Much of the writing you'll do for this course is referred to as synthesis writing (one of the BACC Science and Technology Synthesis requirements).
Sandra Jamieson of Drew University reminds us in her On-Line Resources for Writers article that synthesis writing requires you go beyond just stating simple facts or quoting authors. It requires you to organize the compilation of facts, results, and ideas; report details from the sources using different phrases and sentences; and help readers understand the depth of events, studies, and concepts. (1999) Listen to the video about synthesis writing to fully understand what is required. →
Synthesizing Information © 2013 GCF Learn Free
Award-winning MIT brain researcher Ed Boyden reminds us How To Think...: "Synthesize new ideas constantly. Never read passively. Annotate, model, think, and synthesize while you read, even when you’re reading what you conceive to be introductory stuff. That way, you will always aim towards understanding things at a resolution fine enough for you to be creative."
Educators who study Bloom's Taxonomy (Enokson 2010) use the concept of synthesis to explain the act of combining, changing, formulating, and reconstructing something. In this course, you'll use the facts and ideas from multiple sources to build cases for and against several ethical issues.