Racial Injustice Unit - Synthesis

Assignment

In an essay that synthesizes at least five sources, develop a position expressing the adversity racial injustice causes, as well as the best means of coping with that adversity.

Racial injustice causes… Best means of coping…

Writing a Synthesis Essay

Develop your own position! (your argument, your opinion, your perception of the problem, your answer to the question)

Provide an informed view of an issue that reflects the complexities of the issue

Use sources to establish your credibility as one worthy of expressing a position

Synthesis Essay

References to sources should enrich, but not be the basis of, student’s position / argument

Student’s position / argument is central; sources support

Therefore, balance use of sources with your own analysis, explanation…BUT focus on YOUR ideas

Synthesis Essay: how to use sources

YOUR reasons, ideas, thinking should guide the paper (topic sentences…)

Your explanation relies on sources for depth, credibility, support (ethos, pathos, logos)

Summarize, paraphrase and quote accurately from sources

Don’t forget to cite

Effective Process

1. Develop list of “big questions” the topic raises and makes us think about

2. Determine patterns amongst sources – which ones work together, which contrast?

3. Determine your position; carefully write it out

4. Determine the sources you’ll use to support your position, and to balance your position

Effective Process

1. Once your position is written (thesis), plan body paragraphs (write topic sentences and list sources)

2. Remember: do not merely summarize source per paragraph – blend, mesh ideas from different sources

3. Each paragraph should have 2 -5 sources “dialoguing at once” with YOU as the central voice. The points YOU make – should be supported by sources.

Using Sources / Use language such as: For example, King says… Similarly, Baldwin says… Hayden agrees that… Yet, Hurston feels… On the other hand, Baldwin points out… According to Cullen… Hughes suggests many possibilities in his poem “Harlem”…

Play

Poems: go online to a poetry web site (poets.org; poemhunter.com) OR google the poem – write entry as a “Page on a Web Site” (see MLA The Owl Works Cited Electronic Sources if necessary); or find the poem in a book in the library

Essays: Works Cited entry method – “A Work in an Anthology, Reference or Collection” – ◦ 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology editor Samuel Cohen

Bedford/St. Martins Boston/New York 2004. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Works Cited

Synthesis Essay

Imagine a conversation about the controversial issue, with a number of people all expressing their viewpoints

Each source is a person in the conversation

You enter the conversation and express your thoughts, your stance… your ___________________

Effective Process1. Is thesis YOUR POSITION?

2. Are topic sentences and next 1-2 sentences of body paragraphs YOUR OWN WORDS… YOUR DEVELOPMENT OF THESIS…YOUR EXPLANATION OF IDEA

3. Are sources introduced into “conversation” after expressing YOUR OWN IDEA at beginning of body paragraph…

4. Each paragraph should have 2 -5 sources “dialoguing at once” with YOU as the central voice. The points YOU make – should be supported by sources.

5. Remember: do not merely summarize source per paragraph – blend, mesh ideas from different sources

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Check out this useful link for:

◦ Formatting paper◦ Incorporating quotations◦ Writing Works Cited◦ Formatting Works Cited◦ MORE!

The Owl at Purdue / Online Writing Lab