Transcript
Page 1: Useful tips for writing a synthesis essay

Useful tips for writing a synthesis essayWWW.SYNTHESISESSAY.NET

Page 2: Useful tips for writing a synthesis essay

We are going to show you 4 parts of writing a Synthesis Essay: Part 1: Examining Your Topic:

Understand the concept of a synthesis essay

Choose a topic suitable for a synthesis essay

Develop a thesis statement Part 2: Outlining Your Essay

Outline the structure of your thesis

Use a more creative structure to present your thesis

Create an outline appropriate for a background or review synthesis essay

Part 3: Writing Your Essay Write your first draft

according to your outline Write in the third person Use transitions between

paragraphs to make the text flow logically

Part 4: Finalizing Your Essay Revise your essay Proofread your paper

Page 3: Useful tips for writing a synthesis essay

Part 1 of 4: Examining Your TopicUnderstand the concept of a synthesis essayThe purpose of a synthesis essay is to make insightful

connections between parts of a work, or multiple works, with the goal of ultimately presenting and supporting a claim about a topic.

The different types of synthesis essays can be categorized: Argument synthesis Review Explanatory/background synthesis

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Part 1 of 4: Examining Your TopicChoose a topic suitable for a synthesis essayYour topic should be broad enough for pulling several related

sources together, but not so broad as to bring widely disparate sources together. If you have free choice on a topic, some preliminary reading may help you decide what to write about in your synthesis essay.

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Part 1 of 4: Examining Your TopicDevelop a thesis statement

Once you have read the sources you are provided with, or have done your own outside research, you will have to come up with an opinion on your topic. Your thesis will be the main idea presented in writing a synthesis essay. It should encompass the topic and state your point of view on that topic. It should be stated as a complete sentence.

Depending on the essay, your thesis statement can be either the opening sentence of the essay itself or the last sentence of the first paragraph.

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Part 2 of 4: Outlining Your EssayOutline the structure of your thesisIf you don’t know how to write an introduction for a synthesis essay this

structure will help you.The structure:

The introductory paragraph: 1. An introductory sentence that acts as a hook, capturing the reader’s interest. 2. Identification of the issue you will be discussing. 3. Your thesis statement.

The body paragraphs: 1. Topic sentence that gives one reason to support your thesis. 2. Your explanation and opinion of the topic sentence. 3. Support from your sources that backs up the claim you just made. 4. Explanation of the significance of the source(s).

The conclusion paragraph: 1. State further significance of your topic from the evidence and reasons you discussed in the essay. 2. A profound thought or thoughtful ending for your paper.

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Part 2 of 4: Outlining Your EssayUse a more creative structure to present your thesisIf you are not writing this argumentative synthesis essay for the AP

test, you should plan to use a more elaborate structure than the one listed above. Follow these tips for writing a synthesis essay: Example/illustration. This may be a detailed recount, summary, or direct

quote from your source material that provides major support for your point of view. 

Straw man. With this technique, you present an argument opposed to the argument stated in your thesis, then show the weaknesses and flaws of the counter-argument. 

Concession. Essays with concessions are structured similar to those using the straw man technique, but they acknowledge the validity of the counter-argument while showing that the original argument is stronger.

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Part 2 of 4: Outlining Your EssayCreate an outline appropriate for a background or review synthesis essay

While most synthesis essays are entirely focused on stating and supporting a thesis, background and review essays explore the ideas found in the sources rather than focusing on the author’s point of view.There are two basic ways to structure these sort of synthesis in academic writing: Summary. This structure presents summaries of each of your

relevant sources, making a progressively stronger argument for your thesis.

List of reasons. This is a series of sub-points that flow from the main point of your paper as stated in its thesis.

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Part 3 of 4: Writing Your EssayWrite your first draft according to your outline

Don’t know how to write a synthesis essay? Begin from the draft. Be prepared to deviate from your plan, however, if you find new ideas and information in your source material that supports your thesis.

If you are writing the synthesis for the AP test, you will not have time to write more than one draft, so pace yourself and make it the best it can possibly be.

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Part 3 of 4: Writing Your EssayWrite in the third person

Writing in the third person means using "he," "she," "it", and using complete, unambiguous sentences. Present enough information to show your credibility in the subject of your synthesis essay.

You should write in the active voice as much as possible, although passive voice is acceptable in circumstances where you would otherwise use first ("I") or second person ("you").

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Part 3 of 4: Writing Your EssayUse transitions between paragraphs to make the text flow logicallyTransitions are a great way to show places where your

sources support one another: "Hallstrom's theory on price-fixing is supported by Pennington's paper 'Cliffhanger Economics,' where she makes the following points:“ Show the committee that you are great at writing a synthesis essay.

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Part 4 of 4: Finalizing Your EssayRevise your essay

One of the best tips for writing a synthesis essay. This is the time to strengthen arguments and improve transitions between points and paragraphs. You should try to make your argument as succinct and easy to follow as possible.

It helps to read your essay out loud because when you read out loud, you are more likely to notice awkward sentences or incoherent arguments.

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Part 4 of 4: Finalizing Your EssayProofread your paper

Read through your paper and look for any grammar, punctuation or spelling errors. Are all of the names and proper nouns spelled correctly? Are there any run-on sentences or fragments? Correct them as you go.

Read the synthesis in academic writing aloud to guarantee that you don't accidentally add in or take out words when reading in your head.

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