Final answer:
Synthesis in research refers to the amalgamation of information from diverse sources to form original insights, often requiring complex reading and thinking skills to interpret and connect elements for an enhanced understanding.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of synthesis in the context of research and writing involves the process of combining information and insights from various sources to develop a new understanding or original perspective. Rather than summarizing the elements from individual texts, synthesis seeks to interpret and link these elements to form a comprehensive whole. This can manifest in the integration of different researched ideas, constructing claims based on the relationship between texts, and identifying areas for further study or analysis. In synthesis, a writer may combine disparate research findings to make a summarizing claim, explore the implications of these connections, identify agreements or disagreements among sources, and cultivate new areas for inquiry. This form of higher-level thinking is pivotal in academic writing, where an original voice and argument are established through carefully analyzing and combining the evidence presented in multiple readings or studies.