2.3 Identifying and Synthesizing main ideas

Outline of this lesson

• understand the concept of "synthesis" in academic writing
• use a synthesis chart/table to organize ideas from three sources and identify similarities and differences between the sources
• transform information on synthesis chart into three coherent paragraphs that contain all of the integrated sources

Here's the Ppt for this lesson


A. About source synthesis 


1. Meaning of synthesis: to combine separate elements in order to form a whole.



2. What is a synthesis chart/table?

When we create a synthesis chart, we take several works and compare them, marking their similarities in order to see the whole picture.

e.g. Let's compare: Lord of the Rings V.S. Matrix V.S. Harry Potter I

• How can we compare these three movies to each other?
• What topics can we use to compare? Think of few perspectives for comparison.

Types of Synthesis: 

• Compare & contrast an idea
• Definition of a term/ concept
• Support a claim 

3. How to make a source-synthesis chart for academic essays?

• Make a list of what perspectives that you want to compare in terms of all three articles. 
• Choose 3 perspectives that you believe are the most relevant to the broader topic of the three articles. 
• After filling in your points, make notes of how each article relates to the other two articles in terms of each perspective.

4. Practice making a source-synthesis chart

Topic: Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

Quick questions:

• Have you ever used computer/internet resources to learn a new language?
• How was the experience? 
• What do you like most about it? 
• Would you recommend CALL?

source #1

article 1: The impact of computer-assisted language learning in teaching vocabulary

source #2

article 2: Teaching reading through computer-assisted language learning

source #3

article 3: The role of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in promoting learner autonomy

source-synthesis chart 




B. Three articles about animal testing: Comprehension

Article #1: Alternatives to animal testing gaining ground (assignment)

Comprehensive Questions 

• How do people respond to animal testing? What are some reasons for their positions?
• Is there another way to replace animal testing?
• What limitations do traditional animal testing have?

Article #2: The Price of Killing Off Animal Testing (for practice)

Comprehensive Questions

• What does the situation of animal testing look like in our community ?
• How are researchers trying to minimize the ethical issue that animal testing brings about?
• What are the costs of killing off animal testing?

Article #3: Avoiding Animal Testing (for practice)

Comprehensive Questions 

• What is the vision of US National Academy of Sciences? 
• Are there any potential technologies that can replace animal testing? Do they have any weaknesses?
• How does the situation of animal testing look like compared to that of the mid 70s?
• What are some advantages of non-animal testing methods?

C. Three articles about animal testing: Source-Synthesizing Table

• Work in groups of 3 for 10 minutes
• Each group please come up with 1 perspective/ topic that is discussed in the three articles about animal testing
• Use this Synthesis Table - Animal Testing (Blank). Fill in the table with information from the three articles about this perspective/ topic

D. Creating coherent paragraphs from your synthesis table

• Summary builds up your synthesis
• Synthesis process
• find and make the connection
• tie information
• you are the one doing the magic
• What are the differences between a summary and a synthesis? 
• summary v.s. synthesis table 
• summary or synthesis paragraph?

E. How to synthesize 

• three ways to synthesize sources
• similarity
• contrast
• accumulation
• synthesis structures
• introduction
• body paragraphs
• conclusion
• some reminders

F. Homework 


Based on the three articles about animal testing, and based on what we learned in this lesson,
1) complete your own source-synthesis table, 
2) complete the first draft of your synthesis essay before next class, and 
3) bring it to class on Wednesday.

We will do peer perception during our class next time, so it is very important that you are well prepared.