For this assignment, you will select your own topic and find three related texts about it.
Your sources need to be from the following types of sources:
Academic Journals
Textbooks

Books
Newspapers
Magazines
Professional/trade publications (official newsletters or magazines for a specific field)
Government documents
Note: You are not limited to these specific sources! However, you are not permitted to use cable news sources such as CNN, Fox News, or MSNBC or blogs, personal or business-related.

Related Components:
Instructions
Use this handout to organize your draft: ENC 1102 Synthesis Notes Worksheet.docxDownload ENC 1102 Synthesis Notes Worksheet.docx
Here is a suggested organizational approach for your essay:
PARAGRAPH ONE (Introduction): Introduce your three articles and the specific topic of study from them.
You should begin by assuming that your audience has not necessarily read your three articles, so introduce each article fully, using the complete title and author’s names and provide a brief content summary about the main concepts of each text. You don’t need to identify any rhetorical elements here because your focus is on what the authors say rather than their rhetorical approach in writing each article.
In addition to your brief article overviews, you also want to clearly define the field(s) that these articles belong to (like psychology or exercise science), who might be interested in reading about or studying these texts, and why they are interested. You are presenting the basic rhetorical situation here — subject/audience/purpose — to demonstrate that these articles are in direct conversation with one another.
Finally, you should narrow your synthesis to one specific focus from the three texts. Be more specific than “youth voter turnout” or “social media.” Identify a more specific aspect of these topics and present that narrowed topic here. This will serve as your thesis statement for your paper.
PARAGRAPH TWO: Present what your first article has to say about the specific topic you’ve chosen to focus on in this synthesis. You can choose which article to begin with!
What issues or questions, if any, does the article raise about the specific topic you’ve identified and how does the author address those issues or questions? Somewhere in the paragraph, present one KEY (i.e., important/vital/pivotal) quote from your first article to show what the author is saying about this topic.
You want to introduce the quote with the author’s name and a strong active verb. Example: Smith argues, “quote” (2). Then, fully explain the quote; use at least as many words explaining the quote as the words in the quote. Remember to 1) set up your quote, 2) provide your quote and cite it, and 3) connect your quote back to your main point. Be careful not to just paraphrase the information instead of explaining the significance of your evidence!
PARAGRAPH THREE: Present your second article and explain how it relates to the first article.
You should see this paragraph as adding to the previous paragraph. This is the beginning of your synthesis skills (putting pieces together). Use transition words, especially words of comparison, to show how this second article relates to the first one.
Focus on how this article extends the understanding of the specific topic you are discussing in this paper. Somewhere in this paragraph, you will want to present one KEY quote from your second text to show what the second author adds to this conversation on this specific topic.
You should connect to the information outlined in paragraph two in this paragraph as well.
PARAGRAPH FOUR: Present your third article and how it relates to the first and second articles.
You should see this paragraph as adding to the previous paragraphs. This is the continuation of your synthesis skills (putting pieces together). Again, use transition words, especially words of comparison, to show how this third article relates to the first and second ones.
Continue to focus on how this article extends the understanding of the specific topic you are discussing in this paper. Somewhere in this paragraph, you will want to present one KEY quote from your third text to show what the third author adds to this conversation on this specific topic.
You should connect to the information outlined in paragraphs two and three in this paragraph as well.
PARAGRAPHS FIVE and SIX (Conclusion): This is where you will present the insights, or the “so what,” regarding this synthesis.
You want to begin this paragraph with a few sentences showing the key findings from bringing your three articles together. That is, what has been learned by bringing these articles together in conversation? What do these three authors have to say about the specific focus of your paper? Do they agree or disagree with one another when it comes to this specific focus? Why or why not? In this paragraph, you are summing up your findings, so be concise and restate your main points.
Next, in your second conclusion paragraph, you want to move to the new concept that can be concluded due to the synthesis. What new research idea have you discovered in bringing your three articles together? Now that you have looked at your three texts for one specific topic, what is something new that can be gathered from these articles? Finally, present a direction for future research due to a “gap” in the understanding that you found. That is, when you bring your articles together, what is still unknown about your specific topic? Where can future research go? Why would this research be valuable to the field and audience you’ve identified in your introduction?
Note: The new concept you find out is what is NEW TO YOU! Don’t worry about whether or not the idea is original — if it’s new to YOU, then it is new.
TITLE OF PAPER (Running Head)
1
Title of Paper
[Your name]
Communications Department, Florida State College at Jacksonville
ENC 1102: Writing About Texts
Professor Anna Bartlett
Month Day, Year [due date]
TITLE OF PAPER (Running Head)
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Abstract
A defining feature of APA formatting is the inclusion of an abstract and the use of subheadings.
An abstract is typically included on the second page of professional APA documents and serves
as both an introduction to the paper as well as a summary of its main ideas. As with the
cover page requirements, not every writing assignment you encounter in college will require an
abstract, so be sure to check with your instructor to determine whether or not you will need to
include one. The abstract page is titled with “Abstract” in centered, bolded lettering while the
abstract paragraph itself is not indented unlike the remainder of your paper. You may also be
asked to include a list of key words below your abstract which describe the primary ideas in your
paper. The abstract is typically 250 words or fewer.
Keywords: abstract, APA, paper, formatting
TITLE OF PAPER (Running Head)
3
Title of Paper (Introduction)
APA formatting is another common method of formatting your documents for
submission to an instructor or to a publication. The current version of APA is the 7th edition,
which distinguishes between student and professional papers in more detail. Because APA style
has more elements than an MLA-formatted document, always ask your professor about which
APA elements you will need to include in your document. In this course, we will use this
template variation of APA in order to complete one of our major out-of-class writing
assignments.
In this course, as for MLA, I expect that you will use 1-inch margins and 12-point font.
You must use either Times New Roman, Georgia, or Arial font. As 11-point Calibri is the default
font and size for Microsoft Word, you might adjust the font and font size in the toolbar at the top.
You can also use this document as a template.
As with MLA, you should number all of your pages in the top right corner; however,
unlike MLA, you do not need to include your last name in this header. The cover page is the first
page of your document and, for our class, should include the bolded title of your paper; the
department and university name; the class prefix, number, and title; the instructor title and name;
and the due date of the assignment written in month, day, year format.
For professional APA papers, your cover page must also include a running head in your
header in the top left corner; this running head is the title of your paper, abbreviated to fifty or
fewer characters for longer titles. For our writing assignment, you do need to include this
running head, but keep in mind that it might not be required in your other classes.
TITLE OF PAPER (Running Head)
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Subheadings
Another defining feature of APA formatting is the use of subheadings. Subheadings are
used in both student and professional APA documents. These subheadings indicate the topic of
each section of the paper. Depending on the length and complexity of a paper, there are five
levels of headings which can be used:
Level 1: Centered, boldface and titlecase heading;
Level 2: Left-aligned, boldface, titlecase heading;
Level 3: Left-aligned, boldface italic, titlecase heading;
Level 4: Indented, boldface, titlecase heading with period;
Level 5: Indented, boldface italic, titlecase heading with period.
(Purdue University Online Writing Lab, n.d.)
For our writing assignment, you may use the Level 1 heading for each subsection of your paper.
If you are required to write longer papers in APA format for another class, you may be asked to
utilize several levels of subheadings, so be sure to ask your professor about their requirements.
In-Text Citations
One major component for both MLA and APA-formatted documents is the use of
citations. In both styles, paraphrased or direct quoted outside information must be cited using intext citations which include limited information about the source. The bibliography page at the
end of the document contains the full citation information for each source. Unlike MLA,
however, APA formatting emphasizes the year of publication in both the parenthetical citations
within the body of the paper as well as on the References page at the end of the document.
Just as in MLA, there are two types of citations in APA, parenthetical citations and
narrative citations also known as signal phrases. The first type, parenthetical citations, follow this
TITLE OF PAPER (Running Head)
5
standard format (Author’s Last Name, Year, p. #). If there is no page number, as in the case of
most digital articles from websites, newspapers, and magazines, then the page number can be
omitted, and the citation would be (Author’s Last Name, Year). If no year of publication is
available, then the citation would be (Author’s Last Name, n.d.). As with MLA, parenthetical
citations should go at the end of the sentences containing the outside information for both
paraphrases and direct quotes.
Narrative citations or signal phrases, the second citation type, introduce the source
information by using the author’s name and the year of publication. In contrast to MLA, which
does not require the publication year to introduce outside information, APA style requires the
year to be included when a writer uses the author’s name to present the evidence. For example:
According to Amy Poehler (2014), asking published authors for writing advice is a
terrible idea since they have likely forgotten their struggles and will only offer
motivational platitudes (p. xiii).
In this case, the in-text citation at the end will only need to include the page number since the
author’s last name and the year of publication have already been used to introduce the
information in the signal phrase or narrative citation.
Both types of citations should be used in your writing for variety. Narrative citations or
signal phrases are a very effective way to introduce both paraphrases and direct quotes and help
you connect your evidence more fully to your writing. Similarly, parenthetical citations are
required any time you include either a paraphrase of another person’s idea or directly quote their
language within your writing. Remember that both narrative and parenthetical citations should
clearly connect to the full source information on your References page at the end of your
document.
TITLE OF PAPER (Running Head)
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As with MLA, APA formatting has many specifics about how in-text citations should
appear depending on the type of source you use, so be sure to refer to our Bluewave Guide
handbook, the Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL), FSCJ LibGuide for APA style,
or APA’s Academic Writer website for additional details and tips.
References Page
The References page, just like your MLA Works Cited page, must be included at the end
of both student and professional APA documents. The bibliography page is titled “References”
in bolded lettering, centered at the top of its own separate page. Like MLA Works Cited
citations, APA citations on the References page must be left-aligned, double-spaced with a
hanging indent for the second and subsequent lines of information, and alphabetized by author’s
last name or the organization’s name if no single author name is available. In addition to the
emphasis on the year of publication in APA formatting, titles of shorter works are not placed in
quotation marks in the References citation; however, source text names, such as journals,
newspapers, and magazines, are still italicized. For examples of citations for different source
types, see the following sample References page.
Mechanics and Style
Finally, as with MLA or any other formatting style, be sure to edit your documents for
grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors prior to submitting your drafts for scoring.
Although our rubrics have been designed to emphasize global or major paper components such
as prompt response, evidence use, and organization, the other elements are still crucial in
determining your total points on our writing assignments. Remember that although effective
writing does not mean perfect writing, you should put forth your best effort in drafting and
revising your writing assignments in our class as well as for your other courses.
TITLE OF PAPER (Running Head)
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References
Biomedical Sciences (B.S.). (n.d.). FSCJ. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from
https://www.fscj.edu/academics/programs/bs/T300
Bunn, M. (2011). How to read like a writer. In C. Lowe & P. Zemliansky (Eds.), Writing Spaces:
Readings on Writing, Vol. 2, 71-86. WAC Clearinghouse & Parlor Press.
Chandler, R. (1992). The Big Sleep, Vintage Crime/Black Lizard Vintage Books.
Chiang, T. (2009). Liking what you see: A documentary. In S. Westerfield’s (Eds.), Mind-Rain:
Your Favorite Authors on Scott Westerfield’s Uglies Series, 155-164. BenBella Books,
Inc.
Gorman, A., & Winfrey, O. (2021). The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country.
Penguin Young Readers Group.
Greene, P. (2022, December 11). No, ChatGPT is not the end of high school English. But here’s
the useful tool it offers teachers. Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2022/12/11/no-chatgpt-is-not-the-end-of-highschool-english-but-heres-the-useful-tool-it-offers-teachers/
Herman, D. (2022, December 9). The end of high-school English. The Atlantic.
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/12/openai-chatgpt-writing-highschool-english-essay/672412/
Hughes, L. (1994). Theme for English B. https://poets.org/poem/theme-english-b
Lamott, A. (1994) Shitty first drafts. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, 21-27.
Pantheon Books.
TITLE OF PAPER (Running Head)
8
McRae, M. (2023, March 5). Scientists found an entirely new way of measuring time.
ScienceAlert. https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-found-an-entirely-new-way-ofmeasuring-time
Parker, K., Igielnik, R., & Mitchell, T. (2023, March 2). On the cusp of adulthood and facing an
uncertain future: What we know about Gen Z so far. Pew Research Center’s Social &
Demographic Trends Project. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/05/14/onthe-cusp-of-adulthood-and-facing-an-uncertain-future-what-we-know-about-gen-z-so-far2/
Poehler, A. (2014). Writing is hard: A preface. Yes Please, ix-xvi. Dey St.
Purdue University Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). American Psychological Association (APA) style
guidelines overview. In The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL). Retrieved from
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_g
uide/documents/APA%20Poster%2010.22.12.png
60 Minutes. (2023, March 6). ChatGPT: Artificial Intelligence, chatbots and a world of
unknowns | 60 Minutes [Video]. YouTube.

Stedman, K. (2011). Annoying ways people use sources. In C. Lowe & P. Zemliansky (Eds.),
Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Vol. 2, 242-256. WAC Clearinghouse & Parlor
Press.
Wilkes, M., Caviola, L., Kahane, G., Bloom, P. (2020). Children prioritize humans over animals
less than adults do. Psychological Science, 32(1), 27-38.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797620960398
TITLE OF PAPER (Running Head)
Zinsser, W. (2012). Simplicity. In On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction,
30th Anniversary Edition, 6-10. Harper Perennial.
9
ENC 1102 (1)
ENC 1102 Synthesis Notes Worksheet
I.
Introduction (1 to 2 paragraphs)
What is my general topic?
[Present historical & current background of my topic // identify the context for writing my synthesis]
What is the specific field of study of my articles?
[Who is having this conversation? What field are they in?]
What are my sources?
[State full text titles and full authors’ names]
ENC 1102 (2)
Where do my articles overlap? (commonalities)
What is the specific connection between my sources? // What do each of them say
about my specific topic?
[Focus on content > rhetoric // establish the plan for my paper // set up my thesis statement]
What is my claim about my three sources? // What am I arguing about my three texts?
[Note to self: I can always revise this after I finish my synthesis!]
ENC 1102 (3)
II.
My First Source (1 to 2 paragraphs, depending on focus & length)
Introduce Text #1 (this is potentially the main article for my synthesis):
[Summarize: author, topic, audience, content]
How does my first article set up my specific topic?
[Use in-text citations for: paraphrases & direct quotes*] // [Use transitional language]
ENC 1102 (4)
III.
My Second Source (1 to 2 paragraphs, depending on focus & length)
Introduce Text #2:
[Summarize: author, topic, audience, content]
How does my second article connect to my first article?
[Use in-text citations for: paraphrases & direct quotes*] // [Use transitional language]
ENC 1102 (5)
IV.
My Third Source (1 to 2 paragraphs, depending on focus & length)
Introduce Text #3:
[Summarize: author, topic, audience, content]
How does my third article connect to my first two articles?
[Use in-text citations for: paraphrases & direct quotes*] // [Use transitional language]
ENC 1102 (6)
V.
Conclusion/Discussion (1 to 2 paragraphs, depending on focus & length)
What are my sources?
[Restate full text titles and full authors’ names]
What is the specific connection between my sources?
Now, what is my claim about my three sources? // What am I arguing about my three
texts?
[Note to self: Make sure this claim is also at the end of my introduction!]
ENC 1102 (7)
What is a “gap” or “gaps” in the conversation I’ve identified? // Where can additional
research go?
[“I’ve done the research and built my synthesis, and here are the links I’ve found; however, here are
remaining questions or missing information in this conversation.”]
What will be the significance of this additional research for the specific field I’ve
examined?
[This is the “so what” part of my conclusion/discussion AKA why my synthesis matters.]
*Note to self: When I use textual evidence, I need to:
1) Set up the direct quote or paraphrase with my own idea,
2) Properly introduce the direct quote or paraphrase (no hanging quotes!), and
3) Explain the significance of the direct quote or paraphrase in relation to my idea

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