Task: The six-source essay asks you to synthesize the arguments of six sources
• Length: Minimum of 1300 words. The instructor will give you comments on the first draft and let you know if you need more development beyond 1300 words.
• Format: APA
• Sources: A total of six sources, all of which you will find through library searches. Please use the same topic that you used for writing assignment #2. It is recommended that you expand on the essay that you wrote for writing assignment #2. You will continue with the topic you have selected and will conduct additional searches in the library databases, hopefully focus the topic more, and determine the six or more sources to use in this essay.
Please use only six sources. Please do not incorporate more than six sources into this essay.
Articles to Use for the Essay For this essay, you will select at least six articles on a topic of your choice. The articles should be on the same topic but feature different perspectives, research methods, opinions, or conclusions about some aspects of the topic. For example, if you are majoring in cybersecurity, you might locate six articles about the need for improved training for employees on mobile security issues. The six articles might take different angles on the topic. The articles might disagree on certain points, possibly disagreeing on the need for more employee training in this area, how to train employees in this area, or when to integrate training during an employee’s tenure. To use another example, if you are majoring in criminal justice, you might locate six articles on the CSI Effect. The articles should take different perspectives on the topic. Perhaps three of four of them will say that the CSI Effect exists and one or two will argue that it does not exist. Or perhaps all agree that it exists but they all take slightly different approaches to addressing the problem. Perhaps some were qualitative research studies, others were quantitative research studies, and others were mixed-methods research studies. Overall, try to determine categories of themes into which you can divide your six articles
. You are strongly encouraged to write on the same topic on which you wrote writing assignment #3. You can simply expand on that topic for writing assignment #4. Please communicate with the professor if you are considering any significant changes in your topic. Point of view For this essay, you will use third-person point of view. Please do not use first person point of view (e.g., “I,” “me,” “we”) in writing this essay. In addition, please do not use second-person point of view (“you” or “your”) in writing this essay. For example, instead of “Smith argues that, as a director, you have a duty to coordinate cybersecurity efforts…” you would write, “Smith argues that directors have a duty to coordinate cybersecurity efforts…
” APA Style The paper should be formatted in APA style. The video How to format your paper according to APA style might be helpful to watch. In summary, you should observe the following:
• Use one-inch margins.
“Double space.”
• Use size 12 Times New Roman font.
• Include a running head.
• Include page numbers.
• Include a title page.
• Include a “References” page on which you list the articles in APA style
• Do not include an abstract. This paper is not long enough to warrant an abstract.
Submitting the assignment: You will submit a first draft of the essay to the assignment folder. The first draft will not be graded. The instructor will provide comments to it. After receiving comments from the instructor, you will submit a revised draft. The final draft will be graded. Helpful Resources • Kennedy, M.L. and Kennedy, W., “Synthesis,” from Writing in the disciplines: A reader and rhetoric for academic writers. This chapter in in the e-reserves of our class.
It provides an excellent description of an exploratory synthesis essay, a literature review, and a thesis-driven synthesis essay. • Graff, G. and Birkenstein, C., They Say / I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing with Readings. This chapter in in the e-reserves of our class. It mentions various techniques to apply in stating what an author said and your response to the author. It is recommended that you read through that chapter so that you might apply these techniques to this essay.
