Synthesis Essay vs. Argumentative Essay

Essays are one of the most popular types of academic writing. They are short pieces of writing on a particular topic. The main body of an essay is made up of paragraphs, each containing one or more sentences. 

And among the different essay types are argumentative essays and synthesis essays. Both of these belong to the genre of persuasion, but they differ a lot. Whereas one synthesizes different pieces of information to create a common stand, the other argues different standpoints to drive a certain perception.

However, the two essays are also similar in some ways, which might often confuse you. But this post is here to clear the confusion and make you understand the two essay types better. Here is a detailed synthesis essay vs. argumentative essay analysis.

The similarities: Synthesis Essay vs. Argumentative Essay

Synthesis and argumentative essays have several similarities, from reliance on facts, their structure, and to some extent, their purpose. Here is a look at the similarities;

• They Rely on facts

The first similarity between synthesis and argumentative essays is that they rely on facts as their main sources of information. For example, an argumentative essay would use specific statistics as evidence to support its argument. Similarly, a synthesis essay would use several books, journals, or articles as evidence to support its thesis statement.

This means writing them requires deep research, and the information in them is not a personal opinion. Every claim is data-backed, thus giving these pieces more authority.

In fact, a professor will specifically ask you to include sources in your essay so they can see how well you can cite your sources correctly and use them correctly in their writing without plagiarizing others’ work or accidentally misquoting someone else’s words or ideas.

• The Structure

The structure of both papers is largely similar. The pieces have an introduction, body, and conclusion. In both cases, you begin with an introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and sets the topic for discussion. 

Also see: How Do You Write a Toulmin Argumentative Essay

The body provides supporting details that explain your position and back up your arguments with facts, statistics, and other evidence. Finally, the conclusion closes your essay by explaining why the reader should accept your viewpoint as valid and important.

In addition, the conclusion paragraph summarizes what you have written in the body paragraphs, draws conclusions based on your evidence, and states any final thoughts regarding the subject matter.

• Have a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a short paragraph that includes your main idea and explains how you will prove this idea. It also contains an argument for your main point. 

On one hand, a synthesis essay has a thesis statement explaining the different viewpoints and what you will develop from them. Similarly, an argumentative essay has a statement explaining the different perspectives and how you will prove which is better over the other.

Differences: Synthesis Essay vs. Argumentative Essay

• How to Write

The writing process of the essays is one of the differences between the two.

In synthesis essays, you have to write a paper on a specific topic. The article should be based on your research, observations, and experience. You must also use various sources for your writing. Further, they require in-depth research, critical thinking, and analysis. It requires a lot of time to write an excellent synthesis essay because you need to examine different sides of the issue and then come up with an argument of your own.

In contrast, an argumentative essay needs you to take a side and defend it using logical reasoning and evidence from reliable sources. You can choose any topic for your argumentative essays, mostly controversial ones such as politics or religion.

However, you must remember that there are two sides to every argument, so make sure that you present both sides in your paper before giving your verdict based on facts and reasonings provided by credible sources like books, magazines, and journals.

• Definition and Purpose

A synthesis essay is an academic assignment requiring students to examine different viewpoints on a topic and then develop an informed opinion of their own. This essay is often done for students to demonstrate their ability to read different sources and then form their own opinions based on the information read.

Simply put, synthesis essays mean to synthesize or make an opinion after reading several sources. It is also used in research papers when researchers try to combine multiple theories into one coherent theory.

In contrast, an argumentative essay is an academic assignment requiring students to write about their opinions on something. They aim to persuade readers to agree with you on a specific issue, but you must present factual evidence to support your claims. This means all of your claims are data-backed by multiple sources, so they don’t seem biased or come from just one person’s opinion alone.

But unlike a synthesis essay, an argumentative essay does not require students to read books or articles about the topic or put forward their point of view on it. Instead, they are only needed to analyze what other people say about the issue and then give their opinion on whether they agree with them but give reasons for their stand.

Generally, a synthesis essay focuses on the topic by putting all the facts together, while an argumentative essay focuses on persuading the audience to agree with you.

Further, a synthesis essay educates and informs your reader about a particular subject. On the contrary, an argumentative essay presents an opinion or stance on a specific issue. Thus you must have extensive research on your topic to provide accurate information.

• Structure

Even though both essays have a largely similar structure, there are a few differences in structure. An argumentative essay is structured in a way that builds up to a convincing conclusion. 

It starts with an introduction presenting the different thoughts available. Each body paragraph explains why a specific view is superior, thus leading to the conclusion.

The purpose of the first paragraph of an argumentative essay is to state your thesis and give support for the opinion you’re presenting. The second paragraph should provide more evidence or examples to support your claim while keeping it brief since you have several paragraphs left. Finally, the third paragraph needs to provide one final piece of evidence or example that strengthens your argument and will lead to a solid conclusion.

This pattern can also be seen in synthesis papers as well but differently. A synthesis paper starts with an introduction introducing its topic and giving some background information. Next, each main point is developed in detail with specific examples.

Finally, at the end of each section, there will be some summary statements about what was said previously, followed by conclusions drawn from all points combined into one solid statement.

• Sources

Even though there is the use of sources in both essays, there is a significant difference. In a synthesis essay, you can use different sources to support your point of view, but in an argumentative essay, you have to use only one source.

A synthesis essay requires you to examine multiple sources and provide the reader with the information needed to understand the topic. The author will often use the sources to support their argument or thesis statement.

The structure of a synthesis essay typically includes an introduction, body, and conclusion, but it can also include other sections, an abstract. The body is where you will find the majority of your research. A synthesis essay often involves using secondary and primary sources for your research.

In contrast, an argumentative essay requires you to take a side on a controversial issue and present evidence that supports your position. In addition, many different arguments can be used in such essays, including deductive, inductive, and definition arguments. 

The structure of an argumentative essay typically includes an introduction, body paragraphs with supporting evidence, a conclusion, and any outside reading material with in-text citations.

• Perspective

A synthesis essay provides multiple perspectives on one issue or topic, whereas an argumentative essay gives one side of an issue or topic.

In a synthesis essay, you must look at different sides of the issue and then come up with your conclusion. The main idea is not to argue for or against a particular point but rather to present all sides of an issue and let the reader decide. A synthesis essay should be more analytical than argumentative and persuasive.

On the other hand, an argumentative essay requires you to take a stand on an issue and provide evidence supporting it. The purpose of an argumentative essay is to persuade readers that your point of view is correct. An argumentative essay requires you to investigate both sides of an issue before providing your opinion and supporting evidence.

Wrap-up

Clearly, a synthesis and an argumentative essay are two different pieces of writing with distinct structures, purposes, and writing styles. However, there are some converging areas, probably where many get confused.

Generally, synthesis essays have a central theme on which multiple ideas are based. On the other hand, argumentative essays have different viewpoints, but one is presented as the superior one. Both pieces require you to be explicit about your position and support it with relevant evidence from the texts. 

Therefore, mastering these differences will be crucial if you want to stop the confusion and create any piece without problems.