So keep reading to learn how to create a synthesis essay for class.

• Confirm the type you need

There are two kinds of synthesis essays: the explanatory synthesis essay and the argumentative synthesis essay. For the explanatory synthesis essay, the aim is to educate the reader on the topic by integrating the ideas of different sources. You will not support a particular side.

For the argumentative synthesis essay, you choose a position. This is then backed up by your sources.

• Select a topic you like

If given a choice, it will be easier if you like the topic. Reading and understanding will be easier if you are interested in it. Ensure your topic has many resources available. If not, it will be difficult to find what you need. Most teachers require three to five sources.

• Take notes as you read

It is more efficient if you take detailed notes as you read. Since you will be consulting several sources (at least 3), it will be easier for you to recall and retrieve what you need if you have listed down the most important facts and theories for your paper.

• Make the Introduction

For either synthesis essay, the Intro is supposed to catch the reader’s attention. This may be done by including an interesting fact, compelling statistics, or a popular quote connected to the issue.

Both essay types need a thesis statement. The thesis for the explanatory synthesis essay should not favor a particular side. It should explain what the reader is going to see in the essay. The argumentative synthesis essay, however, should present your position (for or against) about the topic.

• The Body

The Body of the explanatory synthesis essay should be arranged according to themes (ideas). Each paragraph should have one theme, supported by two or more sources. Three themes should be enough for your paper.

On the other hand, the argumentative synthesis essay should be arranged to support your position. Some students only include reasons and evidence that support their side. However, a stronger essay will also include the opposite side, allowing the reader to understand both views. Should you do this, ensure you refute the other views strongly in the Body before proceeding to the Conclusion; otherwise, your reader might disagree with your position.

• The Conclusion

The Conclusion of the explanatory synthesis essay should summarize the main ideas of the essay without repeating the contents of the Body. The ending should cause the reader to really think about what was shared.

The Conclusion of the argumentative synthesis essay should strongly emphasize your position. If not yet a believer, a good ending should cause the reader to reconsider their point of view.

Summary

The synthesis essay, whether explanatory or argumentative, is a good practice for research and analysis. Take note of the pointers above to create the synthesis essay you need.

Because essay writing is such an important skill, most colleges require an essay as part of the admission process. Not only does it give their selection panel a means to know the student’s personality, but it also presents their written skills, which may be what causes them to choose you over the thousand other applicants.

So take a look at these pointers for the essay length that you need.

• View their website for the number of words

Most admission officers have realized that if left to themselves, students may submit a wide range of essays, from two-sentence descriptions to a novella. So most schools mention what they need.

Depending on the school, this length may be between 250 and 600 words. Very short essays will hurt your chances. Though they don’t know you, an essay that is under length may be considered as something from a student who is lazy, who doesn’t write well, who cannot pay attention to instructions, or who does not truly value their institution.

Anything longer than 600 words wastes their time as they evaluate so many essays every year. It also says you cannot follow simple instructions such as the word count.

• Check other forums for the length

In case the website does not present the essay length, you can instead search online forums about other students’ experiences applying for the said college. You may even find review centers that post such information to drive potential clients to their webpage.

• Call the admissions office

Some prefer to be “sure” by contacting the admissions office. This is also a good choice provided that you can get through, they answer the question, and it’s not too expensive for you since long-distance calls can cost you a fortune.

• Make a rough estimate based on given guidelines

If the first three options don’t work, you may estimate the length based on what is asked. Some college websites simply ask for two paragraphs about yourself. 

Should that be the case, you could submit anywhere from 250 to 400 words. If it asks for three paragraphs, then stretch it to 550 or 600 words.

• Go for the standard 500

But if the guidelines (#4) do not provide any clue to the length, just the prompt, then aim for the standard 500 words. It should be a safe enough number to discuss who you are without overtaxing whoever will read it.

Summary

Because it is an essential part of the college admission process, do your best to discover what the college requires from you, including the length of the essay. Remember the pointers mentioned earlier so that your essay will not be rejected outright.

If your instructor provides a list of topics to choose from, your work is only made easier bit at the end of the day your choice of topic should suit you as an individual.  As a history student, think about what you are passionate about and consider a topic in that direction. Your school library could make a great source as well as the internet and other reliable sources. To help you with your search, below are some of the interesting history essay topics:

1. The effects of World War II on the global economy
2. Discuss the positive and negative effects the conclusion of the British rule in India
3. Compare and contrast the history of the British and Roman empires
4. The events that preceded and followed the abolishment of the slave trade
5. Discuss how the life of Martin Luther King Jnr shaped history 
6. Evaluation of the factors that fueled the England industrial revolution
7. Discuss the events that triggered the American Revolutionary war
8. America’s invasion of Iraq is to blame for the rise of terrorism. Discuss
9. Did World War II have anything to do with the cold war that the USA launched against the USSR? 
10. How did the Battle of Hastings shape the history of England?
11. Discuss the American art of the 20th century
12. What are the specific events that finally led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
13. Compare and contrast the different world wars emphasizing what caused them
14. The impact of the Holy land invasion by the European kingdoms
15. What were the effects of the Vietnam War and how does the modern Vietnam population relate to them?
16. Modern medicine has had both positive and negative impacts on the human race. Discuss
17. How did people preserve images in the pre-photography era?
18. Discuss the plight of the African American soldiers who fought the first and second World War
19. The impact of the famous Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech on young African Americans
20. Discuss the French revolution and how it influenced socio-economic decisions afterward

Final Remarks

As a history student, you must be having several topical ideas for an essay. However, you need to evaluate your ideas and decide whether there I any that qualifies as a great history essay topic. To help you further, consider the list of topics above since it consists of some of the most interesting topics.

Where to Seek Good Essay Templates

Your teacher.

A teacher isn’t only the person who asks you to complete an assignment but also the one who can help you with it. It’s likely that your teacher has several sample papers in their possession that can be useful for you. Approach them after a lesson making a request for examples and you should get what you need.

Your school library.

If you cannot get the needed templates from your teacher for some reason, you may visit this source. Your school library should store academic papers composed by other students over the years. Seek the section of the library where papers of the needed type are contained and take copies of several well-written works.

Students.

Older students can provide you with copies of their essays written when they were of your age. If you’re in a friendly relationship with an older student, they’ll help you for free. You may also ask whether your classmates have any examples. Sometimes, papers received from other students might be of low quality.

Academic centers.

Look for a center in your local area where students and other people can take courses to become better academic writers. In such a place, they should also have top-quality templates for almost any type of papers. Getting samples from an academic center is likely to cost you money, however.

The Internet.

The web is a great place to look for anything that you can think of. You may just type something like “informative essay example” into a search engine and you’ll get plenty of results to examine. To find only well-written samples, however, it’s advisable to look for them on special websites that contain educational articles about academic writing.

How Not to Use Examples

Remember that templates are needed only for examination. It’s not advisable to write a paper on the same topic that your sample is written on. Moreover, it’s absolutely forbidden to copy the contents of examples (even partially) and paste them in your own paper. This way, you’re likely to be accused of plagiarism and will be required to compose another paper that will be totally unique.