Problem
Synthesis refers to a written discussion that draws on one or more sources. It follows that the ability to write syntheses depends on your ability to infer relationships among sources such as poems, essays, articles, fiction, and also non written sources, such as lectures, interviews, observations. In this case, students will answer the following written-response synthesis question based on three poems. Synthesis writing involves persuading your reader that your interpretation or claim is accurate based on support from the assigned readings.
Task:
Construct a well-written multi-paragraph expository composition responding to the prompt which follows. Your essay should have an introduction with a clear thesis, well-developed body paragraphs and a clear conclusion. Your essay should be three to five paragraphs long. Each paragraph should be five to eight sentences. Be sure to provide specific examples from the poems to support your thesis. Read these 3 poems: "Big Wind" by Theodore Roethke, "Afterglow" by Jorge Luis Borges and "Loss" by A.R. Ammons. You must discuss the 3 poems in your essay.
A thesis statement should be broad enough to include all the subtopics, information, or arguments in the essay. However, it should be narrow enough to allow you to deal with it thoroughly in the space available.
1) It should be expressed as a statement in sentence format.
2) It should not be simply a self-evident fact "Many animals live in the forest" but more specific "The forest is a self-sustaining environment".
3) The thesis should not be a statement of personal preference "I like forests". Do not use the first person point of view (I) or 2nd person point of view (you) in a formal essay.
4) The thesis should state the writer's opinion on an issue that includes more people than just the writer. "British Columbians should do more to sustain our forests". But it should NEVER say "In this essay, I will discuss" or "This essay is about" or "in the following essay, I will show" or "In my opinion" or "I believe".
5) Avoid using extreme terms like "never" or "always"