Literature Synthesis Matrix
Compare studies side by side so patterns and contradictions become visible.
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Synthesis vs. summary
A summary restates each source one at a time — source A found X, source B found Y. A synthesis compares sources against each other across a shared dimension — noting where three studies agree on settlement magnitude, where one contradicts the others because of a different boundary condition, and what that pattern means for your project. Use this matrix to build synthesis language, not an annotated list.
Learning objectives
- Populate a comparison matrix from your annotations
- Detect agreement, contradiction and methodological difference
- Convert comparison into synthesis language
FE Civil connection
Probability and Statistics
Handbook §2 — Comparison of data sets (placeholder)
- Why might two settlement studies report different magnitudes?
- What confounds a comparison of pavement performance across climates?
- Which difference is methodological rather than physical?
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Matrix columns
Add sources in the Source Library to populate the matrix.
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Agreement clustering summary
Based on the "Agreement / disagreement" column, grouped by keyword pattern (agree / disagree / mixed).
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Synthesis vs. summary
A summary restates each source one at a time — source A found X, source B found Y. A synthesis compares sources against each other across a shared dimension — noting where three studies agree on settlement magnitude, where one contradicts the others because of a different boundary condition, and what that pattern means for your project. Use this matrix to build synthesis language, not an annotated list.
Learning objectives
- Populate a comparison matrix from your annotations
- Detect agreement, contradiction and methodological difference
- Convert comparison into synthesis language
FE Civil connection
Probability and Statistics
Handbook §2 — Comparison of data sets (placeholder)
- Why might two settlement studies report different magnitudes?
- What confounds a comparison of pavement performance across climates?
- Which difference is methodological rather than physical?