View the following Walden Library Webinars:
Explore the following Walden Library Guides:
Find peer reviewed, primary research articles:
1. Go to the CINAHL Plus with Full Text database.
2. Enter your keywords in the search box. Make sure to divide your topic into its main parts and put each part in a separate search box.
3. Under Limit your results click in the boxes next to Full Text, Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals, and Research Article.
4. Click on the green Search button to run your search.
Note: If your search doesn't return any results you may need to broaden your search topic. To learn more about doing this, check out our guide: Define your Topic.
Summary |
Synthesis |
Basic reading technique |
Advanced reading technique |
Explains a source by describing important points |
Uses important points of multiple sources to draw one’s own, original conclusions |
Shows only what original authors wrote |
Creates something new by comparing or drawing relationships between the original writings of two or more authors |
Addresses one set of information at a time (For instance, one usually writes a summary of paragraph addressing source A, a paragraph summary of source B, and so on) |
Combines elements or parts of multiple sources within a single paragraph to address a common theme or idea |
Demonstrates knowledge of overall meaning of a single source |
Builds on multiple sources to achieve new insight and ideas. |
As you will be writing paragraphs in both discussion posts and in applications throughout your course, here is a general model for writing cohesive and logical paragraphs. In each of your paragraph, make sure you begin with a clear topic sentence. Next, be sure to include supporting evidence and analysis. Finally, provide a clear lead out or link, logically connecting one paragraph's ideas to the topic you discuss in the next paragraph:
Main Idea: Your topic sentence stating the concrete claim the paragraph is advancing.
Evidence: Paraphrase or direct quotations from the source material you are using to support your topic sentence's claim.
Analysis: Your explanation and evaluation of the evidence; explaining the evidence you provided and its relevance in your own words.
Lead Out: Concluding; preparing your reader to transition to the next paragraph (and the next claim).