Fall 2005: ENC 1102: Argument & Persuasion: Invoking the Professional Voice
SynthesisThe synthesis is an opportunity for you to analyze and compare two or three of your most significant sources as a precursor to the research paper. The goal is to survey and make sense of the research relevant to your topic. Think about what the sources have in common, how they differ, and how they are in conversation with one another. Does your field have one or more dominant approaches? Is there controversial new research that breaks with what has been done previously? The synthesis will help you establish and limit the context of your research questions, demonstrate a knowledge of the trends and issues that frame your position, evaluate the credibility of the available research, and establish your own credibility as a researcher. As a rhetorical model, take note of how the scholarly articles you are reading engage with one another in their first few pages.
Yes, you must include a Works Cited or References page, correctly formatted.
View a sample synthesis in PDF. This synthesis is a little longer than your page requirement, but it provides you with a good example. Your synthesis should be 2-3 pages. You will already have 100+ words written on each site from your annotated bibliography. Use those summaries as a basis to get started writing on the synthesis if you need to.