This skill is used in countless areas—from history to science—and can come in handy in both professional and personal settings.

While we may still talk about essays a little bit here, I’m going to show you how to synthesize information in a way that you can apply in a range of areas.

What Synthesizing Is: Finding the Common Thread

All too often, I hear that to synthesize information means to compile information. However, that’s not a very good definition because it makes synthesizing too similar to summarizing. While the ideas may seem similar, synthesizing actually takes summarizing a step further.

Synthesis involves taking information from various sources and drawing links between them. Summarizing and paraphrasing the information is the first step, but you need to be able to see—and explain—what unifies it.

It takes a lot of skill to synthesize. It draws on the following skills:

• Reading comprehension
• Organization
• Analysis
• The ability to communicate your ideas

Because of all that’s involved, it can take some time and practice for it to feel natural. But once you start getting into synthesis for your essays, it gets much easier to do it in other areas.

I know this all sounds kind of ambiguous right now, so let’s give the ideas above some more context.

How to Synthesize for School

Synthesizing information in English/literature essays

In high school, many of the essays you write will be for English classes. And even if you’re not specifically writing a synthesis essay, that doesn’t mean you can’t, or shouldn’t, use your synthesis skills.

Let’s get into some examples.

Say you’re writing an essay analyzing the symbolism of Yorrick’s skull in Hamlet. You can draw on your personal knowledge of the material and of symbolism in general to conclude that the skull is a symbol of death.

However, if you read other critiques of Hamlet (and there are countless critiques out there), you may find other meanings, such as Hamlet’s destiny, or that no matter how useful, kind, funny, or charismatic a person may be in life, death and decay make the dead person useless.

Once you see common threads in multiple sources, your mind starts piecing the information together, and you can form your own opinion. All you need to do then is share that opinion in a clear, cohesive way supported by evidence.

It’s important to note that, if you’re using other people’s ideas as evidence for your own, you should always cite your sources using whatever style guide your prof requires, such as APA or MLA format.

Synthesizing information in humanities/social sciences papers

The social sciences—such as history, anthropology, sociology, and philosophy—rely heavily on synthesis. There are a lot of arguments in these fields, so you have a lot of evidence to draw upon no matter what your opinion.

For example, I once wrote an essay about Louis Armstrong and whether he used his music as a subversive force to shake up the status quo and get black musicians (and black people in general) the respect they deserve. There were many historians who believed he was “playing the minstrel” and acting on stereotypes.

However, others believed that, while he played up some stereotypes to get white audiences to let their guard down, his lyrics and personal philosophies were subversive.

I had personal biases going into the essay because Louis is one of my favorite musicians. But I kept an open mind and read many secondary sources on the subject. I then found primary sources of his music, as well as interviews and voice recordings from his personal life. I sorted through the information to pick out themes and commonalities. My opinion was formed because of the evidence, not because of my bias.

Once I had the information organized, I could use the evidence I found from some of the sources to make my case.

When you do this on your own, you may feel the urge to just write down all the information you found. But that is not synthesis. Instead, explain your argument, and use the most compelling evidence you found to support it.

You should also consider referencing sources you don’t agree with. Perhaps you could say something like, “While Smith argued x, this other evidence suggests y.” This method shows that you truly understand the point you’re arguing and that you’ve considered all angles.

Writing a literature review (in any subject)? Synthesis will be ultra important in that process as well.

Other Areas Synthesis Skills Will Help

Synthesizing information in your professional life

There are so many professions that it’s hard to tell you exactly how to synthesize information in your future job. But let’s look at a couple different professions anyway.

I’ve worked as a digital marketing analyst, which was almost always synthesizing information. I looked at raw data to analyze trends. But simply finding the trends wasn’t enough. I also had to draw on information from other accounts and on industry knowledge of how digital marketing worked.

After synthesizing the data, other account information, and industry expertise, I was able to make changes and recommendations to help my clients perform their best.

Let’s say you take a completely different route and choose not to work in an office setting. If you were a restaurant owner, you’d still have to know how to synthesize information.

For instance, if you wanted to add a dish to your menu, you’d first have to know what people in your area like to eat. But you’d also need to know about trends in the restaurant industry, the cost/availability of ingredients, the amount of time it would take to make the dish, and your employees’ specific talents.

You wouldn’t come up with the new menu item before you had all of this information. Instead, you might have a general idea of a dish, but you would synthesize this information, balancing the price of ingredients with the demand from your customers, and knowing whether your staff had the time, knowledge, and resources to make it.

Synthesizing information in your personal life

Knowing how to synthesize information is actually something most people do without thinking about it. We do it all the time in our personal lives.

If you’re planning a vacation but don’t know where to go, you’d ask family and friends for ideas, look at information about different destinations, check out airfare and lodging options, etc. Then you’d use those synthesis muscles to pick out the perfect spot for your interests and budget.

Weaving It All Together

As you can see, the synthesis skills you learn in school can help you in virtually any aspect of life. While there’s no fool-proof way to synthesize every situation, here are the basic steps:

• Pull your resources. Think back to the primary and secondary sources mentioned earlier. Make sure sources are credible and relevant to the topic.

• Read, watch, and/or listen to the information you find. It helps to highlight or take notes, so you can find the important parts later.

• Organize information into groups of similar ideas. I find using color-coding systems works best. But you may find lists, graphic organizers, or other organizational methods to be the thing for you.

• Analyze information based on the evidence. Not all information is going to say the same thing. Which articles make the most sense based on what you know? Which speakers make the most compelling arguments?

• Form an opinion based on your analysis. Where does the evidence point? Are there any biases that may be altering your opinion? If so, try to filter those out.

• State your opinion, and back it up with the evidence. An opinion without evidence is fine in some situations, but if you’re trying to persuade someone or argue a point, you better be able to back up what you’re saying.

Learning how to synthesize information can help you write better essays. But it goes beyond that—it helps you stay skeptical, evaluate multiple points of view, build stronger arguments, and be more well-informed.

While the editors at Kibin can’t help you synthesize information in your day-to-day life, they can help you take the first step and do it in your essays. Whether you think you don’t have enough evidence or you’re just looking for proofreading to help your opinions shine, Kibin editors are there to help.

Now imagine that the packaging contained no images or directions. Instead, it simply read “Superhero” or “Princess.” It would be up to you to look at the pieces in the package and put together your character. When finished, your superhero might look a bit different than your friend’s, but that’s okay. You used the available pieces to construct your own interpretation.

A synthesis essay is a lot like constructing a character from a package of building blocks. You need to look at all the pieces and see how they fit together to create your argument. Need a little help envisioning what that might look like in an actual essay? Here are two synthesis essay examples that have it all together.

2 Synthesis Essay Examples That Have It All Together

Before we get to the actual nuts and bolts of the examples, take a few minutes to refresh your memory about the key components of a synthesis essay by reading How to Write a Surprisingly Good Synthesis Essay.

Ready to look at the examples? Great!

I’ve included two synthesis essay examples and have inserted comments throughout to help illustrate what works well in each of the essays and what areas are in need of revision.

For both essays, when you see a number in brackets at the end of the paragraphs *[#], my numbered comments apply to each corresponding paragraph.

Synthesis Essay Example #1: A Synthesis Essay on Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye

A synthesis essay examines evidence and draws conclusions based on that evidence.

In this essay, the writer uses evidence from two research sources, as well as evidence from the novel, to argue that Holden Caulfield suffers from major depressive disorder.

Note: This paper uses MLA format. Learn more about proper MLA 8 citation here.

A Synthesis Essay on Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye

Holden Caulfield experiences several drastic changes in his life. As a teenager who was ultimately striving to escape “phonies” and the harsh reality of life, he faces several obstacles, some of which he walked into consciously. Holden experienced a tragic death of his brother, Allie, who he held very dearly and described as joyful and full of life. Allie died when he was quite young, and this incident took a toll on Holden’s mental stability. *[1]

Susan says:

*[1] While the opening paragraph does clue readers in on the focus of the paper, it’s rather dry. To spice up the introduction, the writer might open with a specific scene or quote from Caulfield to help illustrate his mental state.

Learn more about creating effective introductions by reading What’s Missing From Your Introduction (and How to Fix It).

Due to the excessive bereavement that Holden was exposed to, it is quite likely that he suffered from major depressive disorder, which is prevalent through his day-to-day actions and his thoughts. *[2]

Susan says:

*[2] This thesis statement uses the examples of Caulfield’s bereavement throughout his young life to draw the conclusion that this has led to depression.

This is an effective thesis statement because it helps the audience understand the core argument of this synthesis essay: that Caulfield suffers from major depressive disorder.

As Allie died when he was quite young, the situation came with more grief than what would’ve been if he was old, and expected to pass away. This caused Holden to evaluate his own life. As he grew up, Holden passed the age at which Allie passed away, which only worsened his fears of abandonment of his childhood and death. Holden begins to see himself in Allie during certain parts of his life, and he is crippled with fear of not being to experience life, like Allie. According to Dr. P.G White, one of the effects of sibling loss is “the fear of death led some children to believe that death would come to them next.” In this case, Holden fears that he will suffer the same way Allie did. *[3]

Susan says:

*[3] Here, the writer succinctly summarizes Caulfield’s thought processes on losing his sibling and examines how this has affected his mental state. The writer then uses a quote from a source to help support the argument that Caulfield is struggling and likely fears his own death.

The writer might further support this section through additional examples and/or evidence from sources to illustrate how such fears can lead to depression in some individuals.

He fears having to step into the world where things are not censored for children, and he is constantly faced with reality. One example of this thought process occurs when Holden aggressively tries to the erase the profanity from the walls of a museum he often visited as child. He states that “you can’t ever find a place that’s nice and peaceful, because there isn’t any.”  The museum was a cornerstone of Holden’s childhood, and seeing such harsh words all over the walls gives Holden a reality check. He realizes that the darkness of the world will ultimately affect even the most “innocent” parts of one’s childhood, and he isn’t able to cope with this realization. *[4]

Susan says:

*[4] In this section, the writer successfully uses a quote from the novel to illustrate Caulfield’s thoughts and struggles with finding peace. This provides clear insight into the character’s mind and helps further support the claim that Caulfield is depressed.

The writer directly quotes the novel in this paragraph but forgets to include proper citation. An in-text citation (and a Works Cited or Reference page) is required when summarizing, paraphrasing, and/or quoting sources.

To learn more about avoiding plagiarism, read Q&A: What You Should Know About Avoiding Plagiarism.

His childhood friend, Jane, was another part of his “innocent childhood” that came back to haunt him. Holden discovers that Jane had been romantically seeing one of his friends, who was notorious for being sexual with girls. When thinking about Jane in this manner and trying to process that she could’ve done such things, Holden inflicts more pain on himself. He had only remembered her as a little girl who he spent innocent time with in his childhood, and to see even her growing up and partaking in activities meant for adults, makes him feel as if he is being left behind. To make the problem worse, Holden is clearly not ready to let go of his childhood at this point. This notion that Holden has contributes to validating his massive depressive disorder. Holden seems to have given up hope on finding peace, and realizes that there are always obstacles. Unfortunately, he feels as if he cannot face them. *[5]

Susan says:

*[5] This section contains an additional example to illustrate Caulfield’s search for peace and offers additional insight into his mental state. Because he struggles to face life and is unable to move beyond his childhood images, he falls further into depression.

Holden often refers to the ducks in the pond that seemed to know exactly where to go where the pond froze in the winter. Even when he would be having conversations with people, such as Mr. Spencer, his former teacher, he has the ducks in the back of his mind. (Salinger 13). Holden uses the ducks as a symbol of his peers throughout his narration. The ducks always seemed to know where to go, and Holden, looking from the outside, has no idea how or where they would go. This type of feeling is often prevalent in a teenager who is facing the various transitions into adulthood, but Holden was not ready to face this, which only led to further frustration. According to “The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” feelings of isolation are symptomatic for massive depressive disorder, and Holden’s consistent mention of the ducks, while he exempted himself from the latter, all contribute to reasserting the point. *[6]

Susan says:

*[6] In this paragraph, the writer combines an example from the novel with an example from outside research to illustrate Caulfield’s depression, his feelings of isolation, and his struggles to find his path in life.

Including both textual evidence and evidence from a source is an excellent strategy. It demonstrates the writer’s ability to examine multiple sources and synthesize them into an argument.

Furthermore, when he is staying at hotel, he invites in a prostitute, but rather than engaging in any sexual activity with her, he merely asks to talk. This shows how lonely and distant Holden was feeling from the masses. He only wanted someone’s company, and was not interested in the common pleasures that a person might desire. This tendency adds to the validation of Holden’s depression. *[7]

Susan says:

*[7] The writer includes a second example from the novel here to further illustrate Caulfield’s depression and feelings of isolation. While this is a good example, the ideas are underdeveloped.

To strengthen this section, the writer could include additional evidence from an outside source to explain how Caulfield’s need to talk and be in another person’s company illustrates his depression.

Holden went through a number of schools and prestigious institutions throughout his life. He would always do really poorly in school, but was apparently intelligent according to his teachers and himself. Holden’s problem with school can be directly attributed to his apathy towards the system. According to DSM, “failing performance and missing school or work” and apathy towards work all indicate severe depression. Another aspect of his behavior with external forces is his tendency to place blame on others. He would constantly talk about the several faults of his friends, peers, and even strangers that he encountered, like the ladies in the bar. He saw himself as being on a higher level of higher, which, according to DSM, could be a form of denial for his own issues, indicating depression. *[8]

Susan says:

*[8] Though this section includes solid examples from both the novel and from a research source, the discussion of both is limited. By including further details of Caulfield’s experiences in school and with friends, the writer would further strengthen the argument.

Holden Caulfield experiences several ups and downs in life. He had to deal with the tragedy of losing a loved one, and also feeling isolated and distant from his peers. All of these unfortunate aspects of his life ultimately contributed to excessive bereavement, which led to major depressive disorder. *[9]

Susan says:

*[9] The concluding paragraph is adequate, but like the introduction, it’s brief. The writer might use a concluding strategy (like those used in the examples here) to develop a more powerful ending.

Works Cited

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR. American Psychiatric Association, 2000.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Little, Brown and Company, 1951.

White, P. Gill. The Sibling Connection–Counseling, Support and Healing Resources for Grieving Sisters and Brothers. 2011, www.counselingstlouis.net/index.html. Accessed 15 Apr. 2015.

Synthesis Essay Example #2: Assessing the Responsibilities of Private and Federal Organizations in Solving Environmental Problems

This synthesis essay example synthesizes the evidence presented in several sources to examine how both private and federal organizations work (or in some cases, don’t work) toward solving environmental problems.

Note: This essay follows APA format.

Assessing the Responsibilities of Private and Federal Organizations in Solving Environmental Problems

In situations of economic stress or recovery, society has a way of redistributing blame to maintain peace and avoid further conflict. People living in a society feel better if they are under the protective wing of some form of government who can both enforce laws and take responsibility. The government, in turn, will allocate responsibility into specialized organizations. These institutions are granted the power to decide and execute the best methods of solving problems. Some of these institutions, i.e. the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, launch campaigns aimed toward the general public to take personal responsibility for their impact on the environment. At first glance, this may appear to be a means of freeing both government and society from blame. However, the establishment of such organizations distributes responsibility to accomplish a common goal; they try to divide any social concern so that it may be approached from multiple perspectives. This can only increase the probability of success. *[1]

Susan says:

*[1] The introduction of this essays works well because it provides background information for the readers. This not only informs the audience of how government agencies and society work toward the common goal of protecting the environment but also sets up the focus of the paper.

The goal of this essay is to assess the responsibilities of private and federal organizations, specifically in how they support or impede efforts to solve different environmental problems. *[2]

Susan says:

*[2] This thesis statement announces the goals of the essay and what the writer hopes to accomplish.

While this type of thesis statement is appropriate for this essay and is often acceptable in scientific papers, keep in mind that most professors in the humanities suggest that you don’t announce goals in a thesis statement by stating “This paper will be about…”

For help with strengthening your thesis statement, read How to Turn a Good Thesis Statement Into a Great One.

The managerial model can be used to describe the processes in constructing social institutions and organizations. The managerial paradigm is a tool for understanding patterns of social behavior and change. When a society is under environmental crisis, the managerial paradigm emphasizes the need for substantial structural change. It is the responsibility of managerial decision-makers to create or maintain major social institutions, like capitalism and local government systems. The decisions made from these organizations are also subject to this model (Humphrey, et al., 2002). *[3]

Susan says:

*[3] The writer uses the second paragraph of this essay to provide readers with additional background information. Combined with the first paragraph, this section clearly establishes the focus of the essay and lays the groundwork for the essay’s topic.

Also note that the in-text citation at the end of this paragraph has a formatting error (as do all of the in-text citations for sources with more than one author throughout the paper).

Need help with APA in-text citations? Check out this handy infographic with examples.

Davis (2003) describes a smog epidemic that quietly adds to the yearly death tolls in cities around the world. More importantly, he compares the responses and solutions imposed by emergency government and social task forces or lack thereof. The London incidence, which claimed over a thousand lives a week, caught the attention of Parliament and several insurance companies. Unfortunately, managerial concern for this pollution problem did not arise until the consequences became much worse. The managerial method is dictated by reform from within, and the British government conducted studies that would help assess the situation and find the best solution. However, the numbers were muddled with the deaths of people who “would have died anyway” given predictions on past years, making the true smog-related deaths difficult to calculate. Also, the sickness and morbidity rates were not very organized and missing important numbers.  An official report of the London fog was issued two years later naming influenza as the cause of death. Although managerial practices were initially intended, little was changed or implemented to solve the pollution problem. Thus, the managerial practices failed (Davis and Gaynor, 2003). *[4]

Susan says:

*[4] The previous paragraph describes the managerial process, and in this paragraph, the writer clearly synthesizes evidence from sources to illustrate how the managerial process failed as it relates to smog control.

In the Los Angeles case, the California state government recognized the similarities between the deadly smog incidences in Donora and their own brown haze and issued the first Air Pollution Control Act of 1949. This soon authorized the creation of an Air Pollution Control District in every county in California. By 1954, LA had more cars than any other city in California and pollution was becoming a hot political issue. It had not become a managerial issue until a team led by Lester Breslow, California chief of environmental health, developed methods of dealing with air pollution that is used throughout the world today. California became the first state to impose auto emissions standards car engine tests and severely reduced the state’s air contaminant levels. The state was also first to set up programs for “setting and changing the standards for key air pollutants” (Davis and Gaynor, 2003).  Breslow’s revolutionary approach to solving an environmental problem does the best job of illustrating the managerial paradigm than all of the other cases. By cleaning up the city’s air, Breslow renewed the community’s opinion of regulatory managers and increased political legitimacy during tough times. This gives agency managers greater ability to exercise authority for the benefit of the environment (Humphrey, et al., 2002). *[5]

Susan says:

*[5] While the previous paragraph illustrates the failings of the managerial paradigm, this paragraph includes an example of the successes of the managerial process.

By including both positive and negative examples of the topic, this writer has provided a stronger discussion that is objective, rather than biased, in its coverage of the topic.

Corporations are also subject to the managerial paradigm, although decision-making and accountability are handled a little differently. Corporations assume no liability and responsibility falls directly upon its shareholders. For the most part, decisions are handled by a board of directors. In a capitalist society, competition is the only driving force for self-improvement. Competition forces corporations to make the best product for the lowest prices for the benefit of the consumer.  Nowadays, that just isn’t enough. When price or quality is similar, consumers tend to favor the corporation that is the most eco-friendly. Animal testing and industrial pollution are now universally frowned upon for any corporation. When found guilty of any anti-environmental deeds, a corporation can decide to settle the matter out of court or organize a committee or agency to solve the problem. In this example, both decision-making and responsibility-reassignment are practiced to demonstrate the fundamentals of the managerial model (Haeckel, 2005). *[6]

Susan says:

*[6] The introduction and thesis indicate that the essay will discuss both government and private examples of the managerial paradigm. Thus, this paragraph follows the thesis and successfully transitions from a discussion of the government to a discussion of corporations.

The paragraph again effectively uses evidence from a source to broadly discuss how corporations handle the managerial paradigm and that they may be forced to litigate to solve potential anti-environmental concerns.

An example found in the text by Robert and Thanos would be the Pemon resistance to the logging and mining companies. Decree 1850 gave foreign industries the right to Colombian land including 40% of the native people’s reserve. CUG electric company planned to build a 470-mile power line would link Brazil and Venezuela with a steady stream of hydroelectric power. Unfortunately, the Guri Power Line would also impact the lives of 24,000 indigenous people, including the native Pemon of Columbia. Environmentalists from the United States argued that the desecration of the Pemon’s sacred land would destroy forests, decrease biodiversity, poison the water supply, and increase erosion. They were also worried that urbanization of local villages would increase crime and introduce prostitution. Activists protested foreign companies in a variety of ways to get their point across. They held over 75 public protests, blockaded highways, and even threatened mass suicide. In 1998, the Pemon and Colombian government came to an uneasy compromise. They agreed that the land be demarcated as sacred land and the Guri Power Line could be constructed, but no industry powered by the line could reside within the National Park borders. The U.S. became involved because they believed that the Pemon held the right to protect their distinctive, 4th-world relations with their land. The Venezuelan corporation, following the managerial paradigm, combated an activist movement, or a civil society organization, whose actions closely resembled that of the radical paradigm (Roberts and Thanos, 2003). *[7]

Susan says:

*[7] Here, the writer synthesizes information about corporations and includes a specific example to illustrate the general principles discussed in the previous paragraph.

This paragraph (and the preceding paragraph) follows the same organizational pattern as the previous discussion about government agencies. Keeping the organizational pattern consistent creates an easy-to-read and effective argument.

[Five paragraphs omitted]

Institutions that impact the environment range from corporations exploiting natural resources to government issued policies limiting fuel consumption to pro-environmental activists collecting signatures for wildlife conservation.  The paradigms involved range from managerial to radical. The environmental impact may be positive or negative and the actual, physical impact the parties have may vary. The driving forces behind these organizations include profit, responsibility, religion, love, and pure survival. The case studies presented should show how private and federal organizations may contribute to both environment and society. *[8]

Susan says:

*[8] I’ve deleted a few of the body paragraphs of this essay to focus on the conclusion.

Notice that the final words restate the main ideas expressed in the paper, yet they don’t use exact wording from the essay. (Remember, restating ideas is fine, but copying your sentences word for word is not.)

Also, note that this essay presents case studies. It is informational and reports content. Thus, it doesn’t end with a more traditional humanities conclusion that might call readers to action.

Learn more about essay conclusions by reading How to Write a Killer Essay Conclusion.

References

Diamond, J. D. (2005). Collapse: How societies choose to fail or succeed. New York, NY: Penguin.

Haeckel, S. H. (2005). Origins and axioms of the industrial age managerial framework. Retrieved from http://www.senseandrespond.com/essays/industrial-age-managerial-paradigm/

Humphrey, C. R., Lewis, T. L, & Buttel, F. H. (Eds.). (2002). Environment, energy, and society: A new synthesis. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Kinder, C. (1998). The population explosion: Causes and consequences. Retrieved from http://teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum/units/1998/7/98.07.02.x.html

Roberts, J. T., & Thanos, N. D. (2003). Trouble in paradise: Globalization and environmental crises in Latin America. New York, NY: Routledge.

Ready to Put Your Ideas Together?

If you feel like you’ve got a pretty good grasp of things after reading the two synthesis essay examples and you’re ready to piece together your ideas, start by creating an outline.

After you’ve finished your outline and are ready to write a synthesis essay, use these resources to help make your paper awesome:

• 15 Rhetorical Devices That Will Spice Up Your Essays
• 10 Essay Writing Rules to Throw Out the Window

If you’ve got the basic structure down but feel that the building blocks of your essay are still a little wobbly, an editor can help. Let us show you how to work through your writing concerns and help you build a solid essay.

That’s awesome! But I’m going to ask you for a favor: pump your brakes for a second, so you can ask yourself this question:

Have I ever written a synthesis essay before?

If the answer is no, then you’ll want to check out How to Write a Surprisingly Good Synthesis Essay so that you know what you’re getting yourself into.

Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Toe in the Water

Okay—now that you know what’s what, let’s get down to business.

By now, your teacher should have given you a synthesis essay topic and the sources. Sometimes you’re given a specific prompt or stance on a topic; sometimes your teacher will expect you to come up with your own stance to argue in the essay.

Whatever the case, the outline process will be the same. There are just a couple of steps you should take before you start on the outline that will ensure your success on this paper.

Read the material

Make sure you read through all of the sources and take notes on common themes or arguments being made. This will help you draw connections between the sources and give you material to quote when it’s time to defend your stance.

Brainstorm a bit

Going into an essay blind is like getting lost in the wilderness. Going into an outline without brainstorming is like having a poorly drawn map and forgetting your compass.

Brainstorming is a solid exercise that helps you figure out which direction your writing needs to take to reach a successful outcome. It also lowers the risk that you’ll get stuck mid-paper and want to start over.

Here are some other great prewriting strategies that can be super helpful to you before you dive into your essay.

The Layout of a Synthesis Essay Outline

The above is the basic layout of your synthesis essay outline. It should look pretty familiar if you’ve written an argument essay. If not, don’t worry—we’re going to break it down, piece by piece.

The best thing we can do is practice with a low-stakes assignment that will help you get started on your own outline.

The Topic at Hand

If you can’t tell where this is going, know that I’m a huge nerd (as if the above image wasn’t a dead giveaway), and we’re about to tackle a very controversial topic:

Are the Star Wars prequels good movies?

For the sake of this exercise (and because I like a challenge), we’ll be arguing the position that, yes, the Star Wars prequels are indeed cinematic achievements. We will also pretend we have been given several sources that help us make this argument:

“Pew Pew: The Not-So-Quiet Triumph of the Star Wars Prequels,” a 2016 article by J.J. Binks published in ARTOO Magazine.

“Studies in Sci-Fi Cinema,” a 2015 essay by Bob A. Fett published in Lando: A Journal of Swagger.

“Good Enough for Roger Ebert,” a 2018 blog post by Mo N. Mothma published on Some Like It Hoth.

Synthesis essays require that you argue a stance using your sources as evidence, so there’s a good chance you’ll also be required to find sound counterarguments within your sources. And then your goal will be to refute them … but we’ll get to that in a moment.

Also keep in mind that not all topics will be so cut-and-dry like this. Often, teachers will give you sources that are more complicated, and it’s up to you to find the arguments within, both those that agree and disagree with your position.

The Outline

Let’s take a look at how we can craft a synthesis essay outline using the above sources, step by step.

Intro

The essay introduction is where you first draw your reader in with a strong hook sentence.

Next, you provide context (background information) on the history and importance of the issue.

You should finish this paragraph with your thesis.

Hook

The intro starts with your hook—a sentence that grabs the reader’s attention. Here’s what you might write as a hook for our Star Wars stance:

If fans fail to love the Star Wars prequels, then they are simply not true Star Wars fans.

Learn more about writing effective hooks.

Context

You’ll be discussing the issue at length in your body paragraphs, but your reader needs an introduction to the key elements of the issue. This is a good spot to briefly answer the following questions:

• What is the history of the issue?
• Why is it important now?
• Who does the issue affect and why?

Thesis

The thesis is the main claim/argument that you’re making in the essay. It’s the official stance that you will support throughout the rest of the paper. It should be one to two sentences and should make a specific claim that introduces the topics of the other supporting claims you’ll write in the body paragraphs.

Ours might look something like this:

Despite the ongoing arguments over this trilogy, on the merits of cinematography, artistry, imagination, technological feats, and canonization, the Star Wars prequels are nevertheless great films.

Body: Defense of your thesis

Depending on the required length of your paper, this section should be about three to six paragraphs long.

That’s one to two paragraphs per claim.

Claims

A claim is a statement you make that supports your thesis. This is a great place to apply logos and pathos to your synthesis. Here’s an example of a claim for our paper:

Between practical set design and digital effects, The Phantom Menace is visually groundbreaking for a film made in 1999 when CGI was still in its infancy.

You should have at least three supporting claims in your synthesis essay outline. Devote one to two paragraphs to each claim in your essay.

Support

A claim is nothing without support, and there are two things you need to do here in order to successfully support your claims.

1. Use evidence from your sources

This is how you’ll support your claim while also showing your teacher how well you can draw connections between the sources and your stance on the issue.

Make use of direct quotes, paraphrasing, and summary, but make sure most of the paper is in your own words!

You should use your sources only to support what you’ve already said—your teacher wants to see what you have to say about the subject, not others.

Here’s an example of paraphrased evidence-based support for the above claim.

The special effects were extremely complex for the time—as much a marvel then as when the effects of the original trilogy were a cinematic marvel to behold (Binks, 2016).

2. Back up the significance of your evidence with logic

It’s not enough to just show your evidence. You also need to explain how the evidence from your sources supports your claim and supports your thesis. Here’s what this might look like to reinforce the evidence above:

This approach to special effects requires a significant amount of hard work and artistic vision that cannot be duplicated to the same degree that George Lucas applies to this film. Each Star Wars film takes place in a galaxy far, far away, and with new technology and a larger budget available, Lucas is able to deliver this completely alien universe’s aesthetic the way it was always meant to be seen. This alone is a special achievement for any filmmakers who try to revisit their work and finish a story they longed to tell.

Body: Counterargument and rebuttal

A good argument is never one-sided, so as you’re working to synthesize your sources, showing your teacher that you’ve considered one or two other stances is especially important.

That said, you still need to demonstrate why the opposing viewpoint, while valid, is not as strong as yours. This is called the rebuttal or refutation.

Here’s how it’s done:

The question remains, are the Star Wars prequels perfect? The answer is no. “As films, they have many flaws, some forgivable, some less so” (Fett, 2015). No film is perfect, but each film should set out to accomplish certain goals. In this regard, the prequels excel at providing an entertaining science-fiction adventure experience that appeals to a wide audience.

Conclusion

The conclusion is where you wrap up your synthesis essay by doing two things.

First, restate the importance of your issue, guiding your reader back to your thesis.

Then, tell the reader what would happen if your argument is (or is not) accepted.

This section is a perfect opportunity to make your last stand and emphasize the importance of your issue and viewpoint.

What happens if the reader chooses to ignore your sound evidence? How do you put up a final defense against this? Check it out:

While film critics and audience members are entitled to their opinions about the films they watch and enjoy, the success of the Star Wars prequels cannot be ignored. These films succeeded at the box office and paved the way for new Star Wars stories to be told. They allowed audiences to revisit their favorite sci-fi universe and see it for the first time in the grand spectacle that Lucas had always wanted to portray. Without these films, Star Wars may have only existed as a classic trilogy, cherished and admired but ultimately lost to time. The success of the prequels ensures Star Wars’ continued and everlasting presence in cinema.

The Final Product

Below is how the outline for this topic would look when put together. Keep in mind that this is a guide—you’ll have to input your notes for each of these sections and build your paper from this framework.

1. Intro
a. Hook
b. Context
c. Thesis
2. Body: Defense of your thesis
a. Claim 1
i. Evidence from source(s)
ii. Support (show how evidence supports claim)
b. Claim 2
i. Evidence from source(s)
ii. Support (show how evidence supports claim)
c. Claim 3
i. Evidence from source(s)
ii. Support (show how evidence supports claim)
3. Body: Counterargument and Rebuttal
a. Counterargument 1
i. Evidence from source
ii. Refutation of argument and evidence
b. Counterargument 2
i. Evidence from source
ii. Refutation of argument and evidence
4. Conclusion
a. Restate the importance of your issue and thesis
b. Tell the reader what would happen if your argument is (or isn’t) accepted.

And that’s it in a nutshell!

I’ve even created a skeleton Synthesis Outline Template you can download to get started.

Kibin editors can also help you edit your outline or your finished essay, so don’t hesitate to send us your work!

The name might be a little intimidating, but don’t worry—I’ll be here to give you example topics and show you exactly how to write a synthesis essay.

First … What Is a Synthesis Essay?

Before we jump right into generating ideas and writing your synthesis, it would be pretty useful to know what a synthesis essay actually is, right?

When you think about a synthesis essay, you can think of it as being kind of like an argumentative essay.

There is one key difference, though—your instructor provides you with the sources you are going to use to substantiate your argument.

This may sound a little bit easier than an argumentative essay. But it’s a different kind of thinking and writing that takes some time to get used to. Synthesis essays are all about presenting a strong position and identifying the relationships between your sources.

Don’t fall into the trap of simply summarizing the sources. Instead, make your point, and back it up with the evidence found in those sources. (I’ll explain this in more detail when we talk about the writing process.)

Many of your sources will probably have information that could support both sides of an argument. So it’s important to read over them carefully and put them in the perspective of your argument.

If there’s information that goes against your main points, don’t ignore it. Instead, acknowledge it. Then show how your argument is stronger.

If this all seems a little too theoretical, don’t worry—it’ll all get sorted out. I have a concrete example that takes a page from the Slytherins’ book (yes, of Harry Potter fame) and uses cunning resourcefulness when analyzing sources.

Great and Not-So-Great Topics for Your Synthesis Essay

A great topic for a synthesis essay is one that encourages you to choose a position on a debatable topic. Synthesis topics should not be something that’s general knowledge, such as whether vegetables are good for you. Most everyone would agree that vegetables are healthy, and there are many sources to support that.

Bad synthesis topics can come in a variety of forms. Sometimes, the topic won’t be clear enough. In these situations, the topic is too broad to allow for you to form a proper argument. Here are a few example bad synthesis essay topics:

Synthesis on gender

Write about education

Form an argument about obesity

Other not-so-great examples are topics that clearly have only one correct side of the argument. What you need is a topic that has several sources that can support more than one position.

Now that you know what a bad topic looks like, it’s time to talk about what a good topic looks like.

Many great synthesis essay topics are concentrated around social issues. There’s a lot of gray area and general debate on those issues—which is what makes them great topics for your synthesis. Here are a few topics you could write about:

Do video games promote violence?

Is the death penalty an effective way to deter crime?

Should young children be allowed to have cell phones?

Do children benefit more from homeschooling or public school?

The list of good topics goes on and on. When looking at your topic, be sure to present a strong opinion for one side or the other. Straddling the fence makes your synthesis essay look much weaker.

Now that you have an idea of what kinds of topics you can expect to see, let’s get down to how to actually write your synthesis essay. To make this a little more interesting, I’m going to pick the following example topic:

Are Slytherin House members more evil than members of other houses?

Steps to Writing an Impressive Synthesis Essay

As with any good essay, organization is critical. With these five simple steps, writing a surprisingly good synthesis essay is surprisingly easy.

Step 1: Read your sources.

Even before you decide on your position, be sure to thoroughly read your sources. Look for common information among them, and start making connections in your mind as you read.

For the purposes of my Slytherin synthesis example, let’s say I have four different sources.

• Source A is a data table that lists the houses of all members of the Death Eaters.
• Source B is a complete history of the Slytherin House, including the life and views of Salazar Slytherin.
• Source C is a document containing the names of students who were sorted into a different house than what the Sorting Hat had originally assigned to them.
• Source D is a history of the Battle of Hogwarts.

Step 2: Decide what your position is.

After you work through your sources, decide what position you are going to take. You don’t actually have to believe your position—what’s more important is being able to support your argument as effectively as possible.

You don’t actually have to believe your position. But be able to support your argument.
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Also, remember that once you pick a position, stick with it. You want your argument and your synthesis to be as strong as possible. Sticking to your position is the best way to achieve that.

Back to our example … after reading through my documents, I decide that the students and alumni of the Slytherin House are not more evil than students in the other houses.

Step 3: Write an awesome thesis statement.

Once you’ve decided on a position, you need to express it in your thesis statement. This is critical since you will be backing up your thesis statement throughout your synthesis essay.

In my example, my thesis statement would read something like this:

Students and alumni from Slytherin are not more evil than students in the other houses because they fill the whole spectrum of morality, evil wizards are found in all houses, and their house traits of cunning, resourcefulness, and ambition do not equate to an evil nature.

Step 4: Draft a killer outline.

Now that you have your argument down in words, you need to figure out how you want to organize and support that argument. A great way to do this is to create a synthesis essay outline.

When you write your outline, write your thesis statement at the top. Then, list each of your sub-arguments. Under each sub-argument, list your support. Part of my outline would look like this:

Thesis statement: Students and alumni from Slytherin are not more evil than students in the other houses because they fill the whole spectrum of morality, evil wizards are found in all houses, and their house traits of cunning, resourcefulness, and ambition do not equate to an evil nature.

I. Evil wizards are found in all houses.

A. Source A: Examples of Death Eaters from other houses

B. Source D: Examples of what Death Eaters from other houses did at the Battle of Hogwarts

In my outline, I used my sources as the second level of my outline to give the names of the sources and, from each, concrete evidence of how evil non-Slytherin wizards can be.

This is only an example of one paragraph in my outline. You’ll want to do this for each paragraph/sub-argument you plan on writing.

Step 5: Use your sources wisely.

When thinking about how to use your sources as support for your argument, you should avoid a couple mistakes—and do a couple of things instead.

Don’t summarize the sources. For example, this would be summarizing your source: “Source A indicates which houses the Death Eaters belong to. It shows that evil wizards come from all houses.”

Do analyze the sources. Instead, write something like this: “Although many Death Eaters are from Slytherin, there are still a large number of dark wizards, such as Quirinus Quirrell and Peter Pettigrew, from other houses (Source A).”

Don’t structure your paragraphs around your sources. Using one source per paragraph may seem like the most logical way to get things done (especially if you’re only using three or four sources). But that runs the risk of summarizing instead of drawing relationships between the sources.

Do structure your paragraphs around your arguments. Formulate various points of your argument. Use two or more sources per paragraph to support those arguments.

Step 6: Get to writing.

Once you have a comprehensive outline, all you have to do is fill in the information and make it sound pretty. You’ve done all the hard work already. The writing process should just be about clearly expressing your ideas. As you write, always keep your thesis statement in mind, so your synthesis essay has a clear sense of direction.

Now that you know what a synthesis essay is and have a pretty good idea how to write one, it doesn’t seem so intimidating anymore, does it?

If your synthesis essay still isn’t coming together quite as well as you had hoped, you can trust the Kibin editors to make the edits and suggestions that will push it to greatness.

Happy writing!