITE PARAGRAPHS WITH TOPIC SENTENCES
What sets a synthesis apart from a summary is that it combines various sources. The easiest
way to think about this is that each paragraph should discuss a few different sources, and you
should be able to condense the overall point of the paragraph into one sentence.
This is called a topic sentence, and it usually appears at the start of the paragraph. The topic
sentence signals what the whole paragraph is about; every sentence in the paragraph should
be clearly related to it.
A topic sentence can be a simple summary of the paragraph’s content:

“Early research on [x] focused heavily on [y].”
For an effective synthesis, you can use topic sentences to link back to the previous paragraph,
highlighting a point of debate or critique:

“Several scholars have pointed out the flaws in this approach.”

“While recent research has attempted to address the problem, many of these
studies have methodological flaws that limit their validity.”
By using topic sentences, you can ensure that your paragraphs are coherent and clearly show
the connections between the articles you are discussing.
As you write your paragraphs, avoid quoting directly from sources: use your own words to
explain the commonalities and differences that you found in the literature.
Don’t try to cover every single point from every single source – the key to synthesizing is to
extract the most important and relevant information and combine it to give your reader an
overall picture of the state of knowledge on your topic.
Like any other piece of academic writing, synthesizing literature doesn’t happen all in
one go – it involves redrafting, revising, editing and proofreading your work.
Checklist for Synthesis
 Do I introduce the paragraph with a clear, focused topic sentence?
 Do I discuss more than one source in the paragraph?
 Do I mention only the most relevant findings, rather than describing every part of the
studies?
 Do I discuss the similarities or differences between the sources, rather than
summarizing each source in turn?
 Do I put the findings or arguments of the sources in my own words?
 Is the paragraph organized around a single idea?
 Is the paragraph directly relevant to my research question or topic?
 Is there a logical transition from this paragraph to the next one?
Whether you’re synthesizing literature for an essay, a literature review, or any other
paper, you should make sure you can answer yes to all these questions.
Now that you know the key steps in synthesizing information
from relevant literature, get ready for more tasks!
Now that you know how subjects and verbs go together
correctly, get ready for more tasks!
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YOUR DISCOVERY TASKS
TASK: LET’S PRACTICE!
Direction: Choose a minor historical event or a short period in the life of a famous person.
Find what four reputable sources say on the subject and write a narrative combining the
information. Imagine your reader to be a high school student with a strong interest in history.
Then write a 150-to-200-word synthesis incorporating all information that seem relevant to the
topic. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
CRITERIA
Relevance of Sources Accuracy of Details
Organization
Overall Impact
TOTAL
30
30
30
10
___________
100
You did great in accomplishing your tasks!
Now let’s see how much you have learned.
LET’S SUM IT UP
Answer the following questions. Do this on a separate sheet of paper.
 What is synthesis?
 How do you synthesize information from relevant literature?
 Why is synthesizing information from relevant literature necessary?
 How does it contribute to the overall impact of the research?
YOUR FINAL TASK
Directions: Read and analyze the following sources of information. Follow the steps indicated
below so that you can come up with one synthesized paragraph. Write your answer on a
separate sheet of paper.
Source 1: As everyone who uses Microsoft PowerPoint knows, it is not actually used to
communicate ideas, but rather to not communicate ideas. Forget the advertisement about how
PowerPoint helps you to “organize, illustrate and deliver your ideas professionally.” It’s not
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used for anything of the sort. A PowerPoint slide presentation, with its neatly ordered bullets,
generic clip art, bold, clear typeface and bright colours effectively hides the fact that you
don’t really have very much to say. Joe Jackson, 2001
Source 2: Most people use the same software for presentations and, inevitably, it makes us
do
things in a similar way. Everything is reduced to a few bullet points, which makes it hard to
introduce complex ideas and guide people through a critical thinking process. PowerPoint
turns almost every presentation into something similar to a sales presentation, when that’s not
always required. Maybe the problem isn’t so much with the software as with the apparent lack
of alternatives. Selena Maranjian, 2003
Source 3: Despite PowerPoint’s bad reputation, it’s still possible to use it as a powerful tool
to enhance your presentation; just follow these three simple steps. First, stop using the
templates, they make the viewing experience boring. Second, don’t use text, fill your slides
with images and colour instead. Finally, make the audience focus on you to explain
everything in your presentation. Cliff Atkinson, 2003
Step 1: Decide what the topic is
Step 2: Decide how to present the topic
Step 3: Decide on the relationship between the writers
Step 4: Organize the ideas
Step 5: Underline the key ideas in the first paragraph you are going to use
Step 6: Introduce the first writer’s ideas with surname, year and a suitable verb
Step 7: Paraphrase the first writer’s ideas
Step 8: Underline the key ideas in the second paragraph you are going to use
Step 9: Introduce the second writer’s ideas
Step 10: Paraphrase that writer’s ideas
Step 11: Underline the key ideas in the third paragraph you are going to use
Step 12: Introduce the last writer’s ideas
Step 13: Paraphrase the last writer’s ideas
Step 14: Write a sentence to introduce the topic
Step 15: Check the completed synthesis to make sure that there are no changes of meaning.
YOUR REFLECTION/S
How will synthesizing the different materials you gathered help in the research you
are conducting? Write your reflections on your notebook.
Congratulations!
You have once again conquered another set of challenges.
See you again in the next module.
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References:
Lightbulb Idea Enlightenment. Retrieved May 15, 2020, from
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/12/22/23/32/light-bulb-1926533_960_720.png
Notepad Memo Pencil. Retrieved May 15, 2020, from
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2013/06/07/09/53/notepad-117597_960_720.png
McCombes, S. (2020, March 28). How to synthesize written information from multiple sources. Simply
Psychology.
People with Lightbulb Puzzle. Retrieved July 24, 2020, from
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/vector-illustration-people-lightbulb-puzzle-business1401895178
Jigsaw Puzzle on Masonite Board. Retrieved July 24, 2020 from
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/jigsawpuzzle-on-masonite-board-lose-parts-547772416
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ANSWER KEY
Your Readiness Check
Part I
B
Part II
Answers may vary.
Your Vocabulary Builder
Possible Answers:
1. synthesis – to combine a number of different pieces into a whole
2. relevant literature Your Initial Task
Task: Picture Analysis
Answers may vary.
Your Discovery Task
TASK. Let’s Practice
Let’s Sum it up
Answers may vary.
Your Final Task
Step 1: Decide what the topic is
(PowerPoint)
Step 2: Decide how to present the topic
(the usefulness of PowerPoint for presentations, for and against)
Step 3: Decide on the relationship between the writers
(writers one and two are against PowerPoint, but writer three is for it, if it is used well)
Step 4: Organize the ideas
(it’s best to present the ideas of writers one and two together, as they are similar)
Step 5: Underline the key ideas in the first paragraph you are going to use:
As everyone who uses Microsoft PowerPoint knows, it is not actually used to communicate
ideas, but rather to not communicate ideas. Forget the advertisement about how PowerPoint
helps you to “organize, illustrate and deliver your ideas professionally.” It’s not used for
anything of the sort. A PowerPoint slide presentation, with its neatly ordered bullets, generic
clip art, bold, clear typeface and bright colors effectively hides the fact that you don’t really
have very much to say. Joe Jackson, 2001
Step 6: Introduce the first writer’s ideas with surname, year and a suitable verb
(e.g. Jackson (2001) claims that)
Step 7: Paraphrase the first writer’s ideas
(e.g. Jackson (2001) claims that people don’t use PowerPoint to communicate ideas; instead,
they use it to hide the fact that they don’t really have any ideas to communicate.)
Step 8: Underline the key ideas in the second paragraph you are going to use:
Most people use the same software for presentations and, inevitably, it makes us do things in
a similar way. Everything is reduced to a few bullet points, which makes it hard to introduce
complex ideas and guide people through a critical thinking process. PowerPoint turns almost
every presentation into something similar to a sales presentation, when that’s not always
required. Maybe the problem isn’t so much with the software as with the apparent lack of
alternatives. Selena Maranjian, 2003
Step 9: Introduce the second writer’s ideas
(e.g. Furthermore, Maranjian (2003) believes that
Step 10: Paraphrase that writer’s ideas
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(e.g. Furthermore, Maranjian (2003) believes that because so many people use the same
software, it is inevitable that their presentations look similar. The problem may be lack of
alternatives.)
Step 11: Underline the key ideas in the third paragraph you are going to use:
Despite PowerPoint’s bad reputation, it’s still possible to use it as a powerful tool to enhance
your presentation; just follow these three simple steps. First, stop using the templates, they
make the viewing experience boring. Second, don’t use text, fill your slides with images and
colour instead. Finally, make the audience focus on you to explain everything in your
presentation. Cliff Atkinson, 2003
Step 12: Introduce the last writer’s ideas
(e.g. On the other hand, Atkinson (2003) asserts that)
Step 13: Paraphrase the last writer’s ideas
(e.g. On the other hand, Atkinson (2003) asserts that while PowerPoint has a bad reputation,
it can still be used to support presentations effectively.)
Step 14: Write a sentence to introduce the topic
Although PowerPoint is widely used to make presentations, there are conflicting ideas about
its usefulness.
Step 15: Check the completed synthesis to make sure that there are no changes of meaning.
Although PowerPoint is widely used to make presentations, there are conflicting ideas about
its usefulness. Jackson (2001) claims that people don’t use PowerPoint to communicate ideas;
instead, they use it to hide the fact that they don’t really have any ideas to communicate.
Furthermore, Maranjian (2003) believes that because so many people use the same software,
it is inevitable that their presentations look similar. The problem may be lack of alternatives.
On the other hand, Atkinson (2003) asserts that while PowerPoint has a bad reputation, it
can still be used to support presentations effectively
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