University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Happiness Explanatory Synthesis Essay

Now you are ready to write an explanatory synthesis. This essay is one you will revise many times (at least 4 or more times) to include in your final portfolio at the end of the semester.T

Tasks To understand A24, we have done A22 and A23 and discussed some materials in Canvas Week Ten. Those materials are

:?“Brainstorming Topic Sentences and Thesis for Assignment 24”

?“Structuring the Explanatory Synthesis”

?Sample essays

Also, please remember that in Assignment 23 you read “The Explanatory Synthesis,” and it says this: “Your job in writing an explanatory paper . . . is not to argue a particular point, but rather to present the facts in a reasonably objective manner. Of course, explanatory papers, like other academic papers, should be based on a thesis. . . . But the purpose of a thesis in an explanatory paper is less to advance a particular opinion than to focus the various facts contained in the paper.” In other words, you will not be writing about what you think about the texts you explored in Assignments 22 and 23 but about the ideas in the texts. Note also that this isn’t a comparison/contrast essay. Thus, don’t simply write about the differences between the texts because this is too obvious of a point—of course there are differences. Such simple concepts don’t need to be written about. Instead of thinking about simple differences, look for distinctions within the similarities—perhaps both texts talk about a particular happiness theory but in different ways, for example. Do you see how that is more complex than just noting a difference?

24Also note that this isn’t a rhetorical analysis essay structured around purpose, audience, context, and strategies. Rather, it centers on themes and ideas in the texts you are interpreting. While your interpretation might include some rhetorical terms, rhetorical analysis is not the focus. Therefore, the structure for this essay will be significantly different from the structure you used when writing the rhetorical analysis essays. The text in your course materials called “Structuring the Explanatory Synthesis” will help you.

Remember that the writing you do for our essay assignments is “composing to communicate.” As a result, you’ll need to pay attention to how you’re using language to communicate your ideas to others. In part, this means you should think about how others might interpret the texts differently from you and take time to address what might matter to them. This also means that you should pay attention to the conventions that have developed over time in academic writing. Now you are ready to begin A24.

Task 1/Composing A24 Draft 1: Write as much as you can. Upload the draft to Canvas.

Task 2/Discussing with Your Discussion Group: Meet your classmates in Collaborate Ultra and discuss A24 Draft 1 using the worksheet in Canvas Week >Ten “Discussing A24 Draft 1Group Exercise.” Take notes on the discussion.

Task 3/Composing A24 Draft 2: Use your notes from the class discussion and your ongoing synthesis to write A24 Draft 2. Reflect on your revisions using the A24 Revision Chart in Canvas>Week Ten. Upload the draft and reflection chart to Canvas.

Task 4/Doing Peer Review: Do a peer review with your assigned classmate using the worksheet in Canvas>Week Ten “A24 Peer Review Exercise” and the peer review tool.

Task 5/Composing A24 Draft 3: Use your notes from the peer review and your ongoing synthesis to write A24 Draft 3. Reflect on your revisions using the A24 Revision Chart in Canvas>Week Ten. Upload the draft and reflection chart to Canvas.

Task 6/Meeting in Conference: Meet your instructor in Collaborate Ultra during your scheduled conference time to discuss A24 Draft 3.Task 7/Composing A14 Draft 4: Use your notes from the conference and your ongoing synthesis to write A24 Draft 4. Reflect on your revisions using the A24 Revision Chart in Canvas>Week Ten. Upload the draft and reflection chart to

Canvas.Criteria for successReview all the following in Canvas>Week Ten:

?The lectures on explanatory synthesis and A24.

?Sample Essays

In addition, remember to do the following:

?Refer to the work you did in A22 and A23

?Write as much as you can in your first draft. Expect the 4th draft to be about 4-5 pages.