Approach #1
Synthesis: Planning The Process
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The synthesis essay asks that you read a number of sources and comment on them in an original way. The best way to approach this complicated assignment is to plan.
Step #1 Read the introduction and prompt:
What do you know about this topic? What do you think about this topic? How do you YOU feel about this topic?
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Explore your thoughts here:
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Step #2 Comparing the Sources and Your Thoughts on the Topic
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Source 1
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Source 2
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Source 3
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Bibliographic Info
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Key Arguments
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Evidence
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Qualifications
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Your Feelings
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Why this subject is important
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Larger themes or questions that arise in you after reading
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Approach #2
Synthesis Essay: Pre-Writing The Process
Your Task: Use this handout to organize and plan your synthesis essay. This is meant to be a planning activity, so all of your decisions do not need to be final.
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Step 1:
Identify your thoughts on the prompt. Be as specific as possible.
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Your Own Ideas:
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Step 2:
Based upon your knowledge of your texts, try to articulate exactly how your above ideas or element is addressed within each text. What does each text say about your idea? Be specific!
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Source 1:
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Source 2:
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Source 3:
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Source 4:
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Step 3:
Using your answers above, write a thesis statement that captures the essence of what your essay will set out to prove about your ideas using the sources.
Hint: Your thesis guides the argument for the entire essay. Write thesis statements that clearly state a defensible position on the subject. Be specific!
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Thesis:
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Step 4:
Now, articulate the three major supporting details or points you will use to prove your thesis. Remember, each point needs to connect to at least one source but two is better to create a conversation. So, if there is nothing in one of the texts to support or extend your point, then come up with a different supporting detail.
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Point 1:
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Point 2:
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Point 3:
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Step 5: Use this table to record potentially useful quotes or examples from your selected sources. Organize them according to each major, supporting point from Step 4. Before incorporating them into your essay, make absolutely certain that all quotes are accurate (PROOFREAD!)
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Source 1:
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Source 2:
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Source 3:
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Point #1:
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Quote 1:
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Quote 1:
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Quote #1:
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Quote 2:
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Quote 2:
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Quote #2:
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Source 1:
Source 2:
Source 3:
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Point #2:
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Quote 1:
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Quote 1:
Quote #1:
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Quote 2:
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Quote 2:
Quote #2:
Source 1:
Source 2:
Source 3:
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Point 3:
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Quote 1:
Quote 1:
Quote #1:
Quote 2:
Quote 2:
Quote #2:
Approach #3
Synthesis Prewriting Graphic Organizer #1
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Sources
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A
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B
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C
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D
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E
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F
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Introduction
Material
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Thesis
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Best Supporting
Detail
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Points You Agree with
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Points You Disagree with
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Will you use this source ?
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Conversation Among Sources = Synthesis
1. What sources are similar in their positions? How so? List the sources and explain how the sources work together.
2. What sources disagree with each other? How so? List the sources and explain how the sources differ.
3. Write your thesis here. Which sources will you use to support you?
Alternative Graphic Organizer#2: Source Ideas and Text Evidence
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Title and Author of Text
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Source A
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Source B
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Big Idea: What is the message that the author is trying to create about real life?
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Text evidence to support author’s message #1
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Text evidence to support author’s message #2
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Text Evidence to support author’s message #3
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Alternative Graphic Organizer #3: Source Ideas Summarized
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Source (In citation format)
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Main Idea 1.
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Main idea 2
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Main idea 3
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Alternative Graphic Organizer #4: Your Ideas Supported By Sources
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Your Thesis:
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Source A
Agrees/Disagrees? Quote to Prove?
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Source B
Agrees/Disagrees? Quote to Prove?
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Source C
Agrees/Disagrees? Quote to Prove?
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Source D
Agrees/Disagrees? Quote to Prove?
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Your Supporting Idea #1
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Your Supporting Idea #2
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Your Supporting Idea #3
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Synthesis Outline
I. Introduction
A. Use of an engaging opening strategy
B. Discussion of the prompt IN YOUR OWN WORDS!!!!
C. WHY this is an important idea/concern/issue to discuss
D. THESIS – Clear and To the Point
II. Body Paragraphs
A. SUPPORT POINT #1 – Use of ICED Strategy
1. ORIGINAL Topic Sentence (I)
2. Introductory phrase + Source that supports your idea (C)
3. Explanation/example from history, pop culture, personal experience, etc (E)
4. Connection back to thesis/prompt – BE SPECIFIC (D)
B. SUPPORT POINT #2 – Use of ICED Strategy
5. ORIGINAL Topic Sentence (I)
6. Introductory phrase + Source that supports your idea – different from the previous paragraph (C)
7. Explanation/example from history, pop culture, personal experience, etc (E)
8. Connection back to thesis/prompt – BE SPECIFIC BUT DO NOT REPEAT YOUR THESIS VERBATIM (D)
C. SUPPORT POINT #3 – Use of ICED Strategy
9. ORIGINAL Topic Sentence (I)
10. Introductory phrase + Source that supports your idea (C)
11. Explanation/example from history, pop culture, personal experience, etc (E)
12. Connection back to thesis/prompt – BE SPECIFIC (D)
D. Rebuttal/Counterpoint SUPPORT POINT #4 – Use of ICED Strategy
13. ORIGINAL Topic Sentence with transitions “Some people feel or it can be argued”….HOWEVER (I)
14. Source that supports your idea (C)
15. Explanation/example from history, pop culture, personal experience, etc (E)
16. Connection back to thesis/prompt – BE SPECIFIC (D)
III. Conclusion
A. Reference back to your engaging opening strategy
B. WHY this is an important idea/concern/issue to discuss
C. Your final thoughts about the prompt with a clincher/zinger statement
Copyright@2014 Kristie-Anne Opaleski-DiMeo
All rights reserved by author.
Permission to copy for single classroom use only.
Electronic distribution limited to single classroom use only.
Not for public display
English 2367
Critical Analysis
Review of Various Arguments
Value: 20% of final grade
Length: At least 1,250 polished words
Format: Typed and appropriate for the rhetorical situation, adhering to MLA or APA format
Deadlines for Process Work and Drafts: See the syllabus course schedule
For the previous major assignment, you analyzed in detail the argument strategies of one text associated with the topic you plan to research for this course. You will consider drawing on those rhetorical (writerly) strategies—and others—when you compose your own argument on the topic in the Major Research assignment. However, before composing your own argument you need to find and analyze what others have researched and argued on the topic. This Critical Analysis essay will help you discover “what’s out there” on your topic—what has been researched and written about—in preparation for the next assignment, the Major Research assignment, in which you will use evidence from sources and your own development strategies to support your argument.
For this your second major assignment in our course inquiry of “Everything’s an Argument,” you will conduct library research to explore a variety of arguments that are made about your topic. In your analysis you will still be interested in the ways in which each author makes their arguments, as you were in the previous assignment—how they say what they say. However, your purpose in this critical analysis is to consider the texts you find together to identify patterns, connections, themes, or trends among them, as well as how each text’s argument affects your understanding of the topic. Your stance may reveal your interest in the topic, but your focus will be on analyzing the texts and discussing how each one affects your thinking on the topic. Questions your essay might consider include the following: Which arguments among the texts are the strongest? Are there any disagreements? Do some arguments recur? Are there any themes among them? Do the texts use the same terms—do they use them similarly or differently? What kinds of evidence do they use for support? How are these texts affecting your thinking on your topic? Have you discovered new questions you need to investigate?
Your audience for this assignment includes your classmates and instructor; however, your intended, target audience should be people with some sort of interest in or expertise with your topic. With such an audience you can be especially detailed in discussing nuances among the texts, assuming readers will have some background knowledge and interest.
Within the academic genre of argument analysis—including MLA format—you may play with media and design elements to help achieve your purpose for readers, including the use of visuals.
Criteria for Evaluation
As with all major assignments in the course, you will be evaluated using the standard English 2367 Writing Assignments Grading Rubric. The following are
additional major essay requirements specific to this assignment and genre:
· Present a tightly focused topic—include the thesis (statement of the topic + point of significance—the pattern, connection, theme, or trend about the arguments on the topic you found among the texts) toward the end or your introduction.
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Use accurate, well-researched information from at least three credible and relevant secondary sources found using CSCC library resources. You may use the text from your Textual Response/Argument Analysis, if it is credible and relevant. Encyclopedia entries and web sites, found using Internet search engines like Google (.com, .org, .edu, etc.), are acceptable. Quote and/or paraphrase and cite specific examples from each text, but before doing so be sure to provide a brief summary of each text.
· Show patterns in and relationships among the information by synthesizing ideas.
· Use various writing and development strategies.
· Provide clear definitions for key terms as needed using your sources rather than a dictionary.
