1. Understand the purpose of a synthesis essay: A synthesis essay is an academic writing piece that requires you to combine different sources and ideas into a cohesive, well-structured argument.

2. Choose a topic: Pick a topic that is interesting and relevant to your target audience. Make sure it has enough sources and points of view for you to analyze and synthesize.

3. Research your topic: Conduct thorough research to gather various viewpoints on your chosen topic. Use reliable resources like academic journals, books, and credible websites.

4. Analyze sources: Critically evaluate each source, identifying the main arguments, evidence, and areas of disagreement. This will help you identify connections and conflicts between sources.

5. Develop a thesis statement: Based on your analysis, create a strong thesis statement that clearly outlines the central argument or idea you will be presenting in your essay.

6. Create an outline: To ensure that your essay is well-structured, prepare an outline containing the main points you want to cover, organizing them in a logical order.

7. Write an introduction: Begin your essay with an engaging introduction that provides context for the synthesis essay and introduces your thesis statement to readers.

8. Summarize sources: In the first few body paragraphs of your essay, summarize each source’s main points and discuss its relevance to your thesis statement.

9. Connect sources: Show how different sources relate to one another by drawing connections between their arguments or highlighting areas where they support or contradict each other.

10. Develop your argument: As you make connections between sources, develop the central argument of your essay by presenting supporting evidence from those sources.

11. Address counterarguments: Acknowledge and address any opposing viewpoints or counterarguments to strengthen the credibility of your essay.

12. Use proper citation style: Make sure to correctly cite all the sources used in your synthesis essay according to the required citation style (e.g. APA, MLA, or Chicago).

13. Write a conclusion: Summarize the main points of your paper and restate your thesis statement in the conclusion, showing how your argument has been supported by the synthesis of sources.

14. Revise and edit: Review your essay for clarity, organization, and overall coherence. Revise any sections that require improvement and thoroughly proofread for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

15. Seek feedback: Before submitting your essay, ask a peer or tutor to review it for constructive feedback and additional insights. Make any necessary revisions based on their suggestions before submitting your final work.

By following these 15 steps, you will be well-equipped to write a compelling and effective synthesis essay that successfully combines various sources into a unified argument.