Essay Assignment #4
Chapter 7, Inquiry: Synthesis Essay
FD = 125 points (Points in unit = 150)
1,000-1,200 words
Rough Draft Due: 11/20. Final Draft Due: 11/22
Your purposes in this essay are to:
 Create ideas for synthesis questions,
 Find examples of possible readings,
 Summarize information from your two texts,
 Analyze rhetorical strategies used in each of your texts,
 Explore main themes, similarities, and differences in your texts’ ideas,
 Synthesize ideas from your texts into ideas of your own,
 Develop a lower-level analysis thesis statement and a lower-level synthesis
statement, or one high-level thesis statement that covers analysis and
synthesis: your choice!
Sources easier to use (online or hardcopy):
 Books
 Magazines
 Scholarly Journals
 Newspapers
 Reference material (encyclopedias)
Sources to avoid:
Blog, email, podcast, sound
recording, personal interview,
speech or lecture
Schedule
November 12-15
 Lecture/Discussion: Inquiry activities/analysis, proper MLA citations
(in-text and Works Cited), and structure, structure, structure!!!
 Library Research: educational databases/highest credibility possible
11/18:
11/19:
11/20:
11/21:
11/22:
Outline, Graphic Organizer, or Plan Due
Computer work
RD due by end of class (so complete, you think it’s a FD)
Peer Review of RD/FD
FD due by end of class
Possible synthesis question for the following sources:
What do Peacock and Mann theorize regarding the most important elements in the
health and prosperity of bee hives? (Introduction would go into the recent depletion of
worldwide hives, what bees do for humans and for the environment and the significance
of keeping healthy hives).
Sources:
Two lower-lever thesis statements, separate:
Analysis section thesis statement:
Whereas Peacock emphasizes proper ventilation in hives, Mann focuses more on the
role of the queen.
Synthesis section thesis statement:
Although I agree the role of the queen is paramount in the social scene of the hive
community, I now believe proper ventilation is even more vital to the hive’s ability to
thrive.
One higher-level thesis statement, combined:
Although Mann focuses more on the role of the queen, Peacock emphasizes the proper
ventilation in hives, and though I agree with Mann that the role of the queen is
paramount in the social scene of the hive community, I now believe ventilation is even
more vital to the hive’s ability to thrive.
Peer Edit Sheet for Essay #4: Analyze and Synthesize
Writer: ____________________________ Editor: _______________________________
Introduction, summaries of the texts and Thesis:
1. Circle, star, underline, or otherwise highlight the synthesis question. Is it clear? y/n:
_____
2. The synthesis question refers to both texts. _____
3. What works well about the writer’s presentation of the synthesis question (in the introduction)
that connects the texts used?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
4. How could the writer better show this question’s significance and problematic nature?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
5. There is a summary of each text used. _____
6. There is an analysis of each text used. _____
7. Where could the writer’s summaries by expanded, condensed, or clarified?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
8. Where would the summaries be better located in the essay to help readers?
________________________________________________________________________________
9. I can identify the thesis statement(s). _____
One high- or two low-level? _______________
10. How could the thesis be made more focused, risky, and/or clear in setting up the writer’s
analytical and synthesis points? (avoid boring, mundane, safe theses)
________________________________________________________________________________
Analytical section of the essay:
11. Could the analytical points more clearly compare and contrast the authors’ (authors of the
texts used) values, assumptions, angles of vision, or rhetorical strategies in addressing the
synthesis question? In other words, the writer needs to expand their writing on the following
(which areas are weak?):
Author’s values: ______
Author’s assumptions: _____
Author’s angles of vision: _____
Author’s rhetorical strategies: _____
12. What can this writer add to make the points more interesting or more understandable?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
13. Should the writer support the points more by using information from the texts? (sometimes
there is too much from texts, sometimes not enough) y/n: ______
Synthesis and Conclusion sections of the essay:
14. Do the synthesis points clearly show the author’s thoughtful interaction with the texts? _____
15. How could the writer demonstrate more clearly his or her synthesis points?
________________________________________________________________________________
16. What examples, specifics, details could the writer include to develop these synthesis points
more effectively?
________________________________________________________________________________
17. Is there a satisfying conclusion? _____
18. If not, how could the writer conclude this essay more effectively to leave readers with a new
perspective on the texts and on the underlying question?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
19. Edit for conventions: Grammar: spelling, word choices, sentence structure, and punctuation!
Grading Rubric: 18 points each for Introduction, Summaries, Compare/Contrast, Your Original
Thoughts, The Evolution of Your Thinking/Conclusions, Organizational Structure/Thesis, and
MLA/Grammar. Detailed Rubric to follow.