Research Synthesizer

The Prompt

Synthesize the following sources into a coherent analysis:

Sources:
[PASTE SUMMARIES, QUOTES, OR KEY FINDINGS FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES]

Provide:
1. **Consensus:** What do most sources agree on? (with confidence level)
2. **Contradictions:** Where do sources disagree? Why might this be?
3. **Patterns:** What themes emerge across sources that no single source states?
4. **Gaps:** What important questions are NOT addressed by any source?
5. **Synthesis:** Your integrated conclusion that goes beyond any single source
6. **Confidence Assessment:** Rate overall confidence (high/medium/low) and explain what would change your assessment

Rules:
- Distinguish between facts and interpretations
- Note when a "finding" is actually one author's opinion
- Flag potential biases in sources
- If sources are from different time periods, note what may have changed

How To Use It

Gather 3-10 sources on a topic and paste key excerpts or summaries. Works for literature reviews, market research, or any situation where you need to make sense of multiple perspectives.

Why It Works

Synthesis is harder than summarization because it requires finding connections between sources that no single source makes explicit. This prompt forces the AI to look for patterns, contradictions, and gaps — the three dimensions where synthesis adds value over summary.

Variations

Opposing views mediator:

These two sources argue opposite positions on [TOPIC]. Steelman both arguments, identify the crux of disagreement, and suggest what evidence would resolve it.

Evidence hierarchy:

Rank these sources by evidence quality (RCT > cohort > case study > expert opinion > anecdote). What can we confidently claim vs what's merely suggested?

Research question generator:

Based on these findings, what are the 5 most important unanswered questions? For each, suggest a research methodology that could answer it.