Do you want to learn how to write a synthesis essay that your instructor will approve and award you the best marks?
Maybe you have a clue you can use to complete the assignment but you need a systematic guide to perfect your writing?
This guide is for you.
In synthesis essay writing, your instructor requires you to use a mix of elements to draw a picture of a whole concept to defend the central theme of your work.
It’s in this type of writing that they test your ability to explain the relationship between different sources such as lecture notes, articles, interviews, and observations.
If you can dedicate your time to conduct in-depth research based on authoritative and relevant academic source, writing a comprehensively convincing synthesis essay should come automatically.
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Types of Synthesis Essays
Before you get down to examining different academic sources, evaluating related theories, and using the research results to establish a clear claim, it’s important that you understand the different types of synthesis essay that you’re likely to write in college.
If you aren’t up to speed yet, just remember that there are two types of synthesis essays, as explained below:
Argumentative Synthesis
When it comes to argumentative synthesis essay, your assignment is to use different relevant sources to defend your point of view.
This type of synthesis does require a debatable thesis because it allows reasonable people to agree or disagree with it.
Explanatory Synthesis
With an explanatory essay, your professor expects you to explain how you took a subject, divided it into different parts, and present them in a coherent manner.
More often than not, it comes down to an explicit description of a sequence of events, objects, places, or the so-called state of affairs.
In the end, you should be able to present facts about the object or event in a way that reads (or sounds) objective.
How to Write Synthesis Essay, Step-by-Step
Step #1: Choose a Topic for Your Synthesis Essay
Skip this step if your instructor has provided an essay topic in the prompt. But if they haven’t, pick a topic that allows you to present at least 3 to 5 arguments.
Your goal is to get people to read your entire synthesis essay, so it helps to choose a topic that can pique their interest right at a first glance.
Topics that people easily identify with are the best bet.
For example, topics on social media, gun control, corona virus, and drug abuse are serious issue that people of all ages, nationalities, and genders grapple with – and therefore would be ideal for synthesis essay writing.
Step #2: Gather Relevant Academic Sources
Find the most relevant academic sources for your essay. Remember, the sources you choose should be relevant to the topic you intend to discuss.
Since things around almost all issues change over time, we recommend choosing sources that are not older than 10 years.
For what it’s worth, spend some time to study the sources you’ve picked so you understand the main points. If it helps, write an annotated bibliography so that you can understand the relevance, quality, and accuracy of the sources you intend to use to write your synthesis essay.
Finish this section by choosing only the best source from the list; you’ll use them as evidence that you did in-depth research to support and/or defend your argument.
Step #3: Write a Thesis Statement
Now write a thesis statement for the synthesis essay. Make sure what you write here reflects the primary idea of the entire essay.
In other words, a reader should know what the essay is about by simply reading the thesis statement.
Step #4: Create a Synthesis Essay Outline
The structure of a synthesis essay is important, so pay close attention to it because it’s one of the elements your professor will examine when marking your paper.
Like any other essay you’ve ever written (or will write in future), a synthesis essay will have three major sections: an opening paragraph, the body section, and a concluding paragraph.
Step #5: Write the Essay Based on the Outline
Start your essay with a strong opening sentence. This is your space to capture the attention of your reader, so make sure you write a strong hook.
Write your thesis statement in the introduction section of the essay, incorporating your first, second, and third argument to give your reader (professor) a summary of what to expect in the rest of the essay.
Move on to the body section and provide as much information as you can. This is where you support your claim, so the arguments you include in the essay must be accompanied by specific points that support your claims.
Don’t hesitate to include information that contradict the thesis statement, as doing so go as far as to make your essay more persuasive Write a strong conclusion, in which you give a summary of the essay while referring to the thesis statement of the essay.
As you write your essay, pay very close attention to the sentence structure as there has to be a good flow of ideas and arguments to make the essay easy to read. Also, don’t forget to cite primary and secondary sources in their relevant format.
Step #6: Revise Your First Draft
The last step to writing a synthesis essay is to proofread the essay.
You aren’t just proofing to remove grammatical errors. You’re doing so to also delete sentences or phrases that don’t make sense.
You’re also able to identify ideas that need more information to support your claim.
The result is an essay that has clarity, hence a strong position to make your ideas clear and easy to understand.