The Six-Source Essay: Expanded Synthesis
TOPIC:
The Influence of Social Media on Consumer Behavior in Online Shopping (Psychology)
Summary of assignment
• Task: The six-source essay asks you to synthesize the arguments of six sources
• Length: Minimum of 1300 words. The instructor will give you comments on the first draft and let you know if you need more development beyond 1300 words.
• Format: APA
• Sources: A total of six sources, all of which you will find through library searches. Please use the same topic that you used for writing assignment #1. You will continue with the topic you have selected and will conduct additional searches in the library databases, hopefully focus the topic more, and determine the six or more sources to use in this essay. o Please use only six sources. Please do not incorporate more than six sources into this essay.
Articles to Use for the Essay:
For this essay, you will select at least six articles on a topic of your choice. The articles should be on the same topic but feature different perspectives, research methods, opinions, or conclusions about some aspects of the topic.
Point of view
For this essay, you will use third-person point of view.
Please do not use first person point of view (e.g., “I,” “me,” “we”) in writing this essay.
In addition, please do not use second-person point of view (“you” or “your”) in writing this essay. For example, instead of “Smith argues that, as a director, you have a duty to coordinate cybersecurity efforts…” you would write, “Smith argues that directors have a duty to coordinate cybersecurity efforts…”
APA Style
The paper should be formatted in APA style
Double space
. • Use size 12 Times New Roman font.
• Include a running head. • Include page numbers.
• Include a title page.
• Include a “References” page on which you list the articles in APA style
• Do not include an abstract. This paper is not long enough to warrant an abstract.
Helpful Resources
• Graff, G. and Birkenstein, C., They Say / I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing with Readings. This chapter in in the Course Resources in our class. It mentions various techniques to apply in stating what an author said and your response to the author. It is recommended that you read through that chapter so that you might apply these techniques to this essay
Rubric
The introduction engages the reader, provides information, and introduces the topic.
The thesis expresses a claim made by the research, which is supported by evidence.
The writer uses signal phrases and transitional phrases to synthesize sources.
The writer uses 6 sources to demonstrate the different arguments on the topic chosen. Sources use a balance of paraphrase, summary, and direct quotations.
The writer uses the conclusion to summarize or contextualize the topic.
Language choices result in consistent writing style that appears purposeful and follows standard academic conventions or subverts them in a meaningful way.
The audience analysis follows the instructor’s guidelines and meets the word count.
or
The presentation follows the instructor’s guidelines and meets the word count.
