Synthesizing Research Writing a Research Essay

What is a Synthesis? A written discussion that draws on two or more sources A written discussion that draws on two or more sources Depends on your ability to infer relationships among sources Depends on your ability to infer relationships among sources

What is a Synthesis? In an academic synthesis you make explicit the relationships that you have inferred among separate sources In an academic synthesis you make explicit the relationships that you have inferred among separate sources In other words, you cite your sources and acknowledge when you have borrowed from the ideas of others In other words, you cite your sources and acknowledge when you have borrowed from the ideas of others

What is a Synthesis? You must be able to summarize your sources (in your own words) You must be able to summarize your sources (in your own words) Therefore, you must understand your sources Therefore, you must understand your sources It will frequently be helpful to readers if you provide at least partial summaries of your sources It will frequently be helpful to readers if you provide at least partial summaries of your sources

What is a Synthesis? Must go beyond summary to make judgments based on critical readings of your sources Must go beyond summary to make judgments based on critical readings of your sources I.e. draw conclusions about the quality and validity of the sources I.e. draw conclusions about the quality and validity of the sources Be able to articulate Be able to articulate how much you agree or disagree with with the points made in your sources how much you agree or disagree with with the points made in your sources The reasons for your agreement or disagreement The reasons for your agreement or disagreement

What is a Synthesis? Must go beyond a critique of the individual sources to determine the relationship among them and between them and your own ideas Must go beyond a critique of the individual sources to determine the relationship among them and between them and your own ideas Must select the information from each source that will best allow you to achieve your purpose Must select the information from each source that will best allow you to achieve your purpose

Determining your Purpose Purpose will often be dictated by or at least hinted at in the wording of the assignment or the topic question Purpose will often be dictated by or at least hinted at in the wording of the assignment or the topic question I.e. Does a successful professional sports team have a more positive economic impact on the community that hosts it than a less-successful team? I.e. Does a successful professional sports team have a more positive economic impact on the community that hosts it than a less-successful team? Purpose: compare & contrast Purpose: compare & contrast

Determining your Purpose Your purpose in writing will help you select appropriate sources Your purpose in writing will help you select appropriate sources I.e. You will not use any source about professional sports teams, but only those that discuss the economic impact of the team on the community that hosts it I.e. You will not use any source about professional sports teams, but only those that discuss the economic impact of the team on the community that hosts it

Using your Sources Purpose determines what sources or part of sources you will use and also how you will relate these sources to one another Purpose determines what sources or part of sources you will use and also how you will relate these sources to one another The better you understand the relationships between your sources, the better you will use the sources in your writing The better you understand the relationships between your sources, the better you will use the sources in your writing