UndergradSkiller: Skill Set Map for Undergraduates and Their Educators

CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING

Synthesis

Definition:

Synthesis is the skill of combining ideas from multiple sources to create a coherent, integrated understanding of a topic. It goes beyond summarizing individual sources to identify patterns, draw connections, and build new insights.

Useful Resources on Synthesis:

Purdue OWL. (n.d.). Synthesizing sources. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/
conducting_research/research_overview/synthesizing_sources.html

Annotation: Guide explaining what synthesis is in the context of academic writing, the difference between synthesis and summary, and the two main types (explanatory and argumentative). Includes annotated examples of weak and strong synthesis paragraphs.

Peer Review: None

Table of contents:

3.1. Critical Thinking
3.1.1. Introductions to Critical Thinking
3.1.2. Developing Thinking Skills

3.2. Critical Reading and Analysis

3.3. Analysis and Argumentation

3.4. Critical Reasoning

3.6. Problem-Solving and Design Thinking
3.6.1. Problem-Solving
3.6.2. Design Thinking

3.7. Research Methods
3.7.1. Research Design
3.7.2. Research Ethics

3.8. Data Literacy
3.8.1. Understanding Data
3.8.2. Computational Thinking
3.8.3. Statistical and Numerical Analysis

3.9. Curiosity and Creative Thinking
3.9.1. Creative Exercises
3.9.2. Understanding Curiosity

 

Author: Leeanne Irwin

Peer Reviewer(s): None