TODAY’S GOALS

• Understand the theories behind synthesis writing

• Practice synthesizing ideas from multiple texts

• Work towards synthesizing the results of your research thus far

SYNTHESIS

• What does this word mean?

• What experiences have you had with synthesis writing in the past? In ENC1101?

SYNTHESIS

• the combining of the constituent elements of separate material or abstract entities into a single or unified entity (opposed to analysis) the separating of any material or abstract entity into its constituent elements.

• the third stage of argument in Hegelian dialectic, which reconciles the mutually contradictory first two propositions, thesis and antithesis.

• http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/synthesis

HEGELIAN DIALECTIC

• Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was an 18th-19th century German philosopher.

• He believed that the pinnacle of human existence can only be achieved through constant ideological conflict and resolution.

• To him, this meant the struggle between opposing ideals and the eventual synthesizing of those opposites.

HEGELIAN DIALECTIC

• 3 stages:

• Thesis: an idea or proposition

• Antithesis: the negation or opposite of the thesis

• Synthesis: the reconciliation of the thesis and antithesis with a new idea that utilizes and considers the truths of both. This will generate a new thesis and start the dialectic over.

JOURNAL ENTRY 8

• Focus: Source Synthesis

• At this point in the development of your Exploratory Narrative Essay, you should have acquired at least 2 sources and should be beginning to get an understanding of the problems and complexities related to your topic . Take a few minutes to synthesize the sources you have found, considering how they relate to one another and how they have influenced your view. Then compare your research findings thus far to your research question. • What are the viewpoints of the articles you have analyzed thus far? • Based on this knowledge and your own background on the topic, what would be

your ‘thesis’ on this issue? What would an antithesis or opposing idea to this thesis be?

• If you had to come up with an answer to your research question based on your current progress, what would this synthesis, taking into account all your research thus far, be?

SYNTHESIS IN WRITING

• Will usually have to work with more than two or three ideas or texts at a time

• You do not have to change your stance to support an opposing view. You should, however, look for common ground or ideas between the two

• Emphasis on originality; you must bring in information from the thesis and antithesis but be original in your synthesis ideas

GROUP ACTIVITY: SYNTHESIZING SOURCES

• In your unit 1 groups, answer the following question:

1. What is your view on the government’s ability to track people using their cell phones? When and why should the government be able (or not) to do this?

2. If you consider your answer to question 1 to be your ‘thesis,’ what would the antithesis to this statement be?

GROUP ACTIVITY: SYNTHESIZING SOURCES

• Read through the articles “Mobile Phone Tracking Scrutinized” and “Reach Out and Track Someone” on A&B p. 219. Then answer the questions below.

3. What is the thesis or main idea of each article? Try to take this directly from the text if possible.

4. What ideas do these texts have in common?

5. What ideas in these texts contradict or oppose one another?

6. Generate a synthesis statement that takes in elements from your original idea and reconciles (opposing) ideas from the two texts.

UNIT 1 MATERIAL REVIEW

• Reflection as experiential learning• Concrete experience• Reflective observation• Abstract conceptualization• Active experimentation

• Thesis/research questions factors• Quantitative vs. qualitative• Broad vs. determinate

• Serial position effect

• Hegelian dialectic• Thesis• Antithesis• Synthesis

HOMEWORK

• Sign up for a conference using the class website (you will have to log in with your FIU email)

• Journal 9• Focus: Source 3 Evaluation• Find the third source you will use for your exploratory narrative• Read and analyze the third source you will be using for your Exploratory Narrative. Sum up the argument it

makes in the journal entry as well as your reaction to reading the source. Then play the Believing and Doubting Game to find the strongest and weakest elements of the source. Finally, reflect on how the source has changed your understanding of the research topic.

• Think of this as a short version of Minor Essay 1 or as a body paragraph for your exploratory narrative.• 150+ words (so slightly longer than a normal journal entry)

• Exploratory Narrative First Draft• The first draft of your Exploratory Narrative should include your introduction as well as the body paragraphs

for the first three sources of your writing. • You may utilize the writing and information from journal 7 (introduction), minor essay 1 (first source

evaluation), journal 5 (second source evaluation), and journal entry 9 (third source evaluation) for this draft (and the information may be taken word for word)

• Bring a printed copy to class