An argumentative synthesis paper is just what it sounds like

An argumentative synthesis paper is just what it sounds like: you’re putting together information from multiple sources in order to make an argument of your own about the specific topic that you’ve chosen. Your goal is ultimately to make some new contribution to the conversation. That doesnot necessarily mean that you have to come up with some completely revolutionary idea related to your topic, but rather that no one else is synthesizing the exact same combination of elements as you are or thinking about the issue in quite the same way. Your goal is to help move the critical conversation forward by asking the right questions and focusing your attention in the right direction. You must incorporate at least five sources. They can be from your annotated bibliography, but are not limited to it. You may not incorporate any material from previous essays. Here’s how the paper should be structured:

Introduction & Thesis (~1 page)

Begin by introducing the subject and the immediate context for your argument. Remember, you don’t need to talk about the whole history behind your topic; you just need to provide enough information for your reader to understand what the topic is and why it’s worthy of investigation at this particular moment. In a world with so many important problems, you need to justify to your reader why he/she should care about your topic right now. Make sure to clearly identify your audience. Who are you trying to reach and why?

Establish what others have had to say about the topic in general terms. Clearly articulate your argument and how it contradicts, expands upon, or shifts the conversation away from others’ claims. Your thesis can be more than one sentence, but it probably should not be more than two. It should provide a brief description of the major pieces of supporting evidence that you’ll offer in the rest of the essay. (The order you list here should match the order that you discuss things in the body).

Body Paragraphs (5-8 pages)

These paragraphs are where you will really prove your main argument. Think back to the different kinds of evidence/strategies that our authors have used over the course of the semester including: citing historical examples, using personal anecdotes, creating hypothetical scenarios, referencing expert testimony (and “expert” can be anyone who has some authority to speak on the topic), and engaging with others with whom you may or may not agree. Any and all of these tactics are at your disposal, but be selective about which ones you use as well as your overall rhetorical style. That is to say, think carefully about what kind of argument will be most convincing given the topic. (exp. If you’re writing about something that people tend to get very emotional about, it might not be the best idea for you to also make a very emotionally charged argument.) You’ll probably need at least three or four really good supporting points, but you may find that you have more. Quality, however, always trumps quantity.

Conclusion (~1 page)

A good conclusion does more than just reiterate your main points. Ideally, it tries to reinforce how the argument you’ve just made helps us understand the larger issues of which your topic is really only a small part. It should answer the following questions: What are the implications of everything you’ve just argued in the paper? What are you asking your audience to do? (e.g. take action, change their way of thinking, etc.) What should happen next and what are the best ways to bring that about?

The number one rule for this paper is that your voice should always be the dominant one in the discussion. Even when you engage with secondary sources, it should always be clear that you are pulling them in to help further your own ideas, not the other way around. You are not to focus predominately on describing others’ arguments here, unlike the summary and critique essays. You are making your own argument. Quality work, please. MLA Format!