Implementing a Synthesis Tutorial to Improve Student Literature Reviews

While undergraduate students may be able to find appropriate scholarly sources, they often struggle to use those sources when writing. This study aimed to improve students’ writing by targeting one specific skill: synthesis, or the ability to integrate multiple sources. Students in a psychology course viewed a video tutorial prior to writing an introductory literature review. Those who viewed the tutorial were more likely to cite two or more sources per paragraph compared to those who did not view it. Students’ survey responses also indicated that they found the tutorial helpful, suggesting it has promise as an instructional tool.