Argument synthesis: This type of essay has a strong thesis statement that presents the writer’s point of view. It organizes relevant information gathered from research in a logical manner to support the thesis’ point of view. Business white papers known as position papers often take this form. This is the type of synthesis essay that students will write during the AP test. Review: Often written as a preliminary essay to an argument synthesis, a review essay is a discussion of what has been written previously on a topic, with a critical analysis of the sources covered. Its unstated thesis is usually that more research needs to be done in that area or that the topic problem has not been adequately addressed. This type of paper is common in social science classes and in medicine. Explanatory/background synthesis: This type of essay helps readers understand a topic by categorizing facts and presenting them to further the reader’s understanding. It does not advocate a particular point of view, and if it has a thesis statement, the thesis is a weak one. Some business white papers take this form, although they are more likely to have a point of view, if understated.
Example of a broad topic narrowed down into a reasonable synthesis essay topic: Instead of the broad topic of Social Media, you could discuss your view on the effects texting has had on the English language. If you’ve been assigned a topic as part of a class, make sure you read the prompt carefully and fully understand it.
Keep in mind that it’s better to do three sources well than to do five sources incompletely. Annotate each source by writing notes in the margins. This allows you to keep track of your train of thought, developing ideas, etc.
Example: Texting has had a positive impact on the English language as it has helped the millennial generation create their own form of the language.
If you wish to take on a claim by an opponent of your idea, and to poke holes in it, you should also find some ideas or quotes that go against your thesis statement, and plan ways to disprove them. This is called a concession, refutation, or rebuttal, which can strengthen your argument if you do it well. Example: For the thesis statement listed above, excellent sources would include quotes from linguists discussing the new words that have developed through ’text-speak’, statistics that show the English language has evolved with almost every generation, and facts that show students still have the ability to write with the use of grammar and spelling (which your opponents would bring up as the main reason texting has had a negative effect on the English language).
The introductory paragraph: 1. An introductory sentence that acts as a hook, capturing the reader’s interest. 2. Identification of the issue you will be discussing. 3. Your thesis statement. The body paragraphs: 1. Topic sentence that gives one reason to support your thesis. 2. Your explanation and opinion of the topic sentence. 3. Support from your sources that backs up the claim you just made. 4. Explanation of the significance of the source(s). The conclusion paragraph: 1. State further significance of your topic from the evidence and reasons you discussed in the essay. 2. A profound thought or thoughtful ending for your paper.
Example/illustration. This may be a detailed recount, summary, or direct quote from your source material that provides major support for your point of view. You may use more than one example or illustration, if your paper calls for it. You should not, however, make your paper a series of examples at the expense of supporting your thesis. Straw man. With this technique, you present an argument opposed to the argument stated in your thesis, then show the weaknesses and flaws of the counter-argument. This format shows your awareness of the opposition and your readiness to answer it. You present the counter-argument right after your thesis, followed by the evidence to refute it, and end with a positive argument that supports your thesis. [6] X Research source Concession. Essays with concessions are structured similar to those using the straw man technique, but they acknowledge the validity of the counter-argument while showing that the original argument is stronger. This structure is good for presenting papers to readers who hold the opposing viewpoint. Comparison and contrast. This structure compares similarities and contrasts differences between two subjects or sources to show the facets of both. Writing an essay with this structure requires a careful reading of your source material to find both subtle and major points of similarity and difference. This kind of essay can present its arguments source-by-source or by points of similarity or difference.
Summary. This structure presents summaries of each of your relevant sources, making a progressively stronger argument for your thesis. It provides specific evidence to support your point of view, but usually omits presenting your own opinions. It’s most commonly used for background and review essays. List of reasons. This is a series of sub-points that flow from the main point of your paper as stated in its thesis. Each reason is supported with evidence. As with the summary method, reasons should become progressively more important, with the most important reason last.
Your essay should have an introductory paragraph that includes your thesis, a body to present evidence that supports your thesis, and a conclusion that summarizes your point of view.
Lengthy quotes of three lines or more should generally be set off as block quotes to better call attention to them. [9] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
Ask someone else to proofread your paper. The saying “two heads are better than one” still holds true. Ask a friend or colleague what would they add or remove from the paper. Most importantly, does your argument make sense, and is it clearly supported by your sources?
Read the paper aloud to guarantee that you don’t accidentally add in or take out words when reading in your head. If you can, get a friend or classmate to proofread your essay as well.
Example title:: English and the iPhone: Exploring the Benefits of ‘Text-Speak’
