Synthesis, the more difficult skill, involves putting things back together, but in unique, original ways. Suppose that you go a step further, and instead of just saying that there are seven different ways to treat the common cold, you claim that of all the seven ways to treat the common cold, none of them seems to be any more effective than the others, so you conclude that there is no recommended way to treat the common cold, but any of several methods can be equally effective. You have done more than just list the treatments; you have come up with a conclusion based on your analysis, and supported that conclusion with references to your analysis. Essentially you have synthesized all of the material you looked at; you have offered a conclusion that no one of your sources offers, but which can be drawn from analysis of all the sources. This is synthesis.

Most good researchers are expected to be able to make claims and support them. A claim is a conclusion which one can reach after analysis of resource material. It is more than a statement of a topic. A researcher could study the relationship between red wine consumption and cholesterol levels in French citizens, but this isn't a claim, it's only a topic. If the researcher says, on the other hand, that "Evidence suggests that the consumption of red wine has lowered cholesterol rates among certain groups of French citizens," then he's made a claim which he will try to support with by analyzing the evidence.

To be a good researcher, you must be able to analyze information, synthesize it, and then offer a claim which you then support with references to the information. This assignment is intended to give you an opportunity to practice this skill.

Follow these steps in writing your claim essay:

1. Scan quickly through all of the different case studies published in the class anthology. As you read look for ways that you can group the case studies together. What sort of patterns do you see emerging in the case studies as you read them? The most obvious pattern or grouping is "patients and providers." Another is "reports of what works and what doesn't." Another pattern you might watch for is "negative (or positive) experiences." You might also notice that there are "differences between how men and women respond to patients or to providers."

2. Identify a claim that you could make about the health care industry, either from the provider's perspective, or the patient's perspective, which grows out of one of the patterns you observe. Your claim must be something you can support and argue using your colleagues' case studies for support. You might claim that case studies of patients' experiences after hospital stays suggests that hospitals are ineffective (or effective) in establishing positive relationships with their customers. Or you might claim that the most positive hospital stays reported by patients occur when certain conditions (which you would identify) are present. Or you could claim that health care providers report that while it's important to maintain positive emotional relationships with patients, most medical professionals report that they do not have the time to develop the sort of relationships they want to have with their patients.

3. Once you know what claim you want to make and you have an idea how you might go about supporting it, make a tentative outline of points you think you'll cover. List the three to five points to which you'll refer as you support your claim. These points will guide your note taking.

4. Reread the case studies. Take notes. Include on your notes the source, a heading (from the tentative outline), the note itself (make clear whether you are quoting or paraphrasing or summarizing), and a comment on the note (a statement about how you intend to use it in your claim essay.

5. Arrange your notes in the order of the points on your tentative outline. Add any levels to the outline that you have discovered as you read.

6. Write your paper. A suggested outline follows.

7. Take your draft to the Writing Center to have someone read it and make suggestions.

8. Revise your revised draft and submit it (ALONG WITH YOUR NOTES) in both hard copies and electronic copies by class time, October 17. That's the day we begin library lectures. You can send your electronic version to me as an attachment at my email address, closserb@andrews.edu, as an attachment.

    

It's helpful to remember that a good paragraph in this essay will have at least three points:

• You'll make a statement about how the point you want to make supports your claim.

• You'll discuss your supporting information.

• You'll comment on how your supporting information connects to the point you are making.

   

Don't forget that it's a good idea to get someone from the Writing Center to have a look at your draft before you revise and submit it. Drop by Nethery Hall 203 or call 3358 to make an appointment. The Writing Center is open from 2-8 pm, Monday through Thursday and 4:30-8 pm on Sunday.