Information synthesis is the process of combining the reader’s knowledge with the information in the text. The reader combines information from the text with information from other sources. Information synthesis aims to create a new understanding of the text.
To be a successful information synthesizer, it is important to understand how written information is processed and organized. The process of extracting meaning from written texts begins with the reader’s cognitive task of decoding the text. Once the text is decoded, the reader looks for main ideas, repeated information, and structure. Once the structure is identified, the reader searches for related information. If the information is not found in the text, the reader will search for it online. Once the information is found, the reader combines it with their knowledge to create a new understanding of the text.
Cognitive decoding is the first step in information synthesis. Decoding is the process of breaking down a text into its parts. The first step in decoding is understanding the text’s structure. For example, texts are often organized around a subject, idea, or theme. Once the structure is identified, the reader looks for related information.
The reader looks for repeated, important, and relevant information in the text. Repeating information is important because it aids the reader in understanding the text. Important information is information that the reader would want to remember. Relevant information relates to the text’s subject, idea, or theme.
Once the structure is identified, the reader looks for related information. Related information relates to the text’s subject, idea, or theme. Related information can be found in the text, other texts, or online.
