Writing a synthesis essay requires the ability to digest information and present it in an organized way. This skill is developed in high school and college classes but is also used in the world of business and advertising. Continue to step 1 to start learning how to write a synthesis essay.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Examine the topic
Step 1. Understand the concept of a synthesis essay
A synthesis essay is intended to make insightful connections between parts of a work or multiple works with the ultimate goal of presenting and supporting a claim about a topic. In other words, when researching a topic, you should look for connections that can form a strong perspective on a topic. This is how the different types of synthesis assays can be categorized:
- Argument Synthesis: Essays of this type have a strong thesis statement in which the author's point of view is presented. Organize the relevant information obtained from the research in a logical way to support the point of view of the thesis. Business white papers known as position papers often take this form. If you live in the US, this is the kind of synthesis essay students write during the AP exam.
- Review: Review essays are usually written as preliminary essays to the synthesis of an argument and constitute discussions about what has been previously written on a topic, including a critical analysis of the sources that are covered. The unspoken thesis is usually that it is necessary to do more research in this area or that the problem in the subject has not been sufficiently addressed. Essays of this type are common in social science classes and in medicine.
- Explanatory or background synthesis: Essays of this type help readers understand a topic by categorizing the facts and presenting them to promote reader understanding. They do not defend a particular point of view, and if they have a thesis statement, it is weak. There are some business white papers that take this form. However, they are more likely to have a point of view, albeit a subtle one.
Step 2. Choose a topic that is suitable for a synthesis essay
Your topic should be broad enough that you can bring together several related sources, but also not so broad that it brings together widely disparate sources. If you are free to choose your topic, it might help to do a little preliminary reading to decide what you want to write about. However, if you are writing a synthesis essay for a class, you may be assigned a topic or you may need to choose it from a list.
- Example of a broad topic reduced to a reasonable topic for a synthesis essay: instead of the broad topic of social media, you could discuss your point of view regarding the effects that text messages have had on the Spanish language.
- In case the topic has been assigned to you as part of a class, you should make sure that you read the instruction carefully and understand it thoroughly.
Step 3. Choose your sources and read them carefully
In case you are going to take the AP exam, you will be given the sources. Generally, you should choose at least three sources for your essay. In case you have time once you've thoroughly studied each of these sources, it is recommended that you learn one or two more. You should look for material within the sources that is related to the reason for which you are going to write the essay (whatever your argument is).
- Keep in mind that it is better to cover three sources well than to cover five incompletely.
- Write notes in the margins to comment on each source. In this way, you can monitor your train of thought, developing ideas, etc.
Step 4. Develop a thesis statement
After you've read the sources you've been given or conducted your own outside research, you'll need to come up with an opinion on your topic. The thesis will be the main idea that you present in the essay and should cover the topic and mention your point of view about it. You must present it as a complete sentence. Your thesis statement can be either the first sentence of the essay itself or the last sentence of the first paragraph, although this will depend on the essay.
Example: text messages have had a positive impact on the Spanish language, as they have helped the generation of millennials to create their own form of the language
Step 5. Reread the sources to find elements that support your thesis
Check your sources and choose quotes, statistics, ideas and key facts that support your thesis. As you find them, you should make a note of them, since you will use them during the rehearsal.
- In case you want to address and bore a claim from someone who opposes your idea, you should also look for some ideas or quotes that contradict your thesis statement and plan how to refute them. This is known as a concession, rebuttal, or rebuttal, and if you do it right, it can strengthen your argument.
- Example: in the case of the thesis statement mentioned above, some excellent sources would be quotes from linguists who talk about new words that have been developed through the "language of text messages", statistics that show that the Spanish language evolved in almost all generations, and data showing that students still have the ability to write using grammar and spelling (this would be the main reason your opponents would put forward that texting had a negative effect on Spanish language).
Part 2 of 4: Outline the Essay
Step 1. Make an outline of the structure of your thesis
This can be done either as a formal sketch or you can just plan it in your mind. However, you need to decide how to present your material to get the best effect. In case you are going to write this essay for the AP exam, you should know that those who will qualify it will look for a specific structure, which is the following:
- The introductory paragraph: 1. An introductory sentence that works as a hook that captures the interest of the reader. 2. Identification of the subject on which you will discuss. 3. The thesis statement.
- Body paragraphs: 1. A topic sentence that provides a reason why your thesis should be supported. 2. Your explanation and opinion of the topic sentence. 3. Support of the sources that supports the affirmation that you have made. 4. An explanation of the importance of the source (s).
- The concluding paragraph: 1. State the deeper importance of the topic from the evidence and reasons you discussed in the essay. 2. A deep thought or reasoned ending to your essay.
Step 2. Use a more creative structure to present your thesis
In case you are not writing this argumentative synthesis essay for the AP exam, you should plan to use a more elaborate structure than the one mentioned above. You can develop your essay using one or more of the following approaches:
- Example or illustration: This can be a detailed account, a summary, or a direct quote from the source, giving you important support for your point of view. Multiple examples or illustrations can be used if the essay requires it, but you shouldn't make your essay become a series of examples at the cost of supporting your thesis.
- The straw man fallacy: This technique presents an argument against the argument that you mention in the thesis and then demonstrates the weaknesses and defects of the counterargument. By using this format, you demonstrate awareness of the opposition and are willing to respond to it. The counterargument is presented right after the thesis, then the evidence is presented to refute it, and finally a positive argument to support the thesis.
- Concession: While essays containing concessions are similar in structure to those using the straw man fallacy, they do acknowledge the validity of the counterargument while demonstrating that the original argument is stronger. This is a good structure for presenting essays to readers who have the opposite point of view.
- Compare and contrast: this structure compares the similarities and contrasts the differences between two topics or sources in a way that shows the facets of both. To write an essay with this structure, you need to read the sources carefully to find both subtle and important points of similarity and difference. Essays of this type may present their arguments one source at a time or by points of similarity or difference.
Step 3. Create a suitable outline for a background synthesis essay or review
For the most part, synthesis essays focus entirely on mentioning and supporting a thesis, while background and review essays explore ideas found in sources rather than focus on the author's point of view. Synthesis trials of this type can be structured in two basic ways:
- Summary: Through this structure, summaries are presented from each of the relevant sources, which establishes a progressively stronger argument for your thesis. It offers specific evidence that supports your point of view, although it tends to omit the presentation of your own opinions. It is most often used for background and review essays.
- List of reasons: this constitutes a series of sub-points that flow from the main point of your essay as it appears in the thesis. Every reason is backed up with evidence. As with the summary method, the reasons should be progressively more important, with the most important being found at the end.
Part 3 of 4: Writing Your Essay
Step 1. Write your first draft following the outline
However, you should be prepared to deviate from the plan if you find new ideas and information in the sources that support the thesis. If you are writing the synthesis essay for the AP exam, you will not have time to write more than one draft, so you must control your pace and make it look as good as possible.
The essay should have an introductory paragraph that includes the thesis, a body in which you present evidence to support the thesis, and a conclusion that summarizes your point of view
Step 2. Write in the third person
This refers to using "he," "she," "one," and complete, unambiguous sentences. You must present a sufficient amount of information to demonstrate your credibility on the topic of the essay. Write in the active voice as much as possible, although in circumstances where you would otherwise use the first person ("I") or the second person ("you"), it is acceptable to use the passive voice.
Step 3. Use transitions between paragraphs so that the text flows logically
Transitions are a great way to show where the sources are mutually supportive: "Hallstrom's theory of pricing is supported by Pennington's 'Cliffhanger Economics' essay, in the which raises the following points: ".
In general, long quotes of three lines or more should be arranged as block quotes to better attract attention to them
Part 4 of 4: Finish the Essay
Step 1. Review your essay
This is the time when you should strengthen your arguments and improve transitions between points and paragraphs. Try to keep your argument as succinct and easy to follow as possible. Reading your essay aloud will help you, as doing so makes you more likely to pay attention to awkward sentences or incoherent arguments.
Ask someone else to proofread your essay. The saying "two heads are better than one" still holds true. You can ask a friend or colleague what they would add or remove from the essay. Most importantly, does your argument make sense and are the sources clearly supporting it?
Step 2. Edit your essay
Read it and look for any errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Are all proper nouns and nouns spelled correctly? Are there any poorly constructed sentences or sentence fragments? You must correct them as you progress.
- Read the essay out loud to make sure you don't accidentally add or delete words when reading it in your head.
- If possible, ask a friend or classmate to proofread your essay as well.
Step 3. Cite the sources
For most essays, this refers to using footnotes to cite material in the body of your essay and a bibliography of works cited at the end. You should use footnotes and in-text references for all material you cite or paraphrase or reference. In case you are writing the essay for the AP exam, you should not use a specific style of citation but you will have to mention the source that you used after citing it.
- Citation example in an AP synthesis essay: McPherson states that "text messages have changed the Spanish language in a positive way: they have given a new generation their own unique way of communicating" (source E).
- For college essays, you will most likely need to use the MLA format. Regardless of the format you use, you should do it consistently. Also, you may be asked to wear the APA or Chicago style.
Step 4. Give your essay a title
The title should reflect the point of view of the thesis statement and supporting arguments. Choosing the title last helps to make sure it fits the essay rather than writing the essay to fit the title.