Original Synthesis essay
Over the next five weeks, collect resources so that you can develop a position on a problem in
the world that needs addressing. Analyze the problem, establish that it is serious enough to
need solving, offer a solution that will remedy the problem or at least help partially, and lay out
the particulars by which your proposed solution would be put into effect. Keep in mind the
stakeholders of your community and/or outsiders who could help address the problem. Take into
account likely objections to your proposed solution as well as alternative solutions that might
have already been attempted. Over the next five weeks you’ll annotate sources, provide
summaries, and develop your own position on the most important factors stakeholders need to
consider when addressing the problem.
Step One: Formulate your question. What questions would you like to explore? Using the UN
Sustainable Development Goals as the organizing principle, identify a problem that you’d like
to see improve. Frame your topic as an inquiry question, like the examples at the bottom of this
document. Examples are at the bottom of this page.
Step Two: Annotate. Join a NowComment study group and add to a NowComment collection
(or add to an existing collection) where you will annotate an article each week that informs your
inquiry question. You’ll annotate and summarize sources throughout the project. One of these
sources must be a chart, illustration, video, photograph, or infographic. Consider using the
UNSDG site for some of your sources.
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Upload each article as a separate document on NowComment
Create/contribute to a collection on NowComment with your question as the title. Here’s
my example.
Make sure your sources show multiple perspectives on the issue
Annotate one document each week, commenting on the elements listed below. You may not be
able to see all three of the elements in each document, but your collection as a whole should.
1. Define the problem. Establish that it’s serious.
2. Discuss solutions, or partial solutions
3. Consider objections and other points of view
Step Three: Summarize (weekly 2/28-4/1). Youth Voices post. After you annotate a document
on NowComment, summarize how that article informs your inquiry question in a Youth Voices
discussion post (3/3, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25).
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YV1 research post, due 3/3
YV2 research post, due 3/11
YV3 research post, due 3/18
YV4 research post, due 3/25
Step Four: Synthesize (draft due 4/1; revision due 4/8). Synthesize at least three of the
sources from your NowComment resource into a well-written essay proposing a solution to a
problem in society. Your essay should be approximately 450-600 words, follow MLA style for
your Works Cited section:
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Analyze the problem and establish that it is serious enough to need solving,
Offer a solution that will remedy the problem or at least help solve part of it,
Lay out the particulars by which your proposed solution would be put into effect.
Consider your community’s stakeholders and/or outsiders who could help solve the
problem,
Take into account likely objections to your proposed solution as well as alternative
solutions.
Rubric for final post
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define problem
explain why it's serious
discuss solutions (or at least partial ones)
explain how the solution can be implemented
consider objections to your solutions
three sources linked in text to your NowComment annotations
MUGS (mechanics, usage, grammar, spelling)
Examples of Collections – to use yourself or to inspire you
Study Group: Zero Hunger
Collection: Why does America have so many hungry kids?
Study Group: Good Health and Well Being
Collection: What can schools do about the health of their students?
Study Group: Quality Education
Collection: Do college loans enslave young people today?
Study Group: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Collection: What causes economic inequality in America?
Study Group: Reduced Inequalities
Collection: How can our policies for children at the border shift from trauma inflicting to trauma
informed?
Study Group: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Collection: How can we best prepare for drought?
Study Group: Responsible Consumption and Production
Collection: How do we avoid unsustainable, unethical fast fashion?
Study Group: Life on Land
Collection: Are zoos good for animals?
Study Group: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Collection: What are the effects of money in politics?
Study Group: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Collection: Does education in youth detention centers make a difference?
When you add a document to a NowComment collection:
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Delete the excerpt
Add an image