CRITICAL THINKING:
SYNTHESIS
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Synthesis is the creation or putting together of your own arguments to support your viewpoint, but it involves more than just summarising individual texts. Often you will need to synthesise information from two or more sources and again this may involve several approaches, such as:
- simple presentation of similar (or differing) viewpoints
- presentation of viewpoints, but with additional comments by you
- presentation of viewpoints in support (or in challenge) to your own viewpoint
It is a weakness in many students who, having worked hard to research a subject, then fail to present the arguments clearly or understate their conclusions. Don't let that happen to you; make sure you subject your own work to critical analysis. Typically this will involve:
- Clearly stating your viewpoint
- Showing a clear line of reasoning as to why you adopt this viewpoint
- Setting out your reasons, examples and supporting evidence in logical order – but don't wander off focus
- Clearly stating the conclusions* you draw from this evidence
- Finally, acknowledging any weakness, bias or limitations in your arguments and hence showing there may be alternative viewpoints*
*When you analyse a question from several viewpoints, the answer is rarely simple or straightforward. There are often many pieces of contradicting evidence and the task of synthesis is to weigh up and discuss each item of evidence so as to convince your readers of the value and correctness of your position.
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