Synthetic Operation

The synthetic operation is concerned with joining, grouping, arranging, explaining, and interpreting the data. It broadly involves:

1. Determining particular facts
2. Grouping of facts
3. Constructive reasoning

The word “synthesis” means the combining of separate parts, elements, etc. to form a complex whole. In historical research, the term “synthetic operation” refers to “joining, grouping, arranging, explaining and interpreting the data so as to make the narrative meaningful and interesting”. It is a process whereby several ideas are grouped and arranged in a rational and meaningful manner.

Arrangement of Facts

Grouping or arranging or classifying facts is a vital step in the synthetic operation. Facts are to be grouped according to some definite plan. The selection, the grouping, and the arrangement of facts are the sequential steps in the process of synthesis. Historical facts may be grouped on the basis of chronology, topic, geography, personality, institution, problem and concept, and so on. Each method has its own merits and demerits. However, the best system of the grouping of facts is the combination of both the chronological and thematic systems.

1.   Chronological Arrangement

Chronology is the very basis of the historical structure. It is the backbone of history. Without dates, the true causal link would be missed. The chronological arrangement of sources is one of the popular methods of historical narration. Historians always use broad chronological divisions as ancient, medieval, and modern. The chronological arrangement put forward a defined sequential organisation of facts. However, this arrangement often reduces history to a mere list of events.

2.   Topical/Thematic Arrangement

Historical facts can also be arranged on the basis of the subject. When facts are arranged on the basis of topics or themes, it becomes thematic. This arrangement helps the historian to present his facts beyond the chronological boundaries. Further, this provides more readability to the historical narrations. The topical arrangement needs the mixing up of several facts together to present the topic. However, this arrangement often neglects the significant change that had taken place over a period of time.

3.   Other Arrangements

Geographical or regional arrangements of facts may be used in the studies on different localities.  Personality based arrangement is useful to present biographical studies. Similarly, institution-based arrangements can be used to present social and economic problems. Historical facts can also be grouped on the basis of the development of certain concepts.

Constructive Reasoning

Constructive reasoning plays a significant role in the synthetic operation. In the absence of adequate facts, the reasoning is essential to fill any gaps. The reasoning may be positive or negative. It is the process through which a historian attempts to draw valid conclusions. There are two types of reasoning:

Positive reasoning: Positive reasoning allows historians to draw certain inferences from the facts established. In this process, historians establish a fact with the support of a document and infer some other facts which the document has not to mention. From the study of a given set of facts, it is possible to infer the existence of the other connected facts. Thorough knowledge of particular facts is necessary for positive thinking.

Negative reasoning: In this process, a historian infers a point in the absence of any definite indication of that point in the records. Negative reasoning is thus an assumption of the existence of a fact, which cannot be found in the records. It can be assumed that some facts may not be recorded or may be lost over a period of time. Similarly, certain facts are not recorded by the contemporary writer because of fear of authority. Thus formulating certain facts without any recorded documents may be unavoidable in historical research.

The researcher must be careful and cautious while drawing inferences on the basis of constructive reasoning. When several inferences point in the same direction, it can be taken as a fact. Similarly, some of its gaps can be filled with positive assumptions. In short, constructive reasoning is the most efficient tool for historical construction.