Writing Assignment The Six-Source Essay: Expanded Synthesis  

Writing Assignment #3

The Six-Source Essay:

Expanded Synthesis

Summary of assignment

• Task: The six-source essay asks you to synthesize the arguments of six sources
• Length: Minimum of 1300 words. The instructor will give you comments on the first

draft and let you know if you need more development beyond 1300 words.
• Format: APA
• Sources: A total of six sources, all of which you will find through library searches.

Please use the same topic that you used for writing assignment #2. It is recommended
that you expand on the essay that you wrote for writing assignment #2. You will
continue with the topic you have selected and will conduct additional searches in the
library databases, hopefully focus the topic more, and determine the six or more sources
to use in this essay.

o Please use only six sources. Please do not incorporate more than six sources into
this essay.

Articles to Use for the Essay

For this essay, you will select at least six articles on a topic of your choice. The articles should
be on the same topic but feature different perspectives, research methods, opinions, or
conclusions about some aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are majoring in cybersecurity, you might locate six articles about the need
for improved training for employees on mobile security issues. The six articles might take
different angles on the topic. The articles might disagree on certain points, possibly disagreeing
on the need for more employee training in this area, how to train employees in this area, or when
to integrate training during an employee’s tenure.

To use another example, if you are majoring in criminal justice, you might locate six articles on
the CSI Effect. The articles should take different perspectives on the topic. Perhaps three of four
of them will say that the CSI Effect exists and one or two will argue that it does not exist. Or
perhaps all agree that it exists but they all take slightly different approaches to addressing the
problem. Perhaps some were qualitative research studies, others were quantitative research
studies, and others were mixed-methods research studies.

Overall, try to determine categories of themes into which you can divide your six articles.

You are strongly encouraged to write on the same topic on which you wrote writing assignment
#3. You can simply expand on that topic for writing assignment #4. Please communicate with
the professor if you are considering any significant changes in your topic.

Point of view

For this essay, you will use third-person point of view.

Please do not use first person point of view (e.g., “I,” “me,” “we”) in writing this essay.

In addition, please do not use second-person point of view (“you” or “your”) in writing this
essay. For example, instead of “Smith argues that, as a director, you have a duty to coordinate
cybersecurity efforts…” you would write, “Smith argues that directors have a duty to coordinate
cybersecurity efforts…”

APA Style

The paper should be formatted in APA style. The video How to format your paper according to
APA style might be helpful to watch. In summary, you should observe the following:

• Use one-inch margins.

Double space.

• Use size 12 Times New Roman font.
• Include a running head.
• Include page numbers.
• Include a title page.
• Include a “References” page on which you list the articles in APA style
• Do not include an abstract. This paper is not long enough to warrant an abstract.

Submitting the assignment:

You will submit a first draft of the essay to the assignment folder. The first draft will not be
graded. The instructor will provide comments to it.

After receiving comments from the instructor, you will submit a revised draft. The final draft
will be graded.

Helpful Resources

• Kennedy, M.L. and Kennedy, W., “Synthesis,” from Writing in the disciplines: A reader
and rhetoric for academic writers. This chapter in in the e-reserves of our class. It
provides an excellent description of an exploratory synthesis essay, a literature review,
and a thesis-driven synthesis essay.

• Graff, G. and Birkenstein, C., They Say / I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic
Writing with Readings. This chapter in in the e-reserves of our class. It mentions
various techniques to apply in stating what an author said and your response to the
author. It is recommended that you read through that chapter so that you might apply
these techniques to this essay.