If your supervisor says your literature review needs more synthesis, they usually mean that you are summarising individual studies instead of connecting, comparing and evaluating them. Synthesis means bringing findings from multiple academic sources together to identify patterns, disagreements, trends, limitations and implications for your research.
This is one of the most common pieces of feedback received by students writing dissertations and theses in Australian universities.
What Does Synthesis Mean in a Literature Review?
Synthesis means looking at the literature collectively rather than source by source.
A weak literature review might say:
“Smith (2022) found that remote working improves productivity. Jones (2023) found similar results. Brown (2024) found that remote working increased employee satisfaction.”
This demonstrates that you have read the literature, but it does not show enough analysis.
A synthesised paragraph could explain that multiple studies associate remote working with positive employee outcomes, while differences in organisational context and measurement approaches produce variations in the reported effects.
The second approach connects the studies and develops an argument.
What Is the Difference Between Summary and Synthesis?
Summary tells the reader what each researcher found. Synthesis explains what the research collectively tells us.
Think of it this way:
Summary: Study A says X. Study B says Y. Study C says Z.
Synthesis: Studies A, B and C collectively suggest X, although their findings differ because of Y and Z.
Your supervisor is usually asking you to move from “What did they say?” to “What does the literature collectively show?”
How Do I Add More Synthesis to My Literature Review?
Start grouping sources according to themes, concepts, theories, findings or methodological approaches rather than writing one paragraph for every article.
Then ask:
- Where do researchers agree?
- Where do they disagree?
- Why might their findings differ?
- Which evidence is stronger?
- What limitations appear across the studies?
- What remains unexplained?
- How does this relate to my research question?
The answers help you create a coherent academic argument.
Does Synthesis Mean I Need More Sources?
No. Adding more citations will not automatically make a literature review more synthesised.
A literature review containing 50 sources can still be descriptive if every source is discussed separately.
Instead of continually searching for additional articles, examine whether the sources you already have can be compared, connected and critically evaluated.
How Does Synthesis Help Identify a Research Gap?
Strong synthesis can make your research gap much easier to identify.
When you compare existing studies, you may discover contradictory findings, under-researched populations, methodological limitations or areas where evidence remains inconclusive.
Your research gap should emerge from this analysis rather than simply stating that “more research is needed.”
How Do I Know If My Literature Review Has Enough Synthesis?
Read each paragraph and ask:
“Am I mainly describing individual studies, or am I explaining the relationship between multiple studies?”
If most paragraphs focus on one researcher at a time, your supervisor may reasonably ask for more synthesis.
A strong literature review shows connections between sources and explains why those connections matter.
Final Answer: What Does “More Synthesis” Mean?
When your supervisor asks for more synthesis, they want you to connect the literature, compare different findings, evaluate evidence and develop an argument rather than simply summarising academic sources.
The goal is not to prove that you have read many papers. The goal is to demonstrate that you understand how the existing research fits together and what it means for your own study.
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FAQs
What does synthesis mean in academic writing?
Synthesis means combining and comparing ideas from multiple sources to develop a broader understanding or academic argument.
How is synthesis different from summarising?
Summarising explains individual sources, while synthesis connects multiple sources and explains their similarities, differences and significance.
Why does my supervisor want more synthesis?
Your literature review may be discussing studies separately without sufficiently comparing, evaluating or connecting their findings.
Does more synthesis require more references?
No. Effective synthesis depends on how well you connect and analyse relevant sources, not simply on the number of citations.
How can I improve synthesis in my literature review?
Group studies by themes or issues, compare their findings, identify agreements and contradictions, evaluate limitations and explain what the combined evidence means for your research.