Assignment: Synthesis
This assignment is a progression from previous essays, both the profile and the critique. During the semester, students have written two essays that helped them become skilled in a variety of writing strategies, such as describing, narrating, using specific details, writing summary and analysis, conducting researching and critiquing another writer’s essay. In this last essay of the semester, students will also be synthesizing sources to show how they relate to each other. A synthesis essay integrates support from multiple sources with different or similar views and identifies how the sources’ ideas and points of view relate to each other.
Prompt or Topic: Write a synthesis essay that asserts how an individual has impacted their culture.
Purpose: To write a synthesis essay that explores and analyzes the impact of an individual on their culture. This assignment helps develop skills in research, synthesis, and analytical writing skills.
Audience: The audience is your classmates, teacher, and others interested in academic writing.
Guidelines:
Choose a Person: Select a person who has had a significant impact on their culture. You may choose the same person you described in the profile essay or choose someone else from the list provided. If you would like to choose someone who is not on the list, please contact me.
Conduct Research: Gather a total of five sources. Include two sources from the databases at Santa Fe College, such as JSTOR or Academic Search Complete.
Develop a Thesis Statement: Create a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines the main argument of your essay. Your thesis should reflect how the person has influenced their culture in specific ways.
Create an Outline: Organize your thoughts and structure your essay. A typical outline might include:
Introduction:
Introduce the person and provide some background information.
Present your thesis statement.
Paragraph 1:
Discuss the first major way the person influenced their culture.
Provide evidence and examples from two or more sources.
Paragraph 2:
Discuss the second major way the person influenced their culture.
Provide evidence and examples from two or more sources.
Paragraph 3:
Discuss the third major way the person influenced their culture.
Provide evidence and examples from two or more sources.
Conclusion:
Summarize the key points discussed in the body paragraphs.
Restate the thesis in light of the evidence presented.
Offer a final thought.
Write Essay:
Introduction: Start with an engaging opening sentence to capture the reader’s interest. Provide some context about the person and their significance. End the introduction with your thesis statement.
Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of the person’s influence. Begin with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. Follow with evidence and examples and explain how these support your thesis.
Conclusion: Summarize the main points and restate the thesis. Emphasize the person’s overall influence on their culture and leave the reader with something to ponder.
Revision: Review your essay with the Checklist for Essay 3. Ensure that your sources are documented in MLA style and that your essay is submitted in MLA paper format.
Submissions: Submit your rough draft Week 6, Monday, June 17, and the completed essay Friday, June 21, through Saturday, June 22, the last day of class.
Tips for Success:
Stay Focused: Keep your writing focused on the thesis statement and ensure that each paragraph supports your main argument.
Use Transitions: Use transitional phrases to connect ideas between paragraphs and maintain the flow of your essay.
Be Concise: Make your points clearly and concisely. Avoid unnecessary repetition or overly complex sentences.
Document Sources: Properly cite all the sources you use to avoid plagiarism and to give credit to the original authors.
Synthesize: Check that sources are synthesized in each body paragraph.
Participate in Peer Review: Post your rough draft to the Week 6 Discussion: Peer Review of Essay 3 and write reviews.
Post Rough Draft: Ask questions and get feedback from me.
Checklist: Compare your final draft to the Checklist for Essay 3.
Example Thesis Statements:
“Steve Jobs revolutionized modern technology and popular culture through his innovative product designs, his pioneering work in personal computing, and his visionary approach to user experience, which continue to influence the tech industry and everyday life.”
“Frida Kahlo significantly influenced Mexican culture through her unique artistic style, her portrayal of indigenous Mexican traditions, and her role as a feminist icon, challenging traditional gender roles and inspiring future generations of artists and activists.”
Checklist for Essay 3
Range of Quality
E = Excellent, all aspects of the criteria listed are met.
G = Good, most aspects of the criteria listed are met.
S = Satisfactory, few aspects of the criteria are met
NW = Needs Work, no aspects of the criteria are met.
Use this checklist to review your own essay. Next, write two paragraphs or more explaining changes you have made as a result of this final check to earn up to five extra points on your essay grade. Include your explanation on the same document as your essay after the Works Cited page.
My MLA paper format
Has a left header with my full name, the teacher’s name and title, the name of the class, and the date with day, month, and year. It appears only on the first page.
Has a right header with my last name and a page number. It repeats on every page.
My word count
Is at least 1,000 to 1,200
My introduction
Introduces the person and provides some background information.
Presents the thesis statement at the end.
Is five to eight sentences.
My thesis
Is clear and concise and outlines the main point of the essay.
Reflects how the person has influenced their culture in specific ways.
Each of my topic sentences
Reflects thesis content and organization.
Organizes its paragraph.
Is located at the beginning of a paragraph
Each of my body paragraphs:
Discusses a major way the person influenced their culture.
Provide evidence and examples from two or more sources.
Includes a topic sentence at the beginning.
Is developed with eight sentences.
Synthesizes information from two or more sources by showing connections between them with words like “similarly,” “on the contrary,” and others. (Not all sources have to agree.)
Introduces each source with the author, title, and a brief summary before quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing.
Includes two to three quotations in each body paragraph.
Integrates quotations so that the writing reads clearly and smoothly.
Ends with a conclusion sentence that refers back to the main idea.
My evidence
Includes a total of five sources to support my thesis: two sources from the library databases at Santa Fe College, for example JSTOR or Academic Search Complete, and three credible sources from other locations.
Is documented according to MLA style with signal phrases, in-text citations, and a Works Cited page.
My conclusion
Avoids unnecessary phrases such as “In conclusion” or “To sum it all up.”
Is four or five sentences.
Reminds readers of the main points from the thesis and body paragraphs.
Ends with a final thought.
My writing
Follows requirements for academic writing by removing unnecessary pronouns: first-person pronouns: “I,” “me,” “my,” “we,” “us,” “our.”
Does not address readers as “you/your.” (First-person pronouns and second-person pronouns can be replaced by words such as “one,” “the reader,” “readers,” and “the viewer.”)
My essay organization follows the structure provided in the assignment.
My essay
has been proofread and does not contain errors that impede meaning
