Information synthesis generally refers to the process of integrating, or weaving together, information from disparate sources into a coherent whole. Information synthesis can be achieved through taxonomy and classification, concepts/models/theories, analogies/metaphors/narratives/stories, and/or powerful images or embodiment without words. With information increasingly becoming digital in the age of big data, a variety of software tools have been developed to facilitate information synthesis, but synthesis is a creative process that cannot be completely automated. Manual labor is still involved in the process of synthesis, which typically includes: (i) goal or purpose setting; (ii) gathering relevant information and assessing the validity of information; (iii) selecting synthesis strategy/method; (iv) presenting results and obtaining feedback. Information synthesis can be qualitative and quantitative or a combination of both; synthesis could take place across different data formats, different spatiotemporal scales, different problem domains or disciplines, and difference senses. Like spatial analysis, information synthesis is an integral part of geographical scholarship that transcends subdisciplinary specializations. Analysis and synthesis are two inseparable aspects of a holistic geographic methodology. Meaningful synthesis is built upon the results of preceding analysis, and meticulous analysis makes more sense only when a subsequent synthesis is achieved. Successful geographic research rests upon an artful blend and hybridization of analysis and synthesis.
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