EAP Synthesizing Multiple Sources 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A systematic review differs from a narrative literature review primarily because it:
- Includes more quotations from primary sources
- Uses explicit, reproducible criteria for selecting and synthesizing studies (Correct answer)
- Is written in a less formal register
- Focuses on a single theoretical framework
Correct answer: Uses explicit, reproducible criteria for selecting and synthesizing studies
Systematic reviews follow predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria and transparent methodology, making the synthesis reproducible.
Question 2: When synthesizing sources from different academic disciplines on the same topic, a writer should:
- Privilege the sources from the discipline most closely related to the essay's field
- Acknowledge disciplinary differences in terminology and methodology while identifying overarching patterns (Correct answer)
- Use only sources from one discipline to maintain consistency
- Avoid interdisciplinary sources to prevent confusion
Correct answer: Acknowledge disciplinary differences in terminology and methodology while identifying overarching patterns
Interdisciplinary synthesis adds depth; acknowledging different disciplinary lenses enriches the argument rather than undermining it.
Question 3: Which verb choice best reflects a cautious synthesis of a finding that only one study supports?
- proves
- demonstrates conclusively
- suggests (Correct answer)
- establishes
Correct answer: suggests
'Suggests' appropriately hedges a claim backed by limited evidence, reflecting academic epistemic humility.
Question 4: A writer notices that older sources in a field contradict newer ones. The most academically appropriate response is to:
- Cite only the newer sources
- Trace how the field's understanding has evolved and explain what prompted the shift (Correct answer)
- Cite only the older sources to show historical context
- Avoid mentioning the older sources to keep the argument simple
Correct answer: Trace how the field's understanding has evolved and explain what prompted the shift
Tracing scholarly evolution demonstrates sophisticated synthesis by showing how knowledge is constructed and revised over time.
Question 5: What is 'voice blending' in the context of source synthesis?
- Imitating the writing style of your sources
- Smoothly integrating quoted or paraphrased material so it flows with the writer's own prose (Correct answer)
- Using multiple narrators in academic writing
- Combining first-person and third-person perspectives
Correct answer: Smoothly integrating quoted or paraphrased material so it flows with the writer's own prose
Voice blending ensures that source material does not feel dropped in abruptly but instead transitions naturally from the writer's own sentences.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a 'synthesis claim' rather than a mere descriptive statement?
- Three studies have examined the relationship between sleep and academic performance.
- Despite variations in sample size, studies consistently demonstrate that sleep deprivation reduces academic performance, particularly in tasks requiring working memory. (Correct answer)
- Smith (2018) examined college students, and Lee (2020) examined high school students.
- Brown (2021) published a study on sleep deprivation.
Correct answer: Despite variations in sample size, studies consistently demonstrate that sleep deprivation reduces academic performance, particularly in tasks requiring working memory.
The second option makes an interpretive claim that subsumes multiple studies and adds nuance about the mechanism involved.
Question 7: When a source is used to provide background context rather than directly support the thesis, it is best introduced with:
- A strong assertion signal phrase like 'proves that'
- A neutral or contextualizing phrase like 'as noted by' or 'background research indicates' (Correct answer)
- No signal phrase — just embed the citation
- A direct quotation to preserve the author's exact words
Correct answer: A neutral or contextualizing phrase like 'as noted by' or 'background research indicates'
Neutral or contextualizing signal phrases distinguish background sources from sources that directly support the central argument.
EAP Synthesizing Multiple Sources 5
A systematic review differs from a narrative literature review primarily because it: