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What is synthesising?

In academic writing it is important that you do not just list and describe a lot of individual studies. Instead, you should try to compare and contrast approaches, perspectives and viewpoints. This is particularly useful when writing a literature review.

Synthesising involves grouping sources based on similarities and differences.

As well as grouping writers, you may choose to group sources based on theory, ideas, research design, findings, interpretations, limitations and other criteria.

Look at the following example:

Hold-up theories proposed by Sharpe (1990), Rajan (1992), von Thadden (2004) and Kim et al. (2012) imply an alternative life-cycle profile for financing costs. In a two-period framework, the competition between banks prompts them to offer low borrowing rates to new firms in the first period.

Adapted from Ylhäinen (2017)

Book a writing advisory service appointment to review and get feedback your use of sources in synthesis and when building an academic argument.

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Why and how we synthesise

Why do we use synthesis in academic writing?

Some key reasons are:

• To demonstrate significant relationships between the sources.
• To identify similarities and differences between the sources.
• To group and present similar ideas or contrasting ideas.

Synthesising allows you to demonstrate your critical thinking in your writing. By identifying similarities and differences between theories, methods, findings, etc. and making these explicit to the reader, you are presenting ideas in relation to a wider context and in a more complex manner.

What do we need to consider when we are synthesising?

Here are a few things worth considering:

• Do the authors agree?
• Do the authors disagree?
• Do the authors agree on one point but disagree on another?
• Does one author develop an idea even more?
• Do you have a number of authors all with contrasting views?

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Using a synthesis matrix

A synthesis matrix is a spreadsheet that organises your reading sources by theme and includes a synthesis column, where you can begin to draw out comparisons between the sources.

Once you have identified a number of sources for each theme in your matrix, you should be able to identify the following:

• Do the sources build on or develop one another (is this a chronological process)?
• Do the sources challenge or contradict one another? Do they reveal a debate within the field?
• Do the sources identify an area of particular interest or a gap in the field?
• Do the sources help to fill in gaps or complete a bigger picture?

The synthesis column provides an opportunity for you to comment on multiple sources considered as a whole. It is a space for your critical voice and interpretation, which is a key part of successful critical writing, especially in the literature review.

Explore an (FIU Writing Centre), and then use this to create your own. Make a copy of the template and save it on your own Google Drive.

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Linking words and reporting verbs

Linking words/phrases and reporting verbs can help you to understand synthesising when reading and to synthesise effectively when writing, ensuring the connections between your sources are clear to the reader. Note the use of linking words/phrases (in bold) and reporting verbs (underlined) in the following example:

“In her study, Smith (2006) concluded that there was a considerable difference in how the ancient humans used stone tools... Similarly, Roger’s (2006) research reported that there was indeed a link between humans’ habitat and what stone tools they used...”

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Synthesis checklist

Use this checklist to evaluate the use of synthesis in your writing.

• Is the relationship between sources made clear?
• Are synthesis words or phrases used to combine two or more sources?
• Do the linking words and reporting verbs accurately summarise the relationship between more than one source?
• Is one source synthesised or otherwise used more than others?

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Next steps

• How to question information and think critically
• How to paraphrase and quote
• How to write a literature review

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References

Ylhäinen, I. (2017) ‘Life-cycle Effects in Small Business Finance’. Journal of Banking & Finance,  77, pp. 176-196.doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2017.01.008