Synthesis Essay

Instructions

Using the speech given by Abraham Lincoln on June 16, 1858, and the speech by Lincoln's political opponent, Stephen Douglas on August 21, 1858, ONLY. No other sources. This Essay does NOT require quoted sources or references/bibliography. Your goal in this essay will be to answer an important question: why do these two works disagree? The answer to this question (which is a very different question than what do these two works disagree about?) will form the basis for your thesis. When answering this question, dont forget to draw on the concepts from the classical stasis theory that we discussed in class. In other words, here are some options for how you might answer this question:These two works might have a DISAGREEMENT OVER FACTS. That is, they might not agree on the true nature of some measurable, quantifiable thing, such as the number of people in the US who do not have health insurance or whether or not the 1969 moon landing took place.These two works might have a DISAGREEMENT OVER DEFINITIONS. That is, they might not agree about how an important term (like freedom or justice or environmentally friendly) should be defined.These two works might have a DISAGREEMENT OVER QUALITY. That is, they might not agree about what a good outcome in this situation would be, or might have opposite goals.These two works might have a DISAGREEMENT OVER POLICY. That is, they might agree that a problem exists but disagree about the best way to solve it.Besides these four options, dont forget to be on the lookout for a DIFFERENCE IN TOPIC. That is, your sources might not really disagree at all, but only appear to do so because they are talking about different things. Of course, you are not limited to choosing only one of these options. Its quite likely that multiple causes of disagreement might be in play at once, and that each might be in play in multiple parts of the texts.Strong synthesis essays will:    Clearly and accurately identify each authors main point    Clearly and accurately sum up each authors support for/discussion of that point    Create a clear and specific thesis that answers the question, why do these two works disagree?    Support all parts of the thesis    Support each part with sufficient evidence and examples    Support each part with well-chosen evidence and examples    Integrate all examples smoothly into the text    Quote and cite each one correctly in MLA format    Make use of appropriate rhetorical terminology (see above)    Make connections clearly    Make connections in a nuanced and thoughtful way    Use strong organization    Use clear and complete language    Use polished and professional language    Make thoughtful use of feedbackThis essay should be written in a formal essay structure with a thesis, introduction, conclusion, etc. You should discuss the two texts together whenever possible, rather than confining each one to its own section of your essay.

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