Module 1: Structure > Unit 1: Planning your essay > Benefits of a synthesis grid

To understand the benefits of a synthesis grid, you are going to look at a synthesis grid a student has constructed from sources for the essay question below. The following essay question is from the field of literacy development, on reading development in young children.

Essay question:

'Although it happens to individuals, learning to read is not an individual experience. It is a social experience involving shared time, shared perceptions and shared enjoyment'.

Examine whether current approaches to reading development in young children reflect this philosophy.

A synthesis grid provides an overview of the topic very quickly – your grid will provide you with a mini-map of your topic. For example, in the synthesis grid below, the three studies in the grid show that "current approaches" support the idea of learning to read as a social experience - with some slight differences.

What you put into your grid is what you will get out of it. Your aim is to end up with the best possible overview of your sources. Things which seem important initially may not seem important later. Other things may become more important as you continue to read.

Don’t worry if you keep changing your headings or adding new columns to them. Researching and writing is a cyclical process involving continual adjustments.

Click on the "+" icons to see the benefits of using a synthesis grid

Essay question:

Is a synthesis grid all I need?

No. A synthesis grid works best as an initial tool for sketching out the topic and the major issues, approaches, ideas and concepts that are relevant to it.

It is particularly useful when you are skim reading your sources trying to get a quick overview of:

the breadth of topic.
the major researchers in the field.
the major approaches and perspectives.
significant differences and similarities between individual pieces of research.
the major points of agreement or dispute.
related areas of research.

The synthesis grid will help you discard sources that are irrelevant or not relevant enough.

It will also help you decide on your next steps. These next steps will involve the identification of your thesis and further research into evidence which supports it.