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SEE ATTACHED: SORRY FOR LATE UPLOAD
Hello,Class,
This week you are asked to continue developing the
synthesis grid that you started last week. I have included the synthesis grid link for quick reference.
www.iupui.edu/~uwc/pdf/Literature%20Review%20and%20Synthesis
Instructions
1. Your response for this activity will include the same research question that you used in your grid last week. Please be sure to state your research question by expressing a complete sentence.
2. You will also provide four (4) possible answers to your research question. It is okay to use the same answers that you developed last week, or you may develop four (4) new answers. Please provide a complete sentence(s) when stating your answers.
3. Then, you will provide a synthesis grid that includes brief statements, explaining what four (4) of your sources have to say about your research question. Note: You
cannot
use the same sources that you used last week. You will be using
four (4)
different
sources that you have located from the online databases.
4. As always, please provide feedback to at least two (2) classmates, offering any observations or suggestions.
Here’s how your response should look:
Research Question: ________________________
Possible answers: _________________________
Possible Answer 1
(provide a brief description or category name)
Possible Answer 2
(provide a brief description or category name)
Possible Answer 3
(provide a brief description or category name)
Possible Answer 4
(provide a brief description or category name)
Source A
(provide article title & author’s name)
Source B
(provide article title & author’s name)
Source C
(provide article title & author’s name)
Source D
(provide article title & author’s name)
Synthesis Grid
ESSAY 2
Class: As stated on the syllabus, your first draft of WA3 is worth ten percent (10%) of your final grade. The first draft that you submit should be a
completed
draft, meaning that it meets
all
of the requirements listed below (the instructions are also under Course Content).
Please ensure that your first draft is submitted in your
Assignments folder
(not your Study Group folder) by 11:59 P.M. on July 7.
I have attached some audio comments with additional details. Feel free to respond to this note with questions or concerns.
WRTG 291 – Assignment #3: Synthesis Essay
Courses that fulfill the General Education Requirements (GERs) at UMUC all have a common theme—
technological transformations
. In following this theme this semester in WRTG 291, we have examined numerous authors on the impact of technology on society. We will continue that analysis for writing assignment #3.
REQUIREMENTS
In your textbook,
Research Writing
, Chapter Six is entitled “Synthesis.” In that chapter, the authors note that the synthesis essay requires you to perform the following tasks: (1) to look at a group of sources that share a topic or interest, (2) to identify grounds for grouping the textual components, and 3) to organize this textual material under a controlling theme (p.65).
Your textbook also describes different types of synthesis essays (e.g. exploratory, literature review, and thesis-driven). For this writing assignment, you will write a
thesis-driven synthesis
essay on a
specific topic
that relates to one of the following themes introduced in your textbook:
a)
How are online technologies changing the way we live?
b)
How is technology changing our definition of what it means to be human?
c)
What role should technology play in education?
Note. Pages 81-86 of your textbook explain how to write a
thesis-driven synthesis
essay.
APPROACH
For your annotated bibliography (WA2), you conducted extensive research related to one of the technological transformation themes. For this reason, you already have a collection of sources that should help to get you started. You will most likely need to find additional sources for your thesis-driven synthesis essay since you are now focusing on a specific topic rather than just a theme.
With your present collection of sources, you can take the following steps:
·
First, analyze your sources to identify what topics and sub-topics the sources may have in common. Remember to identify a
specific topic
for writing the synthesis. Then, articulate this topic into a working thesis.
·
Secondly, you will need to identify relationships among the sources and then group them accordingly (refer back to your synthesis grid). You might find the section “Baseline Questions for Initial Reading” in the textbook (p. 68) to be helpful. You will spend some time searching for common ground within the texts that you choose. In addition, you will find the section, “In-depth Questions for Identifying Relationships among Texts” (p. 69) an effective resource. You will ask yourself what points you want to make about the sources that you’ve chosen.
·
Thirdly, find additional sources from the online databases as you narrow the topic for your paper. Keep in mind that your annotated bibliography was written on a broader level/topic. For the synthesis essay, therefore, you will likely need to focus the topic more as you further develop your working thesis.
·
Finally, using your working thesis, develop a draft that
synthesizes the material
that you’ve gathered from your chosen texts. Remember, you
are not
comparing and contrasting your sources; you are
synthesizing
the sources, which is different from writing a traditional research paper.
LENGTH
:
Your thesis-driven synthesis essay will be
1700-2300
words long, not including the References page. You are required to use
8 to 12 sources
for the essay.
ORGANIZATION
The following are some points to consider while organizing your thesis-driven synthesis essay:
·
The introduction should sum up the reason for the synthesis and introduce the texts to be synthesized. The purpose of the essay should be clearly introduced. The introduction should end with the thesis statement.
·
The body of the essay should be organized by the points of development related to your thesis (refer back to the categories that you identified in your synthesis grid). Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence, should integrate material (via paraphrases, quotations, and summaries) from
several
of your sources, and should clearly cite all sources to avoid plagiarism. The paragraphs should directly support the main point of the essay.
·
The conclusion should summarize what is learned from synthesizing the sources discussed in the essay.
DUE DATE
·
The first draft is due by
11:59 P.M. on July 7, 2013
and should be submitted in your
Assignments folder because the first draft will be graded.
·
After you have submitted the first draft of WA3, your instructor will then grade it and provide feedback/suggestions for revising the final draft that you will also submit for grading.
·
Your final draft of WA3 is due at the end of the semester,
July 28, 2013
.
·
Please note: twenty (20) penalty points will be imposed on the final graded draft if a student fails to submit the required first draft. In addition, the first draft will be also be penalized if it is submitted late without having prior approval for an extension.
GRADING
The following rubric will be used for grading:
Analytic Rubric
CRITERIA
4
3
2
1
COMMENTS
PART I: Introduces the topic and texts with an engaging introduction that states the problem; thesis statement conveys a specific purpose for writing the synthesis. (20%)
PART II: Develops the body of the essay by defending the thesis, synthesizing 8 to 12 secondary sources to show relationships to the thesis; the body of the essay integrates paraphrases, summaries, and quotations, as well as the writer’s commentary/analysis; APA citation is used (40%)
PART III: Employs a fluid writing style & word choice (15%)
PART IV: Maintains accurate grammar & punctuation (15%)
Part V: Features a compelling conclusion that reinforces the essay’s thesis (10%)
Total
Note: If an essay fails to include a title page and a References page in APA format, an automatic four (4) points will be deducted from the final essay grade (each page is worth two (2) points).
School of Liberal Arts
University Writing Center
“Because writers need readers”
Cavanaugh Hall 427 University Library 2125
(317)274-2049 (317)278-8171
www.iupui.edu/~uwc
Literature Review: Synthesizing Multiple Sources
The term “synthesis” means to combine separate elements to form a whole. Writing teachers often use
this term when they assign students to write a literature review or other paper that requires the use of a
variety of sources. When writing teachers use this term, they often hope that students will write papers
that make a variety of connections among source material so that their papers are not organized source-
by-source but are organized topic-by-topic to create a whole text. This handout is designed to help
students better use synthesis in their writing and will offer strategies in the areas of:
(1) pre-writing,
(2) writing,
(3) recognizing and
(4) revising for synthesis.
A common strategy for planning a synthesis paper is to create a “grid of common points.”
To create a grid follow these steps (note: be sure to see example grid on next page):
1. As you read your source material, take note of words or ideas that repeat themselves.
2. As you read your source material, also make note of conflicts or contradictions in the
information.
3. Based on the repetitions and contradictions you notice, write down the main research question
that the source material answers. A good research question should be open-ended.
4. Make a list of the key ways the research answers the question. Make sure your answers
account for both the contradictions and repetitions you discovered. Turn these answers into
“categories.”
5. Create a grid using authors’ names and categories as organizing features.
6. Fill in the grid with details from source material.
A grid of common points is a heuristic that allows a writer to group source material
into specific categories. These categories can help the writer organize the paper.
1. Planning a Synthesis Paper 1. Planning a Synthesis Paper
Sample Literature Review Grid of Common Points
Research Question: What role does capital punishment play in American society?
Possible Answers: Capital punishment plays the roles of deterrence, revenge, oppression, and
political leverage.
Author’s Names Deterrence Revenge Oppression Political
Leverage
Author A
Author B
Author C
Author D
Author E
Author F
In the blank boxes above, the writer would write down what each author
said about each category. Some boxes might be blank, but the more
complete the writer can make the boxes, the more well developed the final
paper will be.
TIP: When creating your grid, avoid creating only two categories. Try to create categories
that represent concerns that get repeated again and again in the source material.
1. Planning a Synthesis Paper (cont’d)
Once you have completed a grid of common points, you can begin writing your paper. When
you begin to write the body of the paper, you may want to follow these steps:
1. Select one common point and divide it into sub-topics that represent paragraph size “chunks.”
For example, capital punishment literature on the issue of deterrence has the following
sub-topics: (1) the public’s impression that capital punishment does deter crime,
(2) researchers’ impressions that capital punishment does not deter crime in most cases,
and (3) researchers’ impressions that capital punishment can lead to more crime.
2. For each “chunk” create a topic sentence that both (1) synthesizes the literature to be
discussed and (2) describes the literature to be discussed. Here are some example topic
sentences:
Much of the literature points out that while capital punishment does not deter crime, most
Americans still believe that it does deter crime.
(The first highlighted section synthesizes the literature, the second highlighted section
describes the literature).
Not only does the literature agree that capital punishment does not deter crime, some
literature suggests that capital punishment may in fact cause more crime.
(The first two highlighted sections synthesize the literature and the third highlighted
section describes the literature.)
3. Support the topic sentences you created in #2 with quotes and paraphrases from source
material. As you incorporate source material, make sure to use clear transitions that relate the
sources to each other and to your topic sentences.
(For more information about using and citing sources in text, see the Center’s handouts on MLA
format, APA format, and integrating sources.)
2. Writing a Synthesis Paper
The following are two parts of a student’s literature review. The first example is an early draft
of the literature review. The second example is a revised version. Notice how the student’s
revision makes better use of synthesis at both the paragraph and sentence level. The revised
example is also more accurate in its portrayal of the literature.
Unrevised Paragraph:
Much of the literature agrees that capital punishment is not a crime deterrent. According
to Judy Pennington in an interview with Helen Prejean, crime rates in New Orleans went up in
the eight weeks following executions. Jimmy Dunne notes that crime rates often go up in the
first two or three months following an execution. “Death and the American” argues that
America’s crime rate as a whole has increased drastically since the re-instatement of the death
penalty in the 1960s. This article notes that 700 crimes are committed for every 100,000
Americans. Helen Prejean cites Ellis in her book to note that in 1980 500,000 people were
behind bars and in 1990 that figure rose to 1.1 million.
Revised Paragraph(s):
The literature on capital punishment suggests that it fails as a deterrent in two key ways.
First, much of the literature suggests that capital punishment does not lower the crime rate. Helen
Prejean, in Deadman Walking, clearly notes that capital punishment does little to lower the crime
rate. Prejean argues that the “evidence that executions do not deter crime is conclusive […] the
U.S. murder rate is no higher in states that do not have the death penalty than those who do”
(110). Prejean’s point is reiterated from a historical perspective in “Death and the American.”
Here, the author notes that despite the social and economic upheavals that occurred from the
1930s to the 1960s, the crime rate barely changed (2). However, after the reinstatement of the
death penalty in the 1960s, the author notes that “crime rates soared” (2). Steven Hawkins points
out that law enforcement officials also agree that the death penalty has failed to stop crime. He
explains that a 1995 Peter D. Hart Research Associates survey found that police chiefs believe
the death penalty to be “the least effective way of reducing crime” (1).
Some of the literature suggests that, in addition to failing to lower the crime rate, capital
punishment can lead to more crime. In an interview with Helen Prejean, Judy Pennington notes
that in 1987, the crime rate in New Orleans went up 16.3 percent in the quarter following eight
executions (7). In Deadman Walking, Prejean elaborates on her position that capital punishment
can be related to an increase in crime. She notes that in Canada in 1975, the murder rate peaked
“one year before the death penalty was abolished” (110). Capital punishment opponents like
Thurgood Marshall and Donald Cabana agree with Prejean that capital punishment has failed as
a deterrent and cite similar statistical studies as evidence for this position (Fitzpatrick 3; Hawkins
1). Fitzpatrick also explains that Marshall would remind “us that the question with respect to
deterrence is not whether the death penalty is a deterrent but whether it is a better deterrent than
life in imprisonment” (53). The literature reviewed seems to overwhelmingly suggest that
capital punishment is not the better deterrent.
3. Recognizing Synthesis
4A. Improving Synthesis at the Paper Level 4B. Improving Synthesis at the Paragraph
Level
1. Write down the paper’s thesis or main 1. Select a paragraph to work with.
research question.
2. Highlight the synthesizing topic 2. Highlight the topic sentence.
sentence of each paragraph.
3. If a topic sentence is missing, draw 3. In every sentence highlight words
a star (*) next to the paragraph. that link the topic sentence and
source material.
4. Using pages 3 & 4 as guides, write 4. If links are missing, draw a slash (/)
topic sentences for every star. in front of the sentence.
5. If necessary, re-organize and combine 5. Where slashes appear, add transitions.
source material to fit with new topic sentences.
Handout created by T.B. Henning—Updated February 2011
Sources Consulted include:
Corn, Kevin, et al. Research and Argumentation. 2
nd
ed. IUPUI: HarperCollins, 1994. Print.
“Death and the American.” The Economist 21 June 1997: 1-2. Web. 1 Aug. 1997.
Fitzpatrick, Tracy B. “Justice Thurgood Marshall and Capital Punishment.” American Criminal Law Review 32.4
(1995): 1-17. Web. 1 Aug. 1997.
Hawkins, Steven. “Death at Midnight…Hope at Sunrise.” Corrections Today Aug. 1996: 1-2. Web. 1 Aug. 1997.
Pennington, Judy. “Helen Prejean.” The Progressive Jan. 1996: 1-9. Web. 1 Aug. 1997.
Prejean, Helen. Deadman Walking. New York: Random House, 1992. Print.
SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
University Writing Center
IUPUI
4. Revising a Synthesis Paper
121118_007
My Recording
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