Synthesis means bringing together ideas from several sources to support your own argument, rather than summarising each source in turn.
For example, an essay on technology might synthesise a text comparing the printing press with the smartphone, an essay on algorithms and an article on boredom, using each to support a different part of one argument.
Use connectives that show relationships between sources: similarly, this echoes, by contrast, building on this idea. Your voice and thesis should lead; the sources support you.
Worked example
Which sentence synthesises sources rather than summarising one?
- A summary describes a single source.
- Synthesis links sources to a shared idea.
Answer:“Both the printing-press article and the algorithm essay suggest that new technologies demand new habits of critical thinking.”
Key words
- synthesis
- combining ideas from several sources
- source
- a text used as evidence
- echo
- repeat or reflect an idea
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: W.11-12.1b