Synthesize and Create an Argument! Junior English: The American Dream and Synthesis Writing

True Synthesis… Taking a little of this and a little of that and creating something new! Like a recipe…sugar, flour, eggs, milk, butter= cake! You wouldn’t want a section of a pan to be flour, a section eggs, a section milk…yuck.

Still confused? Look at the word… What is a THESIS? Your statement to be proved-- your argument. “Syn”? It’s a Latin root—means “put together”

So… In a synthesis essay you are creating an argument (thesis) by putting together different sources.

How do we synthesize? 1. Identify common key points, ideas, or claims across multiple sources (print, audio, visual) 2. Establish a NEW argument based on the claims presented in the sources. a. Should be a central idea b. Should take a position c. Position should be clear in thesis 3. Make sure the common ideas support your new claim. 4. Organize specific material from those sources according to the big ideas that support your new claim.

Source Source Source Source Claim Claim Claim New Thesis/ Argument 1st 2nd Claim Claim Claim New Thesis/ Argument 3rd

What are WE synthesizing? You will be synthesizing the sources we have used to analyze the American Dream. Article: And they still come to America Article: Keeping the Dream Alive Any of your three interviews

Synthesis Must-haves: A thesis statement that clearly takes a position Key ideas/claims that represent MOST of your sources Two or more different sources CITED in each paragraph (one direct quote, one paraphrase/summary)

How do I set up my synthesis paragraph? Topic Sentence: write your topic sentence based on what you can prove using most sources. Point #1/Reason #1 (Your opinion) Support from Source(s) Relevancy statement… “So what?” Transition Sentence Point #2/Reason #2 (Your opinion) Analysis of the Topic Sentence… “So what?” Concluding Sentence

Writing Tips: Take a position…don’t ride the fence. Work in steps…PLAN! Use a variety of citations—direct quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing ALWAYS cite (give credit to) your sources. Don’t forget the “So what” factors—they’re the meat of the argument and represent YOUR thoughts.

Establishing an EFFECTIVE thesis… expresses the central conclusion of your research findings and is the controlling idea of your essay; in essence, it states what you are trying to prove.

Establishing an EFFECTIVE thesis… A good thesis statement will make a claim. Develop an interesting perspective that you can support and defend. This perspective must be more than an observation. “America is violent” is an observation. “Americans are violent because they are fearful” is an argument. Why? Because it states an opinion. It makes a claim.

Establishing and EFFECTIVE thesis… A good thesis statement will control the entire argument. Your thesis sentence determines what you are required to say in a paper. It also determines what you cannot say. Every paragraph in your paper exists in order to support your thesis.

Example EFFECTIVE thesis statements… (Controlling ideas) Teenagers are wired to multi-task, which should prompt American schools to reform the public school structure. Exposure to multiple technologies is preparing young adults to better manage their lives. Technology is detrimental to face-to-face communication. Though multi-tasking is a necessary skill, technology is hindering teens from doing any one thing, well.

Your turn! Based on your conclusions from all sources, create an EFFECTIVE thesis statement that: Takes a position Can be supported by many key claims made in the above sources Is CLEARLY communicated in ONE sentence. Is grammatically correct