L2 Journal

Synthesis writing is a widely practiced form of academic writing in which students incorporate into their writing multiple perspectives from various sources. Although scholars have acknowledged that synthesis writing is particularly challenging for writers using a second language, few of them have systematically reviewed the relevant literature. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the discrepancy between extensive practice and the scarcity of reviews by assessing 92 empirical studies on synthesis writing produced during the last two decades (2004–2024). The aim of this review was a comprehensive examination of patterns in research contexts, theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches, and key research findings. The main findings suggest that most previous research was conducted in higher education settings, predominantly focusing on undergraduate students in North America (the US and Canada), followed by Asia (e.g., China, Japan, United Arab Emirates, and Iran). Regarding the theoretical orientations used in these studies, most researchers used cognitively oriented approaches, followed by social or sociocultural approaches. Methodologically, quantitative approaches were used slightly more than qualitative ones, followed by an approach emphasizing quantitative methods, or eclectic (QUAN + qual). The areas of synthesis writing receiving the most attention were source use, predictors of writing scores, task representation, and writing processes. Overall, many empirical studies highlighted students’ continuous struggles with source use, underscoring the need for systematic instruction to enhance their synthesis writing skills.