Synthesizing Information

Synthesis is creating something new from a number of different sources. Synthesizing

information is a process of examining and inferring relationships among sources and then
making those relationships explicit. Synthesis is also a process of combining information and
ideas to create or develop a new idea, focus, or perspective. An effective way to integrate and
synthesize information is to recognize and use four particular thought patterns. These include:

Cause-effect - expresses a relationship between two or more actions, events, or

occurrences that are connected in time.
Comparison-contrast - the comparison pattern is used to emphasize or discuss
similarities between or among ideas, theories, concepts, or events, while the contrast
pattern emphasizes differences.
Problem-solution - defines a problem and conducts research to test possible solutions.
Classification - organize information into broad types or categories.
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