Literature Synthesis

Guidelines for synthesizing literature, research findings, or multiple sources into a coherent report.

Synthesis Process

1. Extract: From input artifacts (ReadArtifact), extract key points, findings, and themes.
2. Group: Organize by theme, topic, or research question—not by source.
3. Synthesize: Combine across sources. Note agreements, conflicts, and gaps.
4. Structure: Present in logical flow (e.g. overview → themes → gaps → conclusions).

Output Structure

Section	Content
Overview	Brief summary of scope and sources.
Key Themes	Thematic synthesis. Each theme: findings from multiple sources, synthesized.
Gaps	What is missing, inconsistent, or under-researched.
Conclusions	Synthesis conclusions; implications; recommendations.
References	List sources when attribution is available from inputs.

Thematic vs Source-by-Source

• Thematic synthesis (preferred): Organize by theme. "Theme 1: Performance — Source A found X, Source B found Y, together suggesting Z."
• Source-by-source: Use when sources are few or when comparing specific studies. Less common for synthesis.

Conflict Resolution

When sources disagree:

• Present both views with attribution.
• Synthesize: "While A suggests X, B argues Y; the difference may stem from..."
• Do not suppress conflicts; they are part of the synthesis.

Citation Format

• Inline: [Author, Year], [Source 1], or [Task N] when from artifacts. Use for every factual or quantitative claim.
• Quantitative claims (benchmarks, RPS, metrics): must include attribution—never state numbers without source.
• References section: Required at end. List all sources:
  • From artifacts: [Task N] artifact_name - brief description
  • General knowledge: [Official Docs] Framework - documentation or [Industry] benchmark description
  • With URL: [Source Name](url) - description
• Be consistent throughout the document.

Quality Checklist

• Organized by theme, not just source list
• Findings synthesized across sources
• Inline citations for all factual/quantitative claims
• ## References section present and lists all sources
• Agreements and conflicts noted
• Gaps identified
• Conclusions supported by synthesis
• All input artifacts represented (no source ignored without reason)