Synthesis Essay Question Exploration Guide

1. Synthesis Essay Question Exploration Guide Contents: A visual map of at least one process for working on a synthesis essay (page 2) A worksheet that students can use to start generating ideas (page 3) Example and notes (page 4 – Dr. Chelte)

2. Synthesis Essay Question Exploration Guide What is the critical question? How can we look at two different viewpoints of a topic to expand and change our understanding of a topic, modify our own view, or maybe come up with a new view of the topic? 1 What are the key terms and definitions? 2 Sources Viewpoints Synthesis A primary reference – an original article (in this case) A perspective or position on a topic Combining different concepts into a new understanding 3 What are the supporting questions & answers? __________________________________________ Key Topic My View My view of the topic is… 1. What is my key topic and what do I think about it now? Sources that challenge my view My view taking into account new information from all sources A one sentence summary of a position different from my own is… Sources that reinforce my view My response to one of the previous ideas is… One main idea from sources that reinforce my view is… 2. What do sources say that reinforce my view? Response • Some Ways to Respond: • Dispute • Disagree or agree in part • Agree • Compromise with • Question • Find an alternative • (more) One main idea from sources that challenge my view is… Another response to one of the previous ideas is… 3. What is another (opposing) view of the topic? Another main idea in the sources that reinforce my view is… Another main idea from sources that challenge my view is… & /or A way my view has grown or changed is… Another main idea in the sources that reinforce my view is… 4. What do sources say that challenge my view? Another main idea or essential examples from sources that challenge my view is… & /or An alternative or compromise is… Another main idea or essential example from sources that reinforce my view is… 5. How do I respond to the sources, and how does my view grow or change? Another main idea or essential example from sources that challenge my view is… & /or Remaining questions (and possible solutions?) include…

3. __________________________________________ Synthesis Essay Question Worksheet Key Topic My View My view of the topic is… Sources that challenge my view Sources that reinforce my view One main idea from sources that reinforce my view is… My view taking into account new information from all sources A one sentence summary of a position different from my own is… My response to one of the previous ideas is… Response Another main idea in the sources that reinforce my view is… One main idea from sources that challenge my view is… Another response to one of the previous ideas is… (etc.) • Some Ways to Respond: • Dispute • Disagree or agree in part • Agree • Compromise with • Find an alternative • Raise new questions • Offer solutions • (more) & /or Another main idea in the sources that reinforce my view is… Another main idea from sources that challenge my view is… A way my view has grown or changed is… & /or Another main idea or essential example from sources that reinforce my view is…etc. An alternative or compromise is… Another main idea or essential example from sources that challenge my view is…etc. & /or Remaining questions (and possible solutions?) include…

4. Example Topic: Why We Need to Adopt the Transcendental Philosophy Introduction: With global warming, ever-increasing fuel prices, and destructive recession threatening our lives, learning to live more simply will become a necessity if we are going to survive. How many designer purses, McMansions, and newer, faster cars does one person need? How many of these luxuries do we really have to have? Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau’s Transcendental philosophy offers us a way to preserve our planet and ourselves if we are willing to discipline ourselves and free ourselves from the “things” that we think we so desperately need but actually can thrive without. We need to adopt the Transcendental lifestyle. Assignment: Referring to at least 3 of the six sources attached, write an essay that defends, qualifies, or challenges the belief that the Transcendental philosophy needs to be incorporated into business, education, medicine, politics, and law to preserve the environment and ensure the survival of man. Sample introductory paragraph: The Transcendental way of life needs to be adopted to preserve the environment, create jobs, and conserve fuel and food. [Some people just write their thesisstatement as the first paragraph.] Another sample first paragraph: In the years prior to the American Civil War, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson contributed to the development of a communal society called Transcendentalism. They along with a number of others who subscribed to this philosophy, published a newspaper called The Dial (citation here) and operated what we today would call a commune, Brook Farm located near Concord (citation). Thoreau, of course, conducted his famous experiment in simple living on the shores of Walden Pond, living not as a hermit but as a self-sufficient human being for just over two years (citation). Some people today would argue that that kind of lifestyle is impossible today, that it actually is more expensive. They would point to the limited success of various recycling efforts and claim that our energies should be directed toward finding alternative energy sources, not altering our whole lives. While they may be partly right, they are only partly correct. We actually need to simplify our lives more than ever if we are going to survive. We need to make the Transcendental philosophy the foundation of our free-enterprise system. We need to incorporate the Transcendental philosophy into business, education, medicine, politics, and law to preserve the environment, create jobs, and conserve fuel and food. Next Steps What the writer then does is to develop how recycling and conservation efforts are in effect today (Savers, Goodwill, recycling cans and bottles, paper; recycling oil and using synthetic oil). After detailing the lengths we have already gone to address the “less-is-more” lifestyle, the writer asks, “However, these efforts have not had the widespread appeal that they are supposed to have in order to make expanding these kinds of efforts worthwhile. Why not?” Then the writer can include comments from writers who demonstrate that recycling isn’t effective, is too expensive, too time-consuming. The writer then argues with these sources again. Conclusion: The writer offers ways to mediate the opposing sides, taking some of the pro, some of the con, and adding some of his own suggestions. The writer can raise questions that he still cannot answer and possibly offer solutions.

5. Synthesis Essay: Students integrate new information into their current knowledge, drawing conclusions by developing new ideas based on information they gather and connecting new ideas with their prior knowledge (Information Power ALA)