Explicit Writing Instruction in Synthesis: Combining In-Class Discussion and an Online Tutorial. (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Darowski, Emily S.; Helder, Elizabeth; Patson, Nikole D.
• Is Part Of: Teaching of psychology. Volume 49:Number 1(2022)
• Page Start: 57
• Page End: 63
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: synthesis writing -- academic writing -- scientific writing -- online tutorial -- guided practice -- introductory psychology; Psychology -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Periodicals; 150.711
• DOI: 10.1177/0098628320979899
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0098-6283

Abstract

Identifying effective and time-efficient approaches to teaching students how to write from scholarly sources benefits students and instructors. Students in a general psychology course learned a concrete method to improve this type of synthesis writing. The intervention was brief, consisting of viewing an online tutorial outside of class and spending a single class period on instructor-guided practice with writing samples. Students used this method to write literature reviews for a poster assignment debunking psychological myths. Compared to a previous semester that did not learn this concrete technique, students' writing scored significantly higher on most measures of synthesis. This suggests that a short tutorial teaching a concrete application, paired with limited in-class instruction, can help improve this important aspect of writing.