A SYNTHESIS ESSAY IS AN ESSAY THAT SUPPORTS A GENERALIZATION
BY USING SEVERAL SPECIFIC TEXTS.
The main purpose of a synthesis essay is to make insightful connections. Those connections can show the relationship(s) between parts of a work or even between two or more works. It is your job to explain why those relationships are important. In order to write a successful synthesis essay, you must gather research on your chosen topic, discover meaningful connections throughout your research, and develop a unique and interesting argument or perspective.
A synthesis is not a summary. A synthesis is an opportunity to create new knowledge out of already existing knowledge, i.e., other sources. You combine, “synthesize,” the information in your sources to develop an argument or a unique perspective on a topic. Your thesis statement becomes a one-sentence claim that presents your perspective and identifies the new knowledge that you will create.
A synthesis is not a summary. A synthesis is an opportunity to create new knowledge out of already existing knowledge, i.e., other sources. You combine, “synthesize,” the information in your sources to develop an argument or a unique perspective on a topic. Your thesis statement becomes a one-sentence claim that presents your perspective and identifies the new knowledge that you will create.
Pre-writing Your Synthesis
1. Understand the Prompt:
Read the prompt carefully, looking the for focus and purpose of your essay. Is the prompt asking you to compare? Take a position on an issue? Offer a solution to a problem? Discuss the causes or effects?
2. Develop a working thesis statement:
A working thesis statement should include a rough idea of your topic and the important point you want to make about that topic. Writing this statement at the top of a rough draft or outline and looking at it often can help you remain focused throughout the essay. However, the thesis statement that you begin with is not set in stone. If you find that your essay shifts topic slightly, you can change your thesis in later drafts so that it matches your new focus.
3. Decide how you will use your sources:
After completing your research and gathering sources, you may have a large or overwhelming amount of information. However, the purpose of a synthesis essay is to use only the most important parts of your research, the information that will best support your claim. At this point, you must decide which sources, and/or which parts of those sources, you will use.
4. Organize your research:
Now, decide the order in which you will present your evidence, the various arguments you will employ, and how you will convince your readers.
Read the prompt carefully, looking the for focus and purpose of your essay. Is the prompt asking you to compare? Take a position on an issue? Offer a solution to a problem? Discuss the causes or effects?
2. Develop a working thesis statement:
A working thesis statement should include a rough idea of your topic and the important point you want to make about that topic. Writing this statement at the top of a rough draft or outline and looking at it often can help you remain focused throughout the essay. However, the thesis statement that you begin with is not set in stone. If you find that your essay shifts topic slightly, you can change your thesis in later drafts so that it matches your new focus.
3. Decide how you will use your sources:
After completing your research and gathering sources, you may have a large or overwhelming amount of information. However, the purpose of a synthesis essay is to use only the most important parts of your research, the information that will best support your claim. At this point, you must decide which sources, and/or which parts of those sources, you will use.
4. Organize your research:
Now, decide the order in which you will present your evidence, the various arguments you will employ, and how you will convince your readers.
Synthesis Essay Prompt and Sources
Directions: The following prompt is based on the accompanying six sources.
This question requires you to integrate a variety of sources into a coherent, well-written essay. Refer to the sources to support your position; avoid mere paraphrase or summary. Your argument should be central; the sources should support this argument.
Remember to attribute both direct and indirect citations.
Introduction
Much attention has been given lately to the ubiquitous presence of information technologies. Our daily lives seem to be saturated with televisions, computers, cell phones, and MP3 players, to name just a few of the most common technologies
Assignment
Read the following sources (including any introductory information) carefully. Then, in an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources for support, take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that television has had a positive impact on presidential elections.
Refer to the sources by the name/names of their authors; titles are included for your convenience.
Source A (Campbell)
Source B (Hart and Triece)
Source C (Menand)
Source D (Chart)
Source E (Ranney)
Source F (Koppel)
This question requires you to integrate a variety of sources into a coherent, well-written essay. Refer to the sources to support your position; avoid mere paraphrase or summary. Your argument should be central; the sources should support this argument.
Remember to attribute both direct and indirect citations.
Introduction
Much attention has been given lately to the ubiquitous presence of information technologies. Our daily lives seem to be saturated with televisions, computers, cell phones, and MP3 players, to name just a few of the most common technologies
Assignment
Read the following sources (including any introductory information) carefully. Then, in an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources for support, take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that television has had a positive impact on presidential elections.
Refer to the sources by the name/names of their authors; titles are included for your convenience.
Source A (Campbell)
Source B (Hart and Triece)
Source C (Menand)
Source D (Chart)
Source E (Ranney)
Source F (Koppel)