(a) Begin with 1 to 2 sentences summarizing the “take away” you had from the reading. (Think: “What would I say if someone asked me what this chapter was about?” The challenge is to avoid being either too general or overly specific.)

(b) Present your thesis statement for this essay. Your thesis statement should reference the two concepts, terms, theories, or models from the reading that you are synthesizing. Note: these two concepts, terms, theories, or models should not already be connected to one another in the reading or the lectures. Your challenge is to identify a connection across different ideas that helps you to understand health communication more deeply. Strive for originality and thinking outside the box.

3. Your second paragraph.

This is the body of your essay. You will present a synthesizing statement that tells me (a) how your two concepts, terms, theories, or models are connected to one another in a meaningful way and (b) the new information or insight regarding health communication that your synthesis provides. In this statement, include specific references to the text using page numbers to identify all ideas, terminology, theories, and/or definitions (not only direct quotations).

You may include 1 to 2 brief quotations from the reading along with page citations (Remember to cite page numbers whenever you use a key term from the text, even if not part of a direct quotation). Make sure that your own words dominate the essay and direct quotations are used sparingly.

4. Your concluding statement.

Think about how to end your synthesis essay. By the time I finish reading, there should be no question about how the ideas you presented are connect and why that connection is important for health communication.