Synthesis

What is synthesis? The Oxford English Dictionary says: “to put together or combine into a complex whole; to make up by combination of parts or elements” something something something new

What is synthesis? Chemistry is synthesis: 2 hydrogen 1 oxygen water Music is synthesis: instrumentsarrangementssong

What is synthesis? Likewise, a literature review is a synthesis:  Instead of atoms or sounds, you’re combining the findings of scholars concerning your topic.  Instead of creating molecules or songs, you’re creating new knowledge about your topic. scholarly research your arrangement, organization, and insights literature review

What is synthesis? From St. Martin’s Handbook, 12e: When you read and interpret a source—for example, when you consider its purpose and relevance, its author’s credentials, its accuracy, and the kind of argument it is making—you are analyzing the source. Analysis requires you to take apart something complex (such as an article in a scholarly journal) and look closely at the parts to understand the whole better. For academic writing you also need to synthesize—group similar pieces of information together and look for patterns—so you can put your sources…together…. Synthesis is the flip side of analysis: you already understand the parts, so your job is to assemble them into a new whole.

How do you write a synthesis? Analyze  read the sources  annotate, highlight, underline  write summaries Synthesize  determine common themes  make connections between ideas  use your own words and ideas to bring order to the whole thing

Synthesizing Language  adds  analyzes  argues  asks  cites  compares  connects  continues  contradicts  contrasts  demonstrates  describes  details  dramatizes  elaborates  evaluates  explains  expresses  extends  generalizes

Synthesizing Language  illustrates  informs  interprets  introduces  lists  narrates  offers  opposes  predicts  presents  projects  proposes  qualifies  questions  quotes  reasons  rebuts  reflects  repeats  states

Synthesizing Language  speculates  suggests  summarizes  supports  synthesizes  traces  uses  agrees with  disagrees with  furthers this idea  complicates  counters  has a different opinion  goes in a different direction  refines that point  both x and y  neither x nor y  while x and y agree that…, z points out that…

Let’s practice synthesis

You work on a team reading and synthesizing movie reviews for the website Rotten Tomatoes. Your next assignment:

Let’s practice synthesis 1. Read a review of the movie. 2. As you read, note what the reviewer says about these possible themes: O Luhrmann’s directing O DiCaprio’s acting 3. Discuss your findings with your group.

Paragraph Sandwich Topic Sentence Evidence & Commentary Conclusion Most reviews of the film agreed that DiCaprio’s acting was a high point, though there is some dissent on this point. For example, A writes that “quote quote quote,” a point that B and C agree with. C even goes so far as to say that “quote quote quote,” and his review largely ignores other concerns in its praise of DiCaprio. Not all reviewers feel this way, however. One notable exception is D, who felt that the movie suffered from DiCaprio’s interpretation of Gatsby. Wrote he: “Quote quote quote.” While we cannot expect unanimity among all reviewers, it is clear that the great majority of critics found DiCaprio’s acting to be of the high quality audiences have come to expect.

Synthesis Paper Organization O Introduction O Background O Finding Common Ground and Highlighting Controversy O Looking to the Future O Conclusion 150 words 250 words 1200 words 250 words 150 words 3–4 subtopics, each dealt with in a paragraph of 300–400 words. Effects Pros and Cons Solutions Methods Component Issues