1. HOW TO CONSTRUCT A SYNTHESIS PAPER It ain’t easy.

2. BIG-PICTURE ORGANIZATION The Paper as a Whole

3. ■Introduction ■Background Information ■Body ■Looking to the Future ■Conclusion

4. ■Introduction ■Background Information ■Body ■Looking to the Future ■Conclusion Hook Thesis Forecast

5. ■Introduction ■Background Information ■Body ■Looking to the Future ■Conclusion Defines key terms Gives brief historical or technical overview

6. ■Introduction ■Background Information ■Body ■Looking to the Future ■Conclusion Divides issue into 3–4 subtopics Each subtopic is discussed in its own section/paragraph Purpose of each section is to synthesize the relevant sources in order to highlight the following sorts of things: agreement/disagreement what is known/what is unknown how the conversation has developed/where it stands today

7. ■Introduction ■Background Information ■Body ■Looking to the Future ■Conclusion Possible Subtopic Organizing Principles Methods Causes Effects Demographics Areas of Influence Pros and Cons Competing theories or explanations Solutions

8. ■Introduction ■Background Information ■Body ■Looking to the Future ■Conclusion Discusses the possible future of the issue Identifies future directions/methods/questions for research Identifies hurdles that must be overcome for debate to progress or resolve

9. ■Introduction ■Background Information ■Body ■Looking to the Future ■Conclusion Restates the thesis Reiterates the main points and findings of the synthesis Makes a case for the importance of future research/debate concerning the issue

10. ■Introduction ■Background Information ■Body ■Looking to the Future ■Conclusion 150 words 250 words 1200 words 250 words 150 words 2000 words

11. THESIS STATEMENTS Skull and Bones

12. A synthesis thesis statement should ■Make it clear that the paper is an expository synthesis paper (as opposed to an argument or something else). ■Express the bottom line: what is the current state of research/debate concerning your issue? ■Forecast the rest of the paper.

13. ■Recent publications have shown that it is imperative that the needs of the visually impaired be closely considered as the standards and protocols of this emerging market are formed so that global access to content can become an established part of the way content is produced and displayed. This literature review will consider what those needs are, how they have and have not been met in the past, and how digital print will figure into the future of print accessibility. ■A review of publications asking these questions reveals important problems and potential solutions concerning the authority over student work, the disparity between student and teacher perspectives regarding paper comments, and proposed methods of improving teacher responses to student writing. ■Recent studies have shown agreement on what effects the flat-tax would have on the economy and the simplicity of the tax system, but disagreement on whether the flat-tax is truly flat.

14. ■Recent publications have shown that it is imperative that the needs of the visually impaired be closely considered as the standards and protocols of this emerging market are formed so that global access to content can become an established part of the way content is produced and displayed. This literature review will consider what those needs are, how they have and have not been met in the past, and how digital print will figure into the future of print accessibility. ■A review of publications asking these questions reveals important problems and potential solutions concerning the authority over student work, the disparity between student and teacher perspectives regarding paper comments, and proposed methods of improving teacher responses to student writing. ■Recent studies have shown agreement on what effects the flat-tax would have on the economy and the simplicity of the tax system, but disagreement on whether the flat-tax is truly flat.

15. ■Recent publications have shown that it is imperative that the needs of the visually impaired be closely considered as the standards and protocols of this emerging market are formed so that global access to content can become an established part of the way content is produced and displayed. This literature review will consider what those needs are, how they have and have not been met in the past, and how digital print will figure into the future of print accessibility. ■A review of publications asking these questions reveals important problems and potential solutions concerning the authority over student work, the disparity between student and teacher perspectives regarding paper comments, and proposed methods of improving teacher responses to student writing. ■Recent studies have shown agreement on what effects the flat-tax would have on the economy and the simplicity of the tax system, but disagreement on whether the flat-tax is truly flat.

16. ■Recent publications have shown that it is imperative that the needs of the visually impaired be closely considered as the standards and protocols of this emerging market are formed so that global access to content can become an established part of the way content is produced and displayed. This literature review will consider what those needs are, how they have and have not been met in the past, and how digital print will figure into the future of print accessibility. ■A review of publications asking these questions reveals important problems and potential solutions concerning the authority over student work, the disparity between student and teacher perspectives regarding paper comments, and proposed methods of improving teacher responses to student writing. ■Recent studies have shown agreement on what effects the flat-tax would have on the economy and the simplicity of the tax system, but disagreement on whether the flat-tax is truly flat.

17. SOURCE INTEGRATION A Menu of Options

18. PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE Tell ‘em what you’ll tell ‘em; Tell it to ‘em; Tell ‘em what you told ‘em.

19. Body paragraphs/sections generally include ■Topic Sentence –The main idea or conclusion of the paragraph –Best to use “the research shows” or some such construction ■Evidence –Summary, paraphrase, and quotation from sources ■Commentary –Synthesizing language and explanations of connections ■Conclusion –Restate main idea

20. Researchers in this field agree that people need access to printed text. Strobel et al. claim that because printed materials “permeate every facet of our lives.... the average person with visual impairment experiences frustration every day” (89). Harrison further argues that because the loss of vision results in a “negative emotional reaction” akin to the grieving process, access to text through reading aids is important in combating “social isolation” (215). Indeed, research has shown that there is no qualitative difference in the way sighted and impaired people read. A study of Norwegian children with low vision found that despite their disability, the children used the same neurological processes to read as their able-bodies peers; thus, their reading differed quantitatively rather than qualitatively from sighted readers. The researchers add that because this quantitative difference can be improved upon by gaining further experience with and exposure to reading, it is important that low- vision students be given opportunities for additional practice: “when perception is difficult, as it is for students with low vision, it may affect the children’s motivation to read” (Bosman et al. 218). This requires texts accessible to readers regardless of their level of impairment.

24. Synthesizing Language  adds  analyzes  argues  asks  cites  compares  connects  continues  contradicts  contrasts  demonstrates  describes  details  dramatizes  elaborates  evaluates  explains  expresses  extends  generalizes

25. Synthesizing Language  illustrates  informs  interprets  introduces  lists  narrates  offers  opposes  predicts  presents  projects  proposes  qualifies  questions  quotes  reasons  rebuts  reflects  repeats  states

26. Synthesizing Language  speculates  suggests  summarizes  supports  synthesizes  traces  uses  agrees with  disagrees with  furthers this idea  complicates  counters  has a different opinion  goes in a different direction  refines that point  both x and y  neither x nor y  while x and y agree that…, z points out that…