On Thursday we begin our synthesis paper. Here is the assignment.

Come prepared to read and research your inquiry question!

Advanced Placement English                                                                                        Name

Synthesis Paper Metamorphosis

syn·the·size   verb \-ˌsīz\ : to make (something) by combining different things: to combine (things) in order to make something new: to make (something) from simpler substances through a chemical process

 

You have chosen an inquiry question concerning “Metamorphosis” to explore, and write a synthesis paper about your findings. The synthesis paper should be approximately 3-5 pages in length.

Your research needs to be scholarly in nature. So, although I encourage people to begin their research with basic sources (Encyclopedia Britannica is a good one), the point of the basic research is to be able to graduate to more sophisticated sources (JSTOR, books, primary resources, databases). Basic resources like Wikipedia should not find their way into an academic paper; they are tools for you to learn basic information about the topic.

Your paper will have an works cited page constructed through Noodletools. While there is any number of ways to conceive of a synthesis paper, what follows is an outline for the form I would like you to follow.

Section I.

In the first section of your paper (notice I did not say paragraph, you should use paragraphing to help your reader follow the logic of your writing) you need to do the following:

·        Explain your question and why your question is significant.

·        Identify the texts and writers that you have identified as critical to your project.

 

Section II

In the second section of your paper you will:

·        Give a brief summary of the source, and then analyze the significance of the source to your question.

It is possible to organize this section by source, or by topic or theme. You should consider the form that works best for your topic. As always, be sure to ask if you have questions.

Section III.

In the third section of your paper you will:

·        Explain the conclusion that you reached about your question, and provide sufficient discussion about both the strength AND the potential concerns/weaknesses of your position.

 

Grading Criteria

1.      Quality of the question

2.      Quality of the resources and analysis of the resources

3.      Level of insight of the synthesis

4.      Quality of the writing

5.      Correctness of Works Cited page and internal citations