How to write a synthesis essay in 6 steps.
Learn how to write a synthesis essay that presents a unique perspective with reputable sources to support the claims.
Whether you’re a high school or university student, you’ve probably heard of a synthesis essay at some point, but perhaps you need some guidance on how to write one. Learning how to write a college essay or a high school paper takes patience, time, dedication, and research, but soon enough, you’ll be on your way to writing an engaging synthesis essay.
Read on to learn how to write a good synthesis essay with some formatting information, best practices, tips, and more.
What is a synthesis essay?
A synthesis essay is a type of academic writing that asks the writer to merge information from multiple sources and present an argument on a particular topic.
An example of a synthesis essay is social media’s impact on cognitive development. You could include sources from psychologists, neurologists, and other academic sources focusing on brain function.
How do you start a synthesis essay?
Begin by brainstorming and researching topics you are curious or passionate about. AI prompts can be helpful for sparking ideas for your synthesis essay.
You'll begin by gathering reputable, reliable sources to support your topic. These may include academic journals, research papers, books, and other credible sources. Read through sources to ensure they present unbiased, accurate, and timely information directly related to your thesis.
Once your sources are selected, group the ones with similar themes.
The introduction is the starting point of your synthesis essay. This is where you introduce the text you are synthesizing and present a summary of the text along with any background information. The background information and summary should be brief.
You’ll write the core ideas of your essay in an introductory paragraph with your thesis statement, which states your key argument in a sentence or two. If you’re wondering how to write a thesis statement, think of it as three main parts — the topic, the claim, and the major points.
Now that you know how to start a synthesis essay, let’s dive into how you format one.
What are the 6 steps in writing a synthesis?
A strong synthesis essay starts with curiosity and passion for a topic and ends with a fresh perspective that makes your reader see a topic in a different light. Your thesis essay format will depend on the guidelines stated for the project.
Formatting will vary depending on whether it needs to follow APA, MLA, AP, or the Chicago Manual of Style. You can use an essay template to guide you through.
The following are the steps you need to write your synthesis essay:
1. Pick and research a topic.
Think about a few different ideas for your essay’s topic and prioritize the ones that pique your interest the most. Once you choose a topic, read through a variety of sources to gain a full understanding of it. Choose unbiased, credible sources with an objective viewpoint. Academic primary sources and scientific studies will help you find the quotes and statistics you need to support your point.
2. Summarize your point.
Outline how every source relates to your topic and supports your perspective. Your essay should argue a certain perspective, so find content with a common theme or perspective between the sources.
3. Create your introduction.
This first paragraph serves to present the general idea of your paper, showcase background information, and hold your reader’s attention. Your thesis statement is typically included at the end of this introductory paragraph.
4. Write your body paragraphs.
This essay typically contains three body paragraphs. Each of these paragraphs should contain information supporting your thesis and pull evidence from each source. Discuss common themes between your sources and how they relate to the text. Include counterarguments, then show how your sources dismantle those claims.
5. End with a strong conclusion and bibliography.
At this point, you’ll summarize your entire paper in your conclusion by restating your thesis and summarizing the concepts you discussed throughout your essay. You should include a source list at the end of your paper to give credit to your sources. This list will be one to two pages, and depending on the guidelines, formatted in APA, MLA, AP, or the Chicago Manual of Style.
6. Proofread.
Read through your essay multiple times and make changes as needed before sharing it. Proofreading demonstrates professionalism and will make you a more reliable source. Asking for peer feedback can give you a fresh perspective and a fresh set of eyes to point out anything you may have overlooked.
What to avoid when writing a synthesis essay.
Now that you know all the components that make up a synthesis essay, let’s cover some things to avoid and some best practices that can help you write an engaging thesis essay:
- Creating an unclear thesis statement. Your thesis statement can make or break your essay. A poor thesis statement can confuse the reader and steer them away from the central point you are trying to make.
- Focusing too much on summarizing. Your essay shouldn’t be a restatement of your sources. Analyze and synthesize the information to create your own perspective.
- Integrating sources incorrectly. While quotes and statistics are important to include, the point of this essay is to share your own analysis. You don’t want the majority of your essay to consist of quotes and statistics from other people. Introduce your sources, and then explain why they support your point.
Once you’ve finished your essay, convert it to PDF so it can be easily shared and look uniform across devices.
Synthesis essay vs. argumentative essay.
While both require substantial research and resources, key differences exist between a synthesis essay and an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay is a type of synthesis essay, and a synthesis essay encompasses a larger number of essays that require research, multiple sources, and a thesis statement that states the purpose of the essay.
An argumentative essay tries to persuade the reader toward a specific viewpoint. Like a synthesis essay, a strong thesis statement is necessary to share the purpose of the paper. The argumentative essay uses a persuasive tone, presenting evidence to support the stated claim while at the same time acknowledging counterarguments.
A synthesis essay, on the other hand, is written to study information from multiple sources while presenting a fresh perspective. When writing one, you’ll identify similarities and differences between the sources and present a comprehensive understanding of the topic with a new conclusion based on the sources you choose.
Do more with Adobe Acrobat.
You’ve learned how to write synthesis essay steps and best practices, and now you can use Adobe Acrobat features like the PDF editor to leave comments and ask for feedback from peers.
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