
Unit 6: What is synthesis?
When writing up your review, you need to give a synthesis of the research papers that you have identified. This isn't just a summary of each paper, but it investigates the themes across the papers. It critically evaluates the methods and findings of papers, and identifies relevant similarities and discrepancies between papers. This is a critical investigation of an intervention or service used within a health or social care setting, with a specific client group or area of performance. It is best to focus on one intervention or service if possible.
Here is a diagram showing the process of synthesis:
SMILE - Writing a critical review by Steve Draper, Glasgow University, Dr Jane McKay and Marion Kelt Glasgow Caledonian is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://www.psy.gla.ac.uk/~steve/resources/crs.html.