Tips for Writing the Synthesis Essay

Take a position and DEFEND it! Be sure that your paper reads like a persuasive argument in diction and tone. It’s okay to address the other side of the issue, but you are really trying to disprove it. Use the documents as evidence; they must tie in to your purpose.

Read through ALL the documents! If you stop after reading the first three, you run the risk of missing out on a stronger piece that may better prove your point. The first three documents may not be the three that are most cohesively combined. It’s obvious when a student hasn’t read all the sources and makes a weak argument because they were too lazy to read the other three.

Incorporate COMPLETE quotes! Example: A museum isn’t founded by a greedy businessman, “If the only reason… existence”, but rather someone who truly enjoys what art has to offer to the public (D). Is this a good or a poor use of a quote? What is the (D)?

Incorporate COMPLETE quotes! It’s okay to quote from the middle of the sentence. Leaving out the part of the quote that connects to your purpose doesn’t make sense. The reader should not have to access the documents to understand your point.

Quotes must have a context! Example from the beginning of a paragraph: Money is always an issue. “Our financial woes were exacerbated by a poor management structure” (source A). Finances and management are two factors that affect the museum industry. Is this a good or a poor use of a quote? What is the (source A)?

Quotes must have a context! Your paper should synthesize the evidence, not drop it in randomly. As in any other paper you write, the synthesis essay needs to flow. Before inserting a quote provide the context from whence it comes: Money is always an issue, even for a notably wealthy family like the Rockefellers. David Rockefeller describes how his family’s financial woes were “exacerbated by poor management structure” (source A).

Be careful how you utilize the word “that”. The word “that” is usually placed in front of a statement that is paraphrased, not a direct quote: Incorrect: Rockefeller said that “no one wanted to antagonize important trustees.” Correct: Rockefeller states, “No one wanted to antagonize important trustees.” Correct: Rockefeller said that going against the museum’s financial backers was not an option.

Avoid making bold, general claims! This alienates your audience, and it makes you seem less credible. Example: The most important thing in a person’s life is their legacy and it’s the museum’s job to preserve everything within its walls, both tangible and intangible. Example: This is the sole reason why people invest time and money into museums because over time that person could become rich beyond their wildest dreams. Example: Most people think museums are boring places filled with boring stuff that no one really cares about.

Avoid making bold, general claims. Qualify your claim. Example: Some people truly value their legacy and trust in museums to preserve their culture for future generations. Example: While some people choose to invest their time and money into museums as a way to turn a profit, others do so out of an appreciation for art and history. Example: Though some people appreciate museums more than others, these institutions serve as a way to educate the public.

Always credit your source. Example 1: At the end of the sentence--notice the punctuation: A museum’s true concerns should be “money and education” (source D). Example 2 (Within the sentence as context): As noted in document D, a museum’s true concerns should be “money and education”.

Be sure your quote actually proves your point! For instance, if you believe that museums should be organized and focus primarily on one type of history or art, then it would not make sense to use the document on Charles Peale’s museum which combined art work, a zoo, and “an intriguing assembly of biological oddities” (source B).

Be sure your claim is logical. If you make the claim that museum exhibits should primarily make money, it is not logical to assume that Colonial Williamsburg’s “sanitized” exhibit would be more profitable if it were dirtier.