Synthesis essay

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Synthesis essay
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What is the synthesis essay?

• Students are given
• intro and description of a topic that has
  different perspectives
• Selection of sources that address the topic
• --nonfiction --non-textuals
• Fiction
• Poetry
• drama

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How do I answer the synthesis essay?

• Investigate a variety of sources, both print and
  visual
• Choose which of the sources to include in your
  presentation
• Respond to these sources and discuss how they
  relate to your thesis (position)

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You must

• Relate it to the thesis/claim
• Use specific examples (personal and otherwise)
• Use selected sources to support the major point

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Sources include

• Textuals

• Non-textuals

• Essays
• Articles
• Fiction
• Drama
• Poetry

• Photos
• Charts
• Graphs
• Art
• Editorial cartoons
• Newspaper pages

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Purpose of the synthesis essay

• To determine ability to
• Read critically
• Understand and analyze texts
• Develop support a position on a given topic
• Support a position with evidence from outside
  sources
• Incorporate outside sources into texts of essay
• Cite sources used in the essay

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Two types of synthesis essays

• Expository essay where you develop thesis and
  support with specific examples form sources
• Compare and contraast
• Cause and effect
• analysis

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Second kind of synthesis prompt

• Must present an argument
• Must take a position on a given topic
• Must support position with outside sources
• Must indicate the weaknesses of the other
  arguments

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How to tackle the synthesis essay

• Break down the synthesis prompt
• Read any introductory material
• Look for key words, phrases, other information to
  make your job clearer
• Highlight important terms and elements of the
  prompt

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Intro example

• Invasive species are non native plants and
  animals that thrive outside of their natural
  range and may harm or endanger native plants and
  animals. As producers and consumers in our
  global society, we affect and are affected by
  species introduced accidentally or intentionally
  to a region.
• Currently some people argue for stricter
  regulations of imported species to avoid the
  possibility of unintended negative consequences.
  Others, however, claim that the economies and
  basic resources of poorer nations could be
  improved by selective importation of nonnative
  species.

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Assignment

• Read the following sources (including any
  introductory information) carefully. Then write
  an essay in which you evaluate what a business or
  government agency would need to consider before
  transferring a hardy but non-indigenous species
  to another country. Synthesize at least three of
  the sources for support.
• Refer to the sources by their titles (source A,
  Source B etc.) or by the descriptions in the
  parentheses.

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Time factor

• Suggested reading time
• Suggested writing time

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StrategiesCritically read the texts

• ANALYZE FOR
• Purpose/thesis
• Intended audience (Of the original article)
• Type of source (primary, secondary)
• Main points
• Historical context
• Authority of the author
• How material is presented
• Type of evidence presented/source of evidence
• Any bias or agenda
• How text relates to topic
• Support or opposition toward the thesis

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How to analyze non- textuals

• Identify subject of the visual
• Identify major components characters, visual
  details, symbols
• Identify verbal cluestag lines, date, author,
  dialogue
• Does visual take a positive or negative position
  toward the issue?
• Identify primary purpose of the visual.
• Determine how each detail illustrates and /or
  supports the primary purpose

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Practice

• Look at Source A and analyze.
• Subjectbalsam fir trees destroyed by species

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Determine your position

• After reading the prompt construct a preliminary
  position sentence/controlling focus
• Ex Government and businesses alike must
  consider __________ __________ ________ before
  permitting importing a non-indigenous plant or
  animal to a new region.
• Although importing a non-indigenous plant or
  animal to a new region may be an easy fix,

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Selecting sources

• What is your purpose?
• Is the source background info or pertinent info?
• Does the source give new info or info that other
  sources cover?
• Does this source reflect viewpts of any other
  texts?
• Will this info add depth to your essay?

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Selecting sources (cont.)

• Does this source contradict the viewpts of other
  sources?
• Does the source support or oppose your position?

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Summary of source

• Read closely and locate key words that enable you
  to reduce the piece to its essential points

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Choosing which parts of the selected texts to use

• Review the notes/highlights on your chosen
  passages
• Ignore items you have not annotated
• Determine if each excerpt contributes to the
  development of your thesis

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Choosing which part you will use--body

• Identify major point each will support
• Does it strengthen your position (if not, ignore
  it)
• How much of the excerpt will you use?
• Why have it in your essay?
• What comments can you make about it?

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How to incorporate--body

• If you have not annotated the piece ignore it
• Determine how each source develops, supports
  your thesis
• 1. identify the major point each will support
• 2. analyze if the source/piece will strengthen
  your point and not just refer to it.
• 3. determine how much you will use
• 4. Determine what comments you can make about the
  point (analyze)
• 5. determine anticipated objection to the point

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Source Point supported Quote/non-textual aspect/ summary /paraphrase
A Media s use of survivors influenced publics anger toward terrorists Tearful survivors dominant element holding photos of missing loved ones (focal point)


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Summary

• Read article
• Underline key words
• Base summary on key words underlined

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Paraphrase

• Transpose the original material into your own
  words

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Inference

• Draw a conclusion based on the important
  information provided
• What do you get out of the material/source?

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Purpose of intro

• Catch readers interest
• Give background information necessary for reader
  to understand point of the essay
• Introduce thesis that indicates purpose of essay
  and order of points to be raised in support of
  thesis.

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Writing intros

• Find a startling statistic that illustrates the
  seriousness of the problem you will address.
  Quote an expert (but be sure to introduce him or
  her first).
• Mention common misperception that your thesis
  will argue against. (Many Americans believe. ..)
• Give some background information necessary for
  understanding the essay.
• Use an anecdote that exemplifies reason for
  choosing the topic. In an assignment that
  encourages personal reflection, you may draw on
  your own experiences
• In research essay, the narrative may illustrate a
  common real-world scenario. (Freedman and Blotnik)

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Writing the conclusion

• Can include information from sources that you did
  not use
• Topic sentence presents your position
• Refer to source that makes a strong statement in
  support of your position but did not give
  adequate support to include in body
• Design clincher to be more than just a tag on.

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Purpose of Conclusion

• place the paper in a larger context
• serve as a call for action
• set forth a warning or hypothesis
• intentionally complicate the issues you have
  already introduced (Allyn and Bacon)
• Restate thesis in simplistic manner
• Clincherrefer back to attention getter (tell the
  ending of the anecdote, put the statement,
  statistic in context)

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• If essay deals with contemporary problem, warn
  of consequences of not attending to the problem.
• Recommend a specific course of action.
• Use quotation or expert opinion to lend authority
  to the conclusion you have reached.
• Give a startling statistic, fact, or visual image
  to drive home the ultimate point of your paper.
• If your discipline encourages personal
  reflection, illustrate your concluding point with
  a relevant narrative drawn from your own life
  experiences.
• Return to n anecdote, example, or quotation that
  you introduced in your introduction, but add
  further insight that derives from the body of
  your essay.
• In a science or social science paper, mention
  worthwhile avenues for future research on your
  topic.