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  • Synthesizing Sources | Examples & Synthesis Matrix

Synthesizing Sources | Examples & Synthesis Matrix

Published on July 4, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on May 31, 2023.

Synthesizing sources involves combining the work of other scholars to provide new insights. It’s a way of integrating sources that helps situate your work in relation to existing research.

Synthesizing sources involves more than just summarizing . You must emphasize how each source contributes to current debates, highlighting points of (dis)agreement and putting the sources in conversation with each other.

You might synthesize sources in your literature review to give an overview of the field or throughout your research paper when you want to position your work in relation to existing research.

Table of contents

Example of synthesizing sources, how to synthesize sources, synthesis matrix, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about synthesizing sources.

Let’s take a look at an example where sources are not properly synthesized, and then see what can be done to improve it.

This paragraph provides no context for the information and does not explain the relationships between the sources described. It also doesn’t analyze the sources or consider gaps in existing research.

Research on the barriers to second language acquisition has primarily focused on age-related difficulties. Building on Lenneberg’s (1967) theory of a critical period of language acquisition, Johnson and Newport (1988) tested Lenneberg’s idea in the context of second language acquisition. Their research seemed to confirm that young learners acquire a second language more easily than older learners. Recent research has considered other potential barriers to language acquisition. Schepens, van Hout, and van der Slik (2022) have revealed that the difficulties of learning a second language at an older age are compounded by dissimilarity between a learner’s first language and the language they aim to acquire. Further research needs to be carried out to determine whether the difficulty faced by adult monoglot speakers is also faced by adults who acquired a second language during the “critical period.”

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To synthesize sources, group them around a specific theme or point of contention.

As you read sources, ask:

  • What questions or ideas recur? Do the sources focus on the same points, or do they look at the issue from different angles?
  • How does each source relate to others? Does it confirm or challenge the findings of past research?
  • Where do the sources agree or disagree?

Once you have a clear idea of how each source positions itself, put them in conversation with each other. Analyze and interpret their points of agreement and disagreement. This displays the relationships among sources and creates a sense of coherence.

Consider both implicit and explicit (dis)agreements. Whether one source specifically refutes another or just happens to come to different conclusions without specifically engaging with it, you can mention it in your synthesis either way.

Synthesize your sources using:

  • Topic sentences to introduce the relationship between the sources
  • Signal phrases to attribute ideas to their authors
  • Transition words and phrases to link together different ideas

To more easily determine the similarities and dissimilarities among your sources, you can create a visual representation of their main ideas with a synthesis matrix . This is a tool that you can use when researching and writing your paper, not a part of the final text.

In a synthesis matrix, each column represents one source, and each row represents a common theme or idea among the sources. In the relevant rows, fill in a short summary of how the source treats each theme or topic.

This helps you to clearly see the commonalities or points of divergence among your sources. You can then synthesize these sources in your work by explaining their relationship.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

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Synthesizing sources means comparing and contrasting the work of other scholars to provide new insights.

It involves analyzing and interpreting the points of agreement and disagreement among sources.

You might synthesize sources in your literature review to give an overview of the field of research or throughout your paper when you want to contribute something new to existing research.

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

Topic sentences help keep your writing focused and guide the reader through your argument.

In an essay or paper , each paragraph should focus on a single idea. By stating the main idea in the topic sentence, you clarify what the paragraph is about for both yourself and your reader.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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How to Synthesize Written Information from Multiple Sources

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When you write a literature review or essay, you have to go beyond just summarizing the articles you’ve read – you need to synthesize the literature to show how it all fits together (and how your own research fits in).

Synthesizing simply means combining. Instead of summarizing the main points of each source in turn, you put together the ideas and findings of multiple sources in order to make an overall point.

At the most basic level, this involves looking for similarities and differences between your sources. Your synthesis should show the reader where the sources overlap and where they diverge.

Unsynthesized Example

Franz (2008) studied undergraduate online students. He looked at 17 females and 18 males and found that none of them liked APA. According to Franz, the evidence suggested that all students are reluctant to learn citations style. Perez (2010) also studies undergraduate students. She looked at 42 females and 50 males and found that males were significantly more inclined to use citation software ( p < .05). Findings suggest that females might graduate sooner. Goldstein (2012) looked at British undergraduates. Among a sample of 50, all females, all confident in their abilities to cite and were eager to write their dissertations.

Synthesized Example

Studies of undergraduate students reveal conflicting conclusions regarding relationships between advanced scholarly study and citation efficacy. Although Franz (2008) found that no participants enjoyed learning citation style, Goldstein (2012) determined in a larger study that all participants watched felt comfortable citing sources, suggesting that variables among participant and control group populations must be examined more closely. Although Perez (2010) expanded on Franz’s original study with a larger, more diverse sample…

Step 1: Organize your sources

After collecting the relevant literature, you’ve got a lot of information to work through, and no clear idea of how it all fits together.

Before you can start writing, you need to organize your notes in a way that allows you to see the relationships between sources.

One way to begin synthesizing the literature is to put your notes into a table. Depending on your topic and the type of literature you’re dealing with, there are a couple of different ways you can organize this.

Summary table

A summary table collates the key points of each source under consistent headings. This is a good approach if your sources tend to have a similar structure – for instance, if they’re all empirical papers.

Each row in the table lists one source, and each column identifies a specific part of the source. You can decide which headings to include based on what’s most relevant to the literature you’re dealing with.

For example, you might include columns for things like aims, methods, variables, population, sample size, and conclusion.

For each study, you briefly summarize each of these aspects. You can also include columns for your own evaluation and analysis.

summary table for synthesizing the literature

The summary table gives you a quick overview of the key points of each source. This allows you to group sources by relevant similarities, as well as noticing important differences or contradictions in their findings.

Synthesis matrix

A synthesis matrix is useful when your sources are more varied in their purpose and structure – for example, when you’re dealing with books and essays making various different arguments about a topic.

Each column in the table lists one source. Each row is labeled with a specific concept, topic or theme that recurs across all or most of the sources.

Then, for each source, you summarize the main points or arguments related to the theme.

synthesis matrix

The purposes of the table is to identify the common points that connect the sources, as well as identifying points where they diverge or disagree.

Step 2: Outline your structure

Now you should have a clear overview of the main connections and differences between the sources you’ve read. Next, you need to decide how you’ll group them together and the order in which you’ll discuss them.

For shorter papers, your outline can just identify the focus of each paragraph; for longer papers, you might want to divide it into sections with headings.

There are a few different approaches you can take to help you structure your synthesis.

If your sources cover a broad time period, and you found patterns in how researchers approached the topic over time, you can organize your discussion chronologically .

That doesn’t mean you just summarize each paper in chronological order; instead, you should group articles into time periods and identify what they have in common, as well as signalling important turning points or developments in the literature.

If the literature covers various different topics, you can organize it thematically .

That means that each paragraph or section focuses on a specific theme and explains how that theme is approached in the literature.

synthesizing the literature using themes

Source Used with Permission: The Chicago School

If you’re drawing on literature from various different fields or they use a wide variety of research methods, you can organize your sources methodologically .

That means grouping together studies based on the type of research they did and discussing the findings that emerged from each method.

If your topic involves a debate between different schools of thought, you can organize it theoretically .

That means comparing the different theories that have been developed and grouping together papers based on the position or perspective they take on the topic, as well as evaluating which arguments are most convincing.

Step 3: Write paragraphs with topic sentences

What sets a synthesis apart from a summary is that it combines various sources. The easiest way to think about this is that each paragraph should discuss a few different sources, and you should be able to condense the overall point of the paragraph into one sentence.

This is called a topic sentence , and it usually appears at the start of the paragraph. The topic sentence signals what the whole paragraph is about; every sentence in the paragraph should be clearly related to it.

A topic sentence can be a simple summary of the paragraph’s content:

“Early research on [x] focused heavily on [y].”

For an effective synthesis, you can use topic sentences to link back to the previous paragraph, highlighting a point of debate or critique:

“Several scholars have pointed out the flaws in this approach.” “While recent research has attempted to address the problem, many of these studies have methodological flaws that limit their validity.”

By using topic sentences, you can ensure that your paragraphs are coherent and clearly show the connections between the articles you are discussing.

As you write your paragraphs, avoid quoting directly from sources: use your own words to explain the commonalities and differences that you found in the literature.

Don’t try to cover every single point from every single source – the key to synthesizing is to extract the most important and relevant information and combine it to give your reader an overall picture of the state of knowledge on your topic.

Step 4: Revise, edit and proofread

Like any other piece of academic writing, synthesizing literature doesn’t happen all in one go – it involves redrafting, revising, editing and proofreading your work.

Checklist for Synthesis

  •   Do I introduce the paragraph with a clear, focused topic sentence?
  •   Do I discuss more than one source in the paragraph?
  •   Do I mention only the most relevant findings, rather than describing every part of the studies?
  •   Do I discuss the similarities or differences between the sources, rather than summarizing each source in turn?
  •   Do I put the findings or arguments of the sources in my own words?
  •   Is the paragraph organized around a single idea?
  •   Is the paragraph directly relevant to my research question or topic?
  •   Is there a logical transition from this paragraph to the next one?

Further Information

How to Synthesise: a Step-by-Step Approach

Help…I”ve Been Asked to Synthesize!

Learn how to Synthesise (combine information from sources)

How to write a Psychology Essay

research synthesis essay example

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Synthesizing Sources

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When you look for areas where your sources agree or disagree and try to draw broader conclusions about your topic based on what your sources say, you are engaging in synthesis. Writing a research paper usually requires synthesizing the available sources in order to provide new insight or a different perspective into your particular topic (as opposed to simply restating what each individual source says about your research topic).

Note that synthesizing is not the same as summarizing.  

  • A summary restates the information in one or more sources without providing new insight or reaching new conclusions.
  • A synthesis draws on multiple sources to reach a broader conclusion.

There are two types of syntheses: explanatory syntheses and argumentative syntheses . Explanatory syntheses seek to bring sources together to explain a perspective and the reasoning behind it. Argumentative syntheses seek to bring sources together to make an argument. Both types of synthesis involve looking for relationships between sources and drawing conclusions.

In order to successfully synthesize your sources, you might begin by grouping your sources by topic and looking for connections. For example, if you were researching the pros and cons of encouraging healthy eating in children, you would want to separate your sources to find which ones agree with each other and which ones disagree.

After you have a good idea of what your sources are saying, you want to construct your body paragraphs in a way that acknowledges different sources and highlights where you can draw new conclusions.

As you continue synthesizing, here are a few points to remember:

  • Don’t force a relationship between sources if there isn’t one. Not all of your sources have to complement one another.
  • Do your best to highlight the relationships between sources in very clear ways.
  • Don’t ignore any outliers in your research. It’s important to take note of every perspective (even those that disagree with your broader conclusions).

Example Syntheses

Below are two examples of synthesis: one where synthesis is NOT utilized well, and one where it is.

Parents are always trying to find ways to encourage healthy eating in their children. Elena Pearl Ben-Joseph, a doctor and writer for KidsHealth , encourages parents to be role models for their children by not dieting or vocalizing concerns about their body image. The first popular diet began in 1863. William Banting named it the “Banting” diet after himself, and it consisted of eating fruits, vegetables, meat, and dry wine. Despite the fact that dieting has been around for over a hundred and fifty years, parents should not diet because it hinders children’s understanding of healthy eating.

In this sample paragraph, the paragraph begins with one idea then drastically shifts to another. Rather than comparing the sources, the author simply describes their content. This leads the paragraph to veer in an different direction at the end, and it prevents the paragraph from expressing any strong arguments or conclusions.

An example of a stronger synthesis can be found below.

Parents are always trying to find ways to encourage healthy eating in their children. Different scientists and educators have different strategies for promoting a well-rounded diet while still encouraging body positivity in children. David R. Just and Joseph Price suggest in their article “Using Incentives to Encourage Healthy Eating in Children” that children are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables if they are given a reward (855-856). Similarly, Elena Pearl Ben-Joseph, a doctor and writer for Kids Health , encourages parents to be role models for their children. She states that “parents who are always dieting or complaining about their bodies may foster these same negative feelings in their kids. Try to keep a positive approach about food” (Ben-Joseph). Martha J. Nepper and Weiwen Chai support Ben-Joseph’s suggestions in their article “Parents’ Barriers and Strategies to Promote Healthy Eating among School-age Children.” Nepper and Chai note, “Parents felt that patience, consistency, educating themselves on proper nutrition, and having more healthy foods available in the home were important strategies when developing healthy eating habits for their children.” By following some of these ideas, parents can help their children develop healthy eating habits while still maintaining body positivity.

In this example, the author puts different sources in conversation with one another. Rather than simply describing the content of the sources in order, the author uses transitions (like "similarly") and makes the relationship between the sources evident.

research synthesis essay example

How to Write a Synthesis Essay: Your Guide From Start to Finish

research synthesis essay example

Today, we're swamped with information, like reading 174 newspapers every day. It comes from all over—news, social media, science, and more. This flood might make you feel overwhelmed and lost in a sea of facts and opinions. But being able to make sense of it all is crucial.

This guide isn't just about handling all that info; it's about using it to write awesome essays. We'll show you step by step how to pick a topic and organize your essay. Let's dive in and learn how to turn scattered facts into powerful essays that really stand out.

What Is a Synthesis Essay

The synthesis essay is a powerful tool in writing. It's not just about gathering facts but about connecting them to make a clear and strong argument.

Writing a synthesis essay allows you to dive deep into ideas. You have to find similarities between different sources—like articles, studies, or arguments—and use them to tell a convincing story.

In today's world, where we're bombarded with information, synthesis essays are more important than ever. They let us explore how different ideas fit together and help us express our thoughts on complex topics. Whether you're writing about literature, science, history, or current events, a synthesis essay shows off your ability to analyze and understand a topic from all angles. And if you're struggling with this task, just ask us to ' write paper for me ,' and we'll handle your assignment for you.

Explanatory vs. Argumentative Synthesis Essays

In synthesis writing, there are two main types: explanatory and argumentative. Understanding these categories is key because they shape how you approach your essay.

Explanatory:

An explanatory synthesis essay does just what it says—it explains. These essays aim to give a balanced view of a topic by gathering information from different sources and presenting it clearly. They don't try to persuade; instead, they focus on providing information and making things easier to understand. They're like comprehensive summaries, breaking down complex ideas for a broader audience. These essays rely heavily on facts and expert opinions, avoiding personal bias.

Argumentative:

On the flip side, argumentative synthesis essays are all about persuasion. Their main goal is to take a stance on an issue and convince the reader. They gather information from various sources not only to present different views but also to build a strong argument. Argumentative essays aim to sway the reader's opinion by using gathered information as evidence. These essays express opinions and use rhetorical strategies to persuade.

And if you're keen on knowing how to write an informative essay , we've got you covered on that, too!

Synthesis Essay Structure

To craft a strong synthesis essay, you need a solid foundation. Here's a structured approach to help you nail it:

Introductory Paragraph:

  • To kick things off, grab your reader's attention with a catchy hook or interesting fact. Give a bit of background info about your topic and the sources you'll be using, as it can help readers understand your topic better! Then, lay out your main argument in a clear thesis statement.

Body Paragraphs:

  • Each paragraph should focus on a different aspect of your topic or source. Start with a topic sentence that links back to your thesis. Introduce the source you're discussing and highlight its main points. Also, using quotes, paraphrases, or summaries from your sources can make your arguments stronger.

Synthesis :

  • This part is where your essay comes together. Look for common themes or differences among your sources. Use your analysis to build a strong argument. Don't forget to address any opposing viewpoints if they're relevant!

Conclusion :

  • Wrap things up by restating your thesis and summarizing your main points. Explain why your argument is important and what it means in the bigger picture. End with a thought-provoking statement to leave a lasting impression.

References :

  • Finally, don't forget to list all your sources properly using the right citation style, like MLA or APA. Do you know that different citation styles have different rules? So, make sure you follow the right one!

Choosing a Synthesis Essay Topic

Picking essay topics is just the beginning. To write a great synthesis essay, you need to carefully evaluate and connect different sources to build a strong argument or viewpoint. Here's a step-by-step infographic guide to help you choose the right synthesis essay topics wisely.

choosing a synthesis essay topic

How to Write a Synthesis Essay with Easy Steps

Writing a synthesis essay is similar to a compare and contrast essay . It requires a methodical approach to blend information from different sources into a strong and persuasive argument. Here are some crucial steps and tips to help you along the way.

  • Clarify Your Purpose: First, decide if you're writing an explanatory or argumentative synthesis essay. This choice will set the tone and direction for your essay.
  • Source Selection and Analysis: Choose credible and relevant sources for your topic, balancing different types like articles, books, and websites. Analyze each source carefully, noting the main ideas and evidence presented.
  • Formulate a Strong Thesis Statement: Create a clear and concise thesis statement that guides your essay. It should express your main argument or perspective.
  • Structure Your Essay: Organize your essay with a clear synthesis essay outline, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each body paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of your topic.
  • Employ Effective Transition Sentences: Use transition sentences to connect your ideas and paragraphs smoothly, ensuring a cohesive flow in your essay.
  • Synthesize Information: Blend information from your sources within your paragraphs. Discuss how each source contributes to your thesis and highlight common themes or differences.
  • Avoid Simple Summarization: Don't just summarize your sources—analyze them critically and use them to build your argument.
  • Address Counterarguments (if applicable): Acknowledge opposing viewpoints and counter them with well-supported arguments, showing a deep understanding of the topic.
  • Craft a Resolute Conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your thesis in the conclusion. Emphasize the importance of your argument or insights, and end with a thought-provoking statement or call to action. ‍
  • Revise and Proofread: Check your essay for clarity, coherence, and grammar mistakes. Ensure your citations are correct and follow the chosen citation style, like MLA or APA.

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Synthesis Essay Format

Choosing the right citation style can enhance the credibility and professionalism of your paper. The format of your synthesis paper depends on the specific guidelines given by your instructor. They usually fall into one of the popular styles: MLA, APA, or Chicago, each used in different academic fields.

synthesis essay format

1. MLA (Modern Language Association):

  • Uses in-text citations with the author's last name and page number.
  • Includes a 'Works Cited' page at the end listing all sources.
  • Focuses on the author and publication date.
  • Often used in humanities essays, research papers, and literary analyses.

2. APA (American Psychological Association):

  • Uses in-text citations with the author's last name and publication date in parentheses.
  • Includes a 'References' page listing all sources alphabetically.
  • Emphasizes the publication date and scientific precision.
  • Commonly used in research papers, scholarly articles, and scientific studies.

3. Chicago Style:

  • Offers two documentation styles: Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date.
  • Notes-Bibliography uses footnotes or endnotes for citations, while Author-Date uses in-text citations with a reference list.
  • Suitable for various academic writing, including research papers and historical studies.
  • Provides flexibility in formatting and citation methods, making it adaptable to different disciplines.

Synthesis Essay Example

Here are two examples of synthesis essays that demonstrate how to apply the synthesis process in real life. They explore interesting topics and offer practical guidance for mastering the art of writing this type of paper.

Synthesis Essay Tips

Crafting a strong synthesis essay requires careful planning and effective techniques. Here are five essential tips to help you write your best paper:

  • Diverse Source Selection : Choose a range of reliable sources that offer different viewpoints on your topic. Make sure they're recent and relevant to your subject.
  • Seamless Source Integration : Avoid just summarizing your sources. Instead, blend them into your essay by analyzing and comparing their ideas. Show how they connect to build your argument.
  • Balanced Tone : Maintain an impartial tone in your writing, even if you have personal opinions. Synthesis essays require objectivity, so they present different viewpoints without bias.
  • Focus on Synthesis : Remember, synthesis essays are about linking ideas, not just summarizing sources. Explore how your sources relate to each other to create a cohesive argument.
  • Address Counterarguments : Like in persuasive essays topics , acknowledge opposing viewpoints and explain why your perspective is stronger. This demonstrates your understanding of the topic and adds depth to your argument.

Concluding Thoughts

When writing a synthesis essay, it's essential to pick trustworthy sources, blend them effectively to build your argument and stay objective. Use smooth transitions, address counterarguments thoughtfully, and focus on analyzing rather than just summarizing. By following these steps, you'll create essays that inform, persuade, and engage your readers!

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How Should You Conclude a Synthesis Essay?

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How to write a synthesis essay

Duygu Demiröz

  • January 1, 2024

Synthesis essay is a challenging form of academic writing in which you combine multiple sources into a coherent and persuasive argument.

When writing one, better follow a series of basic steps that we will explain in the next paragraphs to write a great essay.

So let’s quickly start learning how to write a great synthesis essay.

Quick summary

  • Take the time to understand the essay prompt to grasp the requirements of the assignment.
  • Engage in extensive research and gather information from a variety of reputable sources.
  • Develop a strong thesis statement and outline.
  • Start writing your introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Make sure to include smooth transitions between these paragraphs.
  • Use the proper citation or formatting (APA, MLA, etc.) and make sure you proofread your essay.

Synthesis essay definition

What is a synthesis essay?

Your primary goal with a synthesis essay is to provide a unique perspective, supported by evidence. For example, suppose you have two distinct essays or research papers on “excessive social media usage” and “the effects of social media on psychology.”

In your synthesis essay, you can blend these two sources into a cohesive argument like “the psychological impacts of excessive social media usage on individuals.”

Synthesis essay introduction

The introduction is the opening paragraph of a synthesis essay, where you present the topic and provide background information. Like a usual introduction , it should not be more than 10% of your essay.

  • It should include a clear and concise thesis statement that states the main argument or viewpoint of the essay.
  • It should reflect the synthesis of information from multiple sources.

Now let’s have a look at the introduction example below. 

Synthesis essay introduction example

Introduction, body paragraphs.

The body paragraphs form the core of the synthesis essay. Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of the argument and present evidence and analysis from the sources to support the thesis statement. When writing body paragraphs: 

  • Use topic sentences to introduce the main idea of each paragraph
  • Make use of transition words to create a smooth flow between paragraphs.

Let’s have a look at a body paragraph example.

Synthesis essay body paragraph example

Synthesis essay conclusion.

The conclusion is the final paragraph of your essay. A compelling conclusion leaves a lasting impact on the reader, reinforcing the essay’s main message. 

  • Restate the thesis statement slightly different.
  • Summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs and emphasize the significance of the overall synthesis 

Let’s have a look at the components of a conclusion paragraph below. 

Synthesis essay conclusion example

Now that we’ve seen a short example of synthesis essay, let’s continue with the steps to write a great one.

Steps on writing a synthesis essay

In this section, we’ll guide you through the writing process with each steps explained in detail and examples. 

steps of synthesis essay

Step 1 - Understand your assignment

  • Depending on your field of study, you may need to adhere to standard formatting styles such as MLA , APA , or Chicago.
  • Consider that formatting expectations may be different. Pay attention to certain guidelines provided by your instructor.

Example of a synthesis essay assignment

  • Investigate the impact of artificial intelligence on the job market and society.
  • Synthesize at least three different sources, including academic articles, news reports, and opinion pieces, to discuss the benefits and challenges posed by AI's integration into various industries.
  • Consider the ethical implications, potential job displacement, and the role of policymakers in addressing these changes.
  • Use correct APA 7 citation format and make sure the essay is at least 1000 words.

So you see an example above, take some time to carefully review the prompt, and give particular attention to the formatting requirements. 

Step 2 - Read and annotate the sources

After finding relevant sources, read each one critically by highlighting key ideas and arguments. Annotating sources with concise summaries and evaluative comments helps in later stages of the essay writing process.

  • Academic Journals and Research Papers: These are scholarly articles written by experts in a particular field.
  • Books: Books: written by reputable authors and published by well-known publishers can be valuable sources of information.
  • Government Publications: Reports, statistics, and studies published by government agencies can be reliable sources of data.
  • Newspapers and Magazines: Articles from reputable newspapers and magazines can offer current and relevant information on various topics.

Step 3 - Draft a thesis statement

A well-crafted thesis statement forms the basis of any synthesis paper. It serves as the central argument, summarizing the synthesis of information gathered from selected sources. 

A compelling thesis statement should be clear, concise, and debatable as it sets the tone for the entire paper. 

Synthesis essay thesis statement example

....(introduction starts) ....(introduction continues) ....(introduction continues) The pursuit of space exploration has had profound effects on scientific advancement, global cooperation, and technological innovation, and has also raised ethical considerations. Thesis statement, which is usually the last sentence of your introduction

Step 4 - Create an outline

Creating an outline helps to organize the structure of the essay systematically. Using a formal approach with Roman numerals allows for an orderly arrangement of topics and supporting details.

With an outline , you can use subcategories to cite specific points and integrate references to various sources. Or simply structure your whole essay before you start. 

Synthesis essay outline example

Outline sample

  • Hook sentence
  • Background information
  • Thesis statement (Your argument & claim)
  • Topic sentene
  • Supporting detail 1
  • Supporting detail 2
  • Supporting evidence
  • Topic sentence
  • Counterpoint
  • Restatement of thesis
  • Summarize main points
  • Closing sentence

Step 5 - Start writing your essay

essay outline structure

With the outline, structure your essay into introduction , body paragraphs , and conclusion .  

First draft won’t be perfect, no worries. Here you simply start writing your essay from intro to the conclusion. 

Refer to our Introduction-Body-Conclusion examples above to complete this step!

Step 6 - Proofread your essay

  • Make sure your grammar is accurate and clear. If possible, use tools like Grammarly .
  • Read aloud your essay to notice details and mistakes.
  • Let your essay sit for a couple days and make someone else read it. They may notice the mistakes you've overseen.
  • Utilize an AI paraphrasing tool to check for any potential improvements in sentence structure and wording.

5-Paragraph Synthesis Essay Example

So now that you’ve seen all steps of writing a synthesis essay, it’s time to analyze a 5-paragraph example to have practical information. Simply see the essay example below and analyze how each sentence contributes to overall structure of essay. 

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And that’s all for today. If you want to keep learning more about academic writing, feel free to visit our extensive Learning Center or YouTube Channel . 

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UMGC Effective Writing Center Write to Synthesize: The Research Essay

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In a synthesis, you bring things together. This combination, integration, or merging creates something new--your synthesis. The action of synthesis is basic to our world. Take, for example, what happens when a single oxygen molecule is combined with two hydrogen molecules. Water is created or synthesized. Hard to get more basic than that.

You also use synthesis to make personal decisions. If two instructors are teaching a class you must take, you may synthesize your past experiences with the teachers to choose the best class for you.

Image Still for Video: Write to Synthesize: How to Combine Sources

Research Essays:

Thesis driven.

In school, when writing a synthesis from your research, your sources may come from the school's library, a textbook, or the Internet. Here are some important points to keep in mind:

First, regardless of where your sources come from or how many you have, what you write should be driven by a thesis that you devise. After reading and studying your sources, you should form a personal point of view, a slant to connect your sources.

Here's a quick example--Let's say you've read three folktales: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Pied Piper--and now you must write a synthesis of them. As you study the three sources, you think about links between them and come up with this thesis: 

Folktales use fear to teach children lessons.

Then you use this thesis to synthesize your three sources as you support your point of view. You combine elements from the three sources to prove and illustrate this thesis. Your support points could focus on the lessons for children:

  • Lesson 1 : Never talk to strangers.
  • Lesson 2 : Don't wander from home.
  • Lesson 3 : Appearances can deceive us.

This step of outlining your thesis and main points is a crucial one when writing a synthesis. If your goal in writing a research essay is to provide readers a unified perspective based on sources, the unified perspective must be clear before the writing begins.

Once the writing begins, your point of view is then carried through to the paragraph and sentence levels. Let's examine some techniques for achieving the unity that a good synthesis requires. First, here’s an example of an unsuccessful attempt at synthesizing sources:

Many sources agree that capital punishment is not a crime deterrent. [This is the idea around which the sources should be unified. Now comes the sources] According to Judy Pennington in an interview with Helen Prejean, crime rates in New Orleans rise for at least eight weeks following executions (110). Jimmy Dunne notes that crime rates often go up in the first two or three months following an execution. “Death in the Americas” argues that America’s crime rate as a whole has increased drastically since the re-instatement of the death penalty in the 1960s. The article notes that 700 crimes are committed for every 100,000 Americans (2). Helen Prejean cites Ellis in her book to note that in 1980, 500,000 people were behind bars and in 1990 that figure rose to 1.1 million (112).

Sample student paragraph adapted from "Literature Review: Synthesizing Multiple Sources." Retrieved 2011 from https://scholarworks.iupui.edu/items/7dda80e7-b0b3-477c-a972-283b48cfdf5c

This paragraph certainly uses a number of sources. However, the sources are presented in a random, grocery list fashion. Besides the main point at the beginning, there is no further attempt to synthesize. The sources seem tossed in, like ingredients in a salad. Let's examine a possible revision of that paragraph and how an adequate synthesis might be achieved:

Major studies suggest that capital punishment fails to deter crime. Helen Prejean, in "Deadman Walking," reviews decades of statistics that indicate capital punishment does little to lower crime. [Key idea from  topic sentence—"capital punishment fails to deter crime"— echoed in sentence about source–"capital punishment does little to lower crime." Repetition links source to main idea.] Based on this evidence, Prejean concludes “Executions do not deter crime . . . the U.S. murder rate is no higher in states that do not have the death penalty than those who do” (110). ["Based on this evidence" forces  reader to refer back to "statistics" in previous sentence.] Prejean’s point is reiterated from a historical perspective in Dunne's article “Death in the Americas.”  [This sentence provides a thought bridge between two sources.] Dunne first points out that, despite the social and economic upheavals from 1930 to 1960, crime rates were unchanged (2). [Linking phrase:"Dunne first points out"] However, after the reinstatement of the death penalty in the 1960s, “crime rates soared” (2). [Linking phase "However, Dunne notes."]

The result is a matrix of connective devices that unifies the sources around a key idea stated at the beginning. Although this matrix seems complex, it is actually built on a simple three-point strategy.

  • Stay in charge . You the writer must control the sources, using them to serve your purpose. In good synthesis writing, sources are used to support what you, the writer, have already said in your own words.
  • Stay focused . Your main point is not merely stated once and left to wilt. Your main idea is repeated and echoed throughout as a way to link the sources, to weave them together into a strong fabric of meaning.
  • Stay strategic . Notice the "source sandwich" strategy at work. First, the author sets up the source with its background and relevance to the point. After the source comes a follows up in his/her own words as a way to bridge or link to the next part. In other words, the writer's own words are used like two slices of bread, with the source in the middle.

Follow these simple principles when using sources in your writing and you will achieve the most important goal of synthesis writing--to create a whole greater than its parts.

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How to Write a Synthesis Essay

Last Updated: January 15, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,119,027 times.

Writing a synthesis essay requires the ability to digest information and present it in an organized fashion. While this skill is developed in high school and college classes, it translates to the business and advertising world as well. Scroll down to Step 1 to begin learning how to write a synthesis essay.

Examining Your Topic

Step 1 Understand the concept of a synthesis essay.

  • Argument synthesis: This type of essay has a strong thesis statement that presents the writer's point of view. It organizes relevant information gathered from research in a logical manner to support the thesis' point of view. Business white papers known as position papers often take this form. This is the type of synthesis essay that students will write during the AP test.
  • Review: Often written as a preliminary essay to an argument synthesis, a review essay is a discussion of what has been written previously on a topic, with a critical analysis of the sources covered. Its unstated thesis is usually that more research needs to be done in that area or that the topic problem has not been adequately addressed. This type of paper is common in social science classes and in medicine.
  • Explanatory/background synthesis: This type of essay helps readers understand a topic by categorizing facts and presenting them to further the reader's understanding. It does not advocate a particular point of view, and if it has a thesis statement, the thesis is a weak one. Some business white papers take this form, although they are more likely to have a point of view, if understated.

Step 2 Choose a topic suitable for a synthesis essay.

  • Example of a broad topic narrowed down into a reasonable synthesis essay topic: Instead of the broad topic of Social Media, you could discuss your view on the effects texting has had on the English language.
  • If you've been assigned a topic as part of a class, make sure you read the prompt carefully and fully understand it.

Step 3 Choose and read your sources carefully.

  • Keep in mind that it's better to do three sources well than to do five sources incompletely.
  • Annotate each source by writing notes in the margins. This allows you to keep track of your train of thought, developing ideas, etc.

Step 4 Develop a thesis...

  • Example: Texting has had a positive impact on the English language as it has helped the millennial generation create their own form of the language.

Step 5 Re-read your source material for items to support your thesis.

  • If you wish to take on a claim by an opponent of your idea, and to poke holes in it, you should also find some ideas or quotes that go against your thesis statement, and plan ways to disprove them. This is called a concession, refutation, or rebuttal, which can strengthen your argument if you do it well.
  • Example : For the thesis statement listed above, excellent sources would include quotes from linguists discussing the new words that have developed through 'text-speak', statistics that show the English language has evolved with almost every generation, and facts that show students still have the ability to write with the use of grammar and spelling (which your opponents would bring up as the main reason texting has had a negative effect on the English language).

Outlining Your Essay

Step 1 Outline the structure of your thesis.

  • 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.

Step 2 Use a more creative structure to present your thesis.

  • 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. You may use more than one example or illustration, if your paper calls for it. You should not, however, make your paper a series of examples at the expense of supporting your thesis.
  • 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. This format shows your awareness of the opposition and your readiness to answer it. You present the counter-argument right after your thesis, followed by the evidence to refute it, and end with a positive argument that supports your thesis. [6] X Research source
  • 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. This structure is good for presenting papers to readers who hold the opposing viewpoint.
  • Comparison and contrast. This structure compares similarities and contrasts differences between two subjects or sources to show the facets of both. Writing an essay with this structure requires a careful reading of your source material to find both subtle and major points of similarity and difference. This kind of essay can present its arguments source-by-source or by points of similarity or difference.

Step 3 Create an outline appropriate for a background or review synthesis essay.

  • Summary. This structure presents summaries of each of your relevant sources, making a progressively stronger argument for your thesis. It provides specific evidence to support your point of view, but usually omits presenting your own opinions. It's most commonly used for background and review essays.
  • List of reasons. This is a series of sub-points that flow from the main point of your paper as stated in its thesis. Each reason is supported with evidence. As with the summary method, reasons should become progressively more important, with the most important reason last.

Writing Your Essay

Step 1 Write your first draft according to your outline.

  • Your essay should have an introductory paragraph that includes your thesis , a body to present evidence that supports your thesis, and a conclusion that summarizes your point of view.

Step 2 Write in the third person.

  • Lengthy quotes of three lines or more should generally be set off as block quotes to better call attention to them. [8] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

Finalizing Your Essay

Step 1 Revise your essay.

  • Ask someone else to proofread your paper. The saying “two heads are better than one” still holds true. Ask a friend or colleague what would they add or remove from the paper. Most importantly, does your argument make sense, and is it clearly supported by your sources?

Step 2 Proofread your paper.

  • Read the paper aloud to guarantee that you don't accidentally add in or take out words when reading in your head.
  • If you can, get a friend or classmate to proofread your essay as well.

Step 3  Cite your...

  • Example of citing in an AP synthesis essay: McPherson claims “texting has changed the English language in a positive way--it has given a new generation their own unique way to communicate” (Source E).
  • For college essays, you'll most likely use MLA format. Whichever format you use, be consistent in its use. You may also be asked to use APA or Chicago style.

Step 4 Title your essay.

  • Example title: : English and the iPhone: Exploring the Benefits of 'Text-Speak'

Outline Template

research synthesis essay example

Community Q&A

Community Answer

  • Just as your title should fit your essay instead of writing your essay to fit the title, your thesis, once chosen, should direct your subsequent research instead of subsequent research altering your thesis � unless you find you've adopted an unsupportable thesis. Thanks Helpful 21 Not Helpful 8

research synthesis essay example

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Write an Essay

  • ↑ https://success.uark.edu/get-help/student-resources/synthesis-paper.php
  • ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/mapping-a-synthesis-essay
  • ↑ https://www.bgsu.edu/content/dam/BGSU/learning-commons/documents/writing/synthesis/planning-synthesis-essay.pdf
  • ↑ https://writingcenterofprinceton.com/synthesis-essays-a-step-by-step-how-to-guide/
  • ↑ https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/dso6/synthesis.htm
  • ↑ https://owl.excelsior.edu/argument-and-critical-thinking/logical-fallacies/logical-fallacies-straw-man/
  • ↑ https://writingcommons.org/section/rhetoric/rhetorical-stance/point-of-view/third-person-point-of-view/
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_quotations.html
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/steps_for_revising.html
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/proofreading_suggestions.html
  • ↑ https://www.edhs.org/ourpages/auto/2010/5/17/41759867/Synthesis%20Essay%20Introduction.pdf
  • ↑ https://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/titles.pdf

About This Article

Christopher Taylor, PhD

To write a synthesis essay, start by coming up with a thesis statement that you can support using all of the sources you've read for your essay. For example, your thesis statement could be "Texting has had a positive impact on the English language." Once you've got your thesis, go through your sources to find specific quotes, facts, and statistics that back up your claim. Structure your essay so it has an introduction that includes your thesis statement, a body that includes your arguments and evidence, and a conclusion that wraps everything up. For more tips on structuring your synthesis essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Synthesis Essay?

13 June, 2020

16 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

We’ve all wondered how to write a synthesis essay. Synthesis papers are hard to write and offering general advice on them is even harder. However, we will give it a try! Thanks to our expertise and excellent understanding of the subject, you can learn how to write a synthesis essay in no time. So, let’s dive in!

Synthesis Essay

An excellent synthesis essay is based on in-depth analysis of multiple sources. Often it is the sources that dictate the style and method of writing used to analyze, debate, and argue about the ideas in the source material.

What is a Synthesis Essay?

A synthesis essay is a discussion that is based on two or more sources that can come from various places (television, radio, adverts, lectures) but, frankly, it mostly centers on written pieces. Students can be often be assigned to write these types of essays in History class. Their teachers might ask them to analyze a few sources talking about a single issue and synthesize them.

what does synthesize mean

What Does it Mean to Synthesize a Text?

The definition of synthesis is ‘the combination of components or elements to form a connected whole. So, to synthesize a text you have to combine information from a number of sources into a coherent paper.

Sure, dictionary talk on synthesis essay writing never makes much sense. So, to help you out here:

To synthesize your paper means to form a new perspective on an issue by placing extracts from sources next to each other.

One thing a lot of students have trouble with is understanding the difference between synthesizing a text and summarizing it . A summary of a synthesis essay reiterates the critical points of the text to provide an overview. Meanwhile, synthesis moves beyond this by contrasting the critical points of your knowledge on a subject to what other sources say about it.

Different Types of Synthesis Essays

There are mainly two types of synthesis essays – expository and argumentative.

Types of synthesis essays

An expository essay explains the issue in as much detail as possible. Expository synthesis essay can also be called research synthesis essay at times. As an excellent synthesis essay example, you can check out any literature review on issues related to the social sciences, such as sociology, linguistics, or psychology. Alternatively, look for synthesis essay examples in books on History.

An argumentative synthesis essay is one where you’re using the source material to prove your claim by citing credible conflicting theories, experiments where the theory was falsified, quotes or statistics. You’re not seeking to explain. You aim to understand how to persuade and write an argumentative essay that supports and proves your argument.

The Purpose of a Synthesis Essay

The purpose of a synthesis essay depends on the type of essay you’ve received, the question that was set and its subject.

The purpose of a synthesis essay

Advanced high-grade essays must demonstrate these four things:

  • Your understanding of the major issues presented in the synthesis essay.
  • Your understanding of the smaller issues in the sources.
  • Critical reading, analytical and evaluation skills.
  • Your ability to develop an argument.

Basically, the purpose of writing a synthesis essay is to assess your ability to form and defend a viewpoint using source materials.

In general, the process of writing a synthesis essay consists of six steps:

  • Analyzing the source.
  • Choosing an interesting title.
  • Building an outline.
  • Crafting an introduction.
  • Developing the main body paragraphs.
  • Writing a conclusion.

So, if you are wondering how to write a good synthesis essay, we’ve got your back!

Now, let’s take a closer look at each one of these points.

Analyzing the Sources

If you have been assigned sources for your synthesis essay, start with reading them in-depth, drawing out how they connect and looking for common themes. Thus, if you are making a comparison on how money is presented in literature, look for what the texts are saying about society’s perceptions of wealth.

It goes without saying that you have to start with the sources. If there are two different perspectives in sociology, see what they have in common before you start working on a synthesis essay.

As you start to build a thread of interest, you can build up an argument or a thesis statement . It’s best to choose sources that encourage discussion.

And unless you lived under a rock you know that the best way to draw connections and threads together is by using some visual aid or tool. This can save you hours of work and take your synthesis essay to a new level.

Choosing an Interesting Title

Start with a working title based on the core issue you’re writing about. Don’t worry about the first draft of your synthesis essay. You’ll come back, clean it, and make it compelling later.

Besides, if you have been given a title, the taking out the keywords or the question can help you focus on the task too.

Nevertheless, bear in mind that the title has to be interesting. It should specify the problem and intrigue the audience. They need to want to keep reading your synthesis essay and to dig a little deeper into your exciting subject. In other words, grab their attention from the start and keep them on the hook!

Related Posts: Argumentative essay topics list

How to Write a Synthesis Essay Outline

Now, that you have studied the sources, understand the issue better and even have an interesting title for your paper, make sure you know how to create a perfect outline for your piece. It will keep you focused as you dive into the writing process and won’t let you lose your sight of the thesis.

As a rule, synthesis essay structure consists of:

  • An introduction with a hook and a thesis statement;
  • Main body paragraphs with each one of them supporting the thesis;
  • A conclusion to summarize the whole piece.

Finally, comes the time to get the show on the road.

We will start the process with an introduction. After all, that’s where it all begins!

Crafting an Introduction to a Synthesis Essay

How to write an introduction to a synthesis essay

An introduction to a synthesis essay should:

Introduce the Topic You’re Discussing.

This is used to clarify the theme or topic you will focus on based on the sources you chose. Here’s an example of a synthesis essay introduction: ‘The sources all discuss and agree that climate change is a serious problem that the world is facing today but disagree over what causes the problems and the solutions to it.’

Specify the Main Sources.

Let the readers know what you are basing your synthesis essay on. And explain how the theme or topic emerges in the text, or how the author in each text addresses the idea and why it is important. For example, ‘Mr. Believer’s speech on climate change recognizes that there is a real threat from the climate affecting the planet. He states that measures should be taken to reduce C02 levels. Meanwhile, Mr. Doubter’s speech questions the science behind the above-mentioned plan using the anecdotal evidence to suggest that it’s a natural change not affected by man.’

Introduce the Thesis Statement.

At the end of the introductory paragraph of a synthesis essay comes a thesis statement. It should answer the question succinctly and state your position on the issue or title of the essay. Moreover, it should explain why this issue is important and how the world would be different without you raising this problem.

If you are not sure how to write a thesis statement , here is our complete guide to help you out!

Here is how your thesis statement should go: ‘Believer makes a compelling argument about how dangerous the climate change is as well as why we need to take an action now to prevent further damage by lowering the C02 emission.’

This is what a comprehensive introduction should look like. Now, let’s move on to the next section of your synthesis essay.

Developing Main Body Paragraphs According to the MEAL Approach

An excellent way to structure the body paragraphs is in applying the MEAL acronym – Main Idea, Evidence and Analysis and Link Back.

MEAL approach to writing a synthesis essay

If that doesn’t make much sense to you, let’s see what it stands for when it comes to synthesis essay.

This is where you want to make a claim on the topic that presents an argument or an author’s position. With the climate change issue as the main subject of a synthesis essay, it can go something like this: “People may try to pass the climate change off as a hoax. However, there is an undeniable link between the human intrusion and CO2 emission problem on the planet.”

The evidence is a quote or a fact or a paraphrase from the sources you have been provided for a synthesis essay. ‘Mr. Believer states that ‘CO2 is the cause of climate change’ supporting his statement with credible scientific evidence.’

At this stage of writing a synthesis essay, you need to specify how the evidence above proves your argument. ‘This demonstrates the global warming theory has significant backing in the scientific community.’

This is just a link back to the central claim of your synthesis essay. ‘Although causal evidence cannot scientifically prove cause and effect, the number of studies cited in these sources find a correlation between an increase in CO2 emission and climate change.’

Last but not least comes a conclusion. Don’t underestimate its potential in the synthesis essay: after all, this is often the only thing the readers will remember after finishing reading your piece.

Writing a Conclusion

It is vital to ensure that a conclusion has proper structure too.

  • Restate the thesis statement. Remind the readers what the main point of your synthesis essay was. It is always a good idea to help them remember it.
  • Mention the evidence. You used various sources to support your thesis statement in a synthesis essay. And a conclusion is the perfect time and place to remind of them. Don’t take too long though. Just briefly go over each one of them. If someone forgot something and needs a more vivid reminder, they can go back to a particular place in your article and read it.
  • Call to action. This might not be applicable all the time. However, if you are trying to persuade the audience in something, you should definitely make sure that use your chance now to encourage them to take measures after finishing your synthesis essay.

All in all, in a conclusion you need to reiterate how the topics are a connection, include a suggestion or conclusion to the arguments.

Synthesis Essay Format for an AP English Exam

Knowing what format meets the requirements of the description of an AP English exam is vital. That is why we strongly recommend you to pay close attention to the formatting you use in the AP language and composition synthesis essay.

The only way to ensure you are referencing correctly is by having the reference guide open as you edit.

If you need assistance with proper MLA and APA formatting at an AP English exam synthesis essay, you can check out our complete guides. They will provide you with comprehensive data on the synthesis essay format for AP English exam.

While still on the subject, you might want to check out our guide on how to write a rhetorical analysis essay , since it is a part of an AP English exam. We have all the answers for you here!

By now you are probably wondering what topics you can opt for when crafting a piece in question. We have prepared a list of themes to take a look at to help you out. So, read on!

Interesting Synthesis Essay Topics

When you choose synthesis essay topics, you should think of subjects that have debates around them. Pick issues with grey areas around them or the ones you can form a unique view or opinion on.

Here are a few synthesis essay topic ideas :

  • Do video games lead to an increased violent behavior level among teens?
  • Rehabilitation or capital punishment: Which is the most effective way to deter crime?
  • How did the Treaty of Versailles contribute to the WW2?
  • Social Learning Theory or Biology: Which has the most significant impact on crime?
  • Does the UFO exist?
  • Do people cause the climate change?
  • Should abortions be made legal?
  • How social media impact our day-to-day lives?
  • Is euthanasia a murder or an act of mercy?
  • Is sex education at schools really necessary?

Choose one of our topics for a synthesis essay – and you’ll definitely end up having a great piece with lots of sources to refer to and credible authors to cite.

Now, let’s polish your writing skills and see how general writing differs from the synthesis essay writing in the long run.

Tips on Writing the AP Synthesis Essay

Here are a few tips on how to write the AP lang. synthesis essay with flying colors:

  • Keep a consistent tone and voice throughout the essay.
  • Craft good strong argument and specify what your position regarding it is.
  • Use some of the rhetorical techniques to craft a more compelling evidence (for more on rhetorical essay writing and preparation to the AP English exam or the synthesis essay ap lang. check our guides here).
  • Know the style and purpose of the essay you are writing.
  • Always have a clear synthesis essay thesis statement to help you write with purpose.
  • Bear in mind the importance of the proper APA or MLA writing guides, and always edit with a reference guide in front of you for better results on your AP English synthesis essay.
  • Analyze the existing sources to find common insightful traits between them.
  • Develop a thesis statement for the essay to guide your outline.
  • Map your main points visually. Do these main points have science-backed evidence to support them? Do they contradict each other? Or does one point support your thesis, the other one debunks your theory while the third one contradicts everything mentioned above? Be consistent in your writing and mapping the ideas.

These tips will help you better craft your synthesis essay. And if you’re still having hard times and struggling with the main points of the paper, remember that HandmadeWriting is the best place to ask for help with your synthesis essay! Our professional essay writers are available 24/7. And don’t forget to use our synthesis essay prompts to ease your writing.

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Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

Art Research Paper Topics

Art Research Paper Topics

Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

How to Write a Synthesis Essay: Examples, Topics, & Outline

A synthesis essay requires you to work with multiple sources. You combine the information gathered from them to present a well-rounded argument on a topic. Are you looking for the ultimate guide on synthesis essay writing? You’ve come to the right place!

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

In this guide by our custom writing team, you will find:

  • a step-by-step writing guide;
  • a list of 34 synthesis essay topics;
  • a full essay sample in MLA format.
  • 📚 Synthesis Essay Definition
  • 📝 Essay Types
  • ✅ Step-by-Step Guide
  • ✍️ Topics & Prompts
  • 📑 Example & Formatting Tips

📚 What Is a Synthesis Essay?

A synthesis essay is an assignment that requires a unique interpretation of a particular topic using several reliable sources. To write it, you need to understand, analyze, and synthesize information. That is why this type of essay is used in the AP Lang exam to assess students’ reasoning skills.

The key features of the synthesis essay are:

  • Debatable topic . If your goal is to write a good synthesis essay, it’s necessary to choose an arguable topic. It’s best to choose something that people have different opinions about. This will allow you to use many sources with various viewpoints for your synthesis.
  • Clear thesis statement. It’s a sentence that briefly describes the main idea of your essay.
  • Reliable sources to prove your thesis . For a synthesis essay, your opinion is not enough. You also need to find the evidence. Keep in mind that simply reading an online encyclopedia won’t do; make sure to choose only reliable sources.

What Does It Mean to Synthesize Information?

Synthesis is a process that has huge importance in nature, science, and our everyday life. The word stems from Ancient Greek “synthesis,” which means “putting together.” In general, synthesis is the combination of components to form a connected whole.

The picture shows examples of synthesis usage in various spheres: biochemistry, physics, and sound creation.

In everyday life, we usually resort to it to synthesize information . This means taking the data from different sources and bringing it together. This process is the opposite of analyzing:

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  • For an analysis , you break problems into pieces,
  • For a synthesis , you combine separate elements into a whole.

We use synthesis for analysis papers, research papers, argument papers, and business reports.

What Does Synthesis Mean in Writing?

Synthesis in writing means summarizing and connecting different sources considering a particular topic. Although synthesis and analysis are two opposite things, they usually go together in synthesis essays. The process consists of 2 stages:

  • Conduct the analysis. For that, you break down a problem into parts and analyze the sources. It’s helpful to highlight everything regarding your topic while reading.
  • Carry out the synthesis. The next step is to formulate an opinion and combine the highlighted information from the sources.

Synthesis is not only used in writing but also in reading comprehension . It’s useful to do this kind of reading while studying your sources. There are three reading comprehension stages:

  • Your previous knowledge about the topic.
  • Expansion of your knowledge while you are reading.
  • Understanding of the problem when you have finished reading.

So, synthesized reading comprehension means combining three stages in one and formulating one statement.

Synthesis vs Summary: What Is the Difference?

A summary is a paraphrasing of the written source in your own words. For a good summary, it’s necessary to include all of the text’s key elements. Meanwhile, synthesis means combining different ideas from different sources. You don’t have to include all the key points; just choose everything related to your topic.

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The picture explains the difference between a synthesis and a summary.

Both of these techniques are used for the synthesis essay:

  • The summary goes in the conclusion. You briefly sum up your paper’s main ideas.
  • Synthesis goes in the body paragraphs. Here, you combine multiple sources to prove a point.

📝 Synthesis Essay Types

There are two main types of a synthesis essay: argument and explanatory synthesis.

Both of them require working with multiple reliable sources and analyzing information. The only difference is that an argument synthesis essay requires your own opinion, while an explanatory synthesis essay does not.

Argument Synthesis Essay: Outline and Definition

As you already know, an argument synthesis essay requires you to state your own opinion about the given topic and back it up with several reliable sources. The purpose of such an essay is to persuade the reader that your point is correct.

Here’s what an argument synthesis essay consists of:

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Explanatory Synthesis Essay: Definition and How to Write

An explanatory informative synthesis essay requires you to stay neutral towards the problem you are discussing. This means you cannot express your own opinion considering the given question or a problem. Your task is just to inform the reader. That’s why this essay type is also called informative synthesis.

Check out this explanatory essay outline:

✅ How to Write a Synthesis Essay Step by Step

When it comes to the synthesis essay outline, it’s not too different from other assignments. Have a look at this template:

The picture shows a synthesis essay outline: introduction, main body, and conclusion.

How to Synthesize: Working with Sources

After you’ve decided on your topic, it’s time to figure out how to synthesize articles into one text. This is how you do it:

  • Choose reliable sources: the ones printed in journals or published on academic websites.
  • Become familiar with them and see if they fit into your essay.
  • Try to find a few sources for each point. It will increase your essay’s reliability.
  • Relate each source to your arguments and see similarities between them.
  • Don’t forget to list every source in the references.

When you are done with a comprehensive analysis of related literature, try to step back and imagine a person who has a different opinion on this topic. Think of some arguments that they can provide to prove their opinion. After you have the list of arguments, find the written evidence of why they are wrong and put them in your essay.

Analyzing and organizing sources is the first and very important step for the synthesis essay. So make sure you do understand what the text means before using it as a reference.

Synthesis Essay Outline: How to Write

For structuring your essay, it’s useful to try mapping . This technique means combining the information from different sources and rearranging it to create a new direction. To do it, you need to analyze the authors’ ideas and come up with your own conclusions.

The best way to do that is called synthesis matrix or graphic organizer. It’s a chart that you can make when you start working on your essay. Here you have a horizontal column that states the main ideas and a few vertical columns that present sources. Your task is to take sources you have chosen and write down the main ideas from them.

Here’s an example of a matrix chart:

While doing that, you will see how many sources contain the same ideas. When you analyze them, you will be able to formulate your thesis backed up with evidence. The synthesis matrix also helps to see new arguments you can cover in your synthesis paper.

How to Write an Introduction for a Synthesis Essay

Now it’s time to start writing the paper. In the introductory part of the essay, you can include:

  • A short yet catchy sentence or a quotation that would present the topic. The start of your essay should make people interested. It’s best to make the first sentence not only informative but also easy to understand.
  • The texts that are used for the essay. Provide the titles and the authors’ names (use the appropriate guidelines depending on the writing style.)
  • The background information which is needed to understand your essay. Definitions of terms or unknown words considering the topic can be included in this part. Otherwise, people may find it hard to understand what they are reading about.

How to Write a Thesis for a Synthesis Essay

A thesis statement is a point of view on a certain problem that you will defend in your essay. It should contain the key points that you want to include in your paper. Here’s how to create a perfect thesis statement:

  • Find several central ideas in the chart.
  • Choose the ones that are repeated the most often and the ones that you feel need to be in your essay.
  • Combine them, and you have a thesis statement with all the key points.
  • Make a draft of the thesis statement. Try to formulate the main idea you want to present in your essay.
  • Elaborate on this idea. Add some details and expand it a bit further.

If the whole picture is coherent, and it conveys exactly what you wanted, then this is your perfect thesis statement. See the example below:

Gender inequality still exists at the workplace: women are less likely to get the most responsible positions, easily lose careers due to maternity leave, and often receive less pay for the same amount of work.

How to Write Synthesis Paragraphs for the Main Body

Your essay’s main body consists of a few paragraphs. Each of them presents a different argument considering the topic. When you start a paragraph, make sure to begin with a topic sentence, which informs the reader about the paragraph’s main idea. Then, include the synthesized sources and elaborate on them.

Here’s what you should and shouldn’t do when writing the main body:

You can use the following words to present the ideas from your sources. They will help you reflect the authors’ tone:

How to Conclude a Synthesis Essay

There are quite a few ways to conclude the synthesis paper. Have a look at some of the options:

  • Paraphrase the thesis. As you remember, the thesis is the main idea of your essay. The conclusion is a good place to remind your readers about it. When they are done with the reading, they remember the most important thing from your essay.
  • Synthesize the arguments. There is no need to repeat everything you wrote in your essay. Just briefly summarize the most crucial points.
  • Answer the “So what” question. Tell the readers why this topic matters, why you’ve chosen it, and why it’s valuable for the reader.
  • Provide a closure. It’s an effective strategy when you want to make the reader think. Leave them with a strong statement at the end of your essay.

Synthesis Paper Proofreading Tips

When you have finally written your paper, there is still one important thing left to do. You need to check your paper for any grammatical and contextual mistakes. You certainly can do it yourself, but it would be perfect if you could ask somebody else to read it.

The first thing you need to check grammar-wise is the tense you are using. There is no single tense you need to use for the synthesis essay. It depends on the format:

  • If you’re writing in MLA format, use the present tense;
  • For APA essays, you use the past tense.

The next step is to check whether your synthesis essay has everything that’s required. For that, we have prepared the checklist of questions you can ask yourself to proofread your essays.

  • Is there a clear thesis statement?
  • Did you include all of the key points from the synthesis?
  • Are there clear transitions between paragraphs?
  • Did you organize a paragraph around a single idea?
  • Did you use reliable and up-to-date sources?
  • Did you analyze sources rather than just summarize them?
  • Did you mention every source you’ve used?

If you’ve answered “yes” to all the questions—congratulations, you are done with the essay! Otherwise, you need to come back and fix everything that you’ve answered “no” to.

✍️ Synthesis Essay Topics and Prompts

Sometimes, when you don’t have a topic , it is tough to come up with a suitable idea. That is why we have prepared two lists of topics that you can use for any synthesis essay type.

Explanatory Synthesis Essay Topics

The topics below are suitable for an explanatory synthesis essay:

  • The beginning of Hollywood cinema . Cinema is a huge industry in the USA. Tell the readers about its history. Describe what it was like in the beginning, which movie was the first one, and who started this industry.
  • Tactics on dealing with noisy children. Sometimes kids can be very loud, especially in public places. Write about different tactics that can help with this issue.
  • The effects of climate change  on the water cycle.  Climate change has affected the water cycle significantly. Your task is to explain how.
  • The best American cities to live in. Provide the list of the best cities and explain why you’ve included them.
  • The importance of a healthy diet . Keeping a healthy diet is beneficial in many ways. Write about all the advantages it brings.
  • Who can become an entrepreneur? Entrepreneurship is not for everybody. In this essay, you can describe the qualities needed for having your own business.
  • The correlation between overpopulation and poverty . Describe how overpopulation leads to poverty and vice versa.
  • The advantages of taking an active vacation.
  • Cultural shock as a part of moving to a different country.
  • The consequences of the first wave of feminism .
  • Synthesis of Tan and Rodriguez’ essays ideas.
  • Difficulties you may encounter during the job interview.
  • How does reading prevent Alzheimer’s disease ?
  • The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses .
  • The connection between  religion and politics  in ruling the country.
  • What can non-verbal signals tell you about a person ?
  • The psychology of leadership .
  • The origins of the most common  stereotypes  about Americans.
  • Role of social media in business communication .
  • The synthesis of personal nursing philosophy concept.
  • Behavioral components of schizophrenia and psychosis.
  • Main components of successful entrepreneurship.
  • Critical components of scientific research.
  • Change in religion and human beliefs throughout history.
  • The effect of global warming on modern life.

Argument Synthesis Paper Topics

The list of topics for the Argument Synthesis Essay:

  • Vaping is better than smoking . People are starting to exchange cigarettes for vapes and e-cigarettes. In what ways are they less harmful?
  • Rich people should pay higher taxes. The same percentage of money doesn’t equal for rich and poor people. Explain why the ones who can afford more should share with others.
  • Depression is a disease . Prove that psychological problems must be recognized as real health issues that should be cured and not ignored.
  • Social media affects young people’s lives. Social media has a massive influence on people. In this essay, you can discuss which life spheres are the most affected.
  • Beauty pageants should be banned. Provide the reasons why they should be banned and tell the reader about psychological problems they can cause.
  • People should cut meat from their diet to stop global warming . Describe how the meat industry influences climate change.
  • The voting age should be 25+. Your task is to show the reasons why the votes of people under 25 should not be taken into account during elections.
  • A healthy lifestyle requires a lot of money.
  • Each healthy man should serve in the military.
  • School bullying should be punished by immediate exclusion.
  • Does friendship exist between men and women?
  • Drinking coffee is a bad habit.
  • Working hard is more important than being talented.
  • Everybody should visit a therapist at least once.
  • Should universities be free ?
  • Artificial intelligence will cause huge unemployment rates.
  • Gaming should not be allowed to children under 18.
  • Components and strategies of social responsibility
  • Integration of relevant ethical theory and conceptual principles in health care
  • Children under 10 should be banned from gadgets .
  • Social media platforms facilitate cyberbullying.
  • Issues of distance education .
  • Social media addiction is a serious disease.
  • Deforestation critically contributes to global warming.
  • Healthcare should be free for everyone.

📑 Synthesis Essay Example & Synthesis Essay Format Tips

Now let’s talk about formatting. There are two writing styles you can use for a synthesis essay: APA or MLA. You need to choose the one that is required for your assignment.

We will start with the paper in APA format. It is usually used in science and education.

And these are MLA formatting rules:

Finally, we’ve prepared a synthesis essay sample for you to check out. Feel free to download the PDF file below:

First introduced in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, affirmative action policies aim to mitigate the discrepancy in opportunities available for underrepresented social groups by taking into account one’s minority background. The policies have become a pressing public issue that obstructs previously marginalized individuals, particularly in the educational environment.

Thank you for reading the ultimate guide on synthesis essay writing. We hope you found it helpful. Don’t forget to share it with your friends. Good luck with your assignments!

🔍 References

  • Writing a Synthesis Essay: Bowling Green State University
  • What Is Synthesis: University of Manitoba
  • Synthesis: Biology Online
  • Reading Strategies: Difference Summarizing and Synthesizing: WordPress
  • Summary, Analysis, Synthesis Definitions: University of Utah
  • Argumentative Synthesis: University of Arkansas
  • How to Synthesize Written Information: Simply Psychology
  • Mapping of Synthesis Essay: University of Nevada, Reno
  • Writing a Literature Review and Using a Synthesis Matrix: Florida International University
  • Synthesis Essay: Cleveland State University
  • Literature Review: Synthesizing Multiple Sources: Louisiana State University
  • Writing a Conclusion: Texas Women’s University
  • General APA Guidelines: Purdue University
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Synthesis Essay

Synthesis Essay

A Synthesis Essay is a sophisticated form of writing that requires the integration of various sources and perspectives. Our resource provides a comprehensive look into this writing style, complete with insightful essay examples . These examples demonstrate how to effectively combine information from different texts, crafting a cohesive and well-argued narrative. Ideal for students and professionals alike, this guide will help you master the art of synthesizing diverse viewpoints into a single, compelling argument in your essays.

What is a Synthesis Essay?

A synthesis essay is a written discussion that draws on one or more sources. It involves combining information from various sources to make a cohesive argument or presentation on a specific topic. This type of essay requires the writer to analyze information, derive insights, and present them in a structured and coherent manner. The key to a successful synthesis essay is not just summarizing the sources but integrating them to create a new perspective or argument. Writers must cite their sources accurately, showing how each piece of information contributes to and supports their thesis or main argument. Synthesis essays are common assignments in academic settings, especially in higher education, testing students’ abilities to research, evaluate, synthesize complex information, and articulate their findings effectively.

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Download Synthesis Essay Bundle

Essays depict the standpoints of a writer on a certain topic or issue. An essay often presents a point and either convinces a reader to agree or disagree to a certain subject matter. An effective essay does what it is intended to do when a reader is convinced of the writer’s stand point. Common  college essays include writing a synthesis essay. Examples of synthesis essay can be found in the page and made available for your reference. The examples can also be downloaded via the download link button below the sample in order to get a closer look.

Synthesis Essay Structure

It helps in presenting your argument clearly and persuasively. Here’s a typical structure for a synthesis essay:

Introduction

Hook: Start with an engaging sentence to grab the reader’s attention. Background Information: Provide some context or background for the topic you will be discussing. Thesis Statement: Present your main argument or position on the topic, clearly stating how the different sources will support your thesis.

Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph should focus on a specific point or aspect of your thesis, integrating multiple sources to support each point.

Topic Sentence: Introduce the main idea of the paragraph that supports your thesis. Evidence and Analysis: Include information from your sources as evidence to back up your point. This could be quotations, summaries, or paraphrased material. Analyze the evidence, showing how it supports your argument. Synthesis: Discuss how the evidence from different sources relates to each other and to your thesis. This is where you combine (synthesize) the information to build your argument. Concluding Sentence: Summarize the main point of the paragraph and how it supports your overall thesis.

Counterarguments (Optional)

Consider including a paragraph that addresses potential counterarguments or opposing views. Refute these arguments and show how your thesis still stands.
Summary: Briefly summarize the key points you made in your body paragraphs. Thesis Restatement: Restate your thesis in a new way, reflecting the insights and arguments developed in your essay. Final Thoughts: Offer some final thoughts on the topic, possibly suggesting areas for further research or implications of your argument.
Include a list of all sources cited in your essay, formatted according to the required academic style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).

How to Write a Synthesis Essay

Writing a synthesis essay involves gathering information from various sources and merging these insights to support a central thesis or argument. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Understand the Prompt

  • Clarify the Task: Ensure you fully understand the essay prompt or assignment requirements. Know what type of synthesis essay you are writing (explanatory or argumentative).
  • Identify the Main Ideas: Determine what themes or ideas you need to explore based on the prompt.

Conduct Research

  • Gather Sources: Collect relevant sources that provide information on your topic. These can include academic papers, books, articles, and credible online resources.
  • Evaluate Sources: Assess the credibility and relevance of each source to your topic.

Develop a Thesis Statement

  • Formulate a Clear Argument: Based on your research, craft a thesis statement that encapsulates the main argument or perspective your essay will support.

 Create an Outline

  • Organize Your Points: Plan the structure of your essay, deciding how you will integrate information from your sources to support your thesis.
  • Outline Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph should focus on a specific point or piece of evidence related to your thesis. Determine how you will synthesize information from different sources for each point.

Revise and Proofread

  • Review Your Work: Check for clarity, coherence, and logical flow. Ensure each part of your essay effectively contributes to supporting your thesis.
  • Proofread: Correct any grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. Make sure your citations and references are formatted correctly.

Cite Your Sources

  • Follow Formatting Guidelines: Use the appropriate academic style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) to cite your sources within the text and in a bibliography or works cited page.

10+ Synthesis Essay Samples

  • Synthesis Essay on Climate Change
  • Synthesis Essay on Death
  • Synthesis Essay on Education
  • Synthesis Essay on Environment
  • Synthesis Essay on Food
  • Synthesis Essay on Gender Inequality
  • Synthesis Essay on Internet
  • Synthesis Essay on Social Media
  • Synthesis Essay on Technology
  • Synthesis Essay on Unemployment

10+ Synthesis Essay Examples

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College Synthesis Essay

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High School Synthesis Essay

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Student Synthesis Essay

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Practice Synthesis Example

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Synthesis Essay Outline

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Poetry Synthesis Essay Sample

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Argumentative Synthesis

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Explanatory Essay Sample

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Technology Synthesis

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What is the Purpose of a Synthesis Essay?

Synthesis essays are used in different papers. Point is, a synthesis essay is used in creating a relationship between different sources and getting supplemental information from them to support the writer’s view point or make a coherent plan or proposal templates .

Essay examples in doc seen on the page offer more information regarding an essay. They are made available for your review by clicking on the individual link buttons under each sample.

Tips for Writing the Synthesis Essay

Writing a synthesis essay is a pivotal skill for students, particularly in high school and college. This type of essay goes beyond simple summarization and requires critical thinking, a skill essential in essay writing. Here are some key tips to help students craft an effective synthesis essay:

  • Understand Your Sources : It’s crucial to thoroughly read and understand your sources. As a student essay , your synthesis essay should reflect a deep engagement with the materials, providing a comprehensive understanding of the topic.
  • Develop a Strong Thesis Statement : The foundation of your essay is the thesis statement. It should clearly convey your central argument or perspective, integrating the various themes and ideas from your sources. In high school essay writing, a well-defined thesis is particularly important as it guides the structure and flow of your argument.
  • Organize Your Essay Effectively : Structure your essay in a clear, logical manner. Start with an introduction that includes your thesis statement , followed by body paragraphs that explore your main points, and conclude with a summary that reinforces your thesis.
  • Balance Your Sources : Synthesize the information from your sources in a way that provides a balanced perspective. Your synthesis essay should not just list points from each source but rather integrate them into a coherent argument.
  • Use Evidence to Support Your Argument : Back up your claims with evidence from your sources. This will strengthen your argument and demonstrate your understanding of the material.
  • Maintain a Formal and Objective Tone : A synthesis essay, particularly in an academic setting, should be written in a formal and objective tone. Avoid using first-person pronouns and keep your language professional.
  • Cite Your Sources Appropriately : Proper citation is crucial in academic essay writing to avoid plagiarism. Make sure to follow the appropriate format for citations, whether it’s APA, MLA, or another style.
  • Revise and Edit : After completing your essay, take the time to revise and edit. This includes checking for grammatical errors, ensuring your argument flows logically, and verifying that your thesis statement is clearly supported throughout the essay.

How Long Should a Synthesis Essay Take?

The time to write a synthesis essay varies, typically ranging from several hours to a few days. This includes time for research, planning, writing, and revising. Effective time management and early start can help streamline the process.

Should You Use “I” in a Synthesis Essay?

Generally, avoid using “I” in a synthesis essay, especially in academic settings. Aim for an objective tone by presenting evidence and analysis without personal bias. Exceptions may apply if personal reflection or perspective is explicitly requested.

How Do I Write a Good Synthesis Essay?

Writing a good synthesis essay involves thorough research, understanding your sources, creating a strong thesis, organizing your points logically, and synthesizing evidence from various sources to support your argument. Clear writing and proper citation are also crucial.

How Do You Start a Synthesis Essay?

Start a synthesis essay with an engaging hook, followed by brief background information on your topic. Clearly state your thesis, outlining the main argument or perspective your essay will support, setting the stage for your synthesis.

Is It Okay to Use First-Person in a Synthesis Essay?

Using first-person in a synthesis essay is generally discouraged in formal academic writing. It’s better to maintain an objective tone. However, if the assignment guidelines allow or if reflecting on personal experience, it may be acceptable.

Do You Directly Quote in a Synthesis Essay?

Yes, you can directly quote in a synthesis essay to support your points, but do so sparingly. Focus on synthesizing information by paraphrasing and analyzing evidence from your sources. Ensure all quotes are properly cited according to the required citation style.

In conclusion, synthesis essays are key in developing critical thinking and analytical skills. For further guidance on writing synthesis essays, Colorado State University provides an in-depth guide , which can be accessed here. This resource offers valuable insights into the process of synthesizing information from diverse sources.

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Synthesis Essay Generator

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Write a Synthesis Essay on the integration of technology in education.

Create a Synthesis Essay comparing different leadership styles.

Analyze the impact of technology on education through synthesis.

Synthesize views on climate change from multiple sources.

Compare traditional vs. online learning in a synthesis essay.

Discuss the role of social media in politics synthesis.

Explore mental health effects of social isolation via synthesis.

Evaluate renewable energy sources' viability in a synthesis essay.

Synthesize historical perspectives on women's rights movement.

Examine the effects of globalization on culture through synthesis.

Synthesis Essay Writing

Synthesis Essay Outline

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Synthesis Essay Outline - Template and Examples

Synthesis Essay Outline

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Learn How to Write a Synthesis Essay Step by Step

Best Synthesis Essay Topics and Prompt Ideas

13+ Winning Synthesis Essay Examples For Your Inspiration

Ever wonder how to bring different ideas together in your essays seamlessly? That's what synthesis essays are all about – blending information from various sources to build a strong argument. 

You might find outlining such an essay difficult but no worries we are here to help!

This blog provides a comprehensive roadmap for developing a synthesis essay outline, saving you time and effort. Keep reading to learn how to create a perfect outline from this step-by-step guide. 

Let’s begin!

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  • 1. Defining Synthesis Essay
  • 2. What is a Synthesis Essay Outline?
  • 3. How to Write a Synthesis Essay Outline?
  • 4. Synthesis Essay Outline Example
  • 5. Tips to Craft a Perfect Synthesis Essay Outline

Defining Synthesis Essay

A synthesis essay collects information from a variety of sources and then combines them together to make a new whole. The ‘new whole’ is your essay that explains your point of view while analyzing both sides of the issue.

This type of essay needs to be properly structured and it should be well organized. If the information in the essay is not connected logically, it will confuse the reader. The reader won’t get anything out of it if it does not provide cohesive information.

Difference Between a Synthesis Essay and an Argumentative Essay

The synthesis essay is somewhat similar to an argumentative essay but it is a more complex type of essay. 

In an argumentative essay , you have to present an issue, support it with evidence, and prove that your views are right. On the other hand, in the synthesis essay, you have to evaluate the factors of an issue to consider the implications of a decision.

What is a Synthesis Essay Outline?

A synthesis essay outline is like a roadmap for your writing journey. It's a plan that spells out what you'll write in your essay.

A typical outline for a synthesis essay will begin with an introduction . Begin with something to grab attention, then state your thesis – what your essay will argue. 

After that, outline what each of your three body paragraphs will discuss. Be sure to include details from various sources.

Lastly, map out what your conclusion will cover. This is where you wrap up your argument. 

An outline helps you see how information connects, so make sure to clearly summarize the key points.

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Synthesis Essay Structure

Here is a synthesis essay outline template that you can follow while writing your essay:

How to Write a Synthesis Essay Outline?

Crafting a perfect outline is crucial in order to write a good synthesis essay. Without an outline, your synthesis paper might end up in multiple directions. 

Let’s explore the steps to write a perfect outline:

Step 1: Choose a Relevant Topic

Select a topic that aligns with your interests and the assignment requirements. Ensure it's broad enough to find multiple sources but specific enough for focused research. If you are looking for intriguing topics check out our synthesis essay topics blog!

Step 2: Conduct Thorough Research 

Explore various sources, including articles, books, and academic journals, to gather information on your chosen topic. Take note of key arguments, data, and perspectives.

Step 3: Synthesis Essay Introduction

The introduction is the section where you introduce the topic of your paper. Start with a hook statement to grab the reader’s attention at the beginning. Provide a brief background of the issue and state the purpose of your essay. 

Convince the reader to review your work by stating the importance of your point of view. Lastly, state the thesis statement that briefly summarizes the whole agenda of your essay.

Here is a sample synthesis essay thesis template, take a look: 

Step 4: Synthesis Essay Body Paragraphs

The body section starts with the topic sentence that supports the thesis statement. Invoke relevant facts and data that strengthen your argument. Then relate all the evidence and target points to conclude the overall essay.

When dealing with counter-arguments, carefully acknowledge opposing views. State that these perspectives are valid, but clarify why they don't undermine your main point. Support your stance by presenting evidence that reinforces your argument and effectively refutes the counter-arguments. This strengthens the overall credibility of your essay.

Step 5: Synthesis Essay Conclusion

In the conclusion section just summarize the information that you have presented earlier. Restate the thesis statement to enforce the message of your essay. Reiterate the main points of your essay provide a call to action and close the essay nicely.

Step 6: Synthesis Essay Bibliography

As this is an outline, we'll touch on the key aspects without diving into specific sources:

  • Citation Style: Choose a writing style ( MLA , APA , etc.) based on your assignment requirements.
  • List of Sources: Compile a list of major sources supporting your argument. While this outline won't detail every source, ensure impactful references are included in your essay.
  • Credit Research: Properly credit each source, acknowledging its role in supporting your research and argument.

Here's a handy synthesis essay outline sample for you. Download and keep it for reference as you write your essay outline.

Synthesis Essay Outline PDF

Synthesis Essay Outline Example

An example essay helps a lot in understanding the format and how to structure the information. Whether you are writing a college essay or a research paper, taking help from sample essays is always a good idea.

Synthesis Essay Outline AP Lang Example

Argumentative Synthesis Essay Outline Example

Explanatory Synthesis Essay Outline Example

Be mindful of using the correct synthesis essay outline structure for your essay. Here is an outline worksheet to help you write a fabulous essay without getting into any trouble. 

Synthesis Essay Outline Worksheet

Need more sample essays for inspiration? Check out our synthesis essay examples blog!

Tips to Craft a Perfect Synthesis Essay Outline

Here are some valuable tips to guide you while structuring a synthesis essay:

  • Clarity is Key: Ensure your outline reflects a clear flow of ideas, making it easy for readers to follow your argument.
  • Balance Your Arguments: Distribute evidence evenly across your body paragraphs to maintain a balanced and cohesive essay.
  • Thesis Precision: Fine-tune your thesis statement for clarity and specificity, guiding the focus of your synthesis.
  • Varied Source Integration: Use a mix of sources to enrich your essay, providing diverse perspectives on the topic.
  • Counter-Argument Consideration: Anticipate counter-arguments and address them strategically within your outline to strengthen your position.
  • Logical Sequencing: Arrange your points in a logical order, creating a seamless transition between ideas in your essay.
  • Concise Summary: Craft a concise yet impactful conclusion in your outline, summarizing key points without introducing new ideas.
  • Revise and Refine: Regularly review and refine your outline to ensure it aligns with your evolving ideas and research.
  • Thematic Unity: Maintain thematic unity throughout your outline, emphasizing connections between different sections of your essay.
  • Reflect on Purpose: Periodically revisit the purpose of your essay to ensure your outline aligns with your overarching goals.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are some mistakes you should avoid while structuring your essay: 

  • Fragmented Flow: Creating an outline without a logical sequence can lead to a disjointed essay, making it challenging for readers to follow your argument.
  • Overloading Evidence: Including an excessive amount of evidence in your outline may overwhelm your essay, diluting the impact of key points.
  • Vague Thesis: A poorly defined thesis in your outline can result in a lack of focus, making it difficult to synthesize ideas effectively in the essay.
  • Source Monotony: Relying heavily on a single type of source in your outline can limit the richness of your synthesis, offering a narrow perspective on the topic.
  • Ignoring Counter-Arguments: Failing to address potential counter-arguments in your outline may weaken your essay's overall persuasiveness and credibility.
  • Illogical Sequencing: Disorganized sequencing of ideas in your outline can confuse readers, hindering their understanding of your synthesis.
  • Excessive Detail: Including too much detail in your outline may lead to an overwhelming essay structure, detracting from the clarity of your main ideas.

Wrapping it up!

Hopefully, this ultimate outline writing guide and samples will help you craft a perfect outline for your essay. However, if you still face some difficulty in crafting the outline, take help from a professional writer.

Writers at  MyPerfectWords.com  provide impeccable essays written just according to your requirements. You can purchase any type of essay, research paper, thesis, dissertation, book review, and any other type of paper from our best writing services. Just say " do my paper " and leave the rest to us!

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Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay + Example

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What is the ap lang synthesis essay, how will ap scores affect my college chances.

AP English Language and Composition, commonly known as AP Lang, is one of the most engaging and popular AP classes offered at most high schools, with over 535,000 students taking the class . AP Lang tests your ability to analyze written pieces, synthesize information, write rhetorical essays, and create cohesive and concrete arguments. However, the class is rather challenging as only 62% of students were able to score a three or higher on the exam. 

The AP Lang exam has two sections. The first consists of 45 multiple choice questions which need to be completed in an hour. This portion counts for around 45% of your total score. These questions ask students to analyze written pieces and answer questions related to each respective passage.  All possible answer choices can be found within the text, and no prior knowledge of literature is needed to understand the passages.

The second section contains three free-response questions to be finished in under two hours and 15 minutes. This section counts for 55% of your score and includes the synthesis essay, the rhetorical essay, and the argumentative essay.

  • The synthesis essay requires you to read 6-7 sources and create an argument using at least three sources.
  • The rhetorical analysis essay requires you to describe how a piece of writing evokes specific meanings and symbolism.
  • The argumentative essay requires you to pick a perspective of a debate and create an argument based on the evidence provided.

In this post, we will take a look at the AP Lang synthesis essay and discuss tips and tricks to master this part of the exam. We will also provide an example of a well-written essay for review.  

The AP Lang synthesis essay is the first of three essays included in the Free Response section of the AP Lang exam. The exam presents 6-7 sources that are organized around a specific topic, with two of those sources purely visual, including a single quantitative source (like a graph or pie chart). The remaining 4-5 sources are text-based, containing around 500 words each. It’s recommended that students spend an hour on this essay—15 minute reading period, 40 minutes writing, and 5 minutes of spare time to check over work.

Each synthesis essay has a topic that all the sources will relate to. A prompt will explaining the topic and provide some background, although the topics are usually broad so you will probably know something related to the issue. It will also present a claim that students will respond to in an essay format using information from at least three of the provided sources. You will need to take a stance, either agreeing or disagreeing with the position provided in the claim. 

According to the CollegeBoard, they are looking for essays that “combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position.” This means that you must state your claim on the topic and highlight relationships between several sources that support your specific position on the topic. Additionally, you’ll need to cite clear evidence from your sources to prove your point.

The synthesis essay counts for six points on the AP Lang exam. Students can receive 0-1 points for writing a thesis statement, 0-4 based on the incorporation of evidence and commentary, and 0-1 points based on the sophistication of thought and demonstration of complex understanding.

While this essay seems extremely overwhelming, considering there are a total of three free-response essays to complete, with proper time management and practiced skills, this essay is manageable and straightforward. In order to enhance the time management aspect of the test to the best of your ability, it is essential to divide the essay up into five key steps.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

As soon as the clock starts, carefully read and analyze what the prompt asks from you. It might be helpful to markup the text to identify the most critical details. You should only spend around 2 minutes reading the prompt so you have enough time to read all the sources and figure out your argument. Don’t feel like you need to immediately pick your stance on the claim right after reading the prompt. You should read the sources before you commit to your argument.

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

Although you are only required to use 3 of the 6-7 sources provides, make sure you read ALL of the sources. This will allow you to better understand the topic and make the most educated decision of which sources to use in your essay. Since there are a lot of sources to get through, you will need to read quickly and carefully.

Annotating will be your best friend during the reading period. Highlight and mark important concepts or lines from each passage that would be helpful in your essay. Your argument will probably begin forming in your head as you go through the passages, so you will save yourself a lot of time later on if you take a few seconds to write down notes in the margins. After you’ve finished reading a source, reflect on whether the source defends, challenges, or qualifies your argument.

You will have around 13 minutes to read through all the sources, but it’s very possible you will finish earlier if you are a fast reader. Take the leftover time to start developing your thesis and organizing your thoughts into an outline so you have more time to write. 

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement 

In order to write a good thesis statement, all you have to do is decide your stance on the claim provided in the prompt and give an overview of your evidence. You essentially have three choices on how to frame your thesis statement: You can defend, challenge or qualify a claim that’s been provided by the prompt. 

  • If you are defending the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is correct .
  • If you are challenging the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is incorrect .
  • If you choose to qualify the claim, your job will be to agree to a part of the claim and disagree with another part of the claim. 

A strong thesis statement will clearly state your stance without summarizing the issue or regurgitating the claim. The CollegeBoard is looking for a thesis statement that “states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning on the issue provided in the prompt.”

Step 4: Create a Minimal Essay Outline

Developing an outline might seem like a waste of time when you are up against the clock, but believe us, taking 5-10 minutes to outline your essay will be much more useful in the long run than jumping right into the essay.

Your outline should include your thesis statement and three main pieces of evidence that will constitute each body paragraph. Under each piece of evidence should be 2-3 details from the sources that you will use to back up your claim and some commentary on how that evidence proves your thesis.

Step 5: Write your Essay

Use the remaining 30-35 minutes to write your essay. This should be relatively easy if you took the time to mark up the sources and have a detailed outline.  Remember to add special consideration and emphasis to the commentary sections of the supporting arguments outlined in your thesis. These sentences are critical to the overall flow of the essay and where you will be explaining how the evidence supports or undermines the claim in the prompt.

Also, when referencing your sources, write the in-text citations as follows: “Source 1,” “Source 2,” “Source 3,” etc. Make sure to pay attention to which source is which in order to not incorrectly cite your sources. In-text citations will impact your score on the essay and are an integral part of the process.

After you finish writing, read through your essay for any grammatical errors or mistakes before you move onto the next essay.

Here are six must-have tips and tricks to get a good score on the synthesis essay:

  • Cite at least four sources , even though the minimum requirement is three. Remember not to plagiarize and cite everything you use in your arguments.
  • Make sure to develop a solid and clear thesis . Develop a stable stance for the claim and stick with it throughout the entire paper.
  • Don’t summarize the sources. The summary of the sources does not count as an argument. 
  • You don’t necessarily have to agree with the sources in order to cite them. Using a source to support a counterargument is still a good use of a source.
  • Cite the sources that you understand entirely . If you don’t, it could come back to bite you in the end. 
  • Use small quotes , do not quote entire paragraphs. Make sure the quote does not disrupt the flow or grammar of the sentence you write. 

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Here is an example prompt and essay from 2019 that received 5 of the 6 total points available:

In response to our society’s increasing demand for energy, large-scale wind power has drawn attention from governments and consumers as a potential alternative to traditional materials that fuel our power grids, such as coal, oil, natural gas, water, or even newer sources such as nuclear or solar power. Yet the establishment of large-scale, commercial-grade wind farms is often the subject of controversy for a variety of reasons.

Carefully read the six sources, found on the AP English Language and Composition 2019 Exam (Question 1), including the introductory information for each source. Write an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources and develops your position on the most important factors that an individual or agency should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm.

Source A (photo)

Source B (Layton)

Source C (Seltenrich)

Source D (Brown)

Source E (Rule)

Source F (Molla)

In your response you should do the following:

  • Respond to the prompt with a thesis presents a defensible position.
  • Select and use evidence from at least 3 of the provided sources to support your line of reasoning. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
  • Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
  • Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

[1] The situation has been known for years, and still very little is being done: alternative power is the only way to reliably power the changing world. The draw of power coming from industry and private life is overwhelming current sources of non-renewable power, and with dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, it is merely a matter of time before coal and gas fuel plants are no longer in operation. So one viable alternative is wind power. But as with all things, there are pros and cons. The main factors for power companies to consider when building wind farms are environmental boon, aesthetic, and economic factors.

[2] The environmental benefits of using wind power are well-known and proven. Wind power is, as qualified by Source B, undeniably clean and renewable. From their production requiring very little in the way of dangerous materials to their lack of fuel, besides that which occurs naturally, wind power is by far one of the least environmentally impactful sources of power available. In addition, wind power by way of gearbox and advanced blade materials, has the highest percentage of energy retention. According to Source F, wind power retains 1,164% of the energy put into the system – meaning that it increases the energy converted from fuel (wind) to electricity 10 times! No other method of electricity production is even half that efficient. The efficiency and clean nature of wind power are important to consider, especially because they contribute back to power companies economically.

[3] Economically, wind power is both a boon and a bone to electric companies and other users. For consumers, wind power is very cheap, leading to lower bills than from any other source. Consumers also get an indirect reimbursement by way of taxes (Source D). In one Texan town, McCamey, tax revenue increased 30% from a wind farm being erected in the town. This helps to finance improvements to the town. But, there is no doubt that wind power is also hurting the power companies. Although, as renewable power goes, wind is incredibly cheap, it is still significantly more expensive than fossil fuels. So, while it is helping to cut down on emissions, it costs electric companies more than traditional fossil fuel plants. While the general economic trend is positive, there are some setbacks which must be overcome before wind power can take over as truly more effective than fossil fuels.

[4] Aesthetics may be the greatest setback for power companies. Although there may be significant economic and environmental benefit to wind power, people will always fight to preserve pure, unspoiled land. Unfortunately, not much can be done to improve the visual aesthetics of the turbines. White paint is the most common choice because it “[is] associated with cleanliness.” (Source E). But, this can make it stand out like a sore thumb, and make the gargantuan machines seem more out of place. The site can also not be altered because it affects generating capacity. Sound is almost worse of a concern because it interrupts personal productivity by interrupting people’s sleep patterns. One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support.

[5] As with most things, wind power has no easy answer. It is the responsibility of the companies building them to weigh the benefits and the consequences. But, by balancing economics, efficiency, and aesthetics, power companies can create a solution which balances human impact with environmental preservation.

More examples can be found here at College Board.

While AP Scores help to boost your weighted GPA, or give you the option to get college credit, AP Scores don’t have a strong effect on your admissions chances . However, colleges can still see your self-reported scores, so you might not want to automatically send scores to colleges if they are lower than a 3. That being said, admissions officers care far more about your grade in an AP class than your score on the exam.

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10 Well-Written Synthesis Essay Examples to Inspire Your Writing

10 Well-Written Synthesis Essay Examples to Inspire Your Writing

When it comes to writing a successful synthesis essay, having examples to guide you can make all the difference. Above all, the key to a strong synthesis essay is your ability to bring various sources together and present a clear and compelling argument. In this article, we will be examining ten well-written synthesis essay examples that will not only show you the importance of a strong thesis statement, but also help you understand how to effectively integrate your sources into your writing.

One of the essential aspects of a successful synthesis essay is the ability to argue and support your claims effectively. Each body paragraph provides an opportunity to do just that. By citing researchers, books, and journal articles, you can expand upon your understanding of the topic and present a well-rounded and well-supported argument. Each paragraph should focus on one main point or idea and provide evidence to support it.

While high school and university formats may differ in their approach to essay writing, the importance of clear and concise writing remains the same. A synthesis essay is no different. By outlining your main points and providing a logical flow from one idea to the next, you can guide your reader through your argument and ensure they are with you every step of the way.

So, whether you’re writing an argumentative, explanatory, or research synthesis essay, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and explore new ideas and perspectives. By doing so, you may find yourself enjoying the process and expanding your own thinking. Now, the moment has come to pick up your pen and write that synthesis essay!

Well-Written Synthesis Essay Examples

The first example is a synthesis essay on the topic of climate change. It specifically focuses on the role of national governments in addressing global warming. The essay begins by outlining the different types of actions that governments can take to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. It then goes on to show how these actions can be evaluated and compared using statistics and data.

The second example is a synthesis essay on the topic of technology and its impact on society. It explores the arguments for and against the idea that technology is making us more disconnected from one another. The essay uses quotes and statistics to support its arguments and presents a balanced view of the topic.

In both of these examples, the authors carefully consider different viewpoints and present their own arguments in a clear and concise manner. They also make sure to avoid using too many quotes and instead focus on summarizing and explaining the main ideas presented in the sources.

Remember, the goal of a synthesis essay is to bring together different sources and ideas into a coherent and convincing argument. By carefully evaluating and incorporating reliable sources, using clear and explanatory sentences, and presenting a well-structured outline, you can write a strong synthesis essay that stands out.

So, when writing your own synthesis essay, make sure to introduce your topic and answer any relevant questions . Use quotes and statistics to support your arguments, and avoid getting too caught up in summarizing others’ ideas. Show the reader how your argument fits into the larger conversation, and be sure to cite your sources properly. By doing so, you will craft a well-written synthesis essay that not only shows your understanding of the subject matter but also engages and persuades your audience.

Inspire Your Writing: Analyze the Data You Are Getting

Research papers, scholarly articles, and statistics are all likely sources that can provide valuable data for your synthesis essay. As you read through these sources, consider the reasons behind the authors’ claims and the evidence they present. This will help you determine whether the data supports or contradicts your stance on the topic.

When it comes to climate change, for example, you may find data on carbon dioxide emissions, temperature fluctuations, or the impact on wildlife. Carefully evaluate this data and consider how it fits within the broader conversation about climate change. Introduce specific quotes from researchers or university studies to provide strong evidence for your arguments.

Before finalizing your essay, it’s important to summarize the data you’ve gathered and analyze how it supports your thesis. This can be done through creating an outline or mapping out the main points of each source. By doing so, you can ensure that your essay follows a logical structure and that the data you present is cohesive and relevant.

In your introductory paragraph, it’s important to give readers a clear understanding of the data you will be discussing. Briefly mention the most important statistics or quotes you will be using to support your arguments. This will grab the reader’s attention and set the stage for the rest of your essay.

Throughout your synthesis essay, make sure to include well-written sentences that effectively convey the data you have collected. Use strong vocabulary and argumentative language to make your points stand out. Utilize quotes from researchers or experts to further strengthen your claims.

To illustrate the importance of analyzing data, consider the issue of pricewine. The writer could mention how data from various sources within the wine industry can help determine the most likely reasons for price fluctuations. This example shows how data can be used to support an argument and provide valuable insights.

By analyzing the data you are getting, you can create a well-written and persuasive synthesis essay. Remember to evaluate the reliability and validity of the data, introduce specific evidence, and show how it supports your thesis. With careful analysis and consideration, your synthesis essay will be a compelling piece of writing.

Powerful Synthesis Essay Examples

Climate change and education.

One well-written example of a synthesis essay examines the relationship between climate change and education. The essay argues that schools should be committed to teaching about climate change as it is a major issue affecting the global community. The essay cites studies from reputable journals and includes data from reliable sources to confirm its thesis.

The Importance of Incorporating Different Ideas

Another powerful example of a synthesis essay focuses on the importance of incorporating different ideas into one’s writing. The essay argues that having a diverse range of ideas and perspectives is crucial for expanding one’s knowledge and understanding of a subject. The writer includes examples from books, studies, and other essays to support their argument.

The Positive Impact of Synthesis Essays

A third example of a well-written synthesis essay showcases the positive impact that these essays can have. The essay discusses how synthesis essays help students develop critical thinking skills and enhance their ability to research and analyze complex issues. It also emphasizes the importance of having a clear thesis statement and organizing the essay in a logical format.

These synthesis essay examples demonstrate the power of synthesizing different sources and ideas to create a compelling argument. They show how proper research, reading, and annotation can lead to a well-structured and well-supported essay. By examining these examples and applying the concepts discussed above, you can improve your own synthesis essay writing skills and ensure that your essays have a strong and persuasive impact.

Learn How to Craft a Compelling Argument

Typically, a synthesis essay starts with a thesis statement that clearly states the main argument or perspective the essay will explore. This thesis statement serves as a guide for the entire essay, helping to ensure that each paragraph and argument developed within the essay supports and fits into the larger thesis statement.

Although the process of crafting a compelling argument might seem daunting at first, there are specific steps that can help streamline the process. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you craft a compelling argument in your synthesis essay:

  • Start by thoroughly reading and understanding the sources you will be using. Take the time to annotate each source, marking important points, key arguments, and supporting evidence.
  • Next, consider different perspectives and arguments presented within the sources. Look for points of agreement or disagreement among the sources, and think about how these differing viewpoints can be used to strengthen your own argument.
  • After examining the sources and developing a deeper understanding of the topic, it is time to develop your own thesis statement. This statement should be clear, concise, and supported by evidence from the sources.
  • Once you have a thesis statement in place, start outlining your essay. Organize your arguments and supporting evidence in a logical and coherent manner, making sure that each paragraph connects back to the main thesis statement.
  • As you write your essay, be sure to provide specific examples and evidence from the sources to support your arguments. Use quotes, paraphrases, and summaries to effectively integrate the ideas of others into your own writing.
  • When making claims or arguments, be sure to evaluate and analyze the sources critically. Consider the reliability and credibility of the sources, and use this evaluation to confirm or challenge the information presented.
  • Throughout your essay, aim to engage in a conversation with the sources and the authors. Use phrases like “according to” or “as argued by” to show that you are actively engaging with the ideas presented in the sources.
  • Finally, after writing your initial draft, take the time to revise and edit your essay. Pay attention to the overall structure, clarity of ideas, and effectiveness of arguments. Make any necessary changes to improve the flow and coherence of your essay.

By following these steps, you can learn how to craft a compelling argument in your synthesis essay. Remember to stay focused on the topic, provide strong evidence and examples, and consider different perspectives within the conversation. With practice and careful consideration of reliable sources, you can develop a well-written synthesis essay that effectively argues your point of view.

Effective Approach to Synthesis Essays

1. mapping out the data.

Before diving into the writing process, it is essential to map out the data or information gathered from the sources. This involves thoroughly reading and understanding the sources, highlighting key points, and making connections between them.

3. Consider Both Sides

While presenting your own argument or viewpoint in a synthesis essay, it is important to also consider and address opposing viewpoints. This adds depth and credibility to your argument and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the topic.

4. Examining Evidence

When incorporating evidence from the sources, it is crucial to examine and evaluate the reliability of each source. Not all sources are created equal, so it is important to choose the most credible and relevant sources to support your argument.

5. Formatting and Structure

A synthesis essay should follow a clear and logical structure. It is usually organized into paragraphs, with each paragraph focusing on a specific idea or argument. It is important to use topic sentences to guide the reader through the essay and to avoid an overly broad or vague approach.

6. Using Quotes and Citations

When using quotes or citations from the sources, it is important to integrate them seamlessly into your own writing. This can be done by introducing the quote, providing context, and explaining its relevance to your argument. Proper citation formatting should also be followed.

7. Expanding and Finalizing

Once the main body of the essay is written, it is important to expand on any points that may need further explanation or clarification. It is also crucial to finalize the essay by reviewing the content for clarity, coherence, and organization.

8. Evaluating and Responding

In a synthesis essay, it is important to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the sources used and respond to any counterarguments or opposing viewpoints. This helps to strengthen your own argument and demonstrates critical thinking skills.

9. Stay Committed to the Topic

Throughout the synthesis essay, it is essential to stay committed to the topic and thesis statement. Every sentence and paragraph should contribute to the overall argument and support the main claim.

10. Consideration of Other Formats

While the traditional format of a synthesis essay is commonly used, it is worth considering other formats or structures that may better suit the topic or argument being presented. This allows for more creativity and flexibility in the writing process.

Discover Strategies for Combining Multiple Sources

1. understand the topic and choose reliable sources.

Before you start writing, make sure you have a clear understanding of the topic and the specific arguments you want to make. Choose reliable sources that provide relevant and accurate information on the subject.

2. Make an outline and organize your sources

Create an outline to map out the main ideas and supporting evidence from each of your sources. Organize your sources in a logical order that helps you build a coherent argument.

3. Introduce your sources and provide context

In your essay, introduce each source you are citing and provide some context about the author or the work. This helps your readers understand the significance of the source in relation to your argument.

4. Use quotes and in-text citations

When making a specific point or referencing a source, use quotes and in-text citations to provide evidence and support your claims. This adds credibility to your arguments.

5. Analyze and synthesize the information

Go beyond simply quoting or summarizing the information from your sources. Analyze and synthesize the information to develop your own ideas and interpretations. Ensure that your arguments are supported by the evidence from multiple sources.

6. Respond to others’ ideas and arguments

Engage in a “conversation” with the authors of the sources you are citing. Respond to their ideas, critique them, or build upon them to strengthen your own arguments. This shows that you have thoroughly researched and understood the topic.

7. Keep a balanced perspective

Avoid bias and strive to present a balanced perspective. Consider different viewpoints and arguments within your essay. Acknowledge contrasting opinions and explain why you have taken a particular position.

8. Formatting according to APA guidelines

Format your essay according to the APA style guide. Use the appropriate in-text citations, references, and formatting for quotes and paraphrases. This ensures that your paper adheres to academic standards and is reliable.

By following these strategies, you can effectively combine multiple sources to create a well-written synthesis essay. Remember to always support your arguments with evidence and provide thoughtful analysis of the information you gather.

Synthesis Essay Examples for Different Topics

For example, a synthesis essay on climate change might involve analyzing various sources that present different viewpoints on the issue. The writer could introduce the topic by summarizing the main points of the sources and presenting a position on the issue. They could also include quotes or data from the sources to support their arguments.

In the body paragraphs, the writer can use the “conversation” format to present different viewpoints or “conversations” on the topic. They can introduce a counter-argument and provide reasons to support their stand. In the second paragraph, they can present another viewpoint and analyze its strengths and weaknesses.

After presenting different viewpoints, the writer can then present their own position on the issue. They can use specific examples or evidence to support their arguments and explain why they believe their position is the most valid.

What is a synthesis essay?

A synthesis essay is a type of academic writing in which the writer combines information from different sources to create a new understanding or argument about a specific topic.

Why are synthesis essays important?

Synthesis essays are important because they require critical thinking and analysis skills. They also help students develop the ability to gather information from multiple sources and present it in a coherent and organized manner.

How should I structure my synthesis essay?

A synthesis essay should have an introduction that presents the thesis statement, body paragraphs that provide evidence and analysis, and a conclusion that summarizes the main points and restates the thesis.

What are some good topics for a synthesis essay?

Some good topics for a synthesis essay can include social media and its impact on society, climate change and its effects on the environment, or the role of technology in education. It is important to choose a topic that has enough credible sources to support your arguments.

How can I improve my writing skills for synthesis essays?

You can improve your writing skills for synthesis essays by practicing critical reading and analysis of different sources, organizing your thoughts and ideas before writing, and revising and editing your essay to ensure clarity and coherence.

A synthesis essay is a type of academic writing that combines information from various sources to create a new argument or idea. It requires students to analyze multiple sources, identify common themes or patterns, and develop a coherent and well-supported thesis statement.

How do I write a synthesis essay?

To write a synthesis essay, you should start by reading and analyzing the given sources. Look for common themes or patterns among the sources and develop a thesis statement that reflects your understanding of the topic. Then, organize your essay into introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, using specific evidence from the sources to support your arguments. Remember to cite your sources properly and revise your essay for clarity and coherence.

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Synthesis Essay Examples to Help You Ace Your Writing Assignment

There are many different types of synthesis essays, but they all share the common goal of combining information from multiple sources to form a cohesive argument or idea. Whether you are writing a synthesis essay for a class assignment or for a professional publication, it is important to approach the task with care and attention to detail.

One of the key benefits of looking at synthesis essay examples is that it can help you to identify common pitfalls and mistakes to avoid. By seeing how other writers have approached the task of synthesizing information from multiple sources, you can gain a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to crafting a successful synthesis essay.

Synthesis Essay Examples

Synthesis Essay Examples to Help You Ace Your Writing Assignment

Purpose of a Synthesis Essay

When writing a synthesis essay, your goal is to combine information from various sources to create a new and original argument or perspective. This type of essay requires you to analyze different viewpoints on a topic and then present your own unique perspective.

Analyzing the Argument

The first purpose of a synthesis essay is to analyze the arguments presented in various sources. This involves reading and critically evaluating each source to determine its strengths and weaknesses. You must then synthesize the information from these sources to create a cohesive argument that supports or refutes the topic at hand.

To analyze the argument effectively, it is important to identify the main claims made by each source and the evidence used to support them. You should also consider the credibility of each source and any potential biases that may be present. By analyzing the arguments presented in each source, you can create a more informed and well-rounded perspective on the topic.

Presenting a New Perspective

The second purpose of a synthesis essay is to present a new perspective on the topic. Once you have analyzed the arguments presented in various sources, you can use this information to create a new and original argument or perspective. This involves synthesizing the information from the sources to create a cohesive and well-supported argument.

To present a new perspective effectively, you must consider the strengths and weaknesses of each source and use this information to create a unique argument. You should also consider any potential counterarguments and address them in your essay. By presenting a new perspective on the topic, you can contribute to the ongoing conversation and provide valuable insights into the topic at hand.

Structuring a Synthesis Essay

When writing a synthesis essay, it is essential to structure your essay correctly to ensure that your arguments are presented logically and coherently. Here are some sub-sections to consider when structuring your essay:

Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement is the main argument or point that you will be making in your essay. It should be clear and concise, and it should be presented at the beginning of your essay. Make sure that your thesis statement is specific and focused, so that your essay stays on track and doesn’t wander off-topic.

Supporting Arguments

Your supporting arguments are the points that you will use to support your thesis statement. These arguments should be based on evidence from your research, and they should be presented in a logical and coherent way. Make sure that you use clear and concise language when presenting your arguments, and that you provide evidence to support each point that you make.

Counterarguments

It is essential to consider counterarguments when writing a synthesis essay. Counterarguments are the arguments that someone might make against your thesis statement, and it is important to address these arguments in your essay. By acknowledging and addressing counterarguments, you can strengthen your own argument and show that you have considered all sides of the issue.

Examples of Synthesis Essay Topics

When it comes to writing a synthesis essay, choosing the right topic is crucial. You want to select a topic that is not only interesting but also debatable.

Social Issues

Social issues are a popular topic for synthesis essays. Here are some examples of social issues that you can explore in your essay:

  • The impact of social media on interpersonal communication
  • The effects of income inequality on society
  • The role of education in reducing poverty
  • The impact of immigration on the economy and society
  • The effects of mental health stigma on society

Environmental Concerns

Environmental concerns are another popular topic for synthesis essays. Here are some examples of environmental concerns that you can explore in your essay:

  • The impact of climate change on the environment and society
  • The effects of pollution on human health and the environment
  • The role of renewable energy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions
  • The impact of deforestation on biodiversity
  • The effects of overfishing on marine ecosystems

Technological Innovations

Technological innovations are a fascinating topic for synthesis essays. Here are some examples of technological innovations that you can explore in your essay:

  • The impact of artificial intelligence on the job market
  • The effects of social media on mental health
  • The role of technology in improving healthcare
  • The impact of automation on the economy and society
  • The effects of technology on privacy and security

Remember, these are just examples of synthesis essay topics. You can choose any topic that interests you as long as it is debatable and allows you to explore different perspectives. Make sure to conduct thorough research and organize your ideas before you start writing your essay.

Analyzing Synthesis Essay Examples

When it comes to writing a synthesis essay, analyzing examples can be a helpful tool to understand the structure and components of this type of essay. In this section, you will learn how to analyze synthesis essay examples by focusing on two main aspects: rhetorical analysis and argument evaluation.

Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical analysis is the process of examining the strategies and techniques used by the author to convey their message effectively. When analyzing a synthesis essay example, pay attention to the following rhetorical elements:

  • Thesis statement: The thesis statement should clearly state the main argument of the essay and provide a roadmap for the reader to follow.
  • Sources: Look at the types of sources used in the essay and how they are integrated into the argument. Are they credible and relevant to the topic?
  • Organization: How is the essay structured? Is there a clear introduction, body, and conclusion? Are the paragraphs well-organized and coherent?
  • Language and tone: Analyze the language and tone used by the author. Is it formal or informal? Is it persuasive or informative?

Argument Evaluation

Argument evaluation involves assessing the strength and validity of the author’s argument. When analyzing a synthesis essay example, consider the following:

  • Evidence: Look at the evidence presented to support the argument. Is it relevant and convincing? Are there any logical fallacies or biases?
  • Counterarguments: Does the author address counterarguments? Are they effectively refuted or dismissed?
  • Conclusion: Does the conclusion effectively summarize the main points and provide a strong final statement? Does it leave the reader with a clear understanding of the author’s position?

By analyzing synthesis essay examples through the lens of rhetorical analysis and argument evaluation, you can gain a better understanding of how to effectively write and structure your own synthesis essay.

Tips for Writing a Synthesis Essay

When writing a synthesis essay, it is important to keep in mind the purpose of the essay. The goal is to combine information from multiple sources to create a new perspective on a topic. Here are some tips to help you write a successful synthesis essay.

Choosing the Right Topic

Choosing the right topic is crucial when it comes to writing a synthesis essay. You want to choose a topic that has enough information available to create a well-rounded essay. It is also important to choose a topic that is interesting to you, as this will make the writing process more enjoyable.

Effective Research

Effective research is key to writing a successful synthesis essay. You want to make sure that you are using reliable sources and that you are taking notes on the information you find. It is also important to keep track of where you found each piece of information, as this will make it easier to create citations later on.

Drafting and Revising

When drafting your essay, it is important to keep your thesis statement in mind. This statement should be clear and concise, and should summarize the main point of your essay. As you draft your essay, make sure to include evidence from your sources to support your thesis.

After you have finished your draft, it is important to revise your essay. Look for areas where you can improve your writing, such as sentence structure or word choice. You should also make sure that your essay flows well and that your ideas are presented in a logical order.

By following these tips, you can write a successful synthesis essay that effectively combines information from multiple sources to create a new perspective on a topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some argumentative synthesis essay examples?

An argumentative synthesis essay is one where you take a stance on a topic and use evidence from various sources to support your position. Some examples of argumentative synthesis essays include topics like gun control, immigration, and climate change.

What is the College Board’s example of a synthesis essay?

The College Board’s example of a synthesis essay is a prompt that asks students to consider the relationship between ownership and the sense of self. The prompt provides several sources, including a personal essay, a news article, and a scholarly article, for students to use in their essays.

What is the outline for an AP Lang synthesis essay?

The outline for an AP Lang synthesis essay typically follows a five-paragraph structure, with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the introduction, you should provide background information on the topic and present your thesis statement. Each body paragraph should focus on a specific point, with evidence from your sources to support your argument. The conclusion should summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a new way.

What is an example of synthesis in a research paper?

An example of synthesis in a research paper would be when you take information from multiple sources and combine them to support a new idea or argument. For instance, if you were writing a research paper on the benefits of exercise, you might synthesize information from studies on the effects of exercise on mental health, physical health, and longevity to argue that exercise is a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle.

What is a synthesis essay prompt example?

A synthesis essay prompt example might ask you to consider the relationship between technology and human interaction. You would then use sources like news articles, scientific studies, and personal essays to support your argument about whether technology is helping or hindering our ability to connect with one another.

What does a high-scoring synthesis essay look like according to the rubric?

A high-scoring synthesis essay according to the rubric would demonstrate a clear understanding of the prompt and use evidence from multiple sources to support a well-developed argument. It would also have strong organization, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs that focus on specific points, and a conclusion that summarizes the main points and restates the thesis in a new way. The essay would also demonstrate strong writing skills, including clear and concise language, varied sentence structure, and effective use of transitions.

Last Updated on September 5, 2023

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  5. Synthesis Essay: Basic Guide on Writing a Good Essay

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  6. How to Write a Synthesis Essay Guide by EssayHub

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  1. Synthesis Essay Overview

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  5. Synthesis essay PROCESS

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COMMENTS

  1. Synthesizing Sources

    Example: Effective synthesis Research on the barriers to second language acquisition has primarily focused on age-related difficulties. Building on Lenneberg's (1967) theory of a critical period of language acquisition, Johnson and Newport (1988) tested Lenneberg's idea in the context of second language acquisition.

  2. Well-Written Synthesis Essay Examples

    Get multiple synthesis essay examples covering a range of topics. Learn how to craft an introduction, thesis, outlines, or write your entire synthesis essay. ... When it comes to a synthesis essay, it is all about the research. You must take a stand, but that position needs to be backed up by credible sources.

  3. How To Write Synthesis In Research: Example Steps

    On This Page: Step 1 Organize your sources. Step 2 Outline your structure. Step 3 Write paragraphs with topic sentences. Step 4 Revise, edit and proofread. When you write a literature review or essay, you have to go beyond just summarizing the articles you've read - you need to synthesize the literature to show how it all fits together (and ...

  4. Guide to Synthesis Essays: How to Write a Synthesis Essay

    The writing process for composing a good synthesis essay requires curiosity, research, and original thought to argue a certain point or explore an idea. Synthesis essay writing involves a great deal of intellectual work, but knowing how to compose a compelling written discussion of a topic can give you an edge in many fields, from the social sciences to engineering.

  5. Synthesizing Sources

    Argumentative syntheses seek to bring sources together to make an argument. Both types of synthesis involve looking for relationships between sources and drawing conclusions. In order to successfully synthesize your sources, you might begin by grouping your sources by topic and looking for connections. For example, if you were researching the ...

  6. How to Write a Synthesis Essay: The Ultimate Handbook

    Often used in humanities essays, research papers, and literary analyses. 2. APA (American Psychological Association): ... Here are two examples of synthesis essays that demonstrate how to apply the synthesis process in real life. They explore interesting topics and offer practical guidance for mastering the art of writing this type of paper.

  7. How to Write a Synthesis Essay (Steps & Examples)

    Your primary goal with a synthesis essay is to provide a unique perspective, supported by evidence. For example, suppose you have two distinct essays or research papers on "excessive social media usage" and "the effects of social media on psychology.". In your synthesis essay, you can blend these two sources into a cohesive argument like "the psychological impacts of excessive social ...

  8. PDF Writing a Synthesis Essay

    2. Synthesis is used in: • Analysis papers to examine related theories. • For example a comparison between the theories of evolution or who shot JFK. • Research papers to incorporate multiple sources. • For example looking at economic and social effects of proposed legislation. • Argument papers to compare differing views and support ...

  9. PDF STEPS FOR WRITING A SYNTHESIS ESSAY

    A synthesis essay uses a variety of sources to form a new idea, answer a question, or defend an argumentative thesis statement. A synthesis does not summarize but shows the connections among the different sources and the writers' ideas. A successful synthesis essay overviews research on the chosen topic, highlights the connections among ...

  10. Write to Synthesize: The Research Essay

    Write to Synthesize: The Research Essay. In a synthesis, you bring things together. This combination, integration, or merging creates something new--your synthesis. The action of synthesis is basic to our world. Take, for example, what happens when a single oxygen molecule is combined with two hydrogen molecules. Water is created or synthesized.

  11. 13+ Synthesis Essay Examples: Tips & Expert Guidance

    Understanding What A Synthesis Essay Is. A synthesis essay is a special kind of academic writing where writers blend ideas and information from various sources to create a clear and organized argument.. Unlike other types of essays, a synthesis essay demands the integration of various perspectives to form a new understanding or insight.. It involves critically examining different sources, and ...

  12. How to Write a Synthesis Essay

    Annotate each source by writing notes in the margins. This allows you to keep track of your train of thought, developing ideas, etc. 4. Develop 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.

  13. Synthesis

    When asked to synthesize sources and research, many writers start to summarize individual sources. However, this is not the same as synthesis. In a summary, you share the key points from an individual source and then move on and summarize another source. In synthesis, you need to combine the information from those multiple sources and add your ...

  14. PDF 1. Planning a Synthesis Paper

    The following are two parts of a student's literature review. The first example is an early draft of the literature review. The second example is a revised version. Notice how the student's revision makes better use of synthesis at both the paragraph and sentence level. The revised example is also more accurate in its portrayal of the ...

  15. How to Write a Synthesis Essay?

    Expository synthesis essay can also be called research synthesis essay at times. As an excellent synthesis essay example, you can check out any literature review on issues related to the social sciences, such as sociology, linguistics, or psychology. Alternatively, look for synthesis essay examples in books on History.

  16. How to Write a Synthesis Essay: Examples, Topics, & Outline

    Find several central ideas in the chart. Choose the ones that are repeated the most often and the ones that you feel need to be in your essay. Combine them, and you have a thesis statement with all the key points. Make a draft of the thesis statement. Try to formulate the main idea you want to present in your essay.

  17. Synthesis Essay Materials

    The two synthesis essay questions below are examples of the question type that has been one of the three free-response questions on the AP English Language and Composition Exam as of the May 2007 exam. The synthesis question asks students to synthesize information from a variety of sources to inform their own discussion of a topic. Students are given a 15-minute reading period to accommodate ...

  18. Synthesis Essay

    A synthesis essay is a written discussion that draws on one or more sources. It involves combining information from various sources to make a cohesive argument or presentation on a specific topic. This type of essay requires the writer to analyze information, derive insights, and present them in a structured and coherent manner.

  19. Synthesis Essay Outline Writing Guide With Examples

    Step 3: Synthesis Essay Introduction. The introduction is the section where you introduce the topic of your paper. Start with a hook statement to grab the reader's attention at the beginning. Provide a brief background of the issue and state the purpose of your essay.

  20. How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay + Example

    Step 5: Write your Essay. Use the remaining 30-35 minutes to write your essay. This should be relatively easy if you took the time to mark up the sources and have a detailed outline. Remember to add special consideration and emphasis to the commentary sections of the supporting arguments outlined in your thesis.

  21. 10 Well-Written Synthesis Essay Examples to Inspire Your Writing

    The second example is a synthesis essay on the topic of technology and its impact on society. It explores the arguments for and against the idea that technology is making us more disconnected from one another. The essay uses quotes and statistics to support its arguments and presents a balanced view of the topic.

  22. Synthesis Essay Examples to Help You Ace Your Writing Assignment

    Here are some examples of social issues that you can explore in your essay: The impact of social media on interpersonal communication. The effects of income inequality on society. The role of education in reducing poverty. The impact of immigration on the economy and society. The effects of mental health stigma on society.