Advanced Topics
In a nutshell: Synthesizing sources means combining multiple perspectives into your own unique response.
## Combining Ideas
The source-based essay requires you to bring together information from different texts. Synthesis means weaving these ideas into a unified, original response, not just summarizing each source.
### How to Synthesize
- **Read Carefully:** Identify the main idea of each source.
- **Find Connections:** Look for themes or points of agreement/disagreement.
- **Integrate Sources:** Combine information in your own words, using quotations or paraphrasing when appropriate.
- **Cite Properly:** Give credit to the sources you use.
## Real-World Uses
Teachers often synthesize information from textbooks, research, and student data to make informed decisions or create lesson plans.
Examples
- Merging statistics from two articles to support a claim about student motivation.
- Paraphrasing ideas from different sources in a research-based report.