Drafting Organization & Synthesis

Organize Sources As you gather research material, annotate each source:  Highlight  Marginal notes  Notecards  Written notes

Paraphrase  Don’t just copy key points – paraphrase them  Copy quoted material from the original, not from your notes  Use direct quotes sparingly – prefer paraphase

Analysis Source ASource BSource C Point 1 Point 2 Point 3

Synthesis Topic 1Topic 2 Point 1 (Source A)Point 2 (Source C) Point 3 (Source C)Point 1 (Source B) Point 2 (Source B)

Synthesis in Practice Source: Committee on Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years, National Research Council. Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years

Organize Draft Two levels of organization:  Paragraph structure: One main point (topic sentence) per paragraph  Overall structure: Topic sentences all support thesis

Essay Structure Thesis Topic 1 Support Topic 2 Support

Overall Organization  Each topic should develop the thesis  Ordered by  Importance  Most to least important  Least to most important  Sequence (chronological)  Logic  General to specifics (Deduction)  Specifics to general (Induction)

Introduction  The overall organization should be evident in the introduction  If you mention three main points, they should be in the order in which they appear in the essay  Write the introduction last

Paragraph Structure  Within paragraphs (or sections of paragraphs), one main idea should be evident  Explicit or implicit topic sentence  The main idea should be your synthesis of key points from sources  Most paragraphs should have more than one source of support

Incorporating Sources  Prefer paraphrase for short passages  Use summary for lengthy material  Quote only when necessary:  Source is very well phrased and eloquent  Source is one with which you disagree

Signal Phrases  Use signal phrases to introduce sources material, especially quotes  “According to...”  Use the signal phrase to give context and authority  Always use signal phrase before a block quote

Mechanics  Short quote Signal phrase, “quoted material.” 1 Signal phrase, “quoted material” (citation).  Long quote Signal clause (independent clause): Quoted material of at least three lines, indented five spaces. (citation)

Blended quotes Blended quotes work as part of the sentence: Several researchers point the “the prevalence of obesity in children...”

Adding and Deleting  If you change anything in a quote, you must indicate the change:  Ellipsis indicate a deletion  … for a deletion within a sentence  …. For a deletion of a sentence or more  Brackets indicate an addition  “When I last spoke with him [Mr. Smith]...”  [ sic ] indicates an error in the original

Sample Papers