What is a synthesis?

Some main key things in a synthesis are they need to correctly report the information from both documents, such as providing some kind of summary or analysis. It needs to be organized so the reader knows exactly where each topic is individually and when it overlaps. Finally it needs to have a main idea that compares the two documents and connects them in some way. When writing a synthesis paper your introduction should be brief. It should contain a one-sentence statement that sums up the focus of your synthesis, and a brief summary of both articles being synthesized. The first sentence can be a question that shows the comparison between the two documents. The body paragraph should be organized by theme, point, similarity, or aspect of the topic.  You should begin each paragraph with a sentence that informs the reader of the topic. Make sure you show some similarities and differences between the documents. When you write the conclusion make sure you remind the readers about the topics and sum up in different words what you already said previously in your paper.

            My synthesis paper will start with a question or an opening statement. The question I will start my paper with is “In the end what is more important; money or the game?” The main idea that I am connecting the two papers with is the importance of money in baseball. My introduction will contain that question and then have a brief summary of the new document and a few sentences summing up the old document so the reader understands what’s going on. My first body paragraph will first contain the idea of how the White Sox’s threw the series, how they gave up the game for money, and how important the idea of money was to them. My second body paragraph will contain how Beane the coach of the A’s doesn’t worry about money, how he makes his team off of statistics and true baseball talent, and how he builds this successful team with a limit budget. My final body paragraph will compare how this concept of money or the game has changed from the 1920’s to present day. I will end the paper with a conclusion wrapping everything up. 

Jamieson, Sandra. "Resources for Writers: Synthesis Writing." User Homepages @Drew University. 1999.    
            Web. 06 Oct. 2011. <http://users.drew.edu/~sjamieso/Synthesis.htm>.