Explanatory Synthesis Essay: Essays are an essential part of education. They encourage students to write about topics that interest them, which help shape their intellectual growth. Essays also give students the opportunity to learn how to think critically and logically about issues, consider different perspectives, and articulate their thoughts through writing. One of the most common types of essays that students will come across is the synthesis essay.
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What is a Synthesis Essay?
A synthesis essay is a document that synthesises and condenses the information from different sources to create a coherent and well-structured argument or idea. The central idea behind a synthesis essay is to gather from two or more sources and then synthesise it to corroborate with a thesis.
Types of Synthesis Essay
There are 3 types of synthesis essay:
- Argumentative Synthesis Essay – An argumentative synthesis essay is a type of essay where you synthesize two or more perspectives and present your own arguments and justification as to why one side is correct.
- Explanatory Synthesis Essay – An explanatory synthesis essay requires the writer to analyze and synthesize information from various sources to create a single unified information that corroborates with a thesis. This type of essay is different from argumentative essays as the writer does not generally express his opinions unless they are factually accurate and verified.
- Literature Review Synthesis Essay – A literature review synthesis essay is an overview of the existing research in a particular area of study. You review studies in the field, identify gaps in knowledge, and propose new research goals.
In this article, we shall explore more about Explanatory Synthesis Essay in detail.
What is a Explanatory Synthesis Essay?
As mentioned previously, explanatory synthesis essay is an essay that is written in order to provide an explanation of something that has happened or is happening. The primary purpose of this essay is to create relevant information about a selected topic in a comprehensive and objective way. Essentially, the reader must gain a clearer or deeper perspective on the topic.
An important point of consideration is that an explanatory synthesis essay must not be biased. It must only state verified facts and the writer must also be careful with expressing their personal opinion.
Parts of an Explanatory Synthesis Essay
Like any other academic essay, an explanatory synthesis essay will consist of:
- An introduction
- A body
- A conclusion
Introduction: The introduction should be brief. This section must also explain how it relates to the rest of the paper. This paragraph can also be used to introduce any necessary terms related to the paper, relevant examples and any other details that provide a better context on the topic. In essence, the introductory paragraph must be unambiguous and not open to interpretation by the reader.
Body: The body of an explanatory synthesis essay must contain data that is collected from reliable sources about the same topic. For instance, if the essay’s topic is about the detrimental effects of plastic, then do not write sentences such as “I think / I believe plastic is harmful..” These sentences indicate bias or personal opinion – which is not typical for an explanatory synthesis essay.
Conclusion: Conclude the essay by summarising important facts and points. Also, ensure that there is no ambiguity in the concluding paragraph.
Points to Picking an Explanatory Synthesis Essay Topic
As discussed above, synthesis essays are not very open to interpretation and opinions, hence, the writer should carefully consider the following when selecting a topic for this type of essay:
- The topic must not be very general
- It has to be relevant
- Topic should not be vague
- Choose topics where factual data is easily accessible.
Important Essay Writing Tips and Guidelines
Regardless of the type of essay, the following tips and guidelines always ensures that the essay is academically relevant and also conforms to good writing practices:
- Do your research before you begin the essay – It is imperative that you do your research before you begin writing an essay. This will give you a better understanding of the topic at hand and ensure that you are able to produce quality work.
- Make sure your essay is well organized – Essay writing is a difficult process. To make it easier, you need to have a good organization for your essay. In the introduction, you should state your thesis and include a sentence about each of the three parts of an essay. In the body, you should have paragraphs with supporting evidence from the sources in the essay. In the conclusion, summarize the important points and other important details.
- Keep the essay concise: Concise essays are not only more readable but they also offer a more complete understanding of the topic. In general, the introduction provides a background to the essay as well as what is being studied or explored. It can also state what issue is being addressed and how it will be addressed.
- Use quotations and references: Quotations or excerpts offer outside perspective and additional information for the reader. Moreover, these can be used not just in essays, but also articles, blog posts and more.
- Do not use contractions or slang words: Contractions and slang words are often used in speech, but this is not a good idea in academic writing. Slang can sometimes be understood by a reader, but may seem unprofessional. Worst case scenario – the slang can cause confusion and lead to problems that may offend the reader.
FAQ’s on Explanatory Synthesis Essay
Question 1.
What is an Explanatory Synthesis Essay?
Answer:
An explanatory synthesis essay is a writing assignment that requires the student to synthesize information from several sources. The sources should cover a diverse range of viewpoints and stances on the issue being examined. This type of essay also does not cover the personal opinions of the writer.
Question 2.
What are the parts of an Explanatory Synthesis Essay?
Answer:
An explanatory synthesis essay includes three major parts: the Introduction (thesis statement,) Body (supporting evidence), and a conclusion.
Question 3.
What are the types of synthesis essays?
Answer:
There are 3 types of synthesis essays – Argumentative Synthesis Essay, Explanatory Synthesis Essay and Literature Review Synthesis Essay. The first two types are the most common and are regularly asked in schools and colleges.
Question 4.
What are some important essay writing tips and guidelines?
Answer:
When you are writing an essay, it is important to have a clear direction and structure. Be sure to have a defined topic sentence that clearly states the point of the essay. Also, in an explanatory synthesis essay, avoid using phrases that indicate personal opinion or bias. Do your research before you begin the essay. Make sure your essay is well organised, and do not use contractions or slang words. Lastly, do not forget to review the essay for grammar and spelling.