ENGL 2010
Writing from the Matrix

While the research matrix is a very helpful research tool, it can be just as valuable during the writing process.

Once you have filled the gaps in your matrix and critically reflected and drafted your own analysis in the My Thoughts section, you are ready to write!  

You can think of your finished research matrix as the first draft of your paper. Your matrix is an outline of your paper that contains the sources you will include and how you will insert your own voice. As you start writing, you will quickly see that all that time you spent filling out the matrix is going to save you so much time during the writing process!

FROM MATRIX TO PAPER

Check out the example below to see how easily boxes within the matrix can be synthesized together in a paragraph!

THESIS

What unique mental health and well-being challenges might LGBTQ+ students attending USU face, and how can the USU community better support them?

MATRIX

Below is one main idea row from our completed matrix.

Source 1 Source 2 My Thoughts
Title: Heterosexism, Depression, and Campus Engagement Among LGBTQ College Students: Intersectional Differences and Opportunities for Healing

Author's Name: Alex Kulick, et al.
Title: Social Challenges Faced by Queer Latino College Men: Navigating Negative Responses to Coming out in a Double Minority Sample of Emerging Adults.

Author's Name: Asia A. Eaton & Desdamona Rios
Main Idea

How stress can compound with intersectional identity
For LGBTQ+ college students of color, messages communicating exclusion along with racist beliefs and practices signal that students of color do not belong at predominantly white institutions. (1132)

White students experience fewer racial microaggressions than students of color due to pervasive white privilege (1136)
Latinx LGBTQ+ students experienced invisibility at the intersection of culture and sexual orientation while having to navigate mainstream American culture with friends, Latino American culture with family, and for some participants, Latin cultures abroad. (462)

"Cultural values and multiple group memberships interact to produce unique experiences of sexual identity navigation and disclosure among queer, Latino college men.” (464).
LGBTQ+ students of color face unique challenges at predominantly white institutions, including exclusion, racial microaggressions, and navigating multiple cultural identities.

SYNTHESIZED PARAGRAPH

Source 1: Bold

Source 2: Underline

My Thoughts: Italic

Stress triggers for college students can be compounded when multiple marginalized identities exist within a single person. Belonging to a racial or ethnic minority in any capacity can contribute additional stress in the form of institutional and overt racism as well as racial microaggressions. According to Kulick et al., “For LGBTQ+ college students of color, messages communicating exclusion along with racist beliefs and practices signal that students of color do not belong at predominantly white institutions” (1132). Additionally, familial and cultural values that differ between racial and ethnic groups can contribute to a unique experience of stress among minority LGBTQ+ students. In a study of Latinx LGBTQ+ college students, Eaton & Rios outline that queer minority students must learn to navigate not only mainstream American culture with their peers, but Latino American and Latin culture with family (Eaton and Rios 462). The differences in culture could be stressful for any young student but adding differences in the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community continues to compound the stress faced by minority students. This does not discount the experiences of queer white students, but for the simple reason that pervasive white privilege means “white students experience fewer racial microaggression than students of color” (Kulick et al. 1136), the difference in external stressors must be noted. Because USU exists as a predominately white institution, understanding the unique circumstances faced by minority LGBTQ+ students in a predominately white context is vital to discovering ways that the USU community can help every student achieve peak well-being and mental health.

QUICK CHECK

Why is the above paragraph a good example of synthesis?

The author uses current sources to support their argument.

Incorrect. Currency of sources does not impact how well the paper is synthesized.

The paragraph is a balanced conversation between multiple sources and the author's voice.

Correct! The author's voice is strongly represented along with the two sources.

The paragraph does not incorporate more than two sources.

Incorrect. As long as the author's voice is still present more than two sources can be incorporated into a paragraph.

Both of the sources support the author's thesis.

Incorrect. It is important to acknowledge opposing views within your paper.