Synthesis Paper Strategies
PEEP 2008
Assignment
• thesis driven essay
• should reflect understanding of texts
• integrate what you’ve learned in some
novel way
• at least five of the required texts
• strongly discouraged from doing additional
research
Define “Synthesis”
What do YOU think we want you to do?
Define “Synthesis”
• Using more than one source, yes. But
that’s not enough.
Define “Synthesis”
• Using more than one source, yes. But
that’s not enough.
• Making connections between sources,
yes. But that’s still not enough.
Define “Synthesis”
• Using more than one source, yes. But
that’s not enough.
• Making connections between sources,
yes. But that’s still not enough.
• Using multiple sources to back up your
own thesis, great! What else?
Define “Synthesis”
• Using more than one source, yes. But
that’s not enough.
• Making connections between sources,
yes. But that’s still not enough.
• Using multiple sources to back up your
own thesis, great! What else?
• Combining sources topically, not
proceeding source-by-source.
“What it Ain’t”
(Karen Craigo, General Studies Writing Program,
Bowling Green State University)
• “A synthesized essay should leave a
reader with a holistic sense that the
writer has conveyed his or her own new
ideas, and has drawn upon a chorus of
voices for support.”
“What it Ain’t”
(Karen Craigo, General Studies Writing Program,
Bowling Green State University)
It ain’t …
•
•
•
•
Two or more sources in a paragraph, period.
Several sources but mostly one.
False relationships between sources.
Flooding your paper with the voices of as
many other writers as possible.
Planning:
The Grid of Common Points
(T.B. Henning, Indiana U. Writing Center)
• While reading, note repeated words or
ideas.
• Also note conflicts or contradictions.
• Based on all of the above, write main
research question answered by source
material.
• Turn these into categories for a grid.
Exercise
1. Read handout “Recognizing
Synthesis.”
2. With another student, develop a list of
specific techniques used in revision,
which improved the synthesis.
3. Share with the whole class.
Organize Your Paper Around a Thesis
Broad Context
Thesis
Organize Your Paper Around a Thesis
Thesis
Broad Significance