Day 16: Comparative Language & Source Synthesis

Objectives:

Students will be able to…

• Create a synthesis chart as a basis for writing a source-synthesis summary
• Compare and contrast texts based on their main ideas using compare/contrast language
• Translate their chart information into a source-synthesis summary draft

Part I: Comparative Language Structures [9:30-9:50 (20min)]

To start today's class, we will be picking up where we left on on Tuesday and working in small groups looking at language commonly found when making a comparison. Please click here to access the handout. I will be giving time to practice using the comparative language and then we will go over student samples. I will also be giving you a handout that gives alternative samples of academic text that use these structures.

*Other than similarity and contrasts, what other ways can we "compare" sources?

Part II: Analyzing Synthesized Materials [9:50-10:15 (25 min)]

To begin our discussion on Source Synthesis, I would you to discuss the following questions in small groups with your classmates:

1) What does the term "Synthesis" mean?

2) Why might source synthesis be a necessary skill to learn for academic writing?

3) What do you find (or think might be) difficult or easy about this task?

Now, please refer to the handout titled Comparative Summaries. This handout discusses common graduate level homework and essay writing prompts that will require synthesizing sources. Also, we will take a look at two summaries written for a psychology take home exam and analyze them in terms of their strengths and weaknesses.   

Part III: Source Synthesis Chart/Practice  [10:15-10:35 (20min)]

Now, we are going to practice synthesis of source via making charts that organize our ideas. This will assist us in creating our final source-synthesis summary. Please open up the following: Source-SynthesisChart and Summary PowerPoint  and follow along on your computers or on the big screen.

Part III: Practice Synthesis Chart [10:35-10:50 (15 min)]synthesis chart template. 

For the last portion of class today, I would like to give you time to work on your charts and/or first draft of your paper. Consider the following when constructing your chart:

1. Make a list of comparison points for all three articles. You should know what is important in each one now that you’ve written summaries of them. 

2. Choose THREE points that you believe are the most relevant to the broader topic. Add these to the chart under "points."

3. After filling in your points, make note of how each article relates to the others in terms of each point.

Homework: Your Source Synthesis Chart and First Draft of the Source Synthesis Paper are due on Tuesday, Oct 23rd. We will be doing peer review so please bring 2 copies for your classmates. Titled the assignment NAME Synthesis Draft 1 and NAME Synthesis Chart to your Unit 2 folder.