ES1103 Chap.7 Planning and Writing the Synthesis Essay
Planning and Writing the Synthesis Essay
The task
The first continuous assessment is a synthesis essay of 400 to 450 words, excluding the reference list, worth 25% of the course grade. It belongs to the course's umbrella theme of sustainable development, with sustainable living environments as its sub-theme.
Four readings are supplied on how urban settings affect public health and well-being, covering social connection in public spaces, the mental health benefits of urban green space, the health risks of parks and green space, and strategies for designing healthier cities.
The prompt asks you to explain one design approach for sustainable living environments that works for public health and well-being, using three or more of the four readings and nothing else.
What the prompt rules in and out
The requirements are unusually specific.
The introduction sets the context and names one key approach; the thesis states why that approach is effective; the body explains it by synthesising ideas from at least three sources; and the essay must show logical connections among the sources rather than summarise them one at a time. Where relevant, you briefly acknowledge one limitation or challenge of the approach.
Every source is attributed in APA style, in the text and in the reference list.
How the rubric divides the mark
The rubric has three criteria. Explanation, evidencing and idea development carries 30% and looks at the context, the thesis, the development of body paragraphs and the conclusion.
Source integration and attribution carries 40%, the heaviest share, and looks at connections among all sources, synthesis of two or more sources inside every body paragraph, accurate paraphrase and summary, strategic use of author-prominent and information-prominent citations, and APA accuracy.
Use of academic language carries 30% and looks at cohesive devices, complex grammar with formal vocabulary, and evaluative language that separates your voice from the sources.
Advice from the course podcast
Tutors recorded answers to the questions students ask most. Whether to use all four sources depends on your thesis, as long as at least three appear.
A thesis needs two ingredients: the approach you consider effective and the reasons why. The limitation is required only where relevant, but most approaches have one, and naming it is a chance to use evaluative language. Evidence should be chosen to prove your claim within the word limit after all the sources have been read critically.
The provided reference entries are accurate APA and need only correct formatting.
Rules around submission
Every submission ends with the declaration on generative AI and follows the stated font, spacing and file-naming requirements. Going over the upper word limit costs 10% of the marks, and a shorter essay is judged through the rubric as underdeveloped.
Late work loses 10% within 24 hours and scores zero afterwards unless supported by documentation. Submission folders run a similarity check, and you may resubmit until the due date.
What this chapter covers
- 01
The synthesis task: one approach, at least three of four given sources
- 02
Requirements for the introduction, thesis, body and limitation
- 03
Three rubric criteria weighted 30%, 40% and 30%
- 04
Building a thesis from an approach and the reasons it works
- 05
Word limits, late penalties and the similarity check
Worked example · free
Testing a thesis against the prompt
- 1Identify the first problem with the draft.
- 1Identify the second problem with the draft.
- 2Write a thesis that names one approach and its reasons.
- 1Show how the rewrite forecasts the body.
Key terms
- Synthesis Essay
- An essay that integrates ideas from several sources into one line of argument rather than summarising each source in turn.
- Thesis Statement
- The sentence stating the essay's main claim; here, the approach identified and why it is effective.
- Limitation
- A weakness or challenge of the approach, acknowledged briefly where relevant to show evaluative judgement.
- Rubric Criterion
- One weighted dimension of the marking scheme, such as source integration and attribution at 40%.
- Similarity Report
- The report produced when a submission is checked against other texts, available before the due date.
- Word Limit
- The permitted length of 400 to 450 words for this essay, excluding the end-of-text references.
Planning and Writing the Synthesis Essay FAQ
Do I have to use all four sources in the synthesis essay?
No. The prompt requires three or more of them, and tutors say the choice depends on which sources are relevant to your thesis. Using a fourth that does not support your line of argument adds words without adding synthesis.
Must I include a limitation of the approach?
The prompt asks for one where relevant. Tutors point out that most approaches do have a limitation or challenge, and acknowledging it briefly lets you show evaluative language, which the academic language criterion rewards.
Why does source integration carry more marks than the other criteria?
It carries 40% of the essay mark because the task exists to build synthesis skills. The criterion covers connections among sources, synthesis in every body paragraph, accurate representation, strategic citation choices and APA accuracy, so it touches almost every sentence.
What happens if my essay goes over 450 words?
Exceeding the upper word limit costs 10% of the final marks. Remember that in-text citations count towards the limit while the reference list does not, so check the count after the citations are in place.
Can I add a source I found myself?
Not for this essay. The prompt states that no additional sources should be used, which keeps the task focused on synthesising the given readings. Researching your own sources is part of the argumentative essay later in the term.
Assessment move
Draft the thesis before the introduction and test it with the podcast's two questions. Then plan each body paragraph as a grid relation between two or three sources, not as a source. Write the introduction last, when you know exactly which approach and which reasons the body delivers.
Working through Planning and Writing the Synthesis Essay in ES1103? Sia is AskSia’s AI Arts and Humanities tutor — ask any ES1103 Planning and Writing the Synthesis Essay question and get a clear, step-by-step explanation grounded in how ES1103 is taught and assessed. Read this chapter free, then take your hardest questions to Sia.
