Synthesis

Learning Objectives

  • Explain synthesis

What is Synthesis?

Key Takeaway: Synthesis

Synthesis is the process of combining multiple ideas to create something new. In reading and writing, this means integrating information from different sources to form new insights or arguments.

Synthesis differs from analysis, which involves breaking something down into its parts to examine them closely. For example, analyzing a pizza means identifying its ingredients, while synthesizing means taking those ingredients and creating something new, like a calzone.

Synthesis is also different from summarizing. A summary condenses someone else’s ideas into a brief restatement, while synthesis combines ideas to develop new ones.

Try It

Synthesis is something you already do in your everyday life.

Examples: Everyday synthesis

  • Choosing a College or Career Path – You gather information from school counselors, personal interests, job market trends, and advice from family and friends. Instead of picking a career based on one factor, you combine insights to make the best decision for your future.
  • Purchasing a Car – You research different models, compare safety ratings, fuel efficiency, and features, read reviews, and consider your budget. Instead of relying on a single source, you combine information from multiple places to make the best decision for your needs.
  • Parenting Decisions – Parents take advice from books, family, personal experiences, and experts, then adapt different strategies to raise their child in a way that aligns with their values and situation.
  • Choosing a Workout Plan – You might read about different fitness routines, watch YouTube videos, and consider advice from trainers. Rather than following one source exactly, you combine techniques to create a personalized workout plan.
  • Decorating a Room – You gather ideas from Pinterest, interior design magazines, and furniture stores. Instead of copying one design, you blend different styles to create a space that reflects your personality.
  • Commuting to Class – When you get ready to head to class, you consider factors like travel time, cost, parking availability, weather, and available transportation options (driving, biking, public transit, or walking). Instead of choosing one method blindly, you combine this information to find the most efficient and practical way to get to class.

It is the analysis across sources that moves you towards an answer to your question.

Early in an academic research project, you are likely to find yourself making initial comparisons—for example, you may notice that Source A arrives at a conclusion very different from that of Source B—but the task of synthesis will become central to your work when you begin drafting your research paper or presentation.

Remember, when you synthesize, you are not just compiling information. You are organizing that information around a specific argument or question, and this work—your own intellectual work—is central to research writing.

Watch It

You can view the transcript for “Synthesizing What You Read” here (opens in new window).

GLOSSARY

synthesis: the combining of two or more things to produce something new