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crux of the matter quickly. It also aids memory and learning.
When we summarise key takeaways in a compact format,
it sticks in our minds better. The condensed presentation
makes us focus on retaining the most crucial knowledge.
This prevents our memories from becoming bogged down in
minor details.
“Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and
confusion of things” - Sir Isaac Newton
Creating a synopsis requires us to understand the subject
well enough to separate peripheral elements from the essential
core. This level of comprehension enables us to teach and
explain the material to others in a simple way. A synopsis
indicates mastery of the source and the ability to communicate
it briefly. Philosophically, a synopsis represents the beauty of
brevity. It embraces the power of minimalism - expressing
Essence and more with less. It trusts the reader or listener to extrapolate
enlightenment and fill in details from the sparer sketch it provides. It is an
elegant use of language that gets to the heart of the matter
without wasting words. Its purpose is illumination and
clarity. It fulfils our human need for understanding, to discern
meaning and significance from information and events.
Synopses extract what truly matters so that we can read and
act wisely. At their best, they crystallise truth into succinct
form. This is why the discipline of articulating via synopses
is so valuable.
In the academic context, a synopsis is the broader plan
for one’s research. It explains the validity and scope of the
research, its key objectives, and the methodology, design
and format. Though its content is primarily based on the
Academic instructions and information given by the research guide/
synopsis: research supervisor along with the secondary sources of information,
plan and structure it has a general structure to be followed. Various formats are
available for structuring a synopsis, and the structure can vary
depending on the institution and academic disciplines that
include Humanities, Social Science, Science and Technology.
Each subject in various disciplines would have its own real-
time structure of synopsis.
The following is a general format of synopsis that most
academic institutions follow. Considered to be the most
popular format of a research synopsis, it is presented in a
simplistic style so that the learners can easily understand.
SGOU - SLM - Foundational Skills for Research and Writing 99