Synthesis Papers
Chapter Opener
12
require a response to multiple sources
require a response to multiple sources
How to start
- Need to write a synthesis paper?
- Summarize and paraphrase what you have read
Synthesis Papers
In some classes, you may be asked to write a synthesis paper, in which you summarize, compare, or assess the views of a variety of authors on a specific topic. The assignment might also require you to come up with a thesis of your own on that subject, based on your research. A synthesis paper (also sometimes described as a “review of literature”) gives you practice in using sources in academic papers.
For a first-year writing course, you write a detailed synthesis examining the positions of authors who both support and challenge your view that we have no choice but to adapt to new media and technology. -
For an engineering course, you prepare a literature review covering the most recently published research on lithium-
ion polymer batteries. -
In preparing a prospectus for an end-
of- semester research paper, you include a section in which you summarize the sources you expect to use and explain the different positions they represent.