these are the directions

Paper 3: Argumentative Synthesis 

Instructions: Write an essay of 800-1000 words that synthesizes two-three of the sources listed below to support an original claim:

“Writing, Typing, and Economics” by John Kenneth Galbraith

“The Transaction” by William Zinsser

“Toolbox” by Stephen King

OR

“Being an Elephant Mom in the Time of a Tiger Mom” by Priyanka Sharma-Sidhar

“How Parents are Robbing Their Children of Adulthood” by Claire Cain Miller and Jonah Engel Bromwich

“In Defense of Lawnmover Parents” by Wendy Wisner

“The Rise of the Lawnmower Parent” by Karen Fancher

Keep this general rhetorical situation in mind: 

The genre is argument.

The purpose is to synthesize. 

The audience is an academic audience that consists of readers who are not familiar with the source articles for your paper. 

Focus on demonstrating these skills in your writing: 

Source Integration: Effectively integrate source material with original writing, using summary, paraphrase, and quotation. Document and cite sources as needed. 

Synthesis: Place the sources in conversation with one another, establishing connections and distinctions among them related to their treatments of the common subject. 

Editing: Edit carefully to eliminate errors in Standard English. 

MLA Style & Format: The paper should be presented in MLA format and follow MLA style guidelines for integrating sources. 

For further guidance, please refer to the resources in the Synthesis module of our Canvas course. All related notes and examples (and deadlines) are located here. 

If you have questions, send a Canvas message. If you need help at any stage of your process, make an appointment at the Writing Center!