1. Synthesis Essay
“The Sniper,” “Thoughts of Hanoi,” “A Country Divided,” “Lives in the Crossfire,” “Peace Isn’t Impossible,” and “Internment”

2. Green paper All of the texts Verb: acknowledge Assert Confirm Suggest
Choose one of the ideas from the class brain storm

3. Yellow
“A Country Divided,” by Patricia McMahon, shows this idea when…..

4. Yellow
“Lives in the Crossfire,” by Laurel Holliday illustrates that (insert your idea here)….. when…..

5. Yellow
“Internment,” by Marquel McRory further explains this idea…

6. Yellow
“Peace Isn’t Impossible,” by George J. Mitchell tells us that….

7. Yellow
“The Sniper,” by Liam O’Flaherty takes this idea even further when…

8. Yellow
“Thoughts of Hanoi,” by Nguyen Thi Vinh explores the concept by…

9. Red (pick up the yellow paper for “A Country Divided”)
Write your own idea – in your own words, explaining the yellow paper just a bit more. (This is called “elaboration).
If you can add another idea, get an additional piece of red paper, and write the additional idea on it.
Continue adding red papers for each yellow paper
You need to have at least one red paper for each yellow paper

10. Introduction Go back to the green slip of paper.
The first sentence will be “The Sniper,” “Thoughts of Hanoi,” “A Country Divided,” “Lives in the Crossfire,” “Internment,” and “Peace Isn’t Impossible” all present a different view of the same idea.
(Add your sentence from the green slip of paper now).

11. Conclusion A conclusion should:
Remind the reader of the thesis of your paper
Repeat the key words from your thesis using synonyms or the original word
Not introduce a new topic
Give the reader a reason to remember your topic
Look at your introduction
Change the wording of the introduction

12. Example of introduction and conclusion
Thesis:
I’ll never understand our nation’s fascination with the misery of other people.
Conclusion:
…Despite their protests, most people love this carnage, but I’ll never understand why.
based on Step Up To Writing
Maureen E. Auman