Original Question: How is synthesis different than summarizing? How does developing and employing the skill of synthesis improve the quality of the literature review? Explain.

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Synthesis and summarizing are both strategies utilized in reading comprehension and research. They both help readers better understand what they are reading and writing. Synthesis and summarizing each have a different purpose, process, and ending result (Eaton, 2010).

Synthesis is a more advanced reading technique than summarizing. It is defined as the combination of elements which forms a whole. It pulls together information not only to emphasize important details, it also draws a conclusion. Synthesis combines and contrasts information from multiple sources (Eaton, 2010). It then turns those multiple sources into one unified subject. Synthesis is known information from the researcher and the original author, this combination creates a new writing piece and gives new insight on the matter. The skill of synthesis improves the quality of the literature review by integrating the analysis and evaluation of many research studies and literary works of authors who researched in the same area (DUrso, 2016).

Summary is a basic strategy that pulls information together to emphasize the main points. It restates the information and demonstrates what the original author wrote. The summary addresses one piece of information at a time and each source remains distinct (Eaton, 2018). It shows an understanding of the overall meaning of the piece.

References

Eaton, S. E. (2010). Reading strategies: Difference between summarizing and synthesizing.