Writing Synthesis Essays

When you write a synthesis essay, your focus should be on "synthesizing" provided source material in order to support your own opinion.

• True

• False

You get 15 minutes to read through the source material, but you can start writing before your time is up.

• True

• False

Synthesis writing is argumentative in nature.

• True

• False

You should never take a stance before reading the accompanying sources.

• True

• False

Your thesis statement should be structured like an argumentative thesis.

• True

• False

The synthesis prompt has only one answer: it is not open to interpretation.

• True

• False

Use source material that illustrates the points you make and cite them appropriately and consistently-- either use the "Source A, Source B..." citation or the descriptions in parentheses. Don't go back and forth.

• True

• False

Be sure to analyze the source material: you can do this by explaining how it illustrates your point or arguing how the source is incorrect.

• True

• False

Try to integrate your source material as smoothly and naturally as possible into your sentences.

• True

• False

It's your world, and the sources are just living in it.

• True

• False