how to make a synthesis in a research paper

How to Synthesize Written Information from Multiple Sources

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Saul McLeod, PhD

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Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

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When you write a literature review or essay, you have to go beyond just summarizing the articles you’ve read – you need to synthesize the literature to show how it all fits together (and how your own research fits in).

Synthesizing simply means combining. Instead of summarizing the main points of each source in turn, you put together the ideas and findings of multiple sources in order to make an overall point.

At the most basic level, this involves looking for similarities and differences between your sources. Your synthesis should show the reader where the sources overlap and where they diverge.

Unsynthesized Example

Franz (2008) studied undergraduate online students. He looked at 17 females and 18 males and found that none of them liked APA. According to Franz, the evidence suggested that all students are reluctant to learn citations style. Perez (2010) also studies undergraduate students. She looked at 42 females and 50 males and found that males were significantly more inclined to use citation software ( p < .05). Findings suggest that females might graduate sooner. Goldstein (2012) looked at British undergraduates. Among a sample of 50, all females, all confident in their abilities to cite and were eager to write their dissertations.

Synthesized Example

Studies of undergraduate students reveal conflicting conclusions regarding relationships between advanced scholarly study and citation efficacy. Although Franz (2008) found that no participants enjoyed learning citation style, Goldstein (2012) determined in a larger study that all participants watched felt comfortable citing sources, suggesting that variables among participant and control group populations must be examined more closely. Although Perez (2010) expanded on Franz’s original study with a larger, more diverse sample…

Step 1: Organize your sources

After collecting the relevant literature, you’ve got a lot of information to work through, and no clear idea of how it all fits together.

Before you can start writing, you need to organize your notes in a way that allows you to see the relationships between sources.

One way to begin synthesizing the literature is to put your notes into a table. Depending on your topic and the type of literature you’re dealing with, there are a couple of different ways you can organize this.

Summary table

A summary table collates the key points of each source under consistent headings. This is a good approach if your sources tend to have a similar structure – for instance, if they’re all empirical papers.

Each row in the table lists one source, and each column identifies a specific part of the source. You can decide which headings to include based on what’s most relevant to the literature you’re dealing with.

For example, you might include columns for things like aims, methods, variables, population, sample size, and conclusion.

For each study, you briefly summarize each of these aspects. You can also include columns for your own evaluation and analysis.

The summary table gives you a quick overview of the key points of each source. This allows you to group sources by relevant similarities, as well as noticing important differences or contradictions in their findings.

Synthesis matrix

A synthesis matrix is useful when your sources are more varied in their purpose and structure – for example, when you’re dealing with books and essays making various different arguments about a topic.

Each column in the table lists one source. Each row is labeled with a specific concept, topic or theme that recurs across all or most of the sources.

Then, for each source, you summarize the main points or arguments related to the theme.

The purposes of the table is to identify the common points that connect the sources, as well as identifying points where they diverge or disagree.

Step 2: Outline your structure

Now you should have a clear overview of the main connections and differences between the sources you’ve read. Next, you need to decide how you’ll group them together and the order in which you’ll discuss them.

For shorter papers, your outline can just identify the focus of each paragraph; for longer papers, you might want to divide it into sections with headings.

There are a few different approaches you can take to help you structure your synthesis.

If your sources cover a broad time period, and you found patterns in how researchers approached the topic over time, you can organize your discussion chronologically .

That doesn’t mean you just summarize each paper in chronological order; instead, you should group articles into time periods and identify what they have in common, as well as signalling important turning points or developments in the literature.

If the literature covers various different topics, you can organize it thematically .

That means that each paragraph or section focuses on a specific theme and explains how that theme is approached in the literature.

Source Used with Permission: The Chicago School

If you’re drawing on literature from various different fields or they use a wide variety of research methods, you can organize your sources methodologically .

That means grouping together studies based on the type of research they did and discussing the findings that emerged from each method.

If your topic involves a debate between different schools of thought, you can organize it theoretically .

That means comparing the different theories that have been developed and grouping together papers based on the position or perspective they take on the topic, as well as evaluating which arguments are most convincing.

Step 3: Write paragraphs with topic sentences

What sets a synthesis apart from a summary is that it combines various sources. The easiest way to think about this is that each paragraph should discuss a few different sources, and you should be able to condense the overall point of the paragraph into one sentence.

This is called a topic sentence , and it usually appears at the start of the paragraph. The topic sentence signals what the whole paragraph is about; every sentence in the paragraph should be clearly related to it.

A topic sentence can be a simple summary of the paragraph’s content:

“Early research on [x] focused heavily on [y].”

For an effective synthesis, you can use topic sentences to link back to the previous paragraph, highlighting a point of debate or critique:

“Several scholars have pointed out the flaws in this approach.” “While recent research has attempted to address the problem, many of these studies have methodological flaws that limit their validity.”

By using topic sentences, you can ensure that your paragraphs are coherent and clearly show the connections between the articles you are discussing.

As you write your paragraphs, avoid quoting directly from sources: use your own words to explain the commonalities and differences that you found in the literature.

Don’t try to cover every single point from every single source – the key to synthesizing is to extract the most important and relevant information and combine it to give your reader an overall picture of the state of knowledge on your topic.

Step 4: Revise, edit and proofread

Like any other piece of academic writing, synthesizing literature doesn’t happen all in one go – it involves redrafting, revising, editing and proofreading your work.

Checklist for Synthesis

•   Do I introduce the paragraph with a clear, focused topic sentence?
•   Do I discuss more than one source in the paragraph?
•   Do I mention only the most relevant findings, rather than describing every part of the studies?
•   Do I discuss the similarities or differences between the sources, rather than summarizing each source in turn?
•   Do I put the findings or arguments of the sources in my own words?
•   Is the paragraph organized around a single idea?
•   Is the paragraph directly relevant to my research question or topic?
•   Is there a logical transition from this paragraph to the next one?

Further Information

How to Synthesise: a Step-by-Step Approach

Help…I”ve Been Asked to Synthesize!

Learn how to Synthesise (combine information from sources)

How to write a Psychology Essay

How to Write a Synthesis Essay

Synthesis essays are common assignments in both high school and university, but that doesn’t mean they’re easy or that everyone knows how to write them. In this guide, we discuss everything you need to know in order to write one yourself. We talk about synthesis essay structure and offer some general tips, plus we clarify any confusion between a synthesis essay versus an argumentative essay.

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What is a synthesis essay?

A synthesis essay is a type of essay that combines points, data, and evidence from multiple sources and turns them into one idea that the writing revolves around. In other words, the writer synthesizes their own idea using other sources’ research and points. Usually, synthesis essays are a type of analytical essay , but they have crossover with other types of essays as well, such as argumentative essays .

The central idea in a synthesis essay is represented by the thesis statement , a sentence that succinctly explains the main point of the essay. In a synthesis essay, this “new” idea usually consolidates the main points and/or findings of other sources.

Synthesis essay structure

Creating a solid synthesis essay structure is one of the hardest parts of writing a synthesis essay. Unlike most other essay outlines , an outline for a synthesis essay has to include points from multiple sources, and such combinations don’t always have a logical or chronological sequence. To help you out, here are three strategies for creating a synthesis essay structure and sample outlines that you can use as templates.

Synthesis essay structure 1: By topic

The first kind of synthesis essay structure involves discussing each topic individually, mentioning each source’s perspective on it, and then moving on to the next topic. This approach lets you compare or join together points made by different sources about the same specific topic.

Structuring your synthesis essay by topic works best for more complicated ideas with different aspects that should be explored individually.

Example outline:

I. Introduction A. Thesis statement

II. Topic 1 A. Source A discussing Topic 1 1. A point or piece of evidence/data from Source A about Topic 1 2. Another point or piece of evidence/data from Source A about Topic 1 3. [Etc.]

B. Source B discussing Topic 1 1. A point or piece of evidence/data from Source B about Topic 1 2. [Etc.] 

III. Topic 2 A. Source A discussing Topic 2 B. [Etc.] 

IV. Topic 3 A. [Etc.]

[You can keep going like this with as many topics as you need.]

V. Conclusion A. Revisit thesis statement

Synthesis essay structure 2: By source

Alternatively, you can organize your synthesis essay structure by source: You discuss the main points of one source together and then move on to another source. This approach lets you compartmentalize the main points according to where they come from but ultimately bring together the main points from different sources.

Structuring your synthesis essay by source works best when you want to emphasize the sources themselves over the points they make. For example, if you were using this type of structure for an argumentative essay, you might want to fully discuss the source you’re refuting before making your counterargument.

II. Source 1 A. Source 1 discussing Topic A 1. A point or piece of evidence/data from Source 1 about Topic A 2. Another point or piece of evidence/data from Source 1 about Topic A 3. [Etc.]

B. Source 1 discussing Topic B 1. A point or piece of evidence/data from Source 1 about Topic B 2. [Etc.]

III. Source 2 A. Source 2 discussing Topic A B. Source 2 discussing Topic B C. [Etc.]

IV. Source 3 A. [Etc.]

[You can keep going like this for all your sources.]

V. Conclusion 1. Revisit thesis statement

Synthesis essay structure 3: Combine

The synthesis essay structures above are by no means set in stone. You’re free to adapt or modify them however you need and can even combine them.

For example, what if there’s a special source that stands out from the others? You could begin your synthesis essay by discussing each topic individually so that your reader understands the issue. Then you could switch it up and include a section just for that one special source, explaining that source’s stance on the previously discussed topics.

3 tips for writing a synthesis essay

1 come up with a strong thesis statement.

As mentioned above, a thesis statement is a single sentence that briefly explains the main point of your essay. In a synthesis essay, the thesis statement should effectively bring together the ideas and points from multiple other sources.

Part of writing a strong thesis statement comes from choosing your essay topic . Pick a topic that is broad enough to have sufficient research and enough other sources discussing it but specific enough that you can cover everything.

As for writing the actual thesis statement, a helpful method is to phrase your topic as a question and then answer it. The answer could be a good start to your thesis statement sentence. For example, let’s say your topic is how Denmark came to be first in clean energy. You could phrase the question and answer as:

Q: “Why is Denmark the leading country in renewable energy?”

A: “Denmark is first in clean energy thanks in part to energy conservation from district heating, combined heat-and-power stations, and its use of small, locally based power plants instead of larger ones.”

That answer could double as your thesis statement and mentions some of the other types of sources you use in your essay.

2 Read all the sources carefully

A synthesis essay is only as good as its sources. The nature of a synthesis essay is to build on its sources, so you need to choose the best ones and understand each of them thoroughly.

Make sure you comb through your sources so you don’t miss a good point or piece of evidence you could use in your essay. It helps to come up with your thesis statement early on so you can look for points related to it when you’re reading.

3 Write a gripping introduction

One of the keys to any good essay, synthesis or not, is a strong opening. This is partially determined by your thesis statement, but the other sentences in your introduction also make a big impact.

For starters, you can learn how to write a hook . In writing, a hook is something that grabs the reader’s attention and makes them want to keep reading. Hooks can essentially be anything interesting. Some common strategies for writing hooks include using personal anecdotes to create an emotional connection or providing exciting facts/statistics that the reader might not know.

Additionally, the introduction should also explain the scope of your topic and set the scene for people who aren’t familiar with it. The goal of the introduction is to prepare the reader for what follows so that afterward you can transition straight into making your points.

Synthesis essay vs. argumentative essay

Synthesis essays are often compared to argumentative essays, which attempt to refute, debunk, or criticize existing ideas or other research. The truth is that the two are not mutually exclusive. Although synthesis essays tend to be analytical or expository, they can also be argumentative.

A synthesis essay is any essay that combines ideas from multiple sources to create a new unified idea. If that new idea is a rebuttal to a preexisting idea and the entire essay is written as a critique, then the essay would be both synthesis and argumentative.

Synthesis essay FAQs

A synthesis essay is a type of essay that combines points, data, and evidence from multiple sources and turns them into one unified idea. In other words, the writer synthesizes their own idea using other sources’ research and ideas.

What is a good synthesis essay structure?

Traditionally, the common approaches to creating a synthesis essay structure are organizing by topic or organizing by source. The former means you discuss each source’s perspective on a topic before moving to the next topic; the latter means you discuss one source’s stance on each topic and then move to another source. You can also create a hybrid structure of the two for particular subjects.

What is the difference between a synthesis essay and an argumentative essay?

Synthesis essays are often contrasted with argumentative essays, but the truth is that the two are not mutually exclusive. For example, an argumentative essay can use the format of a synthesis essay—combining points from multiple sources to form a new unified idea—in order to refute a preexisting idea.

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How to Write a Literature Review

• 6. Synthesize
• Literature Reviews: A Recap
• Reading Journal Articles
• Does it Describe a Literature Review?
• 1. Identify the Question
• 2. Review Discipline Styles
• Searching Article Databases
• Finding Full-Text of an Article
• Citation Chaining
• When to Stop Searching
• 4. Manage Your References
• 5. Critically Analyze and Evaluate

Synthesis Visualization

Synthesis matrix example.

• 7. Write a Literature Review

• Synthesis Worksheet

About Synthesis

Approaches to Synthesis

You can sort the literature in various ways, for example:

How to Begin?

Read your sources carefully and find the main idea(s) of each source

Look for similarities in your sources – which sources are talking about the same main ideas? (for example, sources that discuss the historical background on your topic)

Use the worksheet (above) or synthesis matrix (below) to get organized

This work can be messy. Don't worry if you have to go through a few iterations of the worksheet or matrix as you work on your lit review!

Four Examples of Student Writing

In the four examples below, only ONE shows a good example of synthesis: the fourth column, or  Student D . For a web accessible version, click the link below the image.

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Click on the example to view the pdf.

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• Synthesizing Sources | Examples & Synthesis Matrix

Synthesizing Sources | Examples & Synthesis Matrix

Published on July 4, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on May 31, 2023.

Synthesizing sources involves combining the work of other scholars to provide new insights. It’s a way of integrating sources that helps situate your work in relation to existing research.

Synthesizing sources involves more than just summarizing . You must emphasize how each source contributes to current debates, highlighting points of (dis)agreement and putting the sources in conversation with each other.

You might synthesize sources in your literature review to give an overview of the field or throughout your research paper when you want to position your work in relation to existing research.

Table of contents

Example of synthesizing sources, how to synthesize sources, synthesis matrix, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about synthesizing sources.

Let’s take a look at an example where sources are not properly synthesized, and then see what can be done to improve it.

This paragraph provides no context for the information and does not explain the relationships between the sources described. It also doesn’t analyze the sources or consider gaps in existing research.

Research on the barriers to second language acquisition has primarily focused on age-related difficulties. Building on Lenneberg’s (1967) theory of a critical period of language acquisition, Johnson and Newport (1988) tested Lenneberg’s idea in the context of second language acquisition. Their research seemed to confirm that young learners acquire a second language more easily than older learners. Recent research has considered other potential barriers to language acquisition. Schepens, van Hout, and van der Slik (2022) have revealed that the difficulties of learning a second language at an older age are compounded by dissimilarity between a learner’s first language and the language they aim to acquire. Further research needs to be carried out to determine whether the difficulty faced by adult monoglot speakers is also faced by adults who acquired a second language during the “critical period.”

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To synthesize sources, group them around a specific theme or point of contention.

As you read sources, ask:

• What questions or ideas recur? Do the sources focus on the same points, or do they look at the issue from different angles?
• How does each source relate to others? Does it confirm or challenge the findings of past research?
• Where do the sources agree or disagree?

Once you have a clear idea of how each source positions itself, put them in conversation with each other. Analyze and interpret their points of agreement and disagreement. This displays the relationships among sources and creates a sense of coherence.

Consider both implicit and explicit (dis)agreements. Whether one source specifically refutes another or just happens to come to different conclusions without specifically engaging with it, you can mention it in your synthesis either way.

Synthesize your sources using:

• Topic sentences to introduce the relationship between the sources
• Signal phrases to attribute ideas to their authors
• Transition words and phrases to link together different ideas

To more easily determine the similarities and dissimilarities among your sources, you can create a visual representation of their main ideas with a synthesis matrix . This is a tool that you can use when researching and writing your paper, not a part of the final text.

In a synthesis matrix, each column represents one source, and each row represents a common theme or idea among the sources. In the relevant rows, fill in a short summary of how the source treats each theme or topic.

This helps you to clearly see the commonalities or points of divergence among your sources. You can then synthesize these sources in your work by explaining their relationship.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

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Synthesizing sources means comparing and contrasting the work of other scholars to provide new insights.

It involves analyzing and interpreting the points of agreement and disagreement among sources.

You might synthesize sources in your literature review to give an overview of the field of research or throughout your paper when you want to contribute something new to existing research.

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

Topic sentences help keep your writing focused and guide the reader through your argument.

In an essay or paper , each paragraph should focus on a single idea. By stating the main idea in the topic sentence, you clarify what the paragraph is about for both yourself and your reader.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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Ryan, E. (2023, May 31). Synthesizing Sources | Examples & Synthesis Matrix. Scribbr. Retrieved September 1, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/synthesizing-sources/

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In a synthesis, you bring things together. This combination, integration, or merging creates something new--your synthesis. The action of synthesis is basic to our world. Take, for example, what happens when a single oxygen molecule is combined with two hydrogen molecules. Water is created or synthesized. Hard to get more basic than that.

You also use synthesis to make personal decisions. If two instructors are teaching a class you must take, you may synthesize your past experiences with the teachers to choose the best class for you.

Research Essays:

Thesis driven.

In school, when writing a synthesis from your research, your sources may come from the school's library, a textbook, or the Internet. Here are some important points to keep in mind:

First, regardless of where your sources come from or how many you have, what you write should be driven by a thesis that you devise. After reading and studying your sources, you should form a personal point of view, a slant to connect your sources.

Here's a quick example--Let's say you've read three folktales: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Pied Piper--and now you must write a synthesis of them. As you study the three sources, you think about links between them and come up with this thesis: 

Folktales use fear to teach children lessons.

Then you use this thesis to synthesize your three sources as you support your point of view. You combine elements from the three sources to prove and illustrate this thesis. Your support points could focus on the lessons for children:

• Lesson 1 : Never talk to strangers.
• Lesson 2 : Don't wander from home.
• Lesson 3 : Appearances can deceive us.

This step of outlining your thesis and main points is a crucial one when writing a synthesis. If your goal in writing a research essay is to provide readers a unified perspective based on sources, the unified perspective must be clear before the writing begins.

Once the writing begins, your point of view is then carried through to the paragraph and sentence levels. Let's examine some techniques for achieving the unity that a good synthesis requires. First, here’s an example of an unsuccessful attempt at synthesizing sources:

Many sources agree that capital punishment is not a crime deterrent. [This is the idea around which the sources should be unified. Now comes the sources] According to Judy Pennington in an interview with Helen Prejean, crime rates in New Orleans rise for at least eight weeks following executions (110). Jimmy Dunne notes that crime rates often go up in the first two or three months following an execution. “Death in the Americas” argues that America’s crime rate as a whole has increased drastically since the re-instatement of the death penalty in the 1960s. The article notes that 700 crimes are committed for every 100,000 Americans (2). Helen Prejean cites Ellis in her book to note that in 1980, 500,000 people were behind bars and in 1990 that figure rose to 1.1 million (112).

Sample student paragraph adapted from "Literature Review: Synthesizing Multiple Sources." Retrieved 2011 from https://scholarworks.iupui.edu/items/7dda80e7-b0b3-477c-a972-283b48cfdf5c

This paragraph certainly uses a number of sources. However, the sources are presented in a random, grocery list fashion. Besides the main point at the beginning, there is no further attempt to synthesize. The sources seem tossed in, like ingredients in a salad. Let's examine a possible revision of that paragraph and how an adequate synthesis might be achieved:

Major studies suggest that capital punishment fails to deter crime. Helen Prejean, in "Deadman Walking," reviews decades of statistics that indicate capital punishment does little to lower crime. [Key idea from  topic sentence—"capital punishment fails to deter crime"— echoed in sentence about source–"capital punishment does little to lower crime." Repetition links source to main idea.] Based on this evidence, Prejean concludes “Executions do not deter crime . . . the U.S. murder rate is no higher in states that do not have the death penalty than those who do” (110). ["Based on this evidence" forces  reader to refer back to "statistics" in previous sentence.] Prejean’s point is reiterated from a historical perspective in Dunne's article “Death in the Americas.”  [This sentence provides a thought bridge between two sources.] Dunne first points out that, despite the social and economic upheavals from 1930 to 1960, crime rates were unchanged (2). [Linking phrase:"Dunne first points out"] However, after the reinstatement of the death penalty in the 1960s, “crime rates soared” (2). [Linking phase "However, Dunne notes."]

The result is a matrix of connective devices that unifies the sources around a key idea stated at the beginning. Although this matrix seems complex, it is actually built on a simple three-point strategy.

• Stay in charge . You the writer must control the sources, using them to serve your purpose. In good synthesis writing, sources are used to support what you, the writer, have already said in your own words.
• Stay focused . Your main point is not merely stated once and left to wilt. Your main idea is repeated and echoed throughout as a way to link the sources, to weave them together into a strong fabric of meaning.
• Stay strategic . Notice the "source sandwich" strategy at work. First, the author sets up the source with its background and relevance to the point. After the source comes a follows up in his/her own words as a way to bridge or link to the next part. In other words, the writer's own words are used like two slices of bread, with the source in the middle.

Follow these simple principles when using sources in your writing and you will achieve the most important goal of synthesis writing--to create a whole greater than its parts.

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Literature Syntheis 101

How To Synthesise The Existing Research (With Examples)

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewer: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | August 2023

One of the most common mistakes that students make when writing a literature review is that they err on the side of describing the existing literature rather than providing a critical synthesis of it. In this post, we’ll unpack what exactly synthesis means and show you how to craft a strong literature synthesis using practical examples.

This post is based on our popular online course, Literature Review Bootcamp . In the course, we walk you through the full process of developing a literature review, step by step. If it’s your first time writing a literature review, you definitely want to use this link to get 50% off the course (limited-time offer).

Overview: Literature Synthesis

• What exactly does “synthesis” mean?
• Aspect 1: Agreement
• Aspect 2: Disagreement
• Aspect 3: Key theories
• Aspect 4: Contexts
• Aspect 5: Methodologies
• Bringing it all together

What does “synthesis” actually mean?

As a starting point, let’s quickly define what exactly we mean when we use the term “synthesis” within the context of a literature review.

Simply put, literature synthesis means going beyond just describing what everyone has said and found. Instead, synthesis is about bringing together all the information from various sources to present a cohesive assessment of the current state of knowledge in relation to your study’s research aims and questions .

Put another way, a good synthesis tells the reader exactly where the current research is “at” in terms of the topic you’re interested in – specifically, what’s known , what’s not , and where there’s a need for more research .

So, how do you go about doing this?

Well, there’s no “one right way” when it comes to literature synthesis, but we’ve found that it’s particularly useful to ask yourself five key questions when you’re working on your literature review. Having done so,  you can then address them more articulately within your actual write up. So, let’s take a look at each of these questions.

1. Points Of Agreement

The first question that you need to ask yourself is: “Overall, what things seem to be agreed upon by the vast majority of the literature?”

For example, if your research aim is to identify which factors contribute toward job satisfaction, you’ll need to identify which factors are broadly agreed upon and “settled” within the literature. Naturally, there may at times be some lone contrarian that has a radical viewpoint , but, provided that the vast majority of researchers are in agreement, you can put these random outliers to the side. That is, of course, unless your research aims to explore a contrarian viewpoint and there’s a clear justification for doing so. 

Identifying what’s broadly agreed upon is an essential starting point for synthesising the literature, because you generally don’t want (or need) to reinvent the wheel or run down a road investigating something that is already well established . So, addressing this question first lays a foundation of “settled” knowledge.

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2. Points Of Disagreement

Related to the previous point, but on the other end of the spectrum, is the equally important question: “Where do the disagreements lie?” .

In other words, which things are not well agreed upon by current researchers? It’s important to clarify here that by disagreement, we don’t mean that researchers are (necessarily) fighting over it – just that there are relatively mixed findings within the empirical research , with no firm consensus amongst researchers.

This is a really important question to address as these “disagreements” will often set the stage for the research gap(s). In other words, they provide clues regarding potential opportunities for further research, which your study can then (hopefully) contribute toward filling. If you’re not familiar with the concept of a research gap, be sure to check out our explainer video covering exactly that .

3. Key Theories

The next question you need to ask yourself is: “Which key theories seem to be coming up repeatedly?” .

Within most research spaces, you’ll find that you keep running into a handful of key theories that are referred to over and over again. Apart from identifying these theories, you’ll also need to think about how they’re connected to each other. Specifically, you need to ask yourself:

• Are they all covering the same ground or do they have different focal points  or underlying assumptions ?
• Do some of them feed into each other and if so, is there an opportunity to integrate them into a more cohesive theory?
• Do some of them pull in different directions ? If so, why might this be?
• Do all of the theories define the key concepts and variables in the same way, or is there some disconnect? If so, what’s the impact of this ?

Simply put, you’ll need to pay careful attention to the key theories in your research area, as they will need to feature within your theoretical framework , which will form a critical component within your final literature review. This will set the foundation for your entire study, so it’s essential that you be critical in this area of your literature synthesis.

If this sounds a bit fluffy, don’t worry. We deep dive into the theoretical framework (as well as the conceptual framework) and look at practical examples in Literature Review Bootcamp . If you’d like to learn more, take advantage of our limited-time offer to get 60% off the standard price.

4. Contexts

The next question that you need to address in your literature synthesis is an important one, and that is: “Which contexts have (and have not) been covered by the existing research?” .

For example, sticking with our earlier hypothetical topic (factors that impact job satisfaction), you may find that most of the research has focused on white-collar , management-level staff within a primarily Western context, but little has been done on blue-collar workers in an Eastern context. Given the significant socio-cultural differences between these two groups, this is an important observation, as it could present a contextual research gap .

In practical terms, this means that you’ll need to carefully assess the context of each piece of literature that you’re engaging with, especially the empirical research (i.e., studies that have collected and analysed real-world data). Ideally, you should keep notes regarding the context of each study in some sort of catalogue or sheet, so that you can easily make sense of this before you start the writing phase. If you’d like, our free literature catalogue worksheet is a great tool for this task.

5. Methodological Approaches

Last but certainly not least, you need to ask yourself the question: “What types of research methodologies have (and haven’t) been used?”

For example, you might find that most studies have approached the topic using qualitative methods such as interviews and thematic analysis. Alternatively, you might find that most studies have used quantitative methods such as online surveys and statistical analysis.

But why does this matter?

Well, it can run in one of two potential directions . If you find that the vast majority of studies use a specific methodological approach, this could provide you with a firm foundation on which to base your own study’s methodology . In other words, you can use the methodologies of similar studies to inform (and justify) your own study’s research design .

On the other hand, you might argue that the lack of diverse methodological approaches presents a research gap , and therefore your study could contribute toward filling that gap by taking a different approach. For example, taking a qualitative approach to a research area that is typically approached quantitatively. Of course, if you’re going to go against the methodological grain, you’ll need to provide a strong justification for why your proposed approach makes sense. Nevertheless, it is something worth at least considering.

Regardless of which route you opt for, you need to pay careful attention to the methodologies used in the relevant studies and provide at least some discussion about this in your write-up. Again, it’s useful to keep track of this on some sort of spreadsheet or catalogue as you digest each article, so consider grabbing a copy of our free literature catalogue if you don’t have anything in place.

Bringing It All Together

Alright, so we’ve looked at five important questions that you need to ask (and answer) to help you develop a strong synthesis within your literature review.  To recap, these are:

• Which things are broadly agreed upon within the current research?
• Which things are the subject of disagreement (or at least, present mixed findings)?
• Which theories seem to be central to your research topic and how do they relate or compare to each other?
• Which contexts have (and haven’t) been covered?
• Which methodological approaches are most common?

Importantly, you’re not just asking yourself these questions for the sake of asking them – they’re not just a reflection exercise. You need to weave your answers to them into your actual literature review when you write it up. How exactly you do this will vary from project to project depending on the structure you opt for, but you’ll still need to address them within your literature review, whichever route you go.

The best approach is to spend some time actually writing out your answers to these questions, as opposed to just thinking about them in your head. Putting your thoughts onto paper really helps you flesh out your thinking . As you do this, don’t just write down the answers – instead, think about what they mean in terms of the research gap you’ll present , as well as the methodological approach you’ll take . Your literature synthesis needs to lay the groundwork for these two things, so it’s essential that you link all of it together in your mind, and of course, on paper.

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This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Literature Review Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

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• Lit Review Prep Use this template to help you evaluate your sources, create article summaries for an annotated bibliography, and a synthesis matrix for your lit review outline.

Synthesize your Information

Synthesize: combine separate elements to form a whole.

Synthesis Matrix

A synthesis matrix helps you record the main points of each source and document how sources relate to each other.

After summarizing and evaluating your sources, arrange them in a matrix or use a citation manager to help you see how they relate to each other and apply to each of your themes or variables.  

By arranging your sources by theme or variable, you can see how your sources relate to each other, and can start thinking about how you weave them together to create a narrative.

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• Writing Tips

How to Write a Synthesis Essay

4-minute read

• 31st May 2023

Are you writing a synthesis essay? This is a paper that combines information from a variety of sources to form a new idea. Essentially, you’re synthesizing existing concepts and arguments to create something original.

As a student, you’ll probably have to write a synthesis essay at some point. Read on for our step-by-step guide on how to write one effectively.

Step 1. Define Your Idea or Argument

If you haven’t done so already, decide on a topic to write about. Read up about it using a variety of credible sources and make detailed notes while you research. Make sure you keep track of the sources you decide to pull information from so that you can cite them properly later.

Make a list of key points from your research. Once you have a good selection of material to work with, start developing your own idea or argument. This will be the focus of your essay.

Step 2. Create an Outline

Synthesis essays generally follow this format: an introduction, a handful of main body paragraphs, and a conclusion. It’s a good idea to come up with an essay plan before you start writing so that you can keep things organized while you work.

The outline is mainly helpful for deciding what to include in your body paragraphs. Decide what supporting points (and counterarguments ) from your research you want to include, and which order you want to discuss them in. You should have enough information to flesh out one paragraph for each point.

Step 3. Write Your Introduction

In your introduction, you should open with something that hooks the reader and captures their attention. Then, state your argument or idea (i.e., your thesis statement) and briefly summarize the material you’ll be including in your essay. You should also include any relevant background information here.

Step 4. Write the Body Paragraphs

Using your outline, discuss each point from your source material in more depth, devoting a body paragraph to each. Explain the information from the outside source, including appropriate citations, and discuss how it connects with your idea.

It’s a good idea to mostly focus on points that support your argument, but you should also include a paragraph with a counterargument or two. This means discussing a perspective that doesn’t necessarily align with your idea, and then explaining why your argument still works.

Step 5. Tie It All Together With a Conclusion

The conclusion should leave the reader feeling convinced of your idea. Restate your point clearly and summarize the main points you’ve discussed. You could also offer any concluding reflections on the topic.

Different Types of Synthesis Essays

While you can follow our steps for any type of synthesis essay, yours will probably fall under one of two categories: explanatory or argumentative.

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Argumentative essays are as they sound – they present an argument. With an argumentative essay, you’ll take a more definitive stance on something and use your supporting material to persuade the reader.

Explanatory essays don’t necessarily take a side one way or the other. Rather, they focus on developing and explaining a concept thoroughly. Knowing which type of essay you’re writing will help you to gather more effective source material for your purpose.

Cite Your Sources

Since synthesis essays are particularly dependent on outside material, it’s especially important that you cite your sources correctly. Familiarize yourself with your referencing system before you start researching so you know what information you need to keep track of, and include appropriate citations whenever you use someone else’s work.

At the end of the essay, you’ll need to compile your sources into a reference list following the requirements of your style guide.

Summary: Writing a Synthesis Essay

Hopefully, this post has helped you to feel more confident in writing a synthesis essay. Choose a topic first, do your research, keep track of your sources, and develop an argument or idea. From there, you can organize your thoughts into an outline and get to writing!

Once you’ve created a first draft, make sure you send it our way! We’ll check it for errors in grammar, spelling, referencing, and more. Try it out for free today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a synthesis essay.

A synthesis essay gathers ideas and viewpoints from several different sources and ties them together to form a new concept.

How long is a synthesis essay?

Synthesis essays usually follow the five-paragraph format, with an introduction, three main body paragraphs discussing different points, and a conclusion.

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Step-by-Step Synthesis

By  Jordan McNeill

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Jordan McNeill is a doctoral student in special education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Follow her on Twitter at @jordanmcneill89 .

In January, I wrote my comprehensive exam for my doctoral program, which, in my department, involves a 50-page critical synthesis based on a specific claim of knowledge over a six-week period. It is a fairly daunting task, requiring the integration of literature across many methodologies, subdisciplines and underlying theories. The writer’s job is to somehow balance the big picture of their knowledge claim with the individual contributions of each included source, ultimately making a cohesive argument. Easy, right?

Unfortunately, the particular skill set required for this kind of synthesis is often not explicitly taught. Sure, we have all crafted five-paragraph essays since the fifth grade, and we have probably contributed to scientific research reports. But synthesizing other people's writing to make your own point takes a different thought process. Many graduate students find it hard to move beyond summarizing individual studies in a linear fashion. As the proverb goes, we struggle to see the forest for the trees, detailing specifics but failing to communicate the overall meaning effectively.

As I planned for writing my exam, I realized that the bulk of the work of finding patterns in my sources needed to happen before I started writing. Using ideas from the book Destination Dissertation: A Traveler’s Guide to a Done Dissertation and my own adaptations, I developed a step-by-step process for organizing my notes and ideas. This process assumes you’ve already conducted an exhaustive literature search and have a fairly set reference list; it’s difficult to piece together a synthesis without first establishing your sources. If you are tackling a literature review, comprehensive exam or other similar writing activity, this process can help you synthesize your information before even beginning a draft.

1. Read your sources several times

First, read every article, chapter or other source multiple times with different purposes for each read. On the first read, skim for the big ideas and start mentally categorizing them. After familiarizing yourself with the basics, read in-depth with highlighter in hand, marking the main constructs, findings or arguments relevant to your claim. The third read will be for in-depth note taking.

2. Take organized notes on every source

On this third read, each source gets a notes page labeled with the author and year at the top. I formatted my notes in two columns, with the left column including a word or phrase to capture the main concept and the right column with the details. For example, my knowledge claim addressed teachers’ subjective ideas and experiences related to using specific interventions in their classrooms. My notes included concepts like teachers’ use of interventions, contextual influences and training experiences. Avoid organizing your notes by steps in the research process -- labeling information as sample, methods or results won’t help you make connections later on. I chose to write all my notes by hand , but this could also be done in a typed document.

3. Identify relevant concepts and supporting sources

Once you have a stack of source notes, it’s time to identify the concepts that show up across them. These concepts might include specific research findings, definitions of terms, future implications or other ideas driven by the purpose of your paper. Not every source will address every concept. First, make a master list of all the concepts from the left sides of your source notes. Then, find all the sources that covered each specific concept in their article or chapter. Personally, I simply transferred each concept to an individual sticky note and listed the authors who addressed it underneath.

4. Restructure your notes by concept

Now, each of those concepts gets its own two-column notes page. This time, the authors will go on the left-hand column and you will transfer the notes from step two specific to that concept on the right side. Think of it as if you were cutting apart your article notes, categorizing them by concept and pasting them to a new page (which, conceivably, you could also do, but it might get messy). As you are transferring these notes, pay attention to which authors agree and which raise unique ideas related to the concept; this will help you make connections when you write. In the spirit of synthesis, once this step is completed, these concept notes will be your primary reference, not the individual source notes.

Pro tip: Include a concept notes page for your overarching argument or thesis . In my paper, I argued the necessity of understanding teachers’ subjective beliefs about interventions. This was broader than my other concepts, but it was the common thread that needed to weave throughout the synthesis. By maintaining a single page of the primary arguments made by others, including particularly effective quotations , I could pull ideas from here throughout the whole writing process to keep my claim at the forefront.

5. Organize concepts into an outline

Those concepts should now form the basis of an outline of the paper. Decide how the concepts can be meaningfully grouped under larger themes. In my case, I sorted 29 concepts into six major themes, which became the level-one headings in my draft. Physically sequence your concepts based on the structure of your paper so that as you draft, you can just flip through the notes in order.

Once all of your notes are organized, it’s time to draft! You will have already done most of the synthesis work before ever putting a sentence on the page. For reference, I tracked my time use on my exam and ended up spending almost half of my total working time in the prewriting stage. This saved me the frustration of sifting through my sources over and over again to draw parallels and integrate the information while drafting. If you’re looking to write a synthesis more effectively and efficiently, try integrating these five steps into your prewriting process. Let us know how it goes in the comments or on Twitter!

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Full Guide to Synthesis Essays: How to Write a Synthesis Essay

Nick Miller

Today, people are dealing with numerous amounts of data. This means that an average person has to develop an important skill — analyzing information found online to determine its quality. Such a skill is developed naturally as a person grows. However, its importance becomes more apparent with technological progress, which comes with its own issues.

As a result, the ability to analyze and synthesize information became a crucial part of the academic curriculum. This is why students often write synthesis essays. These are some of the most common assignments that a student has to deal with, but that does not mean that everyone knows how to write them. In this blog post, I will provide you with information on what is a synthesis essay, how to write one, and tips to improve your writing skills. I hope that this information will help you out.

What is a Synthesis Essay?

A synthesis essay is a type of academic writing that focuses on combining information from several sources to create an argument or a perspective on a given topic. These essays differ from other types because they require writers to analyze different viewpoints to pick the main ideas and create a unified stance on a topic. That is why synthesis essays are challenging. Students have to demonstrate skills such as critical thinking, research, and information synthesis. A well-developed essay synthesizes information from different sources to create a piece of writing that offers readers a nuanced understanding of a topic.

Key Components of a Synthesis Essay

To understand how to write a synthesis essay, it is required to know what it consists of. Similarly to other types of academic writing, synthesis essays have their own components. I will explain the most important elements of such an essay below.

Thesis Statement

A well-developed thesis statement is the main point of a synthesis essay. It presents readers with what they are going to read about. A thesis statement is a guide that allows readers to understand the author’s main stance and how they are going to synthesize their ideas to prove it.

Sources Integration

A synthesis essay requires the writer to conduct thorough research. With access to books, journals, websites, data sets, etc., it is possible to gather all the required information. This information has to be integrated to support the thesis and provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Synthesis of Information

Gathered information has to be combined to form a cohesive thought or central idea. To do this, a writer needs to analyze and interpret information from sources. Interpretation of all the pieces gathered from sources is what makes a synthesis essay.

Counter Arguments and Refutations

Synthesis also means that the author has to acknowledge and address opposing arguments. The incorporation of counter arguments is a testament to the quality of one’s synthesis of information. Instead of presenting a one-sided argument, it is better to address counter points and refute them.

The conclusion restates the thesis statement and summarizes all the ideas explored in the essay. It also serves as a closure that underlines the importance of the information provided by the author. This section of an essay should leave a lasting impression and solidify the writer’s stance on the topic.

Tips and Tricks for Writing an Outstanding Synthesis Essay

Synthesis essays are specific and require a careful approach to them. Thankfully, there are universal tips and tricks that I actively use in my writing. They will help you to understand how to write a synthesis essay of top quality every time as well!

Choose a multi-faceted, debatable topic

It is better to choose a topic that allows you to approach it from different perspectives. A multi-angle subject gives ground for extensive research and incorporation of various materials for a future synthesis essay.

Research credible sources with diverse perspectives

The quality of sources matters in academic writing. That is why you should investigate reliable sources to gather information for your topic. Credible sources include journal articles, reputable books, data sets, etc.

Take clear, organized notes tracking differences

Remember to take notes when performing research. I use notes to structure my thoughts and not get lost. You will encounter different information and perspectives, requiring you to sort them according to common and different points of view. This way, you will be able to spot these specific points and ease your essay-writing process.

Develop an insightful, focused thesis

To create a coherent thesis statement, you want to state your main argument while reflecting on the synthesis of perspectives that you describe in the essay. A well-crafted thesis statement will guide readers when addressing the topic you are writing about.

Use rhetorical techniques

The use of rhetorical techniques such as ethos, pathos, and logos is important for increasing persuasive power of a synthesis essay. They will appeal to your audience’s emotions, logic, and credibility.

How to Write a Synthesis Essay?

Step 1: choosing a compelling topic.

The first step in writing a synthesis essay is to select a topic that you find particularly interesting. However, this topic should also provide ground for exploration. I always opt for areas that interest me the most for additional motivation. With a properly selected topic, you can go deep into research to find different points of view. A topic that creates space for discussion and analysis is the best way to engage readers. Therefore, a proper choice of a topic will allow you to present the topic in a nuanced manner that provides value for the target audience.

Step 2: Conducting thorough research

Any strong synthesis essay requires thorough research. To begin with, I suggest starting by selecting a range of sources that you will base your research on. This could include academic journals, scholarly articles, reputable books, etc. After selecting sources, take notes to track the points discussed in each piece of research. This way, you will be able to track differences and similarities between sources. Such an approach will allow you to build a base addressing potential counter points and create a well-informed synthesis essay.

Step 3: Crafting a strong thesis statement

A strong thesis statement has to capture the main idea of your synthesis essay. It should include a synthesis of information that you gathered during research. This way, you will provide readers with a one-sentence summary of what they can expect from your writing. A thesis statement should be clear, specific, and coherent. Clarity plays an important role in delivering your main idea to readers while hooking them to continue reading through the essay.

Step 4: Evaluating and selecting relevant sources

Evaluate your sources to ensure the reliability and validity of information that you put into an essay. This process is crucial as the use of high-quality and recent sources strengthens main ideas of your synthesis essay. To do so, you should consider several factors such as author’s credibility, publication date, publication source, citations and references, and potential bias. With these factors checked, you will select the most appropriate sources for your synthesis essay.

Step 5: Structuring the essay (Introduction, Body, Conclusion)

Synthesis essays follow a traditional essay structure that is common in academic writing. The introduction should provide readers with context of the topic and a thesis statement to highlight key points that are discussed in the essay. Each body paragraph has to address a particular point to maintain clarity and ease of flow. Conclusion should restate the thesis statement, summarize synthesis, and reinforce your thesis. Combination of these structural elements ensures readability and comprehension of the essay.

Step 6: Incorporating evidence and examples

Integration of evidence from previously selected sources supports your thesis statement and arguments. You want to show how each piece of information contributes to the central idea of your synthesis essay. Incorporation of evidence and examples is central to highlighting your original ideas and distinguishing them from the ones taken from sources. This way, you will considerably improve the credibility of your thoughts and showcase the variety of sources that you synthesize to explore a topic.

Step 7: Analyzing and synthesizing information effectively

A strong synthesis essay example effectively combines diverse perspectives into a unified narrative. This means that synthesis requires writers to focus on exploration of relationships between sources. You can differentiate patterns, ideas, and connections between sources you gathered. Such an approach will allow you to show a nuanced understanding of a topic. A deep synthesis goes beyond compilation of information from different sources. It presents readers with a sophisticated argument that brings value to them.

Synthesis Essay Example Analysis

This synthesis essay example focuses on the ethical implications of using animals for testing drugs. It examines arguments in favor of animal testing while emphasizing the role of practice in advancing medical research. In contrast, the essay assesses ethical concerns that arise from animal testing such as test subjects’ welfare, suffering, and relevance of outcomes to humans.

A synthesis of information from scientific studies and ethical frameworks creates a balanced perspective of two different perspectives. A contrast of scientific arguments and ethical considerations creates ground for finding potential alternative solutions for the problem. Each paragraph addresses separate points mentioned in the thesis statement. The conclusion restates the thesis statement and summarizes ideas explored in the body paragraphs.

I tried to cover all the information regarding synthesis writing including what is a synthesis essay, its key components, and tips to create a compelling synthesis piece. A combination of reliable sources, synthesis of points into a coherent narrative, and a balance of arguments and counter arguments results in high-quality synthesis essays. However, remember that everything has to be logical and structured. You need to ensure that your synthesis writing is easy to read and understand. Writing a synthesis essay is not an easy task. That is why you can consider using AI tools, such as Textero AI-powered essay generator , to assist you in creating a compelling essay.

What is a synthesis essay?

A synthesis essay combines information from sources to create an argument on a topic. It is characterized by critical analysis of information, integration of different points of view, and their consideration from multiple perspectives.

Why are synthesis essays useful?

Synthesis essays promote critical thinking. They require students to use their research and analytical skills to present different perspectives in a compelling manner. The ability to address arguments and counter arguments naturally develops students’ critical thinking capabilities.

How do I pick a good synthesis essay topic?

A good synthesis essay topic is relevant and multifaceted. A topic should provide ground for debates and exploration of different perspectives. This means that students should choose topics that serve as a platform for discussion, in-depth analysis, and synthesis.

What types of sources should I use?

Synthesis essays require reliable sources to create a solid foundation for research. That is why it is advisable to focus attention on academic journals, books, and reputable web pages (news outlets, etc.).

How many sources do I need?

The number of sources required for a synthesis essay is not fixed. It can vary and depend on the perspectives covered in each source. Ensure that the number of sources that you use fully covers points that you want to explore in an essay.

Should I summarize or analyze my sources?

It is better to summarize sources to convey their key points. However, analysis is also important to fully understand sources’ main ideas and connections. Combination of summaries and analyses allows you to fully explore a topic.

What should my conclusion include?

A conclusion should restate the thesis statement, summarize synthesis points, and emphasize the importance of the topic. These elements should be combined to leave a lasting impression on readers.

Written by Nick Miller

AI enthusiast, student, and just life lover

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Synthesis Essay

Writing a Perfect Synthesis Essay: Definition & Examples

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Published on: Mar 1, 2023

Last updated on: Jul 24, 2024

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Do you have a ton of research to synthesize but don't know how? Or maybe you're not sure what a synthesis essay is and how to write a good synthesis essay. 

We know writing a synthesis essay is not an easy task to do; it’s challenging for most of us. But it can be perfectly done with the right guidance and preparation. 

In this blog, we'll walk you through all the necessary information to craft a perfect synthesis essay. So you can get done with your assignments confidently! 

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What is a Synthesis Essay?

Synthesis essay definition states:

It is a piece of writing that takes a unique perspective on a central idea, topic, or theme. Then backs it up with evidence from multiple sources.

A synthesis essay is an important part of academic writing. The main purpose of this essay is to show your ability to prove an argument.

To make sense of these arguments, you need to use different credible sources. It demonstrates your basic understanding of the main subject. This type of essay help to enhance your critical, analytical, and research skills.

A synthesis essay is made up of ideas and conclusions based on the information reviewed. Also, this essay asks you to summarize the topic and add your own thoughts about it in relation to what you have read.

Furthermore, the synthesis essays can be similar to analytical essays , argumentative essays , or compare and contrast essays .

Synthesis Essay Types

There are three types of a synthesis essay:

1. Argument Synthesis Essay

This essay's purpose is to debate or argue on a certain topic or issue. It justifies its claims by providing evidence in the body of the essay.

In contrast to the explanatory essay, you will perform the same thing as if you were writing a typical argumentative paper. First, state your argument, make supporting statements, and back up each claim with reliable facts.

2. Review Essay

A review essay is frequently written as a preparatory essay to an argument synthesis. Review essays are commonly used in social science and medicine classes.

It is a discussion of what has already been published on a topic, with a critical examination of the sources mentioned.

An unwritten thesis statement is added to it, which is not final and indicates that further study is needed in that area.

3. Explanatory Synthesis Essay

In this essay, the writer helps the reader to grasp deeper knowledge about the topic. Rather than arguing or debating on some points, the goal of this essay is to explain a certain topic.

Like any other essay, it needs backing up with supporting claims and credible sources.

How to Start a Synthesis Essay?

The following are some helpful techniques for writing an essay. These will help you start the process and avoid common errors that plague many writers.

1. Choosing a Synthesis Essay Topic 

A prompt for a synthesis paper must be arguable. Based on your project, you may be required to select primary content. Select a book that may include contrasting perspectives. Here are some important tips for choosing a topic for a synthesis essay.

• Look through the themes and ideas. Read from sources and investigate specific topics thoroughly to see if any of them catch your interest.
• Select a topic and collect relevant and valuable references for your synthesis paper.
• Outline your synthesis essay using concepts or ideas from the sources. This should make writing a lot simpler and save you a lot of time.

It is necessary to find an arguable topic to make your synthesis essay effective. Another reason is that these topics have been discussed in public for decades. 

Examples of good synthesis essay topics are;

• The process of hiring in the age of social media
• Social networks promote suicide
• Should higher education be free?
• Is it necessary to remove marks in education 
• The importance of getting a good education
• 3D printers are not used efficiently nowadays.
• Is technology really helping people?
• Why has technology made surgery safe and effective?
• What is the cause of widespread obesity in teens?
• What is the role of gender today?

2. Analyze Your Topic

Here's how you can fully understand your synthesis essay topic.

• Grasp the Idea of a Synthesis Essay

A synthesis essay's purpose is to establish meaningful connections between sections of a work. When conducting research on a topic, you have to look for connections to build a strong viewpoint on the subject. The ultimate goal of the essay is to present and prove a claim about a topic .

• Select a Topic Appropriate for a Synthesis Essay

The subject and topic must be extensive enough to include multiple relevant sources. If you have a free hand in deciding what to write about, some preparatory research may assist you in researching and choosing the right topic. 

•  Select and Study Your Sources Carefully

Research and find relevant information and sources. Generally, choose at least three references for your essay. It's a good idea to learn one or two additional sources for better understanding but no matter what it is, make sure that you study it properly.

Remember that it is better to read three sources properly than five sources poorly.

Compile each source by writing notes in the margins. This allows you to keep track of your thoughts, fresh ideas, and so on. 

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• Reread the Source Material 

Reread your source material for elements that will help to support your argument. 

Examine your sources for important statements, figures, thoughts, and facts that support your thesis. Make a note of them when you come across them. This will be very useful throughout your writing process. 

3. Develop a Thesis Statement 

Your thesis statement will be the central idea of your essay. It should cover the topic and express your viewpoint on it. After reading the sources and conducting your research, form an opinion on your topic. 

It should be stated as a complete sentence. Based on the essay, your thesis statement could be the first sentence of the essay or the last sentence of the first paragraph.

• Structure Your Thesis Statement Creatively 

To present your thesis, use a more creative structure. You can use a more elaborate structure than the one outlined above. You can develop your essay using the following approaches:

Straw man: In this approach, you will present the counter-arguments first. Then demonstrate their weaknesses and flaws. 

Such an approach demonstrates your awareness of the opposition as well as your readiness to respond to it. You present the counter-argument immediately following your thesis statement, followed by evidence to refute it. And conclude with a positive argument that supports your thesis.

Concession: In structure, concessions in essays are similar to the straw man. But this approach acknowledges the validity of the counter-argument while demonstrating that your argument is stronger. This structure is suitable for presenting papers to readers who hold opposing views. 

Illustration/ Example: It could be a thorough narrative, synopsis, or quotation from your source material that provides support for your position. However, you should not make your paper a collection of examples at the expense of supporting your thesis statement.

Comparison and Contrast: In this approach, similarities and differences between two subjects or sources demonstrate both aspects. It requires a thorough reading of your source material to identify both subtle and major points of comparison.

This type of essay can present its arguments source by source or by points of similarity or difference.

4. Create an Outline for Your Essay

An essay outline is a method for outlining the framework of your essay. Here's what you have to do. Outlining can help you structure and plan your synthesis paper. 

The standard outline of a synthesis essay is divided into three sections:

Need detailed guidance on how to write a synthesis essay? Check out this video?

How to Write a Synthesis Essay?

For writing a great essay, you have to do extensive research on your subject. This essay connects sections of multiple works and develops a strong viewpoint on a subject.

There are some major steps of the process:

1. Start Writing Your Essay 

After getting done with the preparation part, start to write your synthesis essay. 

2. Write Your First Draft Using Your Outline as a Guide

But be prepared to change your strategy if you discover fresh ideas and information. And make sure it supports your thesis and the source material. 

Your essay should have an introduction paragraph with your thesis statement at the end of it. A body with evidence that supports your main topic and thesis statement. Lastly, a conclusion that summarizes your point of view.

3. Use Transitions 

To make the content flow logically, use transitions between paragraphs. Transition words are an excellent method to highlight areas where your sources complement one another. 

Longer quotes of three lines or more should be presented as block quotes to draw emphasis to them.

4. Wrap Up Your Essay 

Here you have completed the writing process, but still, you need to make sure that your essay is flawless. 

5. Revise Your Essay

This is the time to enhance transitions between points and paragraphs and to reinforce arguments. You should strive to make your argument as concise and clear to understand as possible. It is beneficial to read your essay aloud so you can spot problematic phrases or unclear ideas.

Request someone else to proofread your paper. Have you heard the cliche "two heads are better than one"? Is it still valid?

Ask a friend or coworker what they would add or eliminate from the paper. Most importantly, does your thesis statement make sense, and are your references clearly supporting it?

Answer these questions in your essay.

6. Proofread Your Content

Examine your document for any grammatical, punctuation, or spelling mistakes. 

Are all the terms, names, and words accurately spelled? Are there any extraneous English language or sentence fragments? As you go, correct them.

Read the essay loudly to ensure that you don't accidentally add or remove words when reading in your mind. If possible, ask a friend or classmate to edit your writing.

7. Must Cite Sources

Use footnotes to mention information in the body paragraph and bibliography of cited books at the conclusion. Footnotes and in-text citations should be used for any information that is quoted, paraphrased, or cited.

8. Title Your Essay 

The point of view expressed in your thesis statement and supporting arguments should be reflected in your title. Therefore, choose a title that suits your essay rather than constructing your essay to fit the title.

Synthesis Essay Format

The format of your synthesis paper is chosen by your high school, college, or university professor. MLA, APA, and Chicago styles are the most often used styles.

The APA format is followed in the disciplines of science, education, and psychology. Chicago is commonly followed in the field of history, fine arts, and business. And MLA is the style of citation used in the humanities.

APA Style Format

The following are some APA style important details:

• Add a page header to the top of each page.
• Times New Roman, 1" margins, 12 pt. Font, double-spaced.
• The format of a synthesis essay should be separated into four sections: title page, abstract, main body, and references.
• Insert a page number in the upper right corner.

Chicago Style Format

The following are some Chicago style key points:

• Use double-spacing between the paper's lines.
• Make margins of one inch.
• Font size: 12 pt. Times New Roman font style.
• Create text that is left-justified with a rugged edge.
• Mention the full name of a person, place, or organization.
• At the start of the paragraph, use half-inch indents.
• The bibliography should be on its own page.

MLA Style Format

The following are some MLA style significant points:

• The title must be centered.
• Font: Times New Roman, 1" margins, 12 pt font size, double-spaced
• Mention your name, professor's name, the course number, and the date (dd/mm/yy).
• On each page, the top right corner displays the last name and page number.
• The final page provides a "Works Cited" list.

Synthesis Essay Rubric

A rubric is essentially a list of criteria that your professor will use to grade your paper. 

Knowing how each criterion is weighted can help make sure you get the best grade possible on your synthesis essay. 

The Basics of the Synthesis Essay Rubric

The basic elements of any synthesis essay rubric include organization, focus/development, and language use/style. 

• Organization refers to how well you structure your paper. It should flow logically and have clear transitions between sections. 
• Focus/development looks at how well you develop your argument throughout the paper. Are you able to clearly explain why each point supports your thesis?
• Language use/style focuses on grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Was the paper proofread thoroughly or did careless errors slip in?

For example , your synthesis essay thesis statement is

"Capital punishment should be abolished in all states." 

Do you provide evidence from different angles, such as legal history, religious beliefs, or moral arguments to back up this claim? 

Does this evidence prove why capital punishment should be abolished?

How to Write a Synthesis Essay - Ap Lang

Are you an AP Lang student who's been assigned the dreaded synthesis essay? Here's how to write a successful synthesis essay for AP Lang. 

• Understand the Prompt 

The first step in writing any synthesis essay is to read and understand the prompt. It's also important to note any specific requirements such as word count, formatting style, or sources that must be used in your essay. 

• Organize Your Argument 

Once you have all the information necessary, it's time to start organizing your argument.

Start by identifying any common themes or ideas between the various sources of evidence and create an outline with these points at its core. 

• Write Your Essay 

Now comes the fun part - writing! 

You should now have a comprehensive outline of all the points and evidence you want to include in your essay. So use this as a guide when crafting your argument. 

Make sure that each point has supporting evidence from credible sources and that everything flows logically from one point to another. 

Finally, don't forget to proofread and edit before submitting so that there are no errors in grammar or spelling. These small details can make all the difference! 

Synthesis Essay Tips

Working on a synthesis paper requires a thorough study of a particular given prompt. To evaluate it properly, you must first understand the prompt's goal, argument, author's claim, and rhetoric.

To compose a successful synthesis essay, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind.

• Use Multiple Reasons

It is well recognized that the use of various reasons (generally two) is a very successful approach.

Present one argument against your strong thesis statement. This type of evidence presents an introduction and description. The advantage of this method is to teach awareness of the other side of the argument. It is followed by the opposing view and a decisive factor.

This is one of the most basic ways of organizing. It enables you to summarise the sources that are most relevant to you. The problem is that this technique excludes any of your individual thinking.

• Compare and Contrast

Comparing reveals similarities, while contrasting reveals distinctions. It is feasible to show an in-depth analysis of your chosen topic. It allows writers to compare and contrast two sources at the same time.

Write quotations from sources in your own words. This approach also allows the usage of quotable sources. Ensure to cite the reference when you use the reference.

This method depicts the opposing point of view. It demonstrates that the positives outweigh the negatives.

Writing a synthesis essay is not as difficult as it may seem. You can also try our AI essay writer to generate plagiarism-free content and make the process easier. 

However, if you are having trouble understanding the concepts or writing a synthesis essay, it is best to hire professionals.

Our synthesis essay writing service is the perfect solution to your problems. We have a team of skilled writers who will help you through each step of the essay-writing process.

You contact our professionals at CollegeEssay.org to get essay writing help online . Our essay writer service is always ready to ace your assignments. 

So don't hesitate and order your essay now!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you end a synthesis essay.

A strong ending fulfills these 3 things: 

• Restate your thesis. 
• Summarize or synthesize key points. 
• Make your argument's context explicit. 

What is a synthesis paragraph?

A synthesis is a textual debate that includes support from multiple sources with opposing viewpoints. This type of work requires analysis by using different sources and determining their relevance to your thesis.

Why is synthesis important?

It is important because it allows us to: 

• Test and validate hypotheses. 
• Comprehend key processes. 
• Plan future research efforts. 

How to conclude a synthesis essay?

Synthesize rather than summarize your argument. No need to go over your entire paper again. Instead, include a brief summary of the main points of the paper and explain to your reader how you've made points.

What is an example of a synthesis?

Making connections or putting things together is all that is required. We naturally synthesize information to assist others in seeing connections between things. For example, synthesis occurs when you report to a friend what other friends have said about a film or book.

How many paragraphs is a synthesis essay?

According to the standard outline provided, you should stick to the basic five-to-six paragraph structure. In rare cases, there may be more paragraphs in the main body.

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Caleb S. has extensive experience in writing and holds a Masters from Oxford University. He takes great satisfaction in helping students exceed their academic goals. Caleb always puts the needs of his clients first and is dedicated to providing quality service.

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Synthesis Essays: A Step-by-Step How-To Guide

A synthesis essay is generally a short essay which brings two or more sources (or perspectives) into conversation with each other.

The word “synthesis” confuses every student a little bit. Fortunately, this step-by-step how-to guide will see you through to success!

Here’s a step-by-step how-to guide, with examples, that will help you write yours.

Before drafting your essay:

After reading the sources and before writing your essay, ask yourself these questions:

• What is the debate or issue that concerns all of the writers? In other words, what is the question they are trying to answer?
• On what points do they agree?
• On what points do they disagree?
• If they were having a verbal discussion, how would writer number one respond to the arguments of writer number two?

In a way, writing a synthesis essay is similar to composing a summary. But a synthesis essay requires you to read more than one source and to identify the way the writers’ ideas and points of view are related.

Sometimes several sources will reach the same conclusion even though each source approaches the subject from a different point of view.

Other times, sources will discuss the same aspects of the problem/issue/debate but will reach different conclusions.

And sometimes, sources will simply repeat ideas you have read in other sources; however, this is unlikely in a high school or AP situation.

To better organize your thoughts about what you’ve read, do this:

• Identify each writer’s thesis/claim/main idea
• List the writers supporting ideas (think topic sentences or substantiating ideas)
• List the types of support used by the writers that seem important. For example, if the writer uses a lot of statistics to support a claim, note this. If a writer uses historical facts, note this.

There’s one more thing to do before writing: You need to articulate for yourself the relationships and connections among these ideas.

Sometimes the relationships are easy to find. For example, after reading several articles about censorship in newspapers, you may notice that most of the writers refer to or in some way use the First Amendment to help support their arguments and help persuade readers. In this case, you would want to describe the different ways the writers use the First Amendment in their arguments. To do this, ask yourself, “How does this writer exploit the value of the First Amendment/use the First Amendment to help persuade or manipulate the readers into thinking that she is right?

Sometimes articulating the relationships between ideas is not as easy. If you have trouble articulating clear relationships among the shared ideas you have noted, ask yourself these questions:

• Do the ideas of one writer support the ideas of another? If so, how?
• Do the writers who reach the same conclusion use the same ideas in their writing? If not, is there a different persuasive value to the ideas used by one writer than by the other?
• Do the writers who disagree discuss similar points or did they approach the subject from a completely different angle and therefore use different points and different kinds of evidence to support their arguments?
• Review your list of ideas. Are any of the ideas you have listed actually the same idea, just written in different words?

• USU Library

Synthesis: Home

Engaging in synthesis.

Synthesis requires you to make sense of all the relevant ideas in your sources and blend them together with your own thoughts and ideas. Watch this video to learn how to engage in synthesis in order to take research from multiple sources along with your own arguments and turn it into a research paper.

Synthesizing Your Research

Understanding your research.

1. Read through your sources carefully.

2. Identify common themes or sub-topics that keep appearing in the articles you’re reading.

The Research Matrix

• Blank Research Matrix Fill out this blank matrix.
• Blank Synthesis Matrix template (Google Docs)

The research matrix is a helpful tool you can use to synthesize your research along with your own voice. The blank research matrix above can help you organize your paper by main idea, identify connections between your sources, and add your own analysis.

Filling Out Your Matrix

1. Write your topic or research question above the matrix.

2. Write your main ideas for your paper on the left side of the matrix. Helpful Tip: Choose your main ideas AFTER you have read your sources!

3. Write the title, author, or citation of each source in the top row of the matrix.

4. Fill in the matrix boxes with a paraphrase or direct quote that represents how the source discussed that main idea. You do not need every source to address every main idea!

5. Don't forget to nclude your own analysis of the main idea and the sources in the last column on the matrix.

Identify Gaps in Your Research

1. There’s a high likelihood that you will have empty spaces on your research matrix and that’s okay! Small gaps show that there is room for your own voice to join the conversation.

2. Large gaps in your matrix are often a sign that you need to do more research on that main idea. As a rule of thumb you should have at least two sources for each main idea in order to create a meaningful dialogue. 

• Last Updated: Mar 13, 2023 1:12 PM
• URL: https://libguides.usu.edu/synthesizing_info

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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How to Write a Synthesis Essay

Last Updated: April 7, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,127,067 times.

Writing a synthesis essay requires the ability to digest information and present it in an organized fashion. While this skill is developed in high school and college classes, it translates to the business and advertising world as well. Scroll down to Step 1 to begin learning how to write a synthesis essay.

Examining Your Topic

• Argument synthesis: This type of essay has a strong thesis statement that presents the writer's point of view. It organizes relevant information gathered from research in a logical manner to support the thesis' point of view. Business white papers known as position papers often take this form. This is the type of synthesis essay that students will write during the AP test.
• Review: Often written as a preliminary essay to an argument synthesis, a review essay is a discussion of what has been written previously on a topic, with a critical analysis of the sources covered. Its unstated thesis is usually that more research needs to be done in that area or that the topic problem has not been adequately addressed. This type of paper is common in social science classes and in medicine.
• Explanatory/background synthesis: This type of essay helps readers understand a topic by categorizing facts and presenting them to further the reader's understanding. It does not advocate a particular point of view, and if it has a thesis statement, the thesis is a weak one. Some business white papers take this form, although they are more likely to have a point of view, if understated.

• Example of a broad topic narrowed down into a reasonable synthesis essay topic: Instead of the broad topic of Social Media, you could discuss your view on the effects texting has had on the English language.
• If you've been assigned a topic as part of a class, make sure you read the prompt carefully and fully understand it.

• Keep in mind that it's better to do three sources well than to do five sources incompletely.
• Annotate each source by writing notes in the margins. This allows you to keep track of your train of thought, developing ideas, etc.

• Example: Texting has had a positive impact on the English language as it has helped the millennial generation create their own form of the language.

• If you wish to take on a claim by an opponent of your idea, and to poke holes in it, you should also find some ideas or quotes that go against your thesis statement, and plan ways to disprove them. This is called a concession, refutation, or rebuttal, which can strengthen your argument if you do it well.
• Example : For the thesis statement listed above, excellent sources would include quotes from linguists discussing the new words that have developed through 'text-speak', statistics that show the English language has evolved with almost every generation, and facts that show students still have the ability to write with the use of grammar and spelling (which your opponents would bring up as the main reason texting has had a negative effect on the English language).

Outlining Your Essay

• The introductory paragraph: 1. An introductory sentence that acts as a hook, capturing the reader's interest. 2. Identification of the issue you will be discussing. 3. Your thesis statement.
• The body paragraphs: 1. Topic sentence that gives one reason to support your thesis. 2. Your explanation and opinion of the topic sentence. 3. Support from your sources that backs up the claim you just made. 4. Explanation of the significance of the source(s).
• The conclusion paragraph: 1. State further significance of your topic from the evidence and reasons you discussed in the essay. 2. A profound thought or thoughtful ending for your paper.

• Example/illustration. This may be a detailed recount, summary, or direct quote from your source material that provides major support for your point of view. You may use more than one example or illustration, if your paper calls for it. You should not, however, make your paper a series of examples at the expense of supporting your thesis.
• Straw man. With this technique, you present an argument opposed to the argument stated in your thesis, then show the weaknesses and flaws of the counter-argument. This format shows your awareness of the opposition and your readiness to answer it. You present the counter-argument right after your thesis, followed by the evidence to refute it, and end with a positive argument that supports your thesis. [5] X Research source
• Concession. Essays with concessions are structured similar to those using the straw man technique, but they acknowledge the validity of the counter-argument while showing that the original argument is stronger. This structure is good for presenting papers to readers who hold the opposing viewpoint.
• Comparison and contrast. This structure compares similarities and contrasts differences between two subjects or sources to show the facets of both. Writing an essay with this structure requires a careful reading of your source material to find both subtle and major points of similarity and difference. This kind of essay can present its arguments source-by-source or by points of similarity or difference.

• Summary. This structure presents summaries of each of your relevant sources, making a progressively stronger argument for your thesis. It provides specific evidence to support your point of view, but usually omits presenting your own opinions. It's most commonly used for background and review essays.
• List of reasons. This is a series of sub-points that flow from the main point of your paper as stated in its thesis. Each reason is supported with evidence. As with the summary method, reasons should become progressively more important, with the most important reason last.

Writing Your Essay

• Your essay should have an introductory paragraph that includes your thesis , a body to present evidence that supports your thesis, and a conclusion that summarizes your point of view.

• Lengthy quotes of three lines or more should generally be set off as block quotes to better call attention to them. [7] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

Finalizing Your Essay

• Ask someone else to proofread your paper. The saying “two heads are better than one” still holds true. Ask a friend or colleague what would they add or remove from the paper. Most importantly, does your argument make sense, and is it clearly supported by your sources?

• Read the paper aloud to guarantee that you don't accidentally add in or take out words when reading in your head.
• If you can, get a friend or classmate to proofread your essay as well.

• Example of citing in an AP synthesis essay: McPherson claims “texting has changed the English language in a positive way--it has given a new generation their own unique way to communicate” (Source E).
• For college essays, you'll most likely use MLA format. Whichever format you use, be consistent in its use. You may also be asked to use APA or Chicago style.

• Example title: : English and the iPhone: Exploring the Benefits of 'Text-Speak'

Outline Template

Community Q&A

• Just as your title should fit your essay instead of writing your essay to fit the title, your thesis, once chosen, should direct your subsequent research instead of subsequent research altering your thesis � unless you find you've adopted an unsupportable thesis. Thanks Helpful 21 Not Helpful 8

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://success.uark.edu/get-help/student-resources/synthesis-paper.php
• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/mapping-a-synthesis-essay
• ↑ https://www.bgsu.edu/content/dam/BGSU/learning-commons/documents/writing/synthesis/planning-synthesis-essay.pdf
• ↑ https://writingcenterofprinceton.com/synthesis-essays-a-step-by-step-how-to-guide/
• ↑ https://owl.excelsior.edu/argument-and-critical-thinking/logical-fallacies/logical-fallacies-straw-man/
• ↑ https://writingcommons.org/section/rhetoric/rhetorical-stance/point-of-view/third-person-point-of-view/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_quotations.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/steps_for_revising.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/proofreading_suggestions.html
• ↑ https://www.edhs.org/ourpages/auto/2010/5/17/41759867/Synthesis%20Essay%20Introduction.pdf
• ↑ https://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/titles.pdf

About This Article

To write a synthesis essay, start by coming up with a thesis statement that you can support using all of the sources you've read for your essay. For example, your thesis statement could be "Texting has had a positive impact on the English language." Once you've got your thesis, go through your sources to find specific quotes, facts, and statistics that back up your claim. Structure your essay so it has an introduction that includes your thesis statement, a body that includes your arguments and evidence, and a conclusion that wraps everything up. For more tips on structuring your synthesis essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Synthesise Sources – Steps and Examples

Published by Olive Robin at October 17th, 2023 , Revised On October 17, 2023

The ability to effectively incorporate multiple sources into one’s work is not just a skill, but a necessity. Whether we are talking about research papers, articles, or even simple blog posts, synthesising sources can elevate our content to a more nuanced, comprehensive, and insightful level. But what does it truly mean to synthesise sources, and how does it differ from the commonly understood techniques of summarising and paraphrasing?

Importance of Synthesising Sources in Research and Writing

When finding sources , it is imperative to distinguish between various available information types. Secondary sources , for example, provide interpretations and analyses based on primary sources. Synthesising goes beyond the mere gathering of information. It involves the complex task of interweaving multiple sources to generate a broader and richer perspective. When we synthesise, we are not just collecting; we are connecting. 

By merging various viewpoints and data, we provide our readers with a well-rounded understanding of the topic. This approach ensures that our work is grounded in credible sources  while also adding unique insights.

Summarising, Paraphrasing, and Synthesising

At first glance, these three techniques might seem similar, but they serve distinctly different purposes:

Summarising

Synthesis is the art of blending multiple sources to create a unified narrative or argument. It is essential to use signal phrases to introduce these sources naturally, helping the reader follow the information flow. Block quotes can also be used for direct quotations, especially if they’re longer.

Paraphrasing

Here, we restate the original content using different words. While the wording changes, the essence and core meaning remain intact. This method is useful for clarifying complex ideas or for tailoring content to a specific audience.

Synthesising

Synthesis is the art of blending multiple sources to create a unified narrative or argument. It is not about echoing what others have said; it is about drawing connections, identifying patterns, and building a cohesive piece that holds its own merit.

What is Synthesising Sources?

Synthesising sources is a method used in research and writing wherein the author combines, interprets, and analyses information from various sources to generate a unified perspective, narrative, or argument. It involves a process that we can call source evaluation . It is an intricate process that goes beyond simply collecting data or quoting authors. Instead, it involves evaluating, integrating, and constructing a new narrative based on a collective understanding of all the sources under consideration.

Imagine a quilt where each piece of fabric represents a different source. Synthesising would be the act of sewing these individual pieces together in such a way that they form a beautiful, cohesive blanket. Each piece retains its uniqueness but contributes to the larger design and purpose of the quilt.

Objective of Synthesising

• Synthesising allows writers to delve deeper into topics by using a multitude of perspectives. This offers a more robust and comprehensive view than any single source could provide.
• By integrating diverse sources, authors can identify trends, consistencies, or discrepancies within a field or topic. This can lead to new insights or highlight areas needing further exploration.
• By interlinking sources, writers can add layers of complexity to their arguments, making their content more engaging and thought-provoking.
• While the sources themselves might not be new, the way in which they are combined and interpreted can lead to fresh conclusions and unique standpoints.
• Relying on a single source or a few like-minded ones can inadvertently introduce biases. Synthesising encourages the consideration of diverse viewpoints, ensuring a more balanced representation of the topic.

Why is Synthesis Important?

The art of synthesis, while a nuanced aspect of research and writing, holds unparalleled significance in constructing meaningful, in-depth content. Here is a detailed exploration of why synthesis is pivotal:

Enhancing Comprehension and Knowledge Depth

• Depth Over Breadth: While a vast amount of information exists on nearly any topic, true understanding isn’t about skimming the surface. Synthesising allows you to dive deeper, connecting various pieces of information and seeing the bigger picture.
• Clarifying Complexity: Topics, especially those in research, can be multifaceted. By merging multiple sources, we can simplify and explain intricate subjects more effectively.
• Reinforcing Concepts: By revisiting a concept from various sources and angles, the repetition, in a way, strengthens our grasp on the subject. It’s like studying from multiple textbooks; the overlap in content solidifies understanding.

Avoiding Plagiarism

• Original Thought Generation: While synthesising, you are compelled to merge ideas, compare viewpoints, and draw unique conclusions. This process naturally leads to producing original content rather than merely reproducing what one source says.
• Skilful Integration: A well-synthesised piece does not heavily rely on long, verbatim quotes. Instead, it seamlessly integrates information from various sources, duly cited, minimising the chances of unintentional plagiarism.
• Reflecting Authentic Engagement: When you synthesise, it showcases your genuine engagement with the material. It’s evident that you have not just copied content but have wrestled with the information, pondered upon it, and made it your own.

Developing a Holistic Perspective on a Topic

• Seeing the Full Spectrum: Single sources can offer a limited or biased viewpoint. Synthesis, by its nature, compels you to consult multiple sources, allowing for a more balanced and comprehensive view.
• Connecting the Dots: Life, society, and most academic subjects are interconnected. Synthesis helps recognise patterns, draw parallels, and understand how various elements interplay in the grand scheme of things.
• Elevating Critical Thinking: The act of synthesis hones your critical thinking skills. You’re constantly evaluating the validity of sources, comparing arguments, and discerning the weight of different perspectives. This makes your current work stronger and sharpens your intellect for future projects.

Steps of Synthesizing a Source

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to synthesise sources. 

Step 1: Read and Understand

Before you can synthesise sources effectively, you must first understand them individually. A strong synthesis is built upon a clear understanding of each source’s content, context, and nuances.

Tips To Ensure Comprehension

• Annotations: Make notes in the margins as you read, highlighting key points and ideas.
• Summarisation: After reading a section or an article, write a brief summary in your own words.
• Discussion: Talk about the content with peers or mentors. This can help clarify any confusion and deepen your understanding.
• Questioning: Constantly ask questions as you read. If something is unclear, revisit the content or consult supplementary materials.

Step 2: Identify Common Themes

Sources will often touch upon similar themes, even if they approach them differently. Recognising these themes can act as a foundation for synthesis.

• Mind Mapping: Visualise the interconnectedness of topics and subtopics.
• Lists: Create lists of similar ideas or arguments from different sources.
• Highlighting: Use colour codes to highlight recurring themes across different documents.

Step 3: Analyse and Compare

Different sources might have diverging opinions or findings. Recognising these differences is crucial to produce a balanced synthesis.

• Side-by-Side Analysis: Put the information from various sources next to each other to see how they align or diverge.
• Critical Evaluation: Ask yourself why sources might have different perspectives. Consider the methodology, context, or biases that could contribute.

Determining the Relevance of Each Source

Not all sources will hold equal weight or relevance in your synthesis.

• Criteria Checklist: Establish criteria for relevance (e.g., publication date, author credentials) and evaluate each source against this.
• Priority Setting: Decide which sources offer primary insights and which offer supplementary information.

Step 4: Organise Information

A clear structure is essential to guide your readers through the synthesised narrative.

• Outlines: Create a traditional outline that sequences your main points and supports them with subpoints from your sources.
• Flowcharts: For more complex topics, flowcharts can visually demonstrate the progression of ideas and their interconnections.

Step 5: Craft Your Narrative

This step involves the actual writing, where you combine the insights, evidence, and analysis into a singular narrative.

• Transitional Phrasing: Use transitions to move between ideas and sources smoothly.
• Voice Consistency: Even though you integrate multiple sources, ensure that the narrative maintains a consistent voice and tone.

Step 6: Cite Appropriately

Always credit original authors and sources to maintain integrity in your work and avoid plagiarism. Knowing how to cite sources is crucial in this process.

• In-text Citations: Whenever you refer to, paraphrase, or quote a source, provide a citation.

Different Citation Styles and Choosing The Right One

There are multiple citation styles (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago), and your choice will often depend on your discipline or the preference of your institution or publication.

• Guideline Review: Familiarise yourself with the preferred citation style’s guidelines.

Citation Tools: Consider using tools like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote to help streamline and manage your citations.

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Examples of Source Synthesis

Let’s explore some examples of synthesising sources. 

Example 1: Synthesising sources on climate change

Scenario: You have sources that discuss the causes of climate change. Some sources argue for anthropogenic (human-caused) factors, while others emphasise natural cycles.

Synthesis Approach

• Begin with an overview of climate change, its impacts, and its significance.
• Introduce the anthropogenic viewpoint, citing research on the rise of CO2 from industrial processes, deforestation, etc.
• Present the natural cycle perspective, highlighting periods in Earth’s history where temperature fluctuations were observed.
• Discuss overlaps, such as how human activities might exacerbate natural cycles.
• Conclude by emphasising the consensus in the scientific community about human contributions to recent climate change, but acknowledge the existence of natural cycles as part of Earth’s climate history.

Example 2: Merging Historical Texts on a Particular Event

Scenario: You are examining the Battle of Waterloo from British, French, and Prussian primary sources.

• Provide background on the Battle of Waterloo, setting the stage.
• Introduce the British perspective, detailing their strategies, key figures, and their account of the battle’s progression.
• Shift to the French viewpoint, noting their strategic decisions, challenges, and Napoleon’s role.
• Explore the Prussian account, emphasising their contributions and coordination with the British.
• Highlight areas of agreement among the sources (e.g., timeline of events) and areas of discrepancy or unique insights (e.g., differing reasons for the outcome).
• Conclude with a comprehensive view of the battle, incorporating insights from all perspectives and its significance in European history.

Example 3: Synthesising Qualitative And Quantitative Research On A Social Issue

Scenario: You are researching the effects of remote learning on student performance and well-being during the pandemic.

• Start with an introduction to the sudden shift to remote learning due to COVID-19.
• Present quantitative data: statistics showcasing the drop or rise in student grades, attendance rates, and standardised test scores.
• Introduce qualitative insights, like interviews or case studies, highlighting student sentiments, challenges faced at home, or feelings of isolation.
• Discuss the interplay between numbers and narratives. For instance, a drop in grades (quantitative) could be related to a lack of motivation or home distractions (qualitative).
• Compare outcomes across different demographics, using both types of data to show how remote learning might affect diverse student populations differently.
• Conclude with a holistic understanding of the impacts of remote learning, noting areas that need further research or intervention.

Common Mistakes to Avoid when Synthesising Sources

• Relying heavily on a single source limits the depth and breadth of your understanding. It may also inadvertently introduce bias if that source isn’t comprehensive or neutral.
• How to Avoid: Ensure you consult various sources for a well-rounded view. This includes both primary and secondary sources, academic articles, and more accessible pieces like news articles or blogs, if relevant.
• Every source comes with its own perspective. Identifying these biases can lead to a skewed understanding of your topic.
• How to Avoid: Critical reading is key. Always consider who the author is, their potential motivations, the context in which they’re writing, and the methodologies they use.
• Simply presenting what each source says without drawing connections or highlighting contrasts misses the essence of synthesis.
• How to Avoid: As you research, actively look for common themes, conflicting viewpoints, and unique insights. Your goal is to weave a narrative that reflects a comprehensive understanding of all these elements.

Tools and Resources for Synthesising Sources

These are the different tools that can be used for synthesising sources. 

Citation Tools

Managing references can be cumbersome, especially when dealing with numerous sources. Citation tools can help organise, format, and insert citations with ease.

• Zotero: A free, open-source tool that helps you collect, organise, cite, and share research.
• Mendeley: A reference manager and academic social network that can help you organise your research, collaborate with others online, and discover the latest developments.

Mind-Mapping Software or Apps

Mind mapping helps visually organise and interlink ideas, making the synthesis process more intuitive.

• MindMeister: An online mind-mapping tool that lets you capture, develop, and share ideas visually.
• XMind: A popular mind mapping and brainstorming software with various templates to help structure your thoughts.

Note-Taking Apps and Strategies

Effective note-taking is fundamental to understanding and organising information from various sources. Digital note-taking apps often offer features like tagging, search functionalities, and integration with other tools.

• Evernote: A cross-platform app designed for note-taking, organising, and archiving.
• Microsoft OneNote: A digital notebook that allows you to gather drawings, handwritten or typed notes, and save web clippings.
• Cornell Note-taking System: A structured method of note-taking that divides the paper into sections, encouraging active engagement with the material.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a literature review.

A literature review is a comprehensive survey of existing research on a particular topic, synthesising findings to provide an overview of key concepts, debates, and gaps in knowledge. It establishes a foundation for new research, highlighting relevant studies and contextualising them within the broader academic conversation.

How to synthesise a source?

To synthesise a source, thoroughly understand its content, and then integrate its insights with information from other sources. This involves comparing and contrasting viewpoints, identifying patterns, and constructing a cohesive narrative or argument that offers a broader perspective rather than merely echoing the original source’s content.

Why do I need to cite sources?

Citing sources acknowledges original authors, maintains academic integrity, and provides readers with a reference for verification. It prevents plagiarism by giving credit to the ideas and research of others, allowing readers to trace the evolution of thought and confirm the reliability and accuracy of the presented information.

What are topic sentences?

Topic sentences are the main statements that introduce and summarise a paragraph’s main idea or focus. They provide context and direction, helping readers follow the writer’s argument or narrative. Typically placed at the beginning of a paragraph, they act as signposts, guiding the flow of the discussion.

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The CRAAP Test is an acronym used as a checklist to help individuals evaluate the credibility and relevance of sources, especially in academic or research contexts. CRAAP stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. Each of these criteria can help a researcher determine if a source is trustworthy and suitable for their needs.

A tertiary source is an information source that compiles, analyses, and synthesises both primary and secondary sources.

When researching or exploring a new topic, the distinction between primary and secondary sources is paramount. The validity, reliability, and relevance of the information you gather will heavily depend on the type of source you consult. 

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When you look for areas where your sources agree or disagree and try to draw broader conclusions about your topic based on what your sources say, you are engaging in synthesis. Writing a research paper usually requires synthesizing the available sources in order to provide new insight or a different perspective into your particular topic (as opposed to simply restating what each individual source says about your research topic).

Note that synthesizing is not the same as summarizing.  

• A summary restates the information in one or more sources without providing new insight or reaching new conclusions.
• A synthesis draws on multiple sources to reach a broader conclusion.

There are two types of syntheses: explanatory syntheses and argumentative syntheses . Explanatory syntheses seek to bring sources together to explain a perspective and the reasoning behind it. Argumentative syntheses seek to bring sources together to make an argument. Both types of synthesis involve looking for relationships between sources and drawing conclusions.

In order to successfully synthesize your sources, you might begin by grouping your sources by topic and looking for connections. For example, if you were researching the pros and cons of encouraging healthy eating in children, you would want to separate your sources to find which ones agree with each other and which ones disagree.

After you have a good idea of what your sources are saying, you want to construct your body paragraphs in a way that acknowledges different sources and highlights where you can draw new conclusions.

As you continue synthesizing, here are a few points to remember:

• Don’t force a relationship between sources if there isn’t one. Not all of your sources have to complement one another.
• Do your best to highlight the relationships between sources in very clear ways.
• Don’t ignore any outliers in your research. It’s important to take note of every perspective (even those that disagree with your broader conclusions).

Example Syntheses

Below are two examples of synthesis: one where synthesis is NOT utilized well, and one where it is.

Parents are always trying to find ways to encourage healthy eating in their children. Elena Pearl Ben-Joseph, a doctor and writer for KidsHealth , encourages parents to be role models for their children by not dieting or vocalizing concerns about their body image. The first popular diet began in 1863. William Banting named it the “Banting” diet after himself, and it consisted of eating fruits, vegetables, meat, and dry wine. Despite the fact that dieting has been around for over a hundred and fifty years, parents should not diet because it hinders children’s understanding of healthy eating.

In this sample paragraph, the paragraph begins with one idea then drastically shifts to another. Rather than comparing the sources, the author simply describes their content. This leads the paragraph to veer in an different direction at the end, and it prevents the paragraph from expressing any strong arguments or conclusions.

An example of a stronger synthesis can be found below.

Parents are always trying to find ways to encourage healthy eating in their children. Different scientists and educators have different strategies for promoting a well-rounded diet while still encouraging body positivity in children. David R. Just and Joseph Price suggest in their article “Using Incentives to Encourage Healthy Eating in Children” that children are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables if they are given a reward (855-856). Similarly, Elena Pearl Ben-Joseph, a doctor and writer for Kids Health , encourages parents to be role models for their children. She states that “parents who are always dieting or complaining about their bodies may foster these same negative feelings in their kids. Try to keep a positive approach about food” (Ben-Joseph). Martha J. Nepper and Weiwen Chai support Ben-Joseph’s suggestions in their article “Parents’ Barriers and Strategies to Promote Healthy Eating among School-age Children.” Nepper and Chai note, “Parents felt that patience, consistency, educating themselves on proper nutrition, and having more healthy foods available in the home were important strategies when developing healthy eating habits for their children.” By following some of these ideas, parents can help their children develop healthy eating habits while still maintaining body positivity.

In this example, the author puts different sources in conversation with one another. Rather than simply describing the content of the sources in order, the author uses transitions (like "similarly") and makes the relationship between the sources evident.

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What is Synthesis?

Here are some ways to think about synthesis:

Synthesis blends claims, evidence, and your unique insights to create a strong, unified paragraph. Assertions act as the threads, evidence adds texture, and your commentary weaves them together, revealing the connections and why they matter.

Beyond the sum of its parts: Synthesis isn't just adding one and one. It's recognizing how multiple sources, through their connections and relationships, create a deeper understanding than any single one could achieve.

Synthesis isn't just about what sources say, it's about how they say it. By digging into assumptions, interpretations, and even speculations, you uncover hidden connections and build a more nuanced picture.

Whereas analyzing involves dismantling a whole to understand its parts and their relationships, synthesizing involves collecting diverse parts and weaving them together to form a novel whole. Reading is an automatic synthesis process, where we connect incoming information with our existing knowledge, constructing a new, expanded "whole" of our understanding in the subject area.

You've been doing synthesis for a long time, the key now is being aware and organized in the process.

• Sharpen your research direction: Be clear about your main objective. This guides your reading and analysis to make the most of your time.
• Build a strong foundation: Use trusted sources like peer-reviewed journals, academic books, and reputable websites. Diverse sources add strength and credibility to your research.

Then Organize your Research:

• Dig deep and connect the dots: While reading, highlight key ideas, arguments, and evidence. Mark potential links between sources, like overlaps or contrasting arguments.
• Organize ideas by neighborhood: Group sources with similar themes or angles on your topic. This will show you where sources agree or clash, helping you build a nuanced understanding.
• Build a mind map of your research: Create a table of key themes, listing key points from each source and how they connect. This visual map can reveal patterns and identify any missing pieces in your research.

Finally, Build your synthesis:

• Lay out the groundwork: Kick off each section with a clear claim or theme to guide your analysis.
• Weave sources together: Briefly explain what each source brings to the table, smoothly connecting their ideas with transitions and language.
• Embrace the debate: Don't tiptoe around differences. Point out where sources agree or clash, and explore possible reasons for these discrepancies.
• Dig deeper than surface facts: Don't just parrot findings. Explain what they mean and how they impact your topic.
• Add your voice to the mix: Go beyond reporting. Analyze, evaluate, and draw conclusions based on your synthesis. What does this research tell us?

Tips & Tricks:

• Let the evidence do the talking: Back up your claims with concrete details, quotes, and examples from your sources. No need for personal opinions, just let the facts speak for themselves.
• Play fair with opposing views: Be objective and present different perspectives without showing favoritism. Even if you disagree, let readers see the other side of the coin.
• Give credit where credit is due: Make sure your sources get the recognition they deserve with proper citations, following your chosen style guide consistently.
• Polish your masterpiece: Take some time to revise and proofread your work. Ensure your arguments are crystal clear, concise, and well-supported by the evidence.
• Embrace the growth mindset: Remember, research and synthesis are a journey, not a destination. Keep refining your analysis as you learn more and encounter new information. The more you explore, the deeper your understanding will become.

Demonstrates how two or more sources agree with one another.

The collaborative nature of writing tutorials has been discussed by scholars like Andrea Lunsford (1991) and Stephen North (1984). In these essays, they explore the usefulness and the complexities of collaboration between tutors and students in writing center contexts.

Demonstrates how two or more sources support a main point in different ways.

While some scholars like Berlin (1987) have primarily placed their focus on the histories of large, famous universities, other scholars like Yahner and Murdick (1991) have found value in connecting their local histories to contrast or highlight trends found in bigger-name universities.

Accumulation

Demonstrates how one source builds on the idea of another.

Although North’s (1984) essay is fundamental to many writing centers today, Lunsford (1991) takes his ideas a step further by identifying different writing center models and also expanding North’s ideas on how writing centers can help students become better writers.

Demonstrates how one source discusses the effects of another source’s ideas.

While Healy (2001) notes the concerns of having primarily email appointments in writing centers, he also notes that constraints like funding, resources, and time affect how online resources are formed. For writing centers, email is the most economical and practical option for those wanting to offer online services but cannot dedicate the time or money to other online tutoring methods. As a result, in Neaderheiser and Wolfe’s (2009) reveals that of all the online options available in higher education, over 91% of institutions utilize online tutoring through email, meaning these constraints significantly affect the types of services writing centers offer.

[Taken from University of Illinois, "Synthesizing Research "]

The Writing Center at University of Arizona showcases how to create and use a synthesis matrix when reading sources and taking notes. It is a great, organized way to synthesize your research.

You can find it here .

Creativity in researching begins with developing a thorough understanding of your research topic; this is fundamental to streamlining the process and enriching your findings. This entails delving into its intricacies—exploring both similarities and divergences with related subject areas. Consider the most appropriate sources (and types of sources) for your study, critically engaging with all perspectives, and acknowledging the complex interplay between its positives, negatives, and broader connections.

Embrace interdisciplinary exploration. Delve deeper through transdisciplinary analysis, venturing beyond the immediate field to parallel professions and diverse academic arenas. Consider comparative studies from other cultural contexts to add fresh perspectives.

For example, researching rule changes in the NFL demands a nuanced approach. One might investigate the link to Traumatic Brain Injury, analyze case studies of impacted players, and even examine rule adjustments in other sports, drawing insights from their rationale and outcomes.

Remember, librarians are invaluable partners in this process. Their expertise in creative thinking and resource navigation can unlock a wealth of information, guiding you towards fruitful discoveries.

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How to Write a Synthesis Essay: Examples, Topics, & Outline

A synthesis essay requires you to work with multiple sources. You combine the information gathered from them to present a well-rounded argument on a topic. Are you looking for the ultimate guide on synthesis essay writing? You’ve come to the right place!

In this guide by our custom writing team, you will find:

• a step-by-step writing guide;
• a list of 34 synthesis essay topics;
• a full essay sample in MLA format.
• 📚 Synthesis Essay Definition
• 📝 Essay Types
• ✅ Step-by-Step Guide
• ✍️ Topics & Prompts
• 📑 Example & Formatting Tips

📚 What Is a Synthesis Essay?

A synthesis essay is an assignment that requires a unique interpretation of a particular topic using several reliable sources. To write it, you need to understand, analyze, and synthesize information. That is why this type of essay is used in the AP Lang exam to assess students’ reasoning skills.

The key features of the synthesis essay are:

• Debatable topic . If your goal is to write a good synthesis essay, it’s necessary to choose an arguable topic. It’s best to choose something that people have different opinions about. This will allow you to use many sources with various viewpoints for your synthesis.
• Clear thesis statement. It’s a sentence that briefly describes the main idea of your essay.
• Reliable sources to prove your thesis . For a synthesis essay, your opinion is not enough. You also need to find the evidence. Keep in mind that simply reading an online encyclopedia won’t do; make sure to choose only reliable sources.

What Does It Mean to Synthesize Information?

Synthesis is a process that has huge importance in nature, science, and our everyday life. The word stems from Ancient Greek “synthesis,” which means “putting together.” In general, synthesis is the combination of components to form a connected whole.

In everyday life, we usually resort to it to synthesize information . This means taking the data from different sources and bringing it together. This process is the opposite of analyzing:

• For an analysis , you break problems into pieces,
• For a synthesis , you combine separate elements into a whole.

We use synthesis for analysis papers, research papers, argument papers, and business reports.

What Does Synthesis Mean in Writing?

Synthesis in writing means summarizing and connecting different sources considering a particular topic. Although synthesis and analysis are two opposite things, they usually go together in synthesis essays. The process consists of 2 stages:

• Conduct the analysis. For that, you break down a problem into parts and analyze the sources. It’s helpful to highlight everything regarding your topic while reading.
• Carry out the synthesis. The next step is to formulate an opinion and combine the highlighted information from the sources.

Synthesis is not only used in writing but also in reading comprehension . It’s useful to do this kind of reading while studying your sources. There are three reading comprehension stages:

• Your previous knowledge about the topic.
• Expansion of your knowledge while you are reading.
• Understanding of the problem when you have finished reading.

So, synthesized reading comprehension means combining three stages in one and formulating one statement.

Synthesis vs Summary: What Is the Difference?

A summary is a paraphrasing of the written source in your own words. For a good summary, it’s necessary to include all of the text’s key elements. Meanwhile, synthesis means combining different ideas from different sources. You don’t have to include all the key points; just choose everything related to your topic.

Both of these techniques are used for the synthesis essay:

• The summary goes in the conclusion. You briefly sum up your paper’s main ideas.
• Synthesis goes in the body paragraphs. Here, you combine multiple sources to prove a point.

📝 Synthesis Essay Types

There are two main types of a synthesis essay: argument and explanatory synthesis.

Both of them require working with multiple reliable sources and analyzing information. The only difference is that an argument synthesis essay requires your own opinion, while an explanatory synthesis essay does not.

Argument Synthesis Essay: Outline and Definition

As you already know, an argument synthesis essay requires you to state your own opinion about the given topic and back it up with several reliable sources. The purpose of such an essay is to persuade the reader that your point is correct.

Here’s what an argument synthesis essay consists of:

Explanatory Synthesis Essay: Definition and How to Write

An explanatory informative synthesis essay requires you to stay neutral towards the problem you are discussing. This means you cannot express your own opinion considering the given question or a problem. Your task is just to inform the reader. That’s why this essay type is also called informative synthesis.

Check out this explanatory essay outline:

✅ How to Write a Synthesis Essay Step by Step

When it comes to the synthesis essay outline, it’s not too different from other assignments. Have a look at this template:

How to Synthesize: Working with Sources

After you’ve decided on your topic, it’s time to figure out how to synthesize articles into one text. This is how you do it:

• Choose reliable sources: the ones printed in journals or published on academic websites.
• Become familiar with them and see if they fit into your essay.
• Try to find a few sources for each point. It will increase your essay’s reliability.
• Relate each source to your arguments and see similarities between them.
• Don’t forget to list every source in the references.

When you are done with a comprehensive analysis of related literature, try to step back and imagine a person who has a different opinion on this topic. Think of some arguments that they can provide to prove their opinion. After you have the list of arguments, find the written evidence of why they are wrong and put them in your essay.

Analyzing and organizing sources is the first and very important step for the synthesis essay. So make sure you do understand what the text means before using it as a reference.

Synthesis Essay Outline: How to Write

For structuring your essay, it’s useful to try mapping . This technique means combining the information from different sources and rearranging it to create a new direction. To do it, you need to analyze the authors’ ideas and come up with your own conclusions.

The best way to do that is called synthesis matrix or graphic organizer. It’s a chart that you can make when you start working on your essay. Here you have a horizontal column that states the main ideas and a few vertical columns that present sources. Your task is to take sources you have chosen and write down the main ideas from them.

Here’s an example of a matrix chart:

While doing that, you will see how many sources contain the same ideas. When you analyze them, you will be able to formulate your thesis backed up with evidence. The synthesis matrix also helps to see new arguments you can cover in your synthesis paper.

How to Write an Introduction for a Synthesis Essay

Now it’s time to start writing the paper. In the introductory part of the essay, you can include:

• A short yet catchy sentence or a quotation that would present the topic. The start of your essay should make people interested. It’s best to make the first sentence not only informative but also easy to understand.
• The texts that are used for the essay. Provide the titles and the authors’ names (use the appropriate guidelines depending on the writing style.)
• The background information which is needed to understand your essay. Definitions of terms or unknown words considering the topic can be included in this part. Otherwise, people may find it hard to understand what they are reading about.

How to Write a Thesis for a Synthesis Essay

A thesis statement is a point of view on a certain problem that you will defend in your essay. It should contain the key points that you want to include in your paper. Here’s how to create a perfect thesis statement:

• Find several central ideas in the chart.
• Choose the ones that are repeated the most often and the ones that you feel need to be in your essay.
• Combine them, and you have a thesis statement with all the key points.
• Make a draft of the thesis statement. Try to formulate the main idea you want to present in your essay.
• Elaborate on this idea. Add some details and expand it a bit further.

If the whole picture is coherent, and it conveys exactly what you wanted, then this is your perfect thesis statement. See the example below:

Gender inequality still exists at the workplace: women are less likely to get the most responsible positions, easily lose careers due to maternity leave, and often receive less pay for the same amount of work.

How to Write Synthesis Paragraphs for the Main Body

Your essay’s main body consists of a few paragraphs. Each of them presents a different argument considering the topic. When you start a paragraph, make sure to begin with a topic sentence, which informs the reader about the paragraph’s main idea. Then, include the synthesized sources and elaborate on them.

Here’s what you should and shouldn’t do when writing the main body:

You can use the following words to present the ideas from your sources. They will help you reflect the authors’ tone:

How to Conclude a Synthesis Essay

There are quite a few ways to conclude the synthesis paper. Have a look at some of the options:

• Paraphrase the thesis. As you remember, the thesis is the main idea of your essay. The conclusion is a good place to remind your readers about it. When they are done with the reading, they remember the most important thing from your essay.
• Synthesize the arguments. There is no need to repeat everything you wrote in your essay. Just briefly summarize the most crucial points.
• Answer the “So what” question. Tell the readers why this topic matters, why you’ve chosen it, and why it’s valuable for the reader.
• Provide a closure. It’s an effective strategy when you want to make the reader think. Leave them with a strong statement at the end of your essay.

Synthesis Paper Proofreading Tips

When you have finally written your paper, there is still one important thing left to do. You need to check your paper for any grammatical and contextual mistakes. You certainly can do it yourself, but it would be perfect if you could ask somebody else to read it.

The first thing you need to check grammar-wise is the tense you are using. There is no single tense you need to use for the synthesis essay. It depends on the format:

• If you’re writing in MLA format, use the present tense;
• For APA essays, you use the past tense.

The next step is to check whether your synthesis essay has everything that’s required. For that, we have prepared the checklist of questions you can ask yourself to proofread your essays.

• Is there a clear thesis statement?
• Did you include all of the key points from the synthesis?
• Are there clear transitions between paragraphs?
• Did you organize a paragraph around a single idea?
• Did you use reliable and up-to-date sources?
• Did you analyze sources rather than just summarize them?
• Did you mention every source you’ve used?

If you’ve answered “yes” to all the questions—congratulations, you are done with the essay! Otherwise, you need to come back and fix everything that you’ve answered “no” to.

✍️ Synthesis Essay Topics and Prompts

Sometimes, when you don’t have a topic , it is tough to come up with a suitable idea. That is why we have prepared two lists of topics that you can use for any synthesis essay type.

Explanatory Synthesis Essay Topics

The topics below are suitable for an explanatory synthesis essay:

• The beginning of Hollywood cinema. Cinema is a huge industry in the USA. Tell the readers about its history. Describe what it was like in the beginning, which movie was the first one, and who started this industry.
• Tactics on dealing with noisy children. Sometimes kids can be very loud, especially in public places. Write about different tactics that can help with this issue.
• The effects of climate change on the water cycle.  Climate change has affected the water cycle significantly. Your task is to explain how.
• The best American cities to live in. Provide the list of the best cities and explain why you’ve included them.
• The importance of a healthy diet . Keeping a healthy diet is beneficial in many ways. Write about all the advantages it brings.
• Who can become an entrepreneur? Entrepreneurship is not for everybody. In this essay, you can describe the qualities needed for having your own business.
• The correlation between overpopulation and poverty . Describe how overpopulation leads to poverty and vice versa.
• The advantages of taking an active vacation.
• Cultural shock as a part of moving to a different country.
• The consequences of the first wave of feminism.
• Synthesis of Tan and Rodriguez’ essays ideas. 
• Difficulties you may encounter during the job interview.
• How does reading prevent Alzheimer’s disease?
• The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses.
• The connection between religion and politics in ruling the country.
• What can non-verbal signals tell you about a person?
• The psychology of leadership .
• The origins of the most common  stereotypes  about Americans.
• Role of social media in business communication.
• The synthesis of personal nursing philosophy concept. 
• Behavioral components of schizophrenia and psychosis.
• Main components of successful entrepreneurship.
• Critical components of scientific research.
• Change in religion and human beliefs throughout history.
• The effect of global warming on modern life.

Argument Synthesis Paper Topics

The list of topics for the Argument Synthesis Essay:

• Vaping is better than smoking. People are starting to exchange cigarettes for vapes and e-cigarettes. In what ways are they less harmful?
• Rich people should pay higher taxes. The same percentage of money doesn’t equal for rich and poor people. Explain why the ones who can afford more should share with others.
• Depression is a disease. Prove that psychological problems must be recognized as real health issues that should be cured and not ignored.
• Social media affects young people’s lives. Social media has a massive influence on people. In this essay, you can discuss which life spheres are the most affected.
• Beauty pageants should be banned. Provide the reasons why they should be banned and tell the reader about psychological problems they can cause.
• People should cut meat from their diet to stop global warming. Describe how the meat industry influences climate change.
• The voting age should be 25+. Your task is to show the reasons why the votes of people under 25 should not be taken into account during elections.
• A healthy lifestyle requires a lot of money.
• Each healthy man should serve in the military.
• School bullying should be punished by immediate exclusion.
• Does friendship exist between men and women?
• Drinking coffee is a bad habit.
• Working hard is more important than being talented.
• Everybody should visit a therapist at least once.
• Should universities be free?
• Artificial intelligence will cause huge unemployment rates.
• Gaming should not be allowed to children under 18.
• Components and strategies of social responsibility
• Integration of relevant ethical theory and conceptual principles in health care 
• Children under 10 should be banned from gadgets.  
• Social media platforms facilitate cyberbullying.
• Issues of distance education.
• Social media addiction is a serious disease.
• Deforestation critically contributes to global warming.
• Healthcare should be free for everyone.

📑 Synthesis Essay Example & Synthesis Essay Format Tips

Now let’s talk about formatting. There are two writing styles you can use for a synthesis essay: APA or MLA. You need to choose the one that is required for your assignment.

We will start with the paper in APA format. It is usually used in science and education.

And these are MLA formatting rules:

Finally, we’ve prepared a synthesis essay sample for you to check out. Feel free to download the PDF file below:

First introduced in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, affirmative action policies aim to mitigate the discrepancy in opportunities available for underrepresented social groups by taking into account one’s minority background. The policies have become a pressing public issue that obstructs previously marginalized individuals, particularly in the educational environment.

Thank you for reading the ultimate guide on synthesis essay writing. We hope you found it helpful. Don’t forget to share it with your friends. Good luck with your assignments!

🔍 References

• Writing a Synthesis Essay: Bowling Green State University
• What Is Synthesis: University of Manitoba
• Synthesis: Biology Online
• Reading Strategies: Difference Summarizing and Synthesizing: WordPress
• Summary, Analysis, Synthesis Definitions: University of Utah
• Argumentative Synthesis: University of Arkansas
• How to Synthesize Written Information: Simply Psychology
• Mapping of Synthesis Essay: University of Nevada, Reno
• Writing a Literature Review and Using a Synthesis Matrix: Florida International University
• Synthesis Essay: Cleveland State University
• Literature Review: Synthesizing Multiple Sources: Louisiana State University
• Writing a Conclusion: Texas Women’s University
• General APA Guidelines: Purdue University
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How to Write a Synthesis Essay With PDF Download

To write a synthesis essay, you need to have great coordination skills. You will need it to link various sources and research outcomes together while deriving and building on your thesis statement.

Fredrick Eghosa

Aug 26, 2024

Table of Contents

Key takeaways

What is a synthesis essay, components of a synthesis essay, the difference between a synthesis essay and an argumentative essay, different types of synthesis essays, how to write a synthesis essay step-by-step with examples, steps to write a synthetic essay, how to use ai to write a synthesis essay.

• A synthesis essay involves analyzing various sources and combining them to create a cohesive and well-supported argument. It is more than just summarizing; it requires blending information to reveal new insights.
• The key components of a synthesis essay are:
• Synthesis essays combine multiple viewpoints to create a new viewpoint whereas argumentative essays focus on rebuttal.
• AI tools like Cowriter.ai can assist with research, summarizing sources, drafting, paraphrasing, editing, and managing citations, making the essay-writing process more efficient.
• Use a provocative question, a jarring fact, a relevant quote, or statistics to make your readers interested in what you have to say.
• A smart writing assistant like Cowriter.ai makes writing hooks so fun and simple. All you need to do is input the topic and nudge it in the direction you desire, depending on whether you want your hook to be a provocative question or a jarring fact.
• Introduction
• The body of the essay is divided into paragraphs for each point. (Combine information from different sources within each paragraph to support the point. Note that you can improve your essay by using transition words to show how the sources connect to each other and to your thesis.)
• Conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a new way. Explain why this synthesis is important or what it shows about the topic.

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Creating an Effective Thesis Outline: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a thesis outline might seem like a big job, but it makes the whole writing process a lot easier. This guide will show you each step to make a good thesis outline. From understanding why you need an outline to avoiding common mistakes, this article will help you stay organized and focused. By following these steps, you can make a strong outline that will guide your research and writing.

Key Takeaways

• A thesis outline helps you organize your thoughts and makes the writing process smoother.
• Start with initial research to find key themes and questions for your thesis.
• Structure your outline logically to ensure a clear flow of ideas.
• Revise your outline regularly to make sure it stays relevant and focused.
• Avoid common pitfalls like overloading with information or ignoring feedback.

Understanding the Purpose of a Thesis Outline

Creating a thesis outline is a crucial step in the academic writing process. It serves as a roadmap for your research , helping you organize your thoughts and structure your work logically . This section will delve into the purpose of a thesis outline, its importance in academic writing , and how it guides the research process.

Preliminary Steps Before Creating a Thesis Outline

Before diving into the creation of your thesis outline, it's essential to take some preliminary steps. These steps will lay a solid foundation for your research and ensure that your outline is both comprehensive and effective.

Structuring Your Thesis Outline

Creating a well-organized thesis outline is crucial for a successful thesis. It helps you structure your thoughts and ensures a logical flow of information. Here are the key steps to structuring your thesis outline effectively :

Choosing the Right Format

Selecting the appropriate format for your thesis outline is the first step. Common formats include alphanumeric, decimal, and full-sentence outlines. Choose a format that best suits your research and writing style. This decision will guide the organization of your major sections and sub-sections.

Organizing Major Sections

Divide your thesis into major sections such as the introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Each section should have a clear purpose and contribute to your overall thesis argument. Use headings and subheadings to break down each section into manageable parts.

Ensuring Logical Flow

A logical flow is essential for maintaining the reader's interest and understanding. Arrange your sections and sub-sections in a way that naturally progresses from one idea to the next. This will help you build a coherent argument and make your thesis more persuasive.

By following these steps, you can create a structured and effective thesis outline that will serve as a roadmap for your research and writing process.

Developing the Introduction Section

Crafting a compelling opening.

Your introduction should grab the reader's attention right from the start. Use a hook, such as a surprising fact or a thought-provoking question, to draw them in. This section sets the stage for your entire thesis, so make it engaging and relevant.

Presenting the Research Question

Clearly state the research question your thesis aims to answer. This question will guide your entire study and keep you focused. Make sure it is specific and researchable.

Outlining the Scope and Objectives

Provide an overview of the scope of your research. Explain what you will cover and what you will not. This helps set clear boundaries for your study. Additionally, outline the main objectives you aim to achieve with your research. Setting clear objectives will help you stay on track and ensure your research is focused and relevant.

Outlining the Literature Review

Summarizing Existing Research

When outlining your literature review , start by summarizing the existing research related to your topic. This involves gathering and synthesizing information from various sources, such as books, journal articles, and online databases. A well-summarized literature review provides a comprehensive overview of what has been done in your field and highlights the key findings and methodologies used by other researchers.

Identifying Research Gaps

After summarizing the existing research, the next step is to identify the gaps in the literature. These gaps represent areas where further research is needed and can help you position your study within the broader academic context. Look for questions that have not been answered or areas that have not been explored in depth. Identifying these gaps will not only justify the need for your research but also guide your research questions and objectives.

Establishing Theoretical Frameworks

Finally, establish the theoretical frameworks that will underpin your study. This involves selecting and discussing the theories and models that are relevant to your research topic. The theoretical framework provides a foundation for your study and helps to explain the relationships between different variables. By clearly outlining the theoretical frameworks, you can ensure that your research is grounded in established knowledge and contributes to the ongoing academic discourse.

Detailing the Methodology

Selecting research methods.

Choosing the right research methods is crucial for the success of your thesis. Start by deciding whether your study will be qualitative, quantitative, or a mix of both. Qualitative methods often include interviews and observations, while quantitative methods might involve surveys and experiments. Your choice should align with your research objectives and the type of data you need to collect.

Justifying Methodological Choices

Once you have selected your methods, it's important to justify why these methods are appropriate for your study. Explain how they will help you answer your research questions and achieve your objectives. This step is vital for gaining approval from stakeholders and ensuring the success of your project.

Describing Data Collection and Analysis

Detail the process of data collection and analysis . Describe the tools and techniques you will use, such as surveys, interviews, or software for data analysis. Make sure to explain how you will ensure the reliability and validity of your data. This section should provide a clear roadmap of how you will gather and interpret your data, ensuring that your research is both credible and replicable.

Presenting Research Findings

Organizing data logically.

When presenting your research findings, it's crucial to organize your data in a logical manner. This can be done by structuring your findings around key questions, hypotheses, or the overall structure of your study. Clear organization helps your audience understand your results without confusion. Consider using tables to present quantitative data succinctly.

Highlighting Key Results

Focus on the most significant results of your research. Highlight these key findings to ensure they stand out to your readers. This not only emphasizes the importance of your work but also makes it easier for others to grasp the core contributions of your study. Remember, clarity is essential in effective communication.

Using Visual Aids Effectively

Visual aids such as charts, graphs, and tables can greatly enhance the presentation of your research findings. They provide a visual representation of your data, making complex information more accessible. Ensure that your visual aids are well-labeled and directly related to the findings you are discussing. This will help in stripping the dread from data interpretation for your audience.

Analyzing and Discussing Results

Interpreting findings.

When you interpret your findings, you need to connect your analysis to your research questions and hypotheses. This involves making sense of statistical significance and drawing meaningful conclusions. Interpreting your findings helps you understand the broader implications of your research and how it contributes to the existing body of knowledge.

Comparing with Existing Literature

To provide context for your results, compare them with similar studies mentioned in your literature review. Highlight whether your findings align with or differ from previous research. This comparison can help validate your results and show how your work fits into the larger academic conversation.

Discussing Implications

Discuss the broader implications of your findings. Consider how they impact your field of study and what they mean for future research. This section should also address any limitations of your study and suggest areas for further investigation. By doing so, you demonstrate the significance of your research and its potential to influence future work.

Concluding Your Thesis

Summarizing key points.

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key points of your research. This involves revisiting the main arguments and findings discussed in your thesis. By doing so, you provide a clear and concise overview of your work, ensuring that the reader understands the significance of your research.

Restating the Thesis Statement

Restate your thesis statement in a fresh way , reflecting on how your research has supported or challenged it. This is crucial for reinforcing the main idea of your thesis and demonstrating how your work contributes to the broader field of study. Remember, a well-restated thesis can leave a lasting impression on your readers.

Suggesting Areas for Future Research

Finally, suggest areas for future research. Identify any gaps or limitations in your study and propose how future research can address these issues. This not only highlights the importance of your work but also encourages further exploration and development in your field.

Revising and Refining the Outline

Seeking feedback.

Before finalizing your thesis outline, it's crucial to seek feedback from your advisor or peers. They can provide valuable insights and identify areas that may need improvement. Don't hesitate to ask for their opinions on the structure and content of your outline. This step ensures that your outline is clear and logical.

Making Necessary Adjustments

After receiving feedback, take the time to make necessary adjustments. This may involve reorganizing sections, adding or removing content, or clarifying certain points. A reverse outline can be particularly helpful in this stage. It involves outlining an existing draft to assess its structure and coherence. This technique allows you to see if your ideas flow logically and if any sections need further development.

Ensuring Cohesion and Coherence

Finally, ensure that your outline is cohesive and coherent. Each section should connect logically to the next, and your main points should be clearly articulated. Use a checklist to verify that your outline meets these criteria. This step is essential for creating a well-structured thesis that effectively communicates your research findings.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Overloading with information.

One common mistake is trying to include too much information. This can make your thesis overwhelming and difficult to follow. Focus on the most relevant data and arguments to support your thesis statement. Remember, quality over quantity is key.

Lack of Clear Focus

A thesis that lacks a clear focus can confuse readers and weaken your argument. Make sure your thesis statement is specific and that each section of your outline directly supports it. Staying focused will help you create a more compelling and coherent thesis.

Ignoring Feedback

Feedback from advisors and peers is invaluable. Ignoring it can lead to missed opportunities for improvement. Take the time to consider and incorporate constructive criticism . This will not only enhance the quality of your thesis but also help you grow as a researcher.

Writing a thesis can be tricky, and many students fall into common traps. Don't let stress and confusion hold you back. Our step-by-step Thesis Action Plan is here to guide you through every stage. Ready to make your thesis journey smoother? Visit our website to learn more and get started today!

Creating an effective thesis outline is a vital step in the thesis writing process. It helps you organize your thoughts, stay focused, and ensure that your research is thorough and well-structured. By breaking down your thesis into manageable sections, you can tackle each part with confidence and clarity. Remember, a well-crafted outline not only makes the writing process smoother but also enhances the overall quality of your thesis. Stay dedicated, seek guidance when needed, and take pride in your progress. With a solid outline, you are well on your way to producing a compelling and academically rigorous thesis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do i need a thesis outline.

A thesis outline helps you organize your ideas and ensures your writing is structured and focused. It breaks your project into smaller, manageable parts, making the writing process faster and less stressful.

What should I do before creating a thesis outline?

Before creating a thesis outline, conduct initial research, identify key themes and questions, and set clear objectives for your study.

How should I structure my thesis outline?

Your thesis outline should include the major sections: introduction, literature review, methodology, research findings, discussion, and conclusion. Ensure each section flows logically into the next.

What is the best way to start the introduction section?

Start your introduction with a compelling opening, present your research question, and outline the scope and objectives of your thesis.

How do I organize the literature review?

Organize your literature review by summarizing existing research, identifying research gaps, and establishing theoretical frameworks relevant to your study.

What should I include in the methodology section?

In the methodology section, describe your research methods, justify your methodological choices, and explain how you collected and analyzed your data.

How can I present my research findings effectively?

Present your research findings by organizing data logically, highlighting key results, and using visual aids like charts and graphs to make the information clear and engaging.

What should I do if I get stuck while writing my thesis?

If you get stuck, take a break, seek feedback from peers or advisors, and revisit your outline to ensure your thesis remains focused and coherent.

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9 easy sound-tweaking tips for any synth

From the basics to the different synth styles, here’s how to master your synths and then your sounds

One of the things that may have held back your sound design aspirations is just how complex soft synths can look. 

Sometimes this is done deliberately – developers want their creations to look feature-packed, so pack in more dials and sliders on that UI than are strictly necessary. And sometimes this is done because devs are basing the software on some classic hardware; they want to replicate that hardware down to the nearest button. 

However, when it comes down to it, most synths have pretty much identical – OK, very similar – sections and controls, and once you understand those sections, you’ll be amazed at just how easy it is to create new, complex sounds, just by tweaking a very few options.  

So if you want to get designing sounds with any synth, you’ll need to understand the basics of how the audio signal in a typical synth works, so let’s take a quick (and we mean quick!) look. 

The easy guide to how synths actually work…

It’s all about the signal flow with most synths, and that usually means starting at the left with one or more oscillators that generate the sound, a filter that removes part of it (the most popular synthesis type is ‘subtractive’ named because of this type of removal), and then an amplifier so you can hear it. 

These three sections – the oscillator, filter and amplifier – can be found in every softsynth. And most will then add envelopes to control how quickly the filter and amplifier come into play, and a low frequency oscillator that can be applied to add an up-and-down movement to most parameters. And that’s it: synthesis in a nutshell. So, you could say that sound design with synths simply hinges on how you manipulate those parameters. 

Get tweaking

Now, armed with the basic sonic structure for any synth you own, you should be able to identify those sections. The oscillators act as the sound generators (often placed top left), with everything else flowing left to right. The controls for each section are where you can make your sweeping changes - we’ll give you a quick rundown of what each control does, so you’ll know which can have the most dramatic impact on your sound.

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The oscillators will have tuning dials – often fine and coarse – which essentially control the note being played. There will also be options to change the waveform that the oscillator is producing. All synths will have a sawtooth (quite a buzzy sound), often used on the initial patch when you first load the synth up. Other options include a pure sine wave, and square, although many more types can often be found. 

For the filter, this is where you start subtracting different frequencies from the sound. You get the filter type: usually low pass, high pass and band pass. These make the filter do exactly that: remove high frequencies – set by the frequency control – low frequencies, or a range of other frequencies. The resonance control is like an emphasis option, promoting frequencies around the point in which the filter frequency operates. Both frequency and resonance are commonly used by sound designers as they can quickly introduce drama.

The amplifier section will usually have a level out (volume) and be linked to an envelope which will control the volume of the note being played over time. So you get the Attack (how long it takes to come in); Decay (how long it takes to get from maximum level to the sustained level); Sustain (how long it lasts); and Release (how long it takes to fade from the sustain level). 

Finally, LFOs (low-frequency oscillators) are important as they can manipulate most parameters by way of modulation (which we’ll come to later) and are essentially another oscillator that introduces a positive/negative cycling variance to most parameters on your synth to, say, introduce vibrato to an oscillator.

That’s another quick overview of what is essentially the subtractive synthesis found on most softsynths, especially those that emulate classic analogue models (VA or Virtual Analogue), and the main controls your sound design experiments should cover. But there are one or two other common synth types that you’ll probably come across.  

Other synthesis options

FM (frequency modulation) synths are less common than VA – probably because they are more complex. However, they’re still great options for sound designers as they can focus more on real-world instruments like bells and pianos , rather than electronic (which analogue synths tend to be good at). FM synthesis has a carrier signal which determines the pitch and a modulator acting upon it resulting in more complex timbres. Different combinations of these can result in very varied sounds. 

Wavetable synths offer more varied sounds than either FM or subtractive. This is because they not only have more complex waveforms in their oscillators (on top of the square, saw and sine ones used in VA), but they also allow you to morph between several of them which are stored in a ‘wavetable’. 

Other synthesis types that are becoming more popular include physical modelling – which models real (and sometimes off-) world acoustic instrument properties – and granular, where your source is smashed into grains, which is great for more extreme sound design. 

By following these tips you should find your way around any synth. We’ll start with the basics of your sound: the oscillators. Load your initial preset (usually called Init) or any other sound. Starting on the top left (usually) we’ll select different oscillators, the core of our sound. Try going from the sawtooth that usually loads in to a square for a rounded, less harsh tone. 

Looking to create fatter sounds in an instant? One of the easiest and most effective ways to liven any synth sound up is to bring in some detuning between your core oscillators, so here we’ve simply added Oscillator 2 in our trusty Zebra CM (which you can get via our Plugin Suite ) and detuned it by 12 semitones so that it’s an octave below Oscillator 1. 

Time to make some noise. Many synths will come with a noise oscillator which adds white or pink noise into your sound. Obviously tread carefully  with this, but bringing in noise can produce quite glitchy and ’80s video game sound results if used well.

The envelope Release dial is your friend for sound design. Here we’ve simply increased it to make our noisy sound last longer. It can turn any stab into a dramatic lead sound. 

Turn a bass into a pad… and vice versa. The envelope section is also where you can easily turn any shorter bass-style sound into a pad. Here we’ve increased the Attack and Release to make the sound fade in and out. Turn a pad into a snappier bass sound by doing the opposite. 

Filtering is hands-down the most important (and easy) sound design area on your synth’s front panel (bar modulation, which we’ll come to), with tweaks to the Frequency dial giving you big ‘meow’ changes while the Resonance option adds a ‘squeal’-style effect.

Filter changes can be dramatic. In fact switching filter type can be as dramatic as the oscillator type in Tip 1 above. Most synths will have high, low and band-pass filter options. Changing from low to band-pass, as here, can give a ‘telephone’ quality. Not always good, but it can make a sound stand out in a mix. 

Delays can really add something special to a sound. Many synths come with effects, and of course these can be your sound design friend. But we recommend switching in the delays first, as they can really liven up any sound. GForce knows this and makes the delay effects prominent in its Oddity (above).

Modulation is your best sound design tool. We have a whole section dedicated to this, but get to know your LFOs and other modulation sources, and you can liven up (usually) any parameter by adding movement. Now you know which synth controls can be easily tweaked for maximum results.

Andy has been writing about music production and technology for 30 years having started out on Music Technology magazine back in 1992. He has edited the magazines Future Music, Keyboard Review, MusicTech and Computer Music, which he helped launch back in 1998. He owns way too many synthesizers.

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