explanatory synthesis definition

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Synthesizing Sources

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When you look for areas where your sources agree or disagree and try to draw broader conclusions about your topic based on what your sources say, you are engaging in synthesis. Writing a research paper usually requires synthesizing the available sources in order to provide new insight or a different perspective into your particular topic (as opposed to simply restating what each individual source says about your research topic).

Note that synthesizing is not the same as summarizing.  

• A summary restates the information in one or more sources without providing new insight or reaching new conclusions.
• A synthesis draws on multiple sources to reach a broader conclusion.

There are two types of syntheses: explanatory syntheses and argumentative syntheses . Explanatory syntheses seek to bring sources together to explain a perspective and the reasoning behind it. Argumentative syntheses seek to bring sources together to make an argument. Both types of synthesis involve looking for relationships between sources and drawing conclusions.

In order to successfully synthesize your sources, you might begin by grouping your sources by topic and looking for connections. For example, if you were researching the pros and cons of encouraging healthy eating in children, you would want to separate your sources to find which ones agree with each other and which ones disagree.

After you have a good idea of what your sources are saying, you want to construct your body paragraphs in a way that acknowledges different sources and highlights where you can draw new conclusions.

As you continue synthesizing, here are a few points to remember:

• Don’t force a relationship between sources if there isn’t one. Not all of your sources have to complement one another.
• Do your best to highlight the relationships between sources in very clear ways.
• Don’t ignore any outliers in your research. It’s important to take note of every perspective (even those that disagree with your broader conclusions).

Example Syntheses

Below are two examples of synthesis: one where synthesis is NOT utilized well, and one where it is.

Parents are always trying to find ways to encourage healthy eating in their children. Elena Pearl Ben-Joseph, a doctor and writer for KidsHealth , encourages parents to be role models for their children by not dieting or vocalizing concerns about their body image. The first popular diet began in 1863. William Banting named it the “Banting” diet after himself, and it consisted of eating fruits, vegetables, meat, and dry wine. Despite the fact that dieting has been around for over a hundred and fifty years, parents should not diet because it hinders children’s understanding of healthy eating.

In this sample paragraph, the paragraph begins with one idea then drastically shifts to another. Rather than comparing the sources, the author simply describes their content. This leads the paragraph to veer in an different direction at the end, and it prevents the paragraph from expressing any strong arguments or conclusions.

An example of a stronger synthesis can be found below.

Parents are always trying to find ways to encourage healthy eating in their children. Different scientists and educators have different strategies for promoting a well-rounded diet while still encouraging body positivity in children. David R. Just and Joseph Price suggest in their article “Using Incentives to Encourage Healthy Eating in Children” that children are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables if they are given a reward (855-856). Similarly, Elena Pearl Ben-Joseph, a doctor and writer for Kids Health , encourages parents to be role models for their children. She states that “parents who are always dieting or complaining about their bodies may foster these same negative feelings in their kids. Try to keep a positive approach about food” (Ben-Joseph). Martha J. Nepper and Weiwen Chai support Ben-Joseph’s suggestions in their article “Parents’ Barriers and Strategies to Promote Healthy Eating among School-age Children.” Nepper and Chai note, “Parents felt that patience, consistency, educating themselves on proper nutrition, and having more healthy foods available in the home were important strategies when developing healthy eating habits for their children.” By following some of these ideas, parents can help their children develop healthy eating habits while still maintaining body positivity.

In this example, the author puts different sources in conversation with one another. Rather than simply describing the content of the sources in order, the author uses transitions (like "similarly") and makes the relationship between the sources evident.

Explanatory Synthesis Essays- Structure and How to write

Explaining things is critical to helping you navigate various life phases, including academics. But what can be challenging is taking complicated subjects, breaking them down, and thoroughly explaining them for others to understand.

And this is what explanatory synthesis essays do. Here, you take a complex theory or concept and explain it in terms of the existing knowledge that a learner already has. These essays not only help readers but the writer too.

Explanatory synthesis essays help you to develop critical and logical thinking skills and different perspective considerations. The net effect is to help you articulate your thoughts perfectly, even to the most layperson.

But if this is your first time hearing about this essay, this article will educate you further on how to write and other aspects so you can become a skilled explanatory synthesis essay writer.

What Is an Explanatory Synthesis Essay?

As explained, an explanatory synthesis essay explains a concept. It requires you to look at all available resources and provide a detailed, comprehensive, and objective answer to a problem or a theory.

Ideally, an explanatory synthesis essay aims to better understand a topic.

These essays are often based on research from other authors or researchers who have previously written on the topic. Further, they are usually found in academic journals that publish articles about discoveries, technological advances, and other issues related to science, medicine, and technology.

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They can also be found in scholarly books that discuss new theories of history or philosophy and in popular magazines and newspapers that address topics such as science fiction movies and television shows. However, they may vary from topic to topic, but it is always written in a way that allows the reader to understand the subject better.

What Is the Structure of an Explanatory Synthesis Essay?

The structure of an explanatory synthesis essay is basically the same as it is for any other essay. The difference is that instead of just presenting one point, you will have to give supporting pieces of evidence from reliable sources in any paragraph.

The structure has;

Introduction

The introduction is the gateway to your essay. As such, it should be welcoming, easy to grasp, and captivating so that readers can quickly understand what you will talk about. In addition, you should make it brief but also provide the most crucial information.

The aim here is to introduce the essay; the better you do it, the better the chances of scoring higher and having your article read.

Some of the information to include here is the thesis statement and why a reader should read the entire piece. You should also give some background information to help readers understand your thought process.

This is the main or bulk of your essay and is typically three paragraphs. The body entails evidence and facts about your topic and why and how it supports your thesis statement.

Typically, each paragraph has an opening section known as the topic sentence. This is the main idea of your paragraph and should be placed at the beginning of each new body paragraph. It should also be specific enough to guide your readers about the paragraph.

The second part is the supporting evidence, where each body paragraph contains supporting evidence for the topic sentence. These are usually facts or examples that illustrate what you mean. They can also include statistics or other helpful information that supports your main idea. You should try to have at least two pieces of supporting evidence per paragraph.

Finally, you end each paragraph by tying the topic sentence and your evidence to help readers see the relationship between the two.

The conclusion of an explanatory synthesis essay provides readers with the information they might need to understand your position on the topic. You can also use this section to remind them of what you have already said in the preceding paragraphs.

Essentially, you summarize everything you have said into a single paragraph and then show how that information supports your thesis statement.

How to Write an Explanation Synthesis Essay

Writing an explanatory synthesis essay is easy and fun if you know your way around it. And it is a great way to show your subject mastery and writing skills; thus, you should not shy away from them. Not only that, but they also provide you with a platform to share your ideas with other people.

To write a good synthesis essay, you must know how it works. You have to combine multiple sources into one text but maintain a level of objectivity and accuracy of information presented in each source. However, the result will be inaccurate and incomplete if you don’t follow these principles when writing your synthesis essay.

And if you’re looking for some inspiration about how to write an explanatory synthesis essay, here are some tips and tricks that will help you write an excellent paper.

1.      Do Thorough Research

Explanatory synthesis essays require you to have multiple information sources. These essays are not about personal opinions, so you can’t write without referring to credible sources. Researching helps you find out the main points and points of view of different authors on one subject.

Additionally, researching helps you to understand the topic better, thus putting you in an excellent position to write about it without confusing your readers. And reading one source is not enough. In fact, you need to read at least three sources to write an effective essay. You can use one source as your primary one while the others as secondary sources or support for your argument.

Some of the sources that will help you are;

• Books – Books are usually written by experts in their fields and provide a detailed discussion of the topic. They are often published by university presses or academic publishers, who are more concerned with accuracy than commercial success.
• Journal articles. These are written by experts in their fields and published in peer-reviewed journals. These articles tend to be more technical than books, but they provide more up-to-date information on recent developments in an area of study.
• Newspaper articles – Newspaper articles can also help explain complex ideas to students who may not be familiar with them. However, it’s important to remember that newspapers often have a particular point of view on any given issue and should therefore be used with caution.

2.      Organize your essay

Organizing your essay is an integral part of writing it. Organization helps you present a well-thought-out and coherent paper. If you don’t organize your thoughts, you will likely end up with a disorganized piece that will confuse the reader, even if you have good ideas.

You should also be mindful of the structure and what each part entails. Further, the evidence in the body paragraph should follow a specific order. The best way is to start with the most important or strong points and finish with the weakest.

Following this order builds confidence in your readers, and you come off as an authoritative writer. This is also the point you create your outline, which helps you see what your essay will look like.

Keep the Essay Concise

Conciseness does not mean being brief, but rather do not fluff your paper. It means carefully looking at every piece of information, keeping what adds value, and discarding the rest.

For example, your thesis statement should clearly state what you will prove in your paper. You should ensure you have a few key points that are clear and easy to understand, which will lead the reader down the path of understanding the rest of your paper.

Similarly, keep your paragraphs as concise as possible, as this will help you stay on topic and avoid rambling or repeating yourself. If your paragraphs are too long, they may be hard to follow, so try to shorten them as much as possible while ensuring they contain all of the vital information your reader needs.

A good way to do this is by using transitions between paragraphs. A transition is a word or phrase that shows the relationship between ideas in a sentence or paragraph. This helps you cut off unnecessary words while still showing the relationship between every paragraph with the thesis and between sentences.

Other tips to keep your essay as concise as possible include;

• Use simple language
• Use short sentences and paragraphs
• Don’t use fancy words or phrases that might confuse the reader
• Not using contractions or slang

Use Quotes and References

Your essay needs references as a way to support the information you write. And as a requirement, you should use different sources to help create the credibility of your argument.

Depending on your professor’s instructions, you should follow the prescribed reference style. You can also opt to use quotes from reputable individuals. These help spice up your piece and support every analysis you make.

Now you know what explanatory synthesis essays are and how to write one. They are crucial pieces of writing that help you demonstrate your research and research skills. Further, they allow you to learn more about an issue and explain it to anyone expertly.

And with the stated tips, you are now poised to become the next expert writer for explanatory synthesis essays in your class.

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How to Write a Synthesis Essay

4-minute read

• 31st May 2023

Are you writing a synthesis essay? This is a paper that combines information from a variety of sources to form a new idea. Essentially, you’re synthesizing existing concepts and arguments to create something original.

As a student, you’ll probably have to write a synthesis essay at some point. Read on for our step-by-step guide on how to write one effectively.

Step 1. Define Your Idea or Argument

If you haven’t done so already, decide on a topic to write about. Read up about it using a variety of credible sources and make detailed notes while you research. Make sure you keep track of the sources you decide to pull information from so that you can cite them properly later.

Make a list of key points from your research. Once you have a good selection of material to work with, start developing your own idea or argument. This will be the focus of your essay.

Step 2. Create an Outline

Synthesis essays generally follow this format: an introduction, a handful of main body paragraphs, and a conclusion. It’s a good idea to come up with an essay plan before you start writing so that you can keep things organized while you work.

The outline is mainly helpful for deciding what to include in your body paragraphs. Decide what supporting points (and counterarguments ) from your research you want to include, and which order you want to discuss them in. You should have enough information to flesh out one paragraph for each point.

Step 3. Write Your Introduction

In your introduction, you should open with something that hooks the reader and captures their attention. Then, state your argument or idea (i.e., your thesis statement) and briefly summarize the material you’ll be including in your essay. You should also include any relevant background information here.

Step 4. Write the Body Paragraphs

Using your outline, discuss each point from your source material in more depth, devoting a body paragraph to each. Explain the information from the outside source, including appropriate citations, and discuss how it connects with your idea.

It’s a good idea to mostly focus on points that support your argument, but you should also include a paragraph with a counterargument or two. This means discussing a perspective that doesn’t necessarily align with your idea, and then explaining why your argument still works.

Step 5. Tie It All Together With a Conclusion

The conclusion should leave the reader feeling convinced of your idea. Restate your point clearly and summarize the main points you’ve discussed. You could also offer any concluding reflections on the topic.

Different Types of Synthesis Essays

While you can follow our steps for any type of synthesis essay, yours will probably fall under one of two categories: explanatory or argumentative.

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Argumentative essays are as they sound – they present an argument. With an argumentative essay, you’ll take a more definitive stance on something and use your supporting material to persuade the reader.

Explanatory essays don’t necessarily take a side one way or the other. Rather, they focus on developing and explaining a concept thoroughly. Knowing which type of essay you’re writing will help you to gather more effective source material for your purpose.

Cite Your Sources

Since synthesis essays are particularly dependent on outside material, it’s especially important that you cite your sources correctly. Familiarize yourself with your referencing system before you start researching so you know what information you need to keep track of, and include appropriate citations whenever you use someone else’s work.

At the end of the essay, you’ll need to compile your sources into a reference list following the requirements of your style guide.

Summary: Writing a Synthesis Essay

Hopefully, this post has helped you to feel more confident in writing a synthesis essay. Choose a topic first, do your research, keep track of your sources, and develop an argument or idea. From there, you can organize your thoughts into an outline and get to writing!

Once you’ve created a first draft, make sure you send it our way! We’ll check it for errors in grammar, spelling, referencing, and more. Try it out for free today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a synthesis essay.

A synthesis essay gathers ideas and viewpoints from several different sources and ties them together to form a new concept.

How long is a synthesis essay?

Synthesis essays usually follow the five-paragraph format, with an introduction, three main body paragraphs discussing different points, and a conclusion.

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Capstone Form and Style

Evidence-based arguments: synthesis, paraphrasing and synthesis.

Synthesis is important in scholarly writing as it is the combination of ideas on a given topic or subject area. Synthesis is different from summary. Summary consists of a brief description of one idea, piece of text, etc. Synthesis involves combining ideas together.

Summary: Overview of important general information in your own words and sentence structure. Paraphrase: Articulation of a specific passage or idea in your own words and sentence structure. Synthesis: New interpretation of summarized or paraphrased details in your own words and sentence structure.

In the capstone, writers should aim for synthesis in all areas of the document, especially the literature review. Synthesis combines paraphrased information, where the writer presents information from multiple sources. Synthesis demonstrates scholarship; it demonstrates an understanding of the literature and information, as well as the writer’s ability to connect ideas and develop an argument.

Example Paraphrase

From allan and zed (2012, p. 195).

Supervision, one practice in transactional leadership theory, is especially effective for small business owners. Improved retention not only contributes to an efficient workplace, but it promotes local commercial stability and cultural unity. Other management styles informed by transactional theory can also benefit communities.

Sample Paraphrase

Allan and Zed (2012) noted that supervision and other transactional leadership strategies provide advantages for small business owners and their surrounding communities.

This paraphrase DOES:

• include the main idea,
• summarize the key information using fewer words than the original text, and
• include a citation to credit the source.

Synthesis Language

Synthesis is achieved by comparing and contrasting paraphrased information on a given topic. Discussions of the literature should be focused not on study-by-study summaries (see the Creating a Literature Review Outline SMRTguide). Writers should begin by using comparison language (indicated in bold and highlighted text in the examples below) to combine ideas on a given topic:

• Keller (2012) found that X occurred. Likewise, Daal (2013) found that X occurred but also noted that the effects of X differed from those suggested by Keller (2012).
• Schwester (2013) reported results consistent with findings in Hill’s (2011) and Yao’s (2012) studies.
• Although Mehmad (2012) suggested X, O’Donnell (2013) recommended a different approach.

Again, the focus of synthesis is to combine ideas on a given topic and for the writer to use that to review the existing literature or support an overall argument (i.e., in the problem statement, rationale and justification for the method, etc.).

For more information and examples on synthesis, paragraph structure, and the MEAL Plan strategy for writing review additional Form and Style resources:

• SMRTguide on Reverse Outlining and the MEAL Plan
• SMRTguide on Prioritizing Parenthetical Citations
• Reading to Write
• Previous Page: Quoting
• Next Page: MEAL Plan
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Synthesis Essays: A Step-by-Step How-To Guide

A synthesis essay is generally a short essay which brings two or more sources (or perspectives) into conversation with each other.

The word “synthesis” confuses every student a little bit. Fortunately, this step-by-step how-to guide will see you through to success!

Here’s a step-by-step how-to guide, with examples, that will help you write yours.

Before drafting your essay:

After reading the sources and before writing your essay, ask yourself these questions:

• What is the debate or issue that concerns all of the writers? In other words, what is the question they are trying to answer?
• On what points do they agree?
• On what points do they disagree?
• If they were having a verbal discussion, how would writer number one respond to the arguments of writer number two?

In a way, writing a synthesis essay is similar to composing a summary. But a synthesis essay requires you to read more than one source and to identify the way the writers’ ideas and points of view are related.

Sometimes several sources will reach the same conclusion even though each source approaches the subject from a different point of view.

Other times, sources will discuss the same aspects of the problem/issue/debate but will reach different conclusions.

And sometimes, sources will simply repeat ideas you have read in other sources; however, this is unlikely in a high school or AP situation.

To better organize your thoughts about what you’ve read, do this:

• Identify each writer’s thesis/claim/main idea
• List the writers supporting ideas (think topic sentences or substantiating ideas)
• List the types of support used by the writers that seem important. For example, if the writer uses a lot of statistics to support a claim, note this. If a writer uses historical facts, note this.

There’s one more thing to do before writing: You need to articulate for yourself the relationships and connections among these ideas.

Sometimes the relationships are easy to find. For example, after reading several articles about censorship in newspapers, you may notice that most of the writers refer to or in some way use the First Amendment to help support their arguments and help persuade readers. In this case, you would want to describe the different ways the writers use the First Amendment in their arguments. To do this, ask yourself, “How does this writer exploit the value of the First Amendment/use the First Amendment to help persuade or manipulate the readers into thinking that she is right?

Sometimes articulating the relationships between ideas is not as easy. If you have trouble articulating clear relationships among the shared ideas you have noted, ask yourself these questions:

• Do the ideas of one writer support the ideas of another? If so, how?
• Do the writers who reach the same conclusion use the same ideas in their writing? If not, is there a different persuasive value to the ideas used by one writer than by the other?
• Do the writers who disagree discuss similar points or did they approach the subject from a completely different angle and therefore use different points and different kinds of evidence to support their arguments?
• Review your list of ideas. Are any of the ideas you have listed actually the same idea, just written in different words?

How to Write a Synthesis Essay: Examples, Topics, & Outline

A synthesis essay requires you to work with multiple sources. You combine the information gathered from them to present a well-rounded argument on a topic. Are you looking for the ultimate guide on synthesis essay writing? You’ve come to the right place!

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In this guide by our custom writing team, you will find:

• a step-by-step writing guide;
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• 📚 Synthesis Essay Definition
• 📝 Essay Types
• ✅ Step-by-Step Guide
• ✍️ Topics & Prompts
• 📑 Example & Formatting Tips

📚 What Is a Synthesis Essay?

A synthesis essay is an assignment that requires a unique interpretation of a particular topic using several reliable sources. To write it, you need to understand, analyze, and synthesize information. That is why this type of essay is used in the AP Lang exam to assess students’ reasoning skills.

The key features of the synthesis essay are:

• Debatable topic . If your goal is to write a good synthesis essay, it’s necessary to choose an arguable topic. It’s best to choose something that people have different opinions about. This will allow you to use many sources with various viewpoints for your synthesis.
• Clear thesis statement. It’s a sentence that briefly describes the main idea of your essay.
• Reliable sources to prove your thesis . For a synthesis essay, your opinion is not enough. You also need to find the evidence. Keep in mind that simply reading an online encyclopedia won’t do; make sure to choose only reliable sources.

What Does It Mean to Synthesize Information?

Synthesis is a process that has huge importance in nature, science, and our everyday life. The word stems from Ancient Greek “synthesis,” which means “putting together.” In general, synthesis is the combination of components to form a connected whole.

In everyday life, we usually resort to it to synthesize information . This means taking the data from different sources and bringing it together. This process is the opposite of analyzing:

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• For an analysis , you break problems into pieces,
• For a synthesis , you combine separate elements into a whole.

We use synthesis for analysis papers, research papers, argument papers, and business reports.

What Does Synthesis Mean in Writing?

Synthesis in writing means summarizing and connecting different sources considering a particular topic. Although synthesis and analysis are two opposite things, they usually go together in synthesis essays. The process consists of 2 stages:

• Conduct the analysis. For that, you break down a problem into parts and analyze the sources. It’s helpful to highlight everything regarding your topic while reading.
• Carry out the synthesis. The next step is to formulate an opinion and combine the highlighted information from the sources.

Synthesis is not only used in writing but also in reading comprehension . It’s useful to do this kind of reading while studying your sources. There are three reading comprehension stages:

• Your previous knowledge about the topic.
• Expansion of your knowledge while you are reading.
• Understanding of the problem when you have finished reading.

So, synthesized reading comprehension means combining three stages in one and formulating one statement.

Synthesis vs Summary: What Is the Difference?

A summary is a paraphrasing of the written source in your own words. For a good summary, it’s necessary to include all of the text’s key elements. Meanwhile, synthesis means combining different ideas from different sources. You don’t have to include all the key points; just choose everything related to your topic.

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Both of these techniques are used for the synthesis essay:

• The summary goes in the conclusion. You briefly sum up your paper’s main ideas.
• Synthesis goes in the body paragraphs. Here, you combine multiple sources to prove a point.

📝 Synthesis Essay Types

There are two main types of a synthesis essay: argument and explanatory synthesis.

Both of them require working with multiple reliable sources and analyzing information. The only difference is that an argument synthesis essay requires your own opinion, while an explanatory synthesis essay does not.

Argument Synthesis Essay: Outline and Definition

As you already know, an argument synthesis essay requires you to state your own opinion about the given topic and back it up with several reliable sources. The purpose of such an essay is to persuade the reader that your point is correct.

Here’s what an argument synthesis essay consists of:

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Explanatory Synthesis Essay: Definition and How to Write

An explanatory informative synthesis essay requires you to stay neutral towards the problem you are discussing. This means you cannot express your own opinion considering the given question or a problem. Your task is just to inform the reader. That’s why this essay type is also called informative synthesis.

Check out this explanatory essay outline:

✅ How to Write a Synthesis Essay Step by Step

When it comes to the synthesis essay outline, it’s not too different from other assignments. Have a look at this template:

How to Synthesize: Working with Sources

After you’ve decided on your topic, it’s time to figure out how to synthesize articles into one text. This is how you do it:

• Choose reliable sources: the ones printed in journals or published on academic websites.
• Become familiar with them and see if they fit into your essay.
• Try to find a few sources for each point. It will increase your essay’s reliability.
• Relate each source to your arguments and see similarities between them.
• Don’t forget to list every source in the references.

When you are done with a comprehensive analysis of related literature, try to step back and imagine a person who has a different opinion on this topic. Think of some arguments that they can provide to prove their opinion. After you have the list of arguments, find the written evidence of why they are wrong and put them in your essay.

Analyzing and organizing sources is the first and very important step for the synthesis essay. So make sure you do understand what the text means before using it as a reference.

Synthesis Essay Outline: How to Write

For structuring your essay, it’s useful to try mapping . This technique means combining the information from different sources and rearranging it to create a new direction. To do it, you need to analyze the authors’ ideas and come up with your own conclusions.

The best way to do that is called synthesis matrix or graphic organizer. It’s a chart that you can make when you start working on your essay. Here you have a horizontal column that states the main ideas and a few vertical columns that present sources. Your task is to take sources you have chosen and write down the main ideas from them.

Here’s an example of a matrix chart:

While doing that, you will see how many sources contain the same ideas. When you analyze them, you will be able to formulate your thesis backed up with evidence. The synthesis matrix also helps to see new arguments you can cover in your synthesis paper.

How to Write an Introduction for a Synthesis Essay

Now it’s time to start writing the paper. In the introductory part of the essay, you can include:

• A short yet catchy sentence or a quotation that would present the topic. The start of your essay should make people interested. It’s best to make the first sentence not only informative but also easy to understand.
• The texts that are used for the essay. Provide the titles and the authors’ names (use the appropriate guidelines depending on the writing style.)
• The background information which is needed to understand your essay. Definitions of terms or unknown words considering the topic can be included in this part. Otherwise, people may find it hard to understand what they are reading about.

How to Write a Thesis for a Synthesis Essay

A thesis statement is a point of view on a certain problem that you will defend in your essay. It should contain the key points that you want to include in your paper. Here’s how to create a perfect thesis statement:

• Find several central ideas in the chart.
• Choose the ones that are repeated the most often and the ones that you feel need to be in your essay.
• Combine them, and you have a thesis statement with all the key points.
• Make a draft of the thesis statement. Try to formulate the main idea you want to present in your essay.
• Elaborate on this idea. Add some details and expand it a bit further.

If the whole picture is coherent, and it conveys exactly what you wanted, then this is your perfect thesis statement. See the example below:

Gender inequality still exists at the workplace: women are less likely to get the most responsible positions, easily lose careers due to maternity leave, and often receive less pay for the same amount of work.

How to Write Synthesis Paragraphs for the Main Body

Your essay’s main body consists of a few paragraphs. Each of them presents a different argument considering the topic. When you start a paragraph, make sure to begin with a topic sentence, which informs the reader about the paragraph’s main idea. Then, include the synthesized sources and elaborate on them.

Here’s what you should and shouldn’t do when writing the main body:

You can use the following words to present the ideas from your sources. They will help you reflect the authors’ tone:

How to Conclude a Synthesis Essay

There are quite a few ways to conclude the synthesis paper. Have a look at some of the options:

• Paraphrase the thesis. As you remember, the thesis is the main idea of your essay. The conclusion is a good place to remind your readers about it. When they are done with the reading, they remember the most important thing from your essay.
• Synthesize the arguments. There is no need to repeat everything you wrote in your essay. Just briefly summarize the most crucial points.
• Answer the “So what” question. Tell the readers why this topic matters, why you’ve chosen it, and why it’s valuable for the reader.
• Provide a closure. It’s an effective strategy when you want to make the reader think. Leave them with a strong statement at the end of your essay.

Synthesis Paper Proofreading Tips

When you have finally written your paper, there is still one important thing left to do. You need to check your paper for any grammatical and contextual mistakes. You certainly can do it yourself, but it would be perfect if you could ask somebody else to read it.

The first thing you need to check grammar-wise is the tense you are using. There is no single tense you need to use for the synthesis essay. It depends on the format:

• If you’re writing in MLA format, use the present tense;
• For APA essays, you use the past tense.

The next step is to check whether your synthesis essay has everything that’s required. For that, we have prepared the checklist of questions you can ask yourself to proofread your essays.

• Is there a clear thesis statement?
• Did you include all of the key points from the synthesis?
• Are there clear transitions between paragraphs?
• Did you organize a paragraph around a single idea?
• Did you use reliable and up-to-date sources?
• Did you analyze sources rather than just summarize them?
• Did you mention every source you’ve used?

If you’ve answered “yes” to all the questions—congratulations, you are done with the essay! Otherwise, you need to come back and fix everything that you’ve answered “no” to.

✍️ Synthesis Essay Topics and Prompts

Sometimes, when you don’t have a topic , it is tough to come up with a suitable idea. That is why we have prepared two lists of topics that you can use for any synthesis essay type.

Explanatory Synthesis Essay Topics

The topics below are suitable for an explanatory synthesis essay:

• The beginning of Hollywood cinema . Cinema is a huge industry in the USA. Tell the readers about its history. Describe what it was like in the beginning, which movie was the first one, and who started this industry.
• Tactics on dealing with noisy children. Sometimes kids can be very loud, especially in public places. Write about different tactics that can help with this issue.
• The effects of climate change on the water cycle.  Climate change has affected the water cycle significantly. Your task is to explain how.
• The best American cities to live in. Provide the list of the best cities and explain why you’ve included them.
• The importance of a healthy diet . Keeping a healthy diet is beneficial in many ways. Write about all the advantages it brings.
• Who can become an entrepreneur? Entrepreneurship is not for everybody. In this essay, you can describe the qualities needed for having your own business.
• The correlation between overpopulation and poverty . Describe how overpopulation leads to poverty and vice versa.
• The advantages of taking an active vacation.
• Cultural shock as a part of moving to a different country.
• The consequences of the first wave of feminism.
• Synthesis of Tan and Rodriguez’ essays ideas.
• Difficulties you may encounter during the job interview.
• How does reading prevent Alzheimer’s disease?
• The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses.
• The connection between religion and politics in ruling the country.
• What can non-verbal signals tell you about a person ?
• The psychology of leadership .
• The origins of the most common  stereotypes  about Americans.
• Role of social media in business communication .
• The synthesis of personal nursing philosophy concept.
• Behavioral components of schizophrenia and psychosis.
• Main components of successful entrepreneurship.
• Critical components of scientific research.
• Change in religion and human beliefs throughout history.
• The effect of global warming on modern life.

Argument Synthesis Paper Topics

The list of topics for the Argument Synthesis Essay:

• Vaping is better than smoking. People are starting to exchange cigarettes for vapes and e-cigarettes. In what ways are they less harmful?
• Rich people should pay higher taxes. The same percentage of money doesn’t equal for rich and poor people. Explain why the ones who can afford more should share with others.
• Depression is a disease. Prove that psychological problems must be recognized as real health issues that should be cured and not ignored.
• Social media affects young people’s lives. Social media has a massive influence on people. In this essay, you can discuss which life spheres are the most affected.
• Beauty pageants should be banned. Provide the reasons why they should be banned and tell the reader about psychological problems they can cause.
• People should cut meat from their diet to stop global warming. Describe how the meat industry influences climate change.
• The voting age should be 25+. Your task is to show the reasons why the votes of people under 25 should not be taken into account during elections.
• A healthy lifestyle requires a lot of money.
• Each healthy man should serve in the military.
• School bullying should be punished by immediate exclusion.
• Does friendship exist between men and women?
• Drinking coffee is a bad habit.
• Working hard is more important than being talented.
• Everybody should visit a therapist at least once.
• Should universities be free?
• Artificial intelligence will cause huge unemployment rates.
• Gaming should not be allowed to children under 18.
• Components and strategies of social responsibility
• Integration of relevant ethical theory and conceptual principles in health care
• Children under 10 should be banned from gadgets .
• Social media platforms facilitate cyberbullying.
• Issues of distance education .
• Social media addiction is a serious disease.
• Deforestation critically contributes to global warming.
• Healthcare should be free for everyone.

📑 Synthesis Essay Example & Synthesis Essay Format Tips

Now let’s talk about formatting. There are two writing styles you can use for a synthesis essay: APA or MLA. You need to choose the one that is required for your assignment.

We will start with the paper in APA format. It is usually used in science and education.

And these are MLA formatting rules:

Finally, we’ve prepared a synthesis essay sample for you to check out. Feel free to download the PDF file below:

First introduced in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, affirmative action policies aim to mitigate the discrepancy in opportunities available for underrepresented social groups by taking into account one’s minority background. The policies have become a pressing public issue that obstructs previously marginalized individuals, particularly in the educational environment.

Thank you for reading the ultimate guide on synthesis essay writing. We hope you found it helpful. Don’t forget to share it with your friends. Good luck with your assignments!

🔍 References

• Writing a Synthesis Essay: Bowling Green State University
• What Is Synthesis: University of Manitoba
• Synthesis: Biology Online
• Reading Strategies: Difference Summarizing and Synthesizing: WordPress
• Summary, Analysis, Synthesis Definitions: University of Utah
• Argumentative Synthesis: University of Arkansas
• How to Synthesize Written Information: Simply Psychology
• Mapping of Synthesis Essay: University of Nevada, Reno
• Writing a Literature Review and Using a Synthesis Matrix: Florida International University
• Synthesis Essay: Cleveland State University
• Literature Review: Synthesizing Multiple Sources: Louisiana State University
• Writing a Conclusion: Texas Women’s University
• General APA Guidelines: Purdue University
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Clarifying summary, analysis, and synthesis

Many writing assignments in college, especially in the liberal arts, will require elements of both analysis and synthesis. Understanding the differences as well as the complementary relationship between these two moves will help you write stronger essays. 

Analysis vs Summary

What is analysis? Broadly speaking, analysis consists of breaking down the text or problem you are examining in order to understand each part of it. Analysis must be supported with evidence and examples. You can think of analytical work as being similar to taking apart a completed puzzle to see how the pieces fit together or breaking down a chemical compound to see the individual elements or molecules it consists of. 

One of the main pitfalls of rhetorical analysis is summarizing rather than analyzing. Summarizing includes statements of facts, details, and events, and offers description of those elements. However, analysis is more than just summary! Analysis goes further, and includes explanation, interpretation, and reflections on significance in context. You might use analysis to offer perspective by asking and answering questions about the source and making comparisons. The purpose of analysis is to show what you understand about the source being analyzed—sometimes there are objectively more or less correct points to prioritize in your analysis in order to demonstrate that you see the main purpose of either the author(s) or the professor in assigning the reading, but no two people will analyze in an identical way. 

Using specific, powerful verbs and verb phrases is one of the best ways to make sure your writing is incisive and clearly analytical when you are composing rhetorical analysis—a close, sophisticated reading of any text. Bland verbs, such as “uses,” “says,” or “states,” lead writers into summary. Use the verb list below for inspiration when you are faced with the task of analyzing a text—and to expand your writing vocabulary!

First, you can think about “structure verbs,” which help you as both reader and analytical writer to understand the overall structure of the source you are analyzing. Think about where the authors of your sources do these things, as well as where you can do them in your own writing:

• Draws a parallel between
• Foreshadows
• Transitions to

Then, you can think about the rhetorical modes in which an author develops their argument:

• Exemplifies
• Illustrates

A longer list of power verbs is available here .

What is Synthesis? 

There are two types of synthesis: explanatory synthesis, and argument synthesis. In explanatory synthesis, your writing is meant to help the reader understand the topic at hand. You divide the topic into its components, which continues analysis, but in a way that might bring multiple sources or perspectives together. Explanatory synthesis tells you what is obvious in the source(s). Argument synthesis, on the other hand, presents your own point of view using the sources.

First, you must understand the key points (arguments, claims, ideas, evidence, and significance) of each of your sources individually. Demonstrating this understanding in our writing is part of the work of analysis. 

Then, you must be able to identify key points of similarity or difference between your sources and be able to explain them. This is both analysis and explanatory synthesis. CAUTION: This does not mean that you can cherry-pick selective evidence that agrees with your own point if it contradicts the larger argument the author is making. It also does not mean you can reduce the entire source to the points of agreement or disagreement that you want to emphasize in making your own claims. You must be able to isolate and discuss how specific aspects of the sources contribute to a conversation without oversimplifying or misrepresenting the source or conversation more broadly.

Finally, to make your argument effectively using argument synthesis, you must be able to articulate ideas and smoothly integrate multiple citations without exclusively reiterating claims your sources have already made. 

Related Content

Higher Level Thinking: Synthesis in Bloom's Taxonomy

Putting the Parts Together to Create New Meaning

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Bloom’s Taxonomy  (1956 ) was designed with six levels in order to promote higher order thinking. Synthesis was placed on the fifth level of the Bloom’s taxonomy pyramid as it requires students to infer relationships among sources. The high-level thinking of synthesis is evident when students put the parts or information they have reviewed as a whole in order to create new meaning or a new structure.

The Online Etymology Dictionary records the word synthesis as coming from two sources:

"Latin synthesis  meaning a "collection, set, suit of clothes, composition (of a medication)" and also from the Greek  synthesis  meaning "a composition, a putting together."

The dictionary also records the evolution of the use of synthesis to include "deductive reasoning" in 1610 and "a combination of parts into a whole" in 1733. Today's students may use a variety of sources when they combine parts into a whole. The sources for synthesis may include articles, fiction, posts, or infographics as well as non-written sources, such as films, lectures, audio recordings, or observations.

Types of Synthesis in Writing

Synthesis writing is a process in which a student makes the explicit connection between a thesis (the argument) and evidence from sources with similar or dissimilar ideas. Before synthesis can take place, however, the student must complete a careful examination or close reading of all source material. This is especially important before a student can draft a synthesis essay.

There are two types of synthesis essays:

• A student may choose to use an explanatory synthesis essay in order to deconstruct or divide evidence into logical parts so that the essay is organized for readers. Explanatory synthesis essays usually include descriptions of objects, places, events or processes. Descriptions are written objectively because the explanatory synthesis does not present a position. The essay here has information gathered from the sources that the student places in a sequence or other logical manner.
• In order to present a position or opinion, a student may choose to use an argumentative synthesis. The thesis or position of an argumentative essay is one that can be debated. A thesis or position in this essay can be supported with evidence taken from sources and is organized so that it can be presented in a logical manner. 

The introduction to either synthesis essay contains a one-sentence (thesis) statement that sums up the essay's focus and introduces the sources or texts that will be synthesized. Students should follow the citation guidelines in referencing the texts in the essay, which includes their title and author(s) and maybe a little context about the topic or background information. 

The body paragraphs of a synthesis essay can be organized using several different techniques separately or in combination. These techniques can include: using a summary, making comparisons and contrasts, providing examples, proposing cause and effect, or conceding opposing viewpoints. Each of these formats allows the student the chance to incorporate the source materials in either the explanatory or the argumentative synthesis essay.

The conclusion of a synthesis essay may remind readers of the key points or suggestions for further research. In the case of the argumentative synthesis essay, the conclusion answers the "so what" that was proposed in the thesis or may call for action from the reader.

Key Words for the Synthesis Category:

blend, categorize, compile, compose, create, design, develop, form, fuse, imagine, integrate, modify, originate, organize, plan, predict, propose, rearrange, reconstruct, reorganize, solve, summarize, test, theorize, unite.

Synthesis Question Stems With Examples

• Can you develop a theory for the popularity of a text in English? 
• Can you predict the outcome of behavior in Psychology I by using polls or exit slips?
• How could you test the speed of a rubber-band car in physics if a test track is not available?
• How would you adapt ingredients to create a healthier casserole in Nutrition 103 class?'
• How could you change the plot of Shakespeare's Macbeth so it could be rated "G"?
• Suppose you could blend iron with another element so that it could burn hotter?
• What changes would you make to solve a linear equation if you could not use letters as variables?
• Can you fuse Hawthorne's short story "The Minister's Black Veil" with a soundtrack?
• Compose a nationalist song using percussion only.
• If you rearrange the parts in the poem "The Road Not Taken", what would the last line be?

Synthesis Essay Prompt Examples

• Can you propose a universal course of study in the use of social media that could be implemented across the United States?
• What steps could be taken in order to minimize food waste from the school cafeteria?
• What facts can you compile to determine if there has been an increase in racist behavior or an increase in awareness of racist behavior?
• What could you design to wean young children off video games?
• Can you think of an original way for schools to promote awareness of global warming or climate change?
• How many ways can you use technology in the classroom to improve student understanding?
• What criteria would you use to compare American Literature with English Literature?

Synthesis Performance Assessment Examples

• Design a classroom that would support educational technology.
• Create a new toy for teaching the American Revolution. Give it a name and plan a marketing campaign.
• Write and present a news broadcast about a scientific discovery.
• Propose a magazine cover for a famous artist using his or her work.
• Make a mix tape for a character in a novel.
• Hold an election for the most important element on the periodic table.
• Put new words to a known melody in order to promote healthy habits.
• Questions for Each Level of Bloom's Taxonomy
• Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in Education
• Bloom's Taxonomy - Application Category
• How to Write a Good Thesis Statement
• Asking Better Questions With Bloom's Taxonomy
• How to Construct a Bloom's Taxonomy Assessment
• An Introduction to Academic Writing
• Using Bloom's Taxonomy for Effective Learning
• Beef Up Critical Thinking and Writing Skills: Comparison Essays
• Bloom's Taxonomy in the Classroom
• Definition and Examples of Analysis in Composition
• What an Essay Is and How to Write One
• Composition Type: Problem-Solution Essays
• What Is Expository Writing?
• How to Write a Solid Thesis Statement
• Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay

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still wondering how to write a synthesis essay? we will get you covered

Synthesis Essay: Definition & Example

The synthesis essay writing process requires curiosity, in-depth research, and a unique perception for debating or elucidating an idea. The art of writing a synthesis essay is technical; it requires a high level of intelligence. Students have to learn synthesis essay writing skills because this is a knowledge they can apply in other essay writings.

You have an edge in various other fields of study when you know how to write an enthralling, compelling discussion out of a given or chosen topic.

Synthesis definition: what is a synthesis essay?

If you are new to this subject, the first thing you need to know is “what is a synthesis essay.” Simply put: a synthesis essay is an essay type that involves gathering information from various sources. Then, you derive a question, a new idea, or a debatable thesis from the information gathered. Then, when writing a synthesis essay, you will have to discuss ideas, data, and idea-validating evidence from several sources. Finally, this evidence is used to explain or argue an original idea.

The category of people who write synthesis essays the most are college and high school students. A synthesis essay would typically follow a standard structure, including one paragraph for the introduction, three for the body, and one for the conclusion. The questions or theses a writer derives guide their synthesis essay writing, which may be based on their opinion. The writer then uses objective essays and data to argue and justify their point of view.

The major types of synthesis essay

Synthesis essays are mainly of two types, but both generally follow the same structure and formatting. The two major types of synthesis essays are argumentative and explanatory.

1. Argumentative Synthesis Essay

As the name implies, the basis of an argumentative essay is to argue a writer’s opinion or point, providing compelling shreds of evidence. Argumentative synthesis essays are written in the same way one would write a normal argumentative essay.

2. Explanatory Synthesis Essay

An explanatory synthesis essay explains rather than argues; a writer uses different sources to explain or elucidate a specific point. An explanatory synthesis essay would normally investigate similarities and differences between different ideas. However, it is not biased; it does not choose a side or sway its audience towards its point of view.

What does Synthesis mean in essay writing?

Synthesizing in essays means combining points of several sources rather than summarizing to derive a general conclusion. A writer gathers several sources and extracts the main points in each. Then the writer puts together the points, ideas, and findings to make a general point. Synthesis essays go beyond summarizing scholarly articles and research papers; they need to be synthesized to see how they fit. Also, synthesizing should reveal how your research work fits in.

Synthesizing involves investigating differences and similarities between sources at the most basic level. A good synthesis essay should show the audience where the sources converge and diverge.

Steps involved in synthesizing points from various sources

Find below the steps involved in synthesizing ideas from several sources.

Step 1: Source Organization

After gathering the articles, you need to organize them in a way that will reveal to you the correlation between them. You can organize your sources in two ways, including a summary table or synthesis matrix. Which of the two methods you use depends on your topic and the category of literature you are working with.

Step 2: Structure Outline

There is a clear view of the connections and dissimilarities between your sources. The next thing is to group them in the order you will discuss them. The outline will focus on each paragraph if it is a short paper. However, you may need to divide your outline into sections with headings for a longer paper.

Step 3: Condensing Paragraphs

Sectionalize your paper, letting a paragraph be about a few different sources; write each paragraph with a topic sentence. That means that you condense the all-encompassing point in the paragraph into one sentence. The topic sentence would usually appear at the start of its corresponding paragraph and tells what the paragraph is all about.

Step 4: Conclude

Finally, wrap up the whole paper with a conclusion, which should occupy a paragraph. The conclusion summarizes all the major themes you covered and should clarify how they relate to the topic.

Synthesis Essay example on Nature

Let’s take a look at an example to better understand the thought process behind a synthesis essay writing:

Introduction

Nature, the mention of the term nature takes one back to the days of the creation of everything that is but was never there. Others call this evolution. This is the beginning of everything in existence that is seen today. Then one would ask what exactly is nature? In the words of the oxford dictionary, nature is “all the animals, plants, and other things in the world that are not made by people and all the events and processes that are caused by people” (Oxford, 2007).

Other authors say that nature refers to all the things that were placed on this planet earth be it the animals that we see, the food we eat, the minerals deep inside the belly of the earth, the springs of water, the wood that we see around all belong to nature and we are part of that nature. Something of interest that needs noting is the fact that nature is very wide and embarking on discussing the entire aspects of nature is like dropping a small particle of sand into the vast ocean and expecting to find it later. Therefore the subject of discussion here is part of nature that is ecology and environment.

Ecology is the study of how organisms intermingle with each other in their surrounding (Kolbert, 2014). This interaction involves the groups that these organisms make, the environment they live in which includes non – living things, which is referred to as “Ecosystem”. This should be noted does not just mean the organisms but also people and how they relate to other living things and the environment where they live. A human being is known to be the most destructive of the living things in existence which is the very reason he is being included in the study. The environment then refers to the power and the resource that is involved in a system that affects organisms either in the way they live and react to situations. It also affects the way organisms eat, grow and die. The environment can be said to be the creator of the life of organisms and makes the ability of their being. According to Bohmbach in her book Eco-Lutheranism , ecology and environment together with human interaction form a complex system that creates competition for all stakeholders; the organisms, the human beings and the environment that man creates for the organisms (2013).

Some school of thought also come up that involves evolution in the ecology and claims that ecology defines and forms evolution which in turn responds by inducing what happens in the ecology. This then means that nature has a way of defining itself, influencing itself and forming itself into what it is. According to Conti in the book The Selfish Cell , what nature is meant to be is what it becomes. The cells that form an organism will always produce what they are meant to produce with the help of the environment which favors the cell’s existence and being (2008). Conti(2008) continues to say that researchers of biology have proved that ecology and evolution are progressions that intermingle with each other bringing out results that mean and say that indeed our understanding of the same has to change and we must begin to acknowledge the fact that the two have a relationship that is interdependent on either of them and none can be wished away. The relationship that exists between the ecology (and the organisms in the ecology) and its environment is that of creating new types of organisms and transforming those in existence. 

It is possible to overlook the fact that evolution is a silent agent in the activities going on in the ecology affected by the environment because it is widely perceived and believed that the ecology is a “constant”( Conti(2008). However, researchers have found out that both the ecology and the environment are interdependent on each other in many ways. Organisms in the ecology have evolved over and with time from their original being into something different thanks to evolution. Some of these organisms have become smaller in size because of the predators in their environment, which of course is a defense mechanism against the attackers while some have grown bigger which is also means the same thing; defense against attackers. This is evolution which in brief means a slow change that takes place after a long period of time, a period within which various types of animals, insects, plants and general living things change their physical appearance and characteristics. For this to take place, Edward Wilson in his book the social conquest of earth says, the environment contributes a lot to this (2013). The change or evolution of some of these organisms still is as a result the kind of food they eat over time, which has also changed due to interference by man over time which has forced some of these organisms to change their eating habits.

Ecology of Man

To define Ecology once more from the perspective of Wilson (2013), it is the “study of organisms” and the way they relate and react to the environment. To add on to this, it should be remembered that there is no single organism that can exist in the absence of the other and this connection between various components that are involved is sometimes referred to as “the web of life”. The environment sometimes can be stable when the variables do not change within short periods and this is usually known as “the balance of nature”. This then means that the elements extracted from the environment is the same as those added which strikes a balance.

However, there are instances where this balance does not exist as in cases where a vast area can be physically affected when climatic changes take place which cause substantial changes in the environment. Such changes can cause fires which devastate large areas forcing restoration to take place. This restoration is done with the help of mankind in the form of reforestation and many other activities are involved to restore the environment to its former state. This finally creates a new balance that is “stable”. This is however something that takes time but finally happens. It should also be said here that some of this destruction of the environment as earlier said is caused by the most central animal to the environment and that is man (Wilson, 2013). 

The ecology where man is expected to live has greatly become small because of his activities as an act of inventiveness and growing population. This has contributed a great deal to the destruction of the environment and even if replacement of the destroyed forests and other elements is done, it can never be as it were before because the natural forest as it were was home to many types of animals that may not find it comfortable living in artificial forests without their natural food. This has also affected the animals in the seas that depended on the forests for survival. As it is known, forests are a great contributor to water and the absence of the same means less water and the result is death of the sea animals. It is important also to note that it is not only the “organic” matter that is affected by man’s activities but also inorganic as well.

Bohmbach, Karla G. (2013). Eco-Lutheranism: Lutheran Perspectives on Ecology. Minneapolis. Lutheran University Press. Print

Brockman John. (2014). Leading Scientists Explore the Origin, Mysteries and Future Cosmos the Universe . NewYork. Harpercollins Publishers. Print

Conti, Matteo. (2008). The Selfish Cell: Evolutionary Defeat. New York. Springer Publishers.

Kolbert, Elizabeth (2014). The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History . New York. Henry Holt & Co.

Wilson, Edward O. (2013). The Social Conquest of Earth. New York. Liveright Publishers.

In conclusion, a synthesis essay is undoubtedly one of the most difficult essays to write. Nevertheless, if you have tips like the ones in this article on hand, you will do just fine. Moreover, the more you write a synthetic essay, the better you get at it.

How to Write an Explanatory Essay: Comprehensive Guide with Examples

What Is an Explanatory Essay: Definition

Have you ever been tasked with explaining a complex topic to someone without prior knowledge? It can be challenging to break down complex ideas into simple terms that are easy to understand. That's where explanatory writing comes in! An explanatory essay, also known as an expository essay, is a type of academic writing that aims to explain a particular topic or concept clearly and concisely. These essays are often used in academic settings but can also be found in newspapers, magazines, and online publications.

For example, if you were asked to explain how a car engine works, you would need to provide a step-by-step explanation of the different parts of the engine and how they work together to make the car move. Or, if you were asked to explain the process of photosynthesis, you would need to explain how plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create energy.

When wondering - 'what is an explanatory essay?', remember that the goal of an explanatory paper is to provide the reader with a better understanding of the topic at hand. Unlike an opinion essay , this type of paper does not argue for or against a particular viewpoint but rather presents information neutrally and objectively. By the end of the essay, the reader should clearly understand the topic and be able to explain it to others in their own words.

Also, there is no set number of paragraphs in an explanatory essay, as it can vary depending on the length and complexity of the topic. However, when wondering - 'how many paragraphs in an explanatory essay?', know that a typical example of explanatory writing will have an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

However, some essays may have more or fewer body paragraphs, depending on the topic and the writer's preference. Ultimately, an explanatory essay format aims to provide a clear and thorough explanation of the topic, using as many paragraphs as necessary.

30 Interesting Explanatory Essay Topics 

Now that we have defined what is explanatory essay, the next step is choosing a good explanatory topic. A well-chosen topic is interesting and relevant to your audience while also being something you are knowledgeable about and can provide valuable insights on. By selecting a topic that is too broad or too narrow, you run the risk of either overwhelming your audience with too much information or failing to provide enough substance to fully explain the topic. Additionally, choosing a topic that is too controversial or biased can lead to difficulty in presenting information objectively and neutrally. By choosing a good explanatory topic, you can ensure that your essay is well-informed, engaging, and effective in communicating your ideas to your audience.

Here are 30 creative explanatory essay topics by our admission essay service to consider:

• The Impact of Social Media on Modern Communication
• Exploring the Rise of Renewable Energy Sources Worldwide
• The Role of Genetics in Personalizing Medicine
• How Blockchain Technology is Transforming Finance
• The Influence of Globalization on Local Cultures
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How to Start an Explanatory Essay: Important Steps

Starting an explanatory essay can be challenging, especially if you are unsure where to begin. However, by following a few simple steps, you can effectively kick-start your writing process and produce a clear and concise essay. Here are some tips and examples from our term paper writing services on how to start an explanatory essay:

• Choose an engaging topic : Your topic should be interesting, relevant, and meaningful to your audience. For example, if you're writing about climate change, you might focus on a specific aspect of the issue, such as the effects of rising sea levels on coastal communities.
• Conduct research : Gather as much information as possible on your topic. This may involve reading scholarly articles, conducting interviews, or analyzing data. For example, if you're writing about the benefits of mindfulness meditation, you might research the psychological and physical benefits of the practice.
• Develop an outline : Creating an outline will help you logically organize your explanatory essay structure. For example, you might organize your essay on the benefits of mindfulness meditation by discussing its effects on mental health, physical health, and productivity.
• Provide clear explanations: When writing an explanatory article, it's important to explain complex concepts clearly and concisely. Use simple language and avoid technical jargon. For example, if you're explaining the process of photosynthesis, you might use diagrams and visual aids to help illustrate your points.
• Use evidence to support your claims : Use evidence from reputable sources to support your claims and arguments. This will help to build credibility and persuade your readers. For example, if you're writing about the benefits of exercise, you might cite studies that demonstrate its positive effects on mental health and cognitive function.

By following these tips and examples, you can effectively start your expository essays and produce a well-structured, informative, and engaging piece of writing.

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Explanatory Essay Outline

As mentioned above, it's important to create an explanatory essay outline to effectively organize your ideas and ensure that your essay is well-structured and easy to follow. An outline helps you organize your thoughts and ideas logically and systematically, ensuring that you cover all the key points related to your topic. It also helps you identify gaps in your research or argument and allows you to easily revise and edit your essay. In this way, an outline can greatly improve the overall quality and effectiveness of your explanatory essay.

Explanatory Essay Introduction

Here are some tips from our ' do my homework ' service to create a good explanatory essay introduction that effectively engages your readers and sets the stage for the entire essay:

• Start with a hook: Begin your introduction with an attention-grabbing statement or question that draws your readers in. For example, you might start your essay on the benefits of exercise with a statistic on how many Americans suffer from obesity.
• Provide context: Give your readers some background information on the topic you'll be discussing. This helps to set the stage and ensures that your readers understand the importance of the topic. For example, you might explain the rise of obesity rates in the United States over the past few decades.
• State your thesis: A good explanatory thesis example should be clear, concise, and focused. It should state the main argument or point of your essay. For example, you might state, ' Regular exercise is crucial to maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.'
• Preview your main points: Give your readers an idea of what to expect in the body of your essay by previewing your main points. For example, you might explain that you'll be discussing the benefits of exercise for mental health, physical health, and longevity.
• Keep it concise: Your introduction should be brief and to the point. Avoid getting bogged down in too much detail or providing too much background information. A good rule of thumb is to keep your introduction to one or two paragraphs.

The Body Paragraphs

By following the following tips, you can create well-organized, evidence-based explanation essay body paragraphs that effectively support your thesis statement.

• Use credible sources: When providing evidence to support your arguments, use credible sources such as peer-reviewed academic journals or reputable news outlets. For example, if you're writing about the benefits of a plant-based diet, you might cite a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
• Organize your paragraphs logically: Each body paragraph should focus on a specific aspect or argument related to your topic. Organize your paragraphs logically so that each one builds on the previous one. For example, if you're writing about the causes of climate change, you might organize your paragraphs to focus on human activity, natural causes, and the effects of climate change.
• Use transitional phrases: Use transitional phrases to help your readers follow the flow of your ideas. For example, you might use phrases such as 'in addition,' 'furthermore,' or 'on the other hand' to indicate a shift in your argument.
• Provide analysis: Don't just present evidence; provide analysis and interpretation of the evidence. For example, if you're writing about the benefits of early childhood education, you might analyze the long-term effects on academic achievement and future earnings.
• Summarize your main points: End each body paragraph with a sentence that summarizes the main point or argument you've made. This helps to reinforce your thesis statement and keep your essay organized. For example, you might end a paragraph on the benefits of exercise by stating, 'Regular exercise has been shown to improve mental and physical health, making it a crucial aspect of a healthy lifestyle.'

Explanatory Essay Conclusion

Here are some unique tips on how to write an explanatory essay conclusion that leaves a lasting impression on your readers.

• Offer a solution or recommendation: Instead of summarizing your main points, offer suggestions based on the information you've presented. This can help to make your essay more impactful and leave a lasting impression on your readers. For example, if you're writing about the effects of pollution on the environment, you might recommend using more eco-friendly products or investing in renewable energy sources.
• Emphasize the importance of your topic: Use your concluding statement to emphasize the importance of your topic and why it's relevant to your readers. This can help to inspire action or change. For example, suppose you're writing about the benefits of volunteering. In that case, you might emphasize how volunteering helps others and has personal benefits such as improved mental health and a sense of purpose.
• End with a powerful quote or statement: End your explanatory essay conclusion with a powerful quote or statement that reinforces your main point or leaves a lasting impression on your readers. For example, if you're writing about the importance of education, you might end your essay with a quote from Nelson Mandela, such as, 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.'

Explanatory Essay Example

Here is an example of an explanatory essay:

Explanatory Essay Example:

Importance of Basketball

Final Thoughts

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3.1: Explanatory Vs Argumentative Synthesis

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Lobban F, Appelbe D, Appleton V, et al. An online supported self-management toolkit for relatives of people with psychosis or bipolar experiences: the IMPART multiple case study. Southampton (UK): NIHR Journals Library; 2020 Sep. (Health Services and Delivery Research, No. 8.37.)

An online supported self-management toolkit for relatives of people with psychosis or bipolar experiences: the IMPART multiple case study.

Chapter 8 explanatory synthesis.

This chapter integrates the findings from all phases of the study and across all of the data sources, including our observations and insights during the process of the study, to identify the key factors affecting the implementation of REACT.

Our original plan was to develop an explanatory synthesis that best represented these findings, and offer a new framework that could be generalised to other digital technology projects in health service settings. However, there are so many theories and frameworks in the literature, very few of them independently tested, and no guidance as to which is likely to be of most use for a particular purpose. Therefore, rather than develop an additional framework, we examined our findings through the lens of an existing framework: the NASSS framework. 74

Normalisation process theory was the theoretical framework that guided our collection and analysis of qualitative data from staff members within the participating NHS trusts. However, this theory did not readily apply to understanding the experiences of relatives, nor did it capture many of the wider contextual factors that were clearly affecting the implementation of REACT. NASSS was recently developed to help predict and evaluate the success of a technology-supported health or social care programme. It was developed from an extensive systematic review of previous technology implementation frameworks and a series of six empirical case studies, each testing a different type of technology-supported programme (e.g. video consultations, pendant alarm systems and care-organising software) in different health-care settings.

The framework, shown in Figure 19 , outlines seven key domains that are important to consider to determine the success of implementation:

The NASSS framework for considering influences on the adoption, non-adoption, abandonment, spread, scale-up and sustainability of patient-facing health and care technologies. Reproduced from Greenhalgh et al. ©Trisha Greenhalgh, Joseph Wherton, (more...)

• the condition or illness
• the technology
• the value proposition
• the adopter system (staff and patients/relatives)
• the organisation
• the wider social context
• the evolution (interaction and mutual adaptation) of these domains over time.

The NASSS framework suggests that each of these domains can be characterised by its degree of complexity, and the greater the complexity across the domains, the less successful long-term implementation is likely to be.

The NASSS framework was useful for integrating findings with team learning during the IMPART study. We used it to structure our explanation of key factors affecting the implementation of REACT. As such, we were able to offer an independent evaluation of the applicability of NASSS in a novel setting.

Use of the NASSS framework also enables our findings to be interpreted alongside those of other studies using the same framework. We highlight the issues of complexity in relation to each of the NASSS domains, and identify how this complexity could be better managed. The application of the NASSS framework underpins the presentation of IPv4. Our focus in developing IPv4 was to increase the likelihood of adoption and sustainability of REACT, as the time scale of our study allowed us to capture only this early stage. The content in this chapter is organised around the domains of the NASSS framework.

• How successfully was REACT implemented?

We assessed implementation success in terms of how many staff accounts were created, how many relatives were invited and how many relatives’ accounts were activated. However, consistent with the exploratory nature of this study, we had not specified a threshold level for defining implementation as successful. Nevertheless, staff in each trust had implicit ideas about uptake and success of REACT, which affected their behaviour.

Across all six trusts, 355 invitations were sent to relatives, 159 relatives’ accounts were created and 56 relatives completed baseline questionnaires. On average, relatives who created an account visited the website four times and spent 41 minutes on REACT. Given that REACT could potentially have been offered to all relatives supporting someone in the participating teams, these numbers may seem low. On the other hand, many clinicians invited only new relatives who came into the service during the period of the study; these numbers therefore constitute a significant proportion of new relatives.

It is important to note that the aim of our study was not to use researcher activity to maximise recruitment (as we might in a RCT) but to understand what factors affected clinician implementation of REACT. Therefore, we focused on understanding the implementation process of a new DHI in practice and how this differed between trusts.

• NASSS domain 1: the nature of the condition

Psychosis and bipolar disorder are both highly complex conditions. The reliability and validity of both terms have been questioned due to the large variation in presentation, outcome and response to treatment in people to whom these labels have been applied. 103 The defining features are extreme and experienced largely internally (such as hallucinations, delusions and extreme mood swings). The risks of social isolation, unemployment, self-harm and suicide are high. 43 , 46 Consequently, the challenges faced by relatives supporting someone with psychosis or bipolar disorder are significant and fluctuating. Often, these challenges negatively affect the relative’s own social and mental health. 28 – 34 Of the relatives completing the GHQ-28 in this study, 60% scored about the clinical threshold of 4 out of 5 (items were scored as 0, 0, 1, 1, as recommended for screening) at baseline. Access to support for relatives is highly variable, and despite clinical and government guidelines, many relatives still feel excluded from services. 104

On the whole, staff who engaged in the research were very positive about the concept of an online toolkit to support relatives in EIP services, and felt that this would be an appropriate way to meet their needs for information and support. Relatives could also see value in having an online resource that helped them to make sense of the experiences they were dealing with, particularly if it was available at an early stage in this journey.

However, both staff and relatives emphasised the complexity of the issues faced by relatives, and the need for a DHI to complement rather than replace face-to-face support. Ideally, REACT would be part of a package of care, delivered by a clinical member of staff who also worked with the service user and could involve both family members as partners in the ‘triangle of care’. 105

Unfortunately, pressures on mental health services meant that staff felt unable to prioritise time spent with relatives. Although most of the relatives we spoke to were very positive about the direct support they had received from EIP teams, staff felt that pressure of workload had led them to prioritise service user outcomes above those of carers. Indeed, some suggested that demonstrating a significant impact of REACT on service user outcomes would give it greater value for staff than any impact on carer outcomes. At an organisational level, there was little evidence of relatives being strategically involved in trust activity. It was challenging to include relatives in the SRGs because none of the trusts had existing frameworks through which relatives could be engaged in service development; some trusts actively resisted inclusion for fear of giving relatives an opportunity to complain about the services they were receiving (see Appendix 3 , Table 26 ).

• NASSS domain 2: the technology

REACT was developed over a number of years with extensive user involvement. The content was structured around questions that relatives had identified as important; videos and peer forums facilitated the sharing of stories to reduce stigma, increase hope and exchange practical support ideas; and confidential direct messaging was included to address fears around anonymity. The toolkit was branded with NHS and university logos to enhance credibility and engender trust. Versions for each of the six NHS trusts were adapted with trust logos and specific information to make them locally relevant. REACT was piloted in situ, and staff received online and face-to-face training as part of IPv1.

However, there were several limitations of the technology, which caused staff and relatives to fail to adopt or to disengage from the intervention. Insufficient time and resources led to inadequate internal testing within the trusts. Piloting in situ identified early problems that led to a loss of faith in the intervention and subsequent abandonment by staff. Once the website was live, IT issues continued (such as broken links between pages or to external sites) and caused further loss of engagement.

Considerable time was spent with relatives to ensure that the design of REACT was appropriate. For those who accessed it, this seems to have been time well spent. Relatives appreciated many features, particularly the opportunity to hear the stories of others facing similar challenges. However, staff users had not been involved in designing the interface for referring relatives to REACT and many found it to be unappealing and hard to navigate. It looked technical and some staff felt that they were in the ‘back end’ and feared being able to ‘break’ the website. Staff who persevered and explored the changes made in IPv2 and IPv3 found the website simple to use.

Lack of staff involvement in design also led to a technology that integrated poorly with trust IT systems and with general working practices. For example, accessing REACT required a reasonably secure connection to the web server that some outdated browsers on trust computers could not provide. YouTube videos and some textual content (words such as ‘drugs’) were blocked by trust IT firewalls. The need to log in with a username and password was a major obstacle, with REACT (like all externally provided DHIs) not being directly accessible via the trust login. Despite staff being able to set these individually, remembering multiple logins and persevering when these failed were big barriers.

At an even more basic level, REACT required access to a computer and an internet connection. These were not always available to staff in their place of work and, crucially, were rarely available on mobile devices during home visits to allow them to show REACT to relatives. To preserve the privacy of relatives, staff were also unable to access all REACT components (specifically the forum and direct messaging). This led to anxiety about what might be there and, consequently, a reluctance to invite relatives.

Attempts to improve the usability of the website via an online training manual proved largely unsuccessful, as staff reported it being rarely used (web usage data are not useful here as the page is open access and page counts would include visits by the IMPART team). Face-to-face training was more highly valued, but was attended by only a small proportion of staff at each site. More successful were delegating the role of inviting relatives to a small number of individuals (as in Marsh) and appointing a REACT champion to facilitate training and provide peer support (as suggested in Seashore). Ultimately, though, the lack of engagement with staff in the design was a key factor in non-adoption and abandonment of REACT.

Most relatives in EIP services in all trusts were never sent an invitation to REACT. Those who were experienced similar IT frustrations to the staff. Some never received their invitation, which often went into junk folders (solved by changing the originating e-mail addresses and wording of the e-mails). The same challenges of broken links and forgotten log-in credentials existed.

Initially, relatives were invited to take part in the IMPART research study and complete the pre and post questionnaires as part of the log-in process. This took them to a Liverpool CTRC website that, after completing the measures, redirected them to REACT. On some occasions, this redirect did not work, and some relatives mistakenly thought that the questionnaires were the website. As soon as we became aware of this, the system was changed: new users were taken straight to REACT and the research invitations were sent in a separate e-mail.

A frequently cited reason for relatives (and subsequently staff) disengaging from REACT was the lack of activity on the forums. This was the feature that relatives expressed most interest in and tried most often to access. However, despite some relatives experimenting with posts, the lack of activity was disappointing and led to abandonment. Forums require a critical mass of activity (and therefore people) to be successful. They are very hard to get going and require very active moderators to regularly generate topics of interest and reply quickly to posts, until enough people are active and the moderator can take more of a guiding role. Most REACT supporters saw their role as responding to posts rather than proactively generating activity, and given the small number of relatives invited onto REACT in any one trust, these forums were like empty dancefloors that did not encourage participation.

Lack of activity on the forum created a vicious cycle that reduced staff motivation to offer REACT. Staff were very interested to know what was discussed on the forums and so IPv3 included an e-mailed newsfeed that summarised topics of discussion in the hope of engaging staff and motivating them to refer more relatives to REACT. It seemed to have the opposite effect by highlighting the lack of activity, which staff took to indicate lack of interest from relatives. They therefore stopped referring.

• NASSS domain 3: the value proposition

Everyone we spoke to in the IMPART study saw value in having an online self-management toolkit to support relatives.

For senior managers, this was facilitated by the 2014 publication of the AWT standards for mental health 106 , 107 and subsequent audits of the ability of each NHS trust to deliver NICE guideline clinical care for people with psychosis, including carer education and support for relatives. REACT was developed specifically to meet this aim and was presented as such during the initial approach to NHS trusts. Some trusts (e.g. Marsh) were also driven by R&D departments that were rewarded for engagement in NIHR portfolio studies. Consequently, recruiting NHS trusts to the study was easy.

Most frontline clinical staff were aware of trust targets and priorities and of national clinical guidelines, although generally less so for those pertaining to carers rather than service users. For them, REACT’s value was as a high-quality, professional resource that educated both relatives and staff. Some staff felt that this improved the quality of the conversations they were able to have because relatives were more informed. REACT was expected to save staff time in the longer term, and allow services to support relatives of service users who did not want their relative to be directly involved in their care.

Benefits identified by relatives included the ability to access support at a time and location that suited them, and support that was directed specifically at their own needs as carers.

However, perceived value was not sufficient to drive activity. The strongest theme in our data was that staff did not have the time to offer REACT. Although many saw that REACT could save time in the long term, their experience was that in the short term engaging with a new way of working would require additional time and resources. Most respondents in the costs and savings survey taken towards the end of the study did not feel that REACT had reduced the time they would otherwise have used to support relatives. Time is fixed, and staff always have the same amount of time.

Given the evident demands on staff time and the pressure services were under, inability to prioritise delivery of REACT was perhaps not surprising. Teams struggled to provide support to service users and manage risk. Staff morale was low, long-term absences were high and frequent staff turnover was the norm, particularly in Woods and Seashore. Staff talked of the very many targets and ‘priorities’ they were supposed to meet, and how they were consequently forced to prioritise within the priorities. As one IMPART lead in Moor Trust put it, ‘REACT is just not the shark nearest the boat’.

Priority was generally given to targets that were service user focused, financially incentivised, nationally endorsed or ‘home-grown’. REACT was carer focused, had no funding attached to its delivery, was not endorsed by NHS England and had been developed and offered by a research team external to the trust.

Relatives also faced time challenges. These were made easier when REACT’s potential value was made explicit and personal to them when it was being introduced. Particularly, relatives were more likely to sign up to REACT if it was introduced by someone in the service with whom they already had a good relationship, whose opinion they trusted and who spent time explaining what was in REACT and why they might benefit from it.

Timing was also crucial. REACT was more highly valued if offered early in the relative’s contact with services, while they were still trying to make sense of what was happening and before they had spent a lot of time and effort finding out information through other means.

REACT was designed to be an adjunctive resource in a comprehensive service. If NHS trusts struggle to deliver other parts of the service for relatives, then its potential value can become a perceived risk. For relatives, the potential risk was that DHIs such as REACT might replace face-to-face support, which was not what they wanted. For staff too, the risk was that relatives might feel ‘fobbed off’ or discover what other services they should have access to. Their frustration would then be directed back at staff and be difficult to manage.

• NASSS domain 4: intended adopters

Adoption, non-adoption and abandonment may all be linked to a user’s view of the condition, the technology and the intervention’s perceived value, as outlined above. However, additional aspects of the intended adopters are also important.

In this context, there were two groups of intended adopters: NHS staff and relatives. Both needed to be willing and able to adopt REACT. We therefore identified IMPART leads in each trust, but left the allocation of key roles including the REACT supporters to the discretion of the service. Our hope was that these would be allocated to the staff perceived as most willing and able, and that early adopters would lead the way for other staff to follow. To some extent, this did happened. However, significant obstacles became apparent.

The main obstacle to staff willingness to refer relatives to REACT was a sense of fear and threat. The most fundamental threat was to staff jobs. DHIs are often presented as tools that will enable staff and make their jobs easier, but this is within a context in which many other jobs are being replaced rather than augmented by digital technology, 108 and the exact impact of DHIs on NHS jobs cannot be predicted. The fear that REACT could replace face-to-face clinical therapy was present, and had staff questioning whether or not DHIs could ever be as good as face-to-face support (see particularly Woods and Marsh).

Other potential threats came from the potential to be ‘trolled’ on an online forum, or be held responsible for managing risks disclosed online without adequate training or policies being in place. Trolling was a particular fear in Marsh after experiences with an earlier DHI. Fear of being held responsible for risk events was widespread across all trusts and, in one (Lakes), directly led to staff withdrawing support for REACT. None of the trusts seemed able to reassure staff or produce risk policies that had been adapted for online communication.

Finally, for some staff, REACT also threatened to highlight their service’s existing difficulty in meeting relatives’ needs. It was feared that REACT would open up a line of communication with relatives who would be better educated about what services they should be receiving, and consequently request access to services the trust was unable to offer. Staff felt that it would have been difficult to manage these expectations.

Some staff did not adopt REACT because they did not see it as legitimately fitting their role. Either it was perceived as belonging to a different professional group, such as ‘led by psychiatry’ or ‘from psychology’, or it was seen as the role of the research team to deliver REACT. Staff were more familiar with research designs such as RCTs where they would identify potential participants but in which the research team would recruit the participant and deliver the intervention.

Staff had to be able as well as willing, and specific DHI-related skills were important. General confidence in using DHIs was surprisingly low, and fears of ‘breaking the site’ or getting it wrong were not uncommon. Navigating the website and remembering log-in details were challenging, made more difficult by the limitations of the technology design outlined in NASSS domain 2: the technology . Despite 281 staff accounts being created, only 57 staff members ever sent a relative’s invitation.

If relatives who were sent an invitation or made aware of REACT were willing, their ability to navigate the process was also a significant barrier, again mainly owing to the technology design outlined in NASSS domain 2: the technology . Some relatives tried to find REACT through a search engine rather than by following the link in their invitation e-mail. This led them to the REACT trial website, which was running at the same time; when they tried to log in, their details were rejected, causing frustration and abandonment.

• NASSS domain 5: the organisation

REACT was designed to help NHS trusts to deliver NICE guideline care by offering carer education and support alongside other recommended interventions, such as structured, face-to-face family interventions; carer support groups; and joint case management. The website could accommodate trust-specific information, such as availability of website moderators, or other aspects of the care and resources directory. Staff feedback in individual interviews and workshops led to improvements to the interface and a planning document to support trusts in thinking through how REACT could best fit their existing service structure and care pathways.

Despite this, there were a number of ways in which REACT did not ‘fit’ with services, impeding implementation. Failure of fit was evident at the level of organisational culture and the specific clinical pathways into which REACT was offered.

Fit with organisational culture

Adopting a DHI into EIP teams required a huge shift in working culture. These teams were historically characterised by people talking to each other and recording activities using pen and paper. Direct human contact was understood to be the main agent of change. An online intervention was not something staff were naturally exposed to or generally seeking. Basic access to IT facilities and staff training was extremely limited, and experience of other digital health systems, including electronic health records, had been generally frustrating.

During our data collection, it was clear neither to us nor to staff who was responsible within trust organisations for the strategic direction of service development and who could facilitate the shift needed for staff to embrace DHIs such as REACT. Many were not sure who needed to give the ‘go ahead’ for staff to use REACT, and the distinction between clinical and operational managers seemed to add to the confusion. Some trusts (e.g. Marsh) had a ‘transformation manager’, but it was not clear how they would support the use of interventions such as REACT.

REACT came into trusts via R&D teams that were very keen to support research in their trust. Although the clinical teams agreed to this happening, often the decision was made by a key senior individual (who often then became the IMPART lead) without much evidence of team consultation. In one trust (Lakes), this person then left the team during the study period.

Several consequences stemmed from this lack of strategic engagement. First was that teams were sometimes being asked to adopt several new approaches in parallel, and change in many directions at once. For example, staff in Seashore were being asked to integrate a new DHI to support service user recovery at the same time as learning about REACT, which caused some confusion. Second, because the intervention had no clear clinical ‘home’ and was not adopted by any specific professional roles, there was no infrastructure or allocated resources to support ongoing sustainability or spread. REACT supporters were not given regular supervision to support their work (> 50% of REACT supporters responding to the costs and savings survey had received < 1 hour of supervision for their REACT role over the entire study period) and, consequently, there were no incentives for them to carry this out. Over time, REACT supporters disengaged from the intervention, leaving the forums often unmoderated. This disengagement exacerbated the fears of clinical staff regarding risk and trolling, which in turn reduced the likelihood of staff to refer relatives to REACT.

In all trusts, there appeared to be a lack of organisational capacity to strategically change practice: to reflect, adapt and reorganise. We noted that teams were constantly fighting to meet immediate service user priorities with low staffing and limited resources. Reported caseloads were higher than the EIP model was designed to accommodate. There was no evidence of any positive impact from the additional EIP funding or the government’s commitment to ‘parity of esteem’ for mental and physical health (although we did not collect comparative data for any physical care services).

Fit with the clinical pathway

In general, EIP teams offered support to relatives in the relative’s own home. Most staff did not have regular access to mobile technology on which they could show REACT to relatives in these face-to-face consultations. REACT was literally out of sight and, therefore, very often out of mind. Even when staff brought REACT to mind, social barriers impeded them from introducing it. Although most relatives had personal computers or tablets, staff did not feel that it was appropriate to ask the relative to log in to their own personal device to be shown the website, particularly as these were often in the bedroom or other private area of the house.

We tried to address this issue by providing (in IPv2) attractively designed REACT NHS booklets that explained what REACT offered and how to access it, and later (IPv3) printable PDF summaries of the REACT modules. These were generally welcomed by staff, and highlighted the complementary benefits of using digital technology alongside other forms of communication.

Staff who did refer relatives to REACT had no subsequent knowledge about whether or not the relative had accepted their invitation and used REACT and, if so, what their impressions of it were. This lack of feedback was demotivating, and led to disengagement among staff. As noted above, our attempt to address this via the newsfeed in IPv3 seemed to have the opposite effect as it highlighted the lack of activity.

Finally, at the time of the study there was no formal way for staff to record REACT-related activity in their electronic note systems, other than as a note in the service user’s electronic record. In all trusts, any staff time spent supporting relatives was recorded in the service user records, as carers do not have an independent record. Consequently, staff caseloads did not accurately reflect the number of people a staff member was working with. As the pressure on systems continues to grow, the cliché that ‘what gets measured gets done’ is likely to become increasingly true.

• NASSS domain 6: the wider system

REACT fitted very well into several key government agendas. It had the potential to facilitate a shift towards a paperless NHS by 2020 as set out by NHS Digital; 12 it supported the delivery of NICE-recommended care, to increase parity of esteem between mental and physical health; 106 and it also had the potential to facilitate meeting the needs of carers as set out in chapter 23 of the Care Act 2014. 109

However, despite this, key factors within the wider system worked against the implementation of REACT.

Despite the commitment of large amounts of money to meet the NHS’s commitment to ‘harness the information revolution’, 12 , 110 our findings suggest that access to up-to-date mobile hardware and software was very limited for frontline NHS staff. Confidence in using digital technology was low and there was no evidence of training or support available within these EIP teams. Anxiety about responsibility for risk was very evident and was situated within a wider context of societal anxiety about data security 111 and a blame culture in the NHS. 112

Despite the inclusion of carer targets within the AWT framework, it was difficult for services to prioritise activity to meet these. Our health system reflects our societal system in which health is generally conceptualised within an individualistic framework, in which the focus is on the individual rather than the social structure in which they are situated. 113 Relatives in the UK provide an estimated £1.24B per year of support to the NHS in unpaid caring roles, 27 and staff understand the logic of supporting them in terms of longer-term outcomes. However, failure to prioritise carer support seems to reflect the lack of organisational capacity to do much more than short-term risk management. The services taking part in our study were extremely stretched. Although mental health is a government priority, and funding has been targeted towards EIP services more than at other parts of mental health services, 106 this is within a context in which annual rates of increase in the overall health budget to meet growing demand have been declining over the past decade. 114

• NASSS domain 7: evolution over time

One factor affecting staff non-adoption and abandonment of REACT was that it was perceived as part of their trust’s research agenda rather than as a long-term clinical strategy. However, several staff asked whether or not REACT would continue to be available to them at the end of the project. REACT was wholly funded as NIHR research and, therefore, we were unable to guarantee that REACT would continue to be available and supported. Understandably, this limited the effort and behavioural adaptation that staff were willing to invest in something that might disappear. Some staff questioned whether or not, in this situation, REACT should be offered at all.

There is currently no national infrastructure for tested products funded by public money to be adopted and delivered nationally at the end of the research phase. Survival depends on the developers (who are often clinical academics and not entrepreneurs) finding collaborative partnerships with digital technology partners, private investors or individual commissioners at a trust level, and setting up commercial contracts. REACT was being tested in a large RCT in parallel to this study and, without the data from that research, it was not possible to establish a longer-term delivery model or establish funding for it. We are not alone in facing this challenge. A recent systematic review of meta-analyses of web-based interventions developed and tested in RCTs showed that in only 21.3% of cases (57/268) did a functional website continue beyond the trial. 115

It must be noted, however, that as well as discouraging staff engagement with REACT, the research process also triggered activity. Contact with staff to arrange individual interviews and SRGs was associated with an increase in relatives’ invitations (see Figures 8 – 13 ). Similarly, there was some suggestion from the web use data that relatives who signed up to take part in the research study also visited the website more often, although this may just reflect a general tendency to comply with requests.

• Conclusion: implementation plan version 4

The NASSS framework hypothesises that the degree of complexity within each of its seven domains will determine whether or not a DHI is successfully implemented. Each domain can be assessed as simple (few components and predictable, e.g. making a sandwich), complicated (lots of components, largely predictable, e.g. building a rocket) or complex (dynamic, multiple interacting elements and unpredictable, e.g. raising a child). 116 However, the domains are interdependent and so it is not possible to identify any one specific factor that underpins implementation success.

In the present study, challenges were identified in all of the seven NASSS domains. The level of complexity in each domain was high. Although this gave clear direction as to what needed to change, it was also somewhat disheartening. Although we might be able to improve the value of REACT and the reliability and interoperability of the technology, build greater capacity to use it in staff and relative adopters, and may even be able to offer support for organisational change at a trust level, we are much less able to reduce the complexity of psychosis (the condition ), the wider context of NHS funding or the lack of infrastructure to support long-term funding of DHIs ( emergence over time ). Despite the apparent culture of in-house development in large technology companies of ‘fail early, fail often’, because of the way in which competitive funding operates in the public health sector, there is no reward for sharing learning about how to overcome barriers, and only DHIs presented as successful are likely to attract further funding.

We have highlighted the main factors that our findings suggested were important in relation to each of these domains, and used them to develop IPv4, set out in Table 24 . The strategies map directly onto the factors raised in each of the seven domains. Finally, we have drawn out recommendations that can be used to inform the implementation of other DHIs within similar community health teams.

Implementation plan version 4 for REACT

• Suggestions for others implementing digital health interventions based on the findings from the IMPART study

The following recommendations are based on the key findings of the IMPART study. They are aimed at people designing and delivering DHIs within the health-care sector and, for this reason, they complement the broader recommendations of Greenhalgh et al. 74

• All stakeholders, including referrers and end users, should be closely involved in the development, testing and implementation of DHIs at every step of the design process.
• Allow sufficient time and resources for iterative co-design, internal testing and piloting (and then some more).
• Identify the potential value of the technology to each stakeholder group within the health-care setting and provide evidence (including data, endorsements and testimonials) that directly targets these values.
• Understand exactly when, where and how it fits into the care pathway and conduct a risk assessment of all the steps along the pathway to see where implementation could be impeded.
• Ensure that all stakeholders are actively involved in the service decision to adopt the DHIs, and that they have the opportunity to have their fears and concerns heard and addressed prior to adoption.
• Understand how change happens within an organisation and ensure that the key agents of change are engaged in the implementation process.
• Identify champions within the workforce and user groups who will take a lead role in ensuring ongoing sustainability of the intervention.
• Manage expectations about what can realistically be achieved with the technology.
• Be transparent about the short-term and long-term costs and savings of delivering the technology. Be careful to include the costs incurred in changing existing practice and training staff in new ways of working.
• Understand the hardware and software that the organisation is using and design the technology appropriately.
• Establish a clear communication channel for ongoing stakeholder feedback, and a mechanism to ensure that this can be addressed in a timely manner.
• Develop a comprehensive training programme for all staff and service users involved in the DHI. This should include a balance of the formal (built into mandatory organisational training programmes) and informal (peer-to-peer support and demonstrations), and should be offered on a rolling basis to ensure that skills are regularly updated and new staff can easily access training.
• Training should include general IT skills to increase confidence, as well as skills specific to the DHI, and clear guidance on management of risk and responsibility, and should be offered through a range of media (online, face to face, paper) to support different styles of learning.
• Ensure that the technology is rigorously tested internally and in situ, while managing expectations to ensure that confidence in the technology is not lost during the process.
• Engage early with the evolving infrastructures and support systems surrounding digital interventions, including the Academic Health Science Networks, NHS Innovation Accelerator, the national accelerator programme, the NHS Technology Adoption Centre 117 and others, to establish long-term delivery models as soon as possible.
• Build in efficient and agile evaluation of the reach and impact of the technology, complying with General Data Protection Regulation 101 requirements for the collection of personal data.
• DHIs are often designed to add value to multicomponent packages of care. It is important to establish that those aspects of care are reliably delivered before assessing the impact of the DHIs.

These recommendations should be considered by those attempting to design or deliver DHIs within a health-care system. However, for DHIs to have significant impact on the UK health-care system, a shift in policy and practice is required at a national level. Our recommendation is that DHIs that are developed with public funding should be made freely available to the NHS. Those that are effective should be adopted and made available via a national and centrally run organisation (such as NHS Digital), rather than commissioned at a local level. Equally rigorous standards should be set to evaluate the effectiveness of commercially developed products, and careful contracting should prevent the risk of price inflation once the health-care system has become reliant on the DHIs.

• Cite this Page Lobban F, Appelbe D, Appleton V, et al. An online supported self-management toolkit for relatives of people with psychosis or bipolar experiences: the IMPART multiple case study. Southampton (UK): NIHR Journals Library; 2020 Sep. (Health Services and Delivery Research, No. 8.37.) Chapter 8, Explanatory synthesis.
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