Drafting
Organization &
Synthesis
Organize Sources
As you gather research material, annotate each source:
 Highlight
 Marginal notes
 Notecards
 Written notes
Paraphrase
 Don’t just copy key points – paraphrase them
 Copy quoted material from the original, not from
your notes
 Use direct quotes sparingly – prefer paraphase
Analysis
Source A
Source B
Source C
Point 1
Point 1
Point 1
Point 2
Point 2
Point 2
Point 3
Point 3
Synthesis
Topic 1
Topic 2
Point 1 (Source A)
Point 2 (Source C)
Point 3 (Source C)
Point 1 (Source B)
Point 2 (Source B)
Synthesis in Practice
Source: Committee on Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years,
National Research Council.
Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years
Organize Draft
Two levels of organization:
 Paragraph structure: One main point (topic sentence)
per paragraph
 Overall structure: Topic sentences all support thesis
Essay Structure
Thesis
Topic 1
Support
Support
Support
Topic 2
Support
Support
Overall Organization
 Each topic should develop the thesis
 Ordered by
 Importance
 Most to least important
 Least to most important
 Sequence (chronological)
 Logic
 General to specifics (Deduction)
 Specifics to general (Induction)
Introduction
 The overall organization should be evident in the
introduction
 If you mention three main points, they should be in
the order in which they appear in the essay
 Write the introduction last
Paragraph Structure
 Within paragraphs (or sections of paragraphs), one
main idea should be evident
 Explicit or implicit topic sentence
 The main idea should be your synthesis of key points
from sources
 Most paragraphs should have more than one source
of support
Incorporating Sources
 Prefer paraphrase for short passages
 Use summary for lengthy material
 Quote only when necessary:
 Source is very well phrased and eloquent
 Source is one with which you disagree
Signal Phrases
 Use signal phrases to introduce sources material,
especially quotes
 “According to . . .”
 Use the signal phrase to give context and authority
 Always use signal phrase before a block quote
Mechanics
 Short quote
Signal phrase, “quoted material.”1
Signal phrase, “quoted material” (citation).
 Long quote
Signal clause (independent clause):
Quoted material of at least three lines, indented five
spaces. (citation)
Blended quotes
Blended quotes work as part of the sentence:
Several researchers point the “the prevalence of obesity
in children . . .”
Adding and Deleting
 If you change anything in a quote, you must indicate
the change:
 Ellipsis indicate a deletion
 … for a deletion within a sentence
 …. For a deletion of a sentence or more
 Brackets indicate an addition
 “When I last spoke with him [Mr. Smith] . . .”
 [sic] indicates an error in the original
Sample Papers
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/