Effective Research Organization and Synthesis Techniques for Academic Writing
This guide outlines essential strategies for organizing and synthesizing research material while drafting academic essays. It emphasizes the importance of proper annotation, including highlighting and marginal notes, and promotes paraphrasing over direct quoting to enhance originality. The document details the structure of paragraphs and essays, stressing coherent organization of ideas that support the thesis. It also introduces signal phrases for incorporating sources, and provides a clear framework for using quotes correctly and responsibly. Ideal for writers aiming to improve their research and writing skills.
Effective Research Organization and Synthesis Techniques for Academic Writing
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Presentation Transcript
Drafting Organization & Synthesis
Organize Sources As you gather research material, annotate each source: • Highlight • Marginal notes • Notecards • Written notes
Paraphrase • Don’t just copy key points – paraphrase them • Copy quoted material from the original, not from your notes • Use direct quotes sparingly – prefer paraphase
Synthesis in Practice Source: Committee on Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years, National Research Council.Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years
Organize Draft Two levels of organization: • Paragraph structure: One main point (topic sentence) per paragraph • Overall structure: Topic sentences all support thesis
Essay Structure Thesis Topic 1 Support Support Support Topic 2 Support Support
Overall Organization • Each topic should develop the thesis • Ordered by • Importance • Most to least important • Least to most important • Sequence (chronological) • Logic • General to specifics (Deduction) • Specifics to general (Induction)
Introduction • The overall organization should be evident in the introduction • If you mention three main points, they should be in the order in which they appear in the essay • Write the introduction last
Paragraph Structure • Within paragraphs (or sections of paragraphs), one main idea should be evident • Explicit or implicit topic sentence • The main idea should be your synthesis of key points from sources • Most paragraphs should have more than one source of support
Incorporating Sources • Prefer paraphrase for short passages • Use summary for lengthy material • Quote only when necessary: • Source is very well phrased and eloquent • Source is one with which you disagree
Signal Phrases • Use signal phrases to introduce sources material, especially quotes • “According to . . .” • Use the signal phrase to give context and authority • Always use signal phrase before a block quote
Mechanics • Short quote Signal phrase, “quoted material.”1 Signal phrase, “quoted material” (citation). • Long quote Signal clause (independent clause): Quoted material of at least three lines, indented five spaces. (citation)
Blended quotes Blended quotes work as part of the sentence: Several researchers point the “the prevalence of obesity in children . . .”
Adding and Deleting • If you change anything in a quote, you must indicate the change: • Ellipsis indicate a deletion • … for a deletion within a sentence • …. For a deletion of a sentence or more • Brackets indicate an addition • “When I last spoke with him [Mr. Smith] . . .” • [sic] indicates an error in the original
Sample Papers http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/
