Although analysis involves breaking information into parts, synthesis is a process of combining parts into an understandable whole. It involves pulling together the key factors and their relationships within a set of data along with information from research or other sources to develop a holistic picture of the inquiry issue.

Attempt to explain the functioning of the whole by considering:

• the role or function that each part plays in the whole
  
• what connections and relationships exist between elements

Here are a few tips for synthesizing your data:

• Consider the interplay between the parts and the whole; the micro and macro.
  
• Look for differences and similarities.
  
• Consider which relationships seem predictable/organized relationships, which seem random and unorganized, and which are continually fluctuating.
  
• Consider possible explanations for movement or equilibrium within relationships