How to write a synthesis essay simple guide
Introduction:
Submitting well-written essays is crucial for academic success. Writing a synthesis essay can be an engaging task, and this guide will help you understand how to write a synthesis essay that impresses your professor. Before diving into the details, it’s important to grasp the concept of a synthesis essay and its different types.
What Is a Synthesis Essay?
A synthesis essay involves connecting ideas, concepts, and research from various sources to form a cohesive argument. It requires students to explain how their viewpoints relate to their research sources. Synthesis essays can take different forms depending on the writer’s objective and the topic at hand.
Types of Synthesis Essays:
1. Explanatory Synthesis Essay:
– Provides a clear understanding of the topic without arguing a point.
– Expound on the topic using accurate sources and support from scholars.
2. Argument Synthesis Essay:
– Supports the given topic with relevant evidence.
– States your point of view, develops supporting points, and backs them with credible evidence.
3. Background Synthesis Essay:
– Assigned at the beginning of a research project to evaluate understanding on a specific topic.
– Requires extensive research from various online sources.
– Involves exploring published articles, organizing facts, and categorizing them based on concepts.
4. Literature Review:
– Common in different degree realms.
– Requires conducting a comprehensive review of published articles related to the topic.
– Focuses on justifying the intended study rather than having a thesis statement.
5. AP Language Synthesis Essay:
When you are enrolled in an AP Lang course, it is essential to complete a synthesis essay as part of your final exam. To achieve a top grade in your exam, it is crucial to understand how to write a synthesis essay specifically for AP Lang. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for writing your AP Lang synthesis essay.
a. Analyze the prompt
The first step is to carefully understand the prompt by briefly explaining your topic. This helps you determine your viewpoint on the topic and whether you support or challenge the given synthesis essay prompt.
b. Carefully review your sources
Once you have identified the key points, thoroughly read and understand all the sources provided. This stage ensures a clear understanding of your topic, allowing you to address the prompt accurately.
c. Develop a solid thesis statement
Create an engaging thesis statement that ensures a logical flow throughout your essay. In this step, you need to decide how your arguments relate to the given topic and form a cohesive thesis statement.
d. Write a concise essay outline
Your thesis statement serves as the foundation for your essay outline. Develop a well-structured outline that outlines the main points and ideas you will cover in your synthesis essay. This helps you maintain a coherent flow while writing.
How to Choose an Intriguing Synthesis Essay Topic?
Before starting your essay, it is crucial to select a compelling topic. To achieve an A+ grade in your synthesis essay, choose a topic that sparks controversy and debate. Review various online articles related to your topic and find those that present well-detailed opposing viewpoints.
Step 1:
Explore various online sources, theories, and topics. Look into published books and identify the most interesting ones.
Step 2:
Select a topic that you feel comfortable with and conduct thorough research from reliable sources to gather supporting evidence for your points.
Step 3:
Develop a synthesis essay outline that combines your ideas and theories. This ensures a coherent flow of your essay and saves you time during the writing process.
An intriguing synthesis essay topic should provide a platform for your audience to ask questions and present their opinions. Opt for a debatable topic that allows you to present opposing and supporting evidence. Make sure you have detailed points to support both sides of your essay.
Examples of Engaging Topics:
– Income inequality
– Progressive taxation policy
– Immigration policy
– Drug legalization
– Gun control
– Drug abuse
Avoid using topics that rely on outdated evidence or have been scientifically proven. Additionally, topics with yes or no answers can be challenging to research due to a lack of sufficient data. Here is a list of topics to avoid:
– The Flat-Earth theory
– The safety and effectiveness of vaccines
– Racial supremacy
– Does gravity exist?
– Should we trust doctors?
Synthesis Essay Organization Tips
The organization of your synthesis essay depends on the type of essay you are writing. For instance, essays written at the early stages of your research may only require a brief thesis statement. Regardless of the type, there is a recommended format that helps students develop a well-structured document.
Here is a helpful guide:
– Develop an introduction:
Your synthesis paper should have an engaging introduction that explains the topic and the purpose of your writing. Argumentative essay topics often require you to understand how to write a thesis statement for a synthesis essay to present specific positions.
– Arrange your body paragraphs using themes:
Each paragraph in your essay should focus on discussing separate themes in the body section. To submit a first-class essay, avoid writing your essay source by source. Instead, group your facts according to the specific features of your research. Ensure that each paragraph is supported by multiple sources that validate your research theories and facts. If you have included a thesis statement in your essay, it should also be introduced in each section of your body.
– Use terms that express your research in different sections:
A synthesis essay is characterized by being informative. It is crucial to clearly demonstrate how your research connects with the topic under discussion. By gathering accurate data from various articles, you should discuss the similarities and differences between the theories presented. In an argumentative synthesis essay, it is essential to highlight ideas opposing the topic and refute them with supporting evidence.
– Conclude your essay:
Wrap up your synthesis essay by briefly highlighting the main theories discussed throughout the document. Your conclusion should explain how each concept relates to the topic under discussion. Additionally, you can include recommendations for further research by presenting your thoughts and sources.
If you need assistance in concluding your synthesis essay, our experts can help you develop a strong conclusion.
How to Develop a Synthesis Essay Outline?
Before you start writing your essay, it is crucial to draft a synthesis essay outline. Creating an outline is a vital step in producing a high-quality synthesis essay. It helps you organize your ideas and ensure a well-structured essay that flows smoothly from the introduction to the conclusion.
An outline acts as a backbone for your essay, allowing you to stay focused on your topic throughout the writing process. Failure to have an outline can lead to confusion and poor essay quality. While drafting an outline may take some time, following the steps below can simplify the process:
– Brief introduction:
Your thesis statement should briefly explain the topic using one to three concepts.
– Main body:
A well-structured body outline should consist of three to four paragraphs, with each paragraph introducing a new concept in the first sentence. Use credible sources to support your theories with accurate data. If you directly quote from a book or journal, be sure to include the exact words as they are and use the required citation style. Remember to include your sources in the reference list as well.
– Conclusion:
The conclusion should provide a brief summary of how your synthesis outline connects to the main topic. Avoid introducing new ideas and instead wrap up the points discussed in your introduction and body.
Structure of a Synthesis Essay
To produce a high-quality synthesis essay, it is important to evaluate your data thoroughly before working on the format. Writing a well-formatted paper plays a significant role in achieving high grades and leaving a positive impression on your professor.
Using a basic five-to-six paragraph structure is generally recommended for a synthesis essay, with each paragraph introducing a new theory. In rare cases, such as when researching a more complex topic, the body section may contain additional paragraphs. Ensure that there is a logical flow between paragraphs and ideas. An essay lacking a smooth transition from one section to another may appear blocky and poorly written.
How to Draft an Engaging Synthesis Essay Introduction?
Putting your ideas on paper can be the most challenging part of writing. Many students struggle with brainstorming ideas for a compelling introduction. To begin working on your synthesis essay effectively, try answering the question, “What would be captivating for me as a reader?”
Consider the unique aspects of a synthesis essay while developing ideas for your paper. There are various techniques to start your essay. You can introduce intriguing facts and ideas that are not directly sourced. Another option is to begin with a quote from a prominent author that relates to your topic. The goal is to capture the reader’s attention from the start, as the success of your paper depends on making a strong initial impression.
How to Write a Synthesis Essay Conclusion?
Many students find drafting the conclusion to be a challenging task. While it is often easier to write an introduction and main body, summarizing the essay in the conclusion can be tricky. When writing this section, the best approach is to restate your thesis statement and summarize the main points you discussed in your essay. Craft a final sentence that convinces your audience they have read an exceptional article.
Tips for Crafting a High-Quality Synthesis Essay
Guidelines for Writing a Strong Synthesis Paper
When it comes to composing a synthesis essay, conducting thorough research on the given topic is a valuable technique. Understanding the purpose, rhetoric, and supporting arguments of the author will help you analyze the topic effectively. Essentially, you should ask yourself, “So what?” and explore how the gathered data can be applied while developing your own ideas.
Follow these steps when crafting your synthesis essay:
1. Selecting an Appropriate Topic
Instead of tackling an unfamiliar topic assigned by your professor, it is advisable to write about something you are knowledgeable about. Choosing a topic of interest enables you to write your essay smoothly and explore various concepts. The goal is to enhance your writing skills and achieve a top-grade, so working on a new topic does not guarantee better results.
2. Using Updated and Relevant Sources
Many first-year students struggle to gather accurate information, often relying on unreliable sources like Facebook and blogs. To ensure reliability, stick to academic journals, books, reputable websites, and scholarly articles for your research.
3. Proper Referencing
Using incorrect citations or failing to reference your work can result in poor grades. It is crucial to follow your professor’s specifications, particularly regarding the required referencing style (such as MLA, APA, or Harvard). If you are unsure about a particular style, seek online assistance or resources to ensure accuracy.
4. Thorough Proofreading
Proofreading your paper is essential to eliminate grammar and spelling mistakes and submit a flawless document. Many students make the mistake of submitting their papers immediately after completion, resulting in lower grades. Even if you have written a brilliant essay, such errors can significantly impact your overall grade. Therefore, review your work multiple times, ensuring proper grammar, logical flow, and accurate citations. Seeking a third party’s opinion, such as a friend or family member, can provide a fresh perspective.
Writing Techniques
When structuring your synthesis essay, you can employ various techniques, such as:
– Summarizing your ideas:
This technique involves reviewing sources relevant to your topic, but it may lack originality.
– Examples: Paraphrasing information from different sources using your own words or quoting references while presenting supporting evidence.
– Different reasons: Exploring multiple reasons related to your argument, with at least two methods employed.
– Strawman: Presenting an opposing idea against your thesis statement, even if it is not a strong argument. This method provides insight into the other side of the debate.
– Concession: Highlighting opposing viewpoints and emphasizing the advantages of your argument over the disadvantages.
– Compare and Contrast: Examining two sources simultaneously, identifying similarities and differences to provide a comprehensive understanding of your chosen topic.
Synthesis Essay Format
The format of your synthesis paper should adhere to the writing style specified by your instructor, such as MLA, APA, or Chicago style.
– MLA Format: Key considerations include Times New Roman 12 pt font, double spacing, 1″ margins, centered titles, proper header with name, professor’s name, course number, and date, and a “Works Cited” page.
– APA Format: Features include Times New Roman 12 pt font, double spacing, 1″ margins, page header with page numbers, and a structure consisting of a Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References.
– Chicago Style: Aspects of this style include Times New Roman 12 pt font, double spacing, 1″ margins, ½ inch paragraph indents, left-justified text with a ragged edge, and full names of individuals or organizations. References should be included on a separate page.
Rubric for Evaluating a Synthesis Essay
The rubric for assessing a synthesis essay can be divided into three ranges:
– Top Range (8-9 points): Demonstrates a complete understanding of the topic, develops solid points supported by evidence, presents convincing arguments, follows a precise structure, and exhibits minimal grammatical and spelling errors.
– Middle Range (5-7 points): Sufficiently develops accurate points, demonstrates a brief understanding of the topic, presents arguments but with less focus, effectively supports points with evidence, answers the “So what?” question but may rely on universal facts or assumptions, and contains minor errors in grammar or syntax.
– Low Range (1-4 points): Inadequately develops support points, misunderstands or oversimplifies the topic, lacks fully presented arguments, exhibits weak control of structure and organization, contains numerous grammatical or spelling errors, may rely heavily on copy-pasting, and fails to properly cite sources.
In Summary
Crafting a synthesis essay can be challenging, but following this guide will simplify the process. Selecting an appropriate topic, using reliable sources, referencing accurately, proofreading diligently, and employing effective writing techniques will enhance your skills and help you produce a high-quality synthesis paper. If you still struggle with selecting a captivating thesis or completing your synthesis essay, our experts are ready to assist you. Improve your grades by ordering a synthesis paper from us today.
