week 5 synthesizing

7/25/2019 Week 5 Synthesizing

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Combining information


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Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson, students

should be able to :

Analyze the steps to create a basic

synthesis.

Develop a simple synthesis.


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What is a synthesis ?

A combination of ideas and information

from several sources.

Academic research involves

synthesizing i.e. the ability to select

information from more than one sourceand blend it smoothly into a unified,

coherent entity.


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SYNTHESIS

Example 1: Switzerland


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STEP 1:

As you read select only the most important,

relevant information:

Select the most important information from

Source A


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Source A:

Switzerland is a great example of linguistic diversitybecause there are three different national languages.People in the central and northern areas speakGerman. People in the western area speak French.

People in the southeastern area speak Italian. MostSwiss can speak more than one language. Oneinteresting fact is that the name of the country on itscoins and stamps is not any of these languages.Instead, Helvetia,the Latin name for this country, is

used.

Claudio Acevedo, Argentina


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The main ideas from Source A:

Geographical areas of the country speak 3

different languages

German = Central and Northern regionFrench = West

Italian = Southeast

Helvetia (Latin : Switzerland)used on coinsand stamps


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Source B:

You might think that most people in Switzerland speak

the same language because it is rather a small

country. However, you would be wrong. Yes, the

country is tiny, but there are four national languages.

German is spoken by more people than any otherlanguage. The second most commonly spoken

language is French, and Italian is third. A very small

percentage of the people speak Romansch.

Najmuddin bin Faisal, Malaysia


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The main ideas from Source B:

Small country with 4 national languages

German = majority of population

French = 2ndmost common languageItalian = 3rdlanguage spoken

Romansch = spoken by very small % of

the population


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STEP 2:

Find a unifying theme i.e. an idea that connects

the two texts,

What is it?

Several languages are spoken in Switzerland


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STEP 3:

Using your paraphrasing skills, combine

the ideas from each source into

sentences e.g.

German is the most widely-spoken

language in Northern and Centralregions.


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STEP 4:

Organize the sentences into a logicalparagraph, using transitional

expressions. Make sure there is:

and include any original ideas you may

have.

A conclusionA bodyAn Introduction


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Synthesized text regarding

Switzerland taken from Source A & B:Although Switzerland is a small country, it has fournational languages. German, which is used in theCentral and Northern regions, has the highestpercentage of speakers. French, used in the west,is the second most-widely spoken language. Thethird language, Italian, is spoken in the southeast.Switzerlands least-used language, Romansch, isthought to have a Latin origin. This may explain

why Helvetia, the Latin name for the country, isused on coins and stamps.


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SYNTHESIS

Example 2: Fire Triangle


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Step 1: Select from Source A

The Fire Triangle or Combustion Triangle is asimple model from the science of firefighting, tounderstand the components necessary for mostfires. The triangle illustrates the rule that in orderto ignite and burn, a fire requires 3 elements:heat, fuel and an oxidizing agent, usuallyoxygen. The fire is prevented or extinguished byremoving any one of them. A fire naturally occurs

when the elements are combined in the rightmixture e.g. more heat is needed for ignitingsome fuels, unless there is concentrated oxygen.


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Source Amain points:

Fire Triangle is a teaching tool

Symbol illustrates 3 elements required to

produce fire: Fuel, Heat, Oxygen or otheroxidizing agent

Removal of one element prevents or

extinguishes fire


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Select from Source B:

For many years the concept of fire was symbolized bythe Triangle of Combustion and represented fuel, heatand oxygen. Further fire research determined that afourth element, a chemical chain reaction, was also a

necessary component of fire. The Fire Triangle waschanged to a Tetrahedron to reflect this fourthelement. A tetrahedron can be described as a pyramidwhich is a solid having four plane faces. Essentially allfour elements must be present for fire to occur: fuel,

heat, oxygen and a chemical chain reaction. Removalof any one of these elements will result in the firebeing extinguished.


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Source Bmain points:

Fire Tetrahedron replaced Triangle.

Symbol became pyramid or solid with 4

plane faces

Recognition of 4thcomponentachemical chain reaction

All elements must be present for fire to

occur


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Step 2 - Identify

Find a unifying theme or an idea that

connects the 2 texts,

What is it?

Symbols illustrate the concept of fire


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Step 3 - Combine

Using your paraphrasing skills, combine the

ideas from each source into sentences e.g.

The symbols reflect the number of elements

present to create a fire.


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STEP 4:

Organize the sentences into a logicalparagraph, using transitional

expressions. Make sure there is:

and include any original ideas you may

have.

A conclusionA bodyAn Introduction


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A synthesis of the Fire Triangle taken

from Source A & B:

For a number of years symbols have illustratedthe concept of fire. Previously, the FireTriangle conveyed the idea that three

elements: fuel, heat and oxygen, producedfire. The Fire Tetrahedron, a solid with fourplane faces, replaced the triangle with therecognition that a chemical reaction is the

fourth component of a fire. The elimination ofone of these elements prevents orextinguishes a fire.


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Review

What are the steps to create a basic

synthesis ?


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A review of a basic synthesis

Select important ideas from each source as

you read

Identify a unifying theme that connects thetwo texts (sources)

Combine ideas that are linked and support

each other into sentences

Organize these sentences into a logical order

using transition words


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Thank you

week 5 synthesizing

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