Organise and Synthesise
How can I best fit together what I have selected - in my own words?
By this stage you should have started to develop your approach to the topic or your point of view. The organising step is about combining your notes from the various sources used and deciding what order you should present them in to best put across your educated point of view. The act of combining together pieces of information in a new way in your own words is called synthesising. Organising is made easier if you keep firmly in mind the PURPOSE of your assignment. Usually you are asked to do one of the following:
- PRESENT A STUDY OF or A REPORT ON- give detailed information that thoroughly covers the main aspects of a topic.
- DISCUSS - investigate the arguments for and against a statement.
- SUMMARISE - give a detailed account of the main facts, aspects, events or processes.
- EXPLAIN - give a full account in plain language.
- COMPARE - point out similarities and differences, concentrating on the similarities.
- CONTRAST - point out differences and similarities, concentrating on differences.
- SHOW - demonstrate by presenting evidence.
- ANALYSE - break the subject into main ideas, examine each one carefully and explain how they relate to eachother.
- CRITICISE - take an idea or theory apart point by point and judge how valid it is.
What you are asked to do in the assignment question will give you the key to how you should structure your information. Organise your information according to your purpose.
ORGANISING step - some strategies:
Create sections for your notes pages that reflect the main parts of the topic that you need information about.
- RECORD brief details about the resources you use in the wide margin, so you can return to a resource later if you need to check information.
- LABEL your notes in the wide margin according to which section of the assignment they belong in - the introduction, body or conclusion.
ASSIGNMENT STRUCTURE - also see the section on writing Reports and Essays
- The INTRODUCTION - focuses the reader's attention on the topic, creates interest, states your objectives and outlines your approach.
- The BODY - presents the key points of your point of view; has a section (paragraph) for each key point that includes a statement of what the point is, discussion of the point and support for it. Link the main points together so that they flow towards your final conclusions.
- The CONCLUSION - Briefly summarises your point of view, draws your key points together to present your final answer to the assignment question and rounds off your discussion of the topic.
- The BIBLIOGRAPHY - Shows what you have read to find relevant information and to educate your point of view.
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