WEEK 11: OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 6
Reading
- WC “Synthesizing Your Research Findings” (Photinos) [1 page]
- WS2 “Annoying Ways People Use Sources” (Stedman) [15 pages]
Turn In
- Research Rough Draft [Blackboard]
Writer’s Journal Prompt [Blogs@Baruch]
Finding sources to respond to a research question can be challenging, but depending on your confidence level you might find it even more challenging to incorporate those sources into your writing. Often, beginning writers copy and paste lots of quotations into their essays. This might show that there are lots of people writing about a topic, but it doesn’t do much rhetorically to present a new argument in the writer’s voice.
In Synthesizing Your Research Findings Photinos suggests, “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.” She also explains:
[S]ynthesis is about pulling together information from a range of sources in order to answer a question or construct an argument. It is something you will be called upon to do in a wide variety of academic, professional, and personal contexts. Being able to dive into an ocean of information and surface with meaningful conclusions is an essential life skill. (Photinos)
When is a time you had to synthesize information beyond a school project like to make a large purchase (ex: your first car or computer), decide between options (ex: selecting what college or university to attend), or educate yourself on a topic (ex: to learn a new skill, understand a medical condition), etc.
- What did it look like?
- What information gaps or unanswered questions were there?
- How did pieces of information speak to one another or add to one another to help you make a determination, answer a question, make a choice, etc.?
Now, look to the sources you have. Use a technique like mapping or charting or even just listing to identify similarities and differences, agreements and disagreements between your sources. What seems to be “settled” (the sources generally agree it’s fact/the truth) and what is “unsettled” (the sources don’t agree or it seems up for debate)?
When you identify those connections and points of debate, where do you want to insert your voice to join the conversation and make your own argument? What are you arguing for and how is it supported by these sources?
Research Rough Draft [Blackboard]
Assignment Sheet available on Blogs@Baruch.