What is synthesis?
Synthesis means putting together. When you synthesise texts, you combine ideas from several sources on one theme into something new: a clearer view or a new argument.
It is different from a summary. A summary tells what one text says. A synthesis uses many texts to answer one question of your own.
The steps of synthesising
- Choose the theme and question you want to answer.
- Pull out key points from each text. Write each point in your own words with its source.
- Group by idea. Make piles such as cause, effect, solution. A pile can hold points from many texts.
- Compare. Where do the sources agree? Where do they differ, and why (standpoint, date, evidence)?
- Build your claim that answers your question.
Group by idea, not by text
If you write "Text 1 says... Text 2 says... Text 3 says...", you have three summaries in a row. If you write "All three sources agree that the main cause is waste, but only Text 3 gives a cost", you are synthesising.
Forming your own argument
Your own argument is your answer to the question, backed by the grouped points. It should do three things:
- State a clear claim in your own words.
- Use evidence from at least two sources, and test it (true, enough, relevant).
- Deal with other views that you found, with a reply.
Use phrases like "Taken together, these sources show...", "Although Source 2 disagrees, ...", "My view is ... because ...".
Citing and being fair
Always say where a point came from: "According to Text 1 (2023)...". Use quote marks only for exact words. Do not copy long parts; use your own words. Do not leave out a source because it disagrees with you.
Try it
Choose a theme (for example, "Phones in school"). Find three short texts. Write 2 key points from each on small papers. Sort the papers into groups by idea. Write a claim of one sentence and two reasons, each with its source.
Key formulas and definitions
- Synthesis = many sources + one theme + your own argument
- Steps: Pull out, Group by idea, Compare, Build
- Summary = what one text says. Synthesis = what many texts say together about your question.
- Strong claim: your words + evidence from 2 or more sources + a reply to other views
- Always cite: say which source each point came from
Worked examples
1. Three texts on cycling say: (1) it is cheap, (2) it cuts pollution, (3) roads are unsafe, (4) cycle lanes help. Group by idea.
Benefits: cheap, cuts pollution. Problem: roads unsafe. Fix: cycle lanes. A synthesis claim: "Cycling has clear benefits, but safe lanes are needed to unlock them."
2. Text A says screens harm sleep. Text B says screens help study. How do you handle this in a synthesis?
Compare them: both are true in different uses. Say "Text A links late-night screens to poor sleep, while Text B shows study use helps. So the time and purpose of use matter." Do not hide either.
3. A student writes: "Source 1 says X. Source 2 says Y. Source 3 says Z." Is this a synthesis? How can it be improved?
No, it is three summaries. Improve it by grouping X, Y and Z by idea, saying where they agree or differ, and adding the student's own claim.
Common mistakes
- Writing one summary after another and calling it a synthesis.
- Copying sentences from the sources instead of using your own words.
- Leaving out a source that disagrees with your claim.
- Forgetting your own claim. A synthesis must answer your own question.