Tension — English definition
A genuine disagreement between sources that point toward opposing conclusions.
Where it is taught
- Synthesizing Multiple Sources — Research & Source-Based Writing, English 11: American Voices, Identity & Public Memory, Grade 11
In use
Sometimes they sit in genuine tension, pointing toward opposite conclusions.
Synthesizing Multiple Sources
Questions using tension
Problem 1
Explain the difference between two sources that CORROBORATE each other and two that are in TENSION, and why corroboration makes a claim stronger.
Answer and explanation
Corroborating sources reach the same finding independently, often by different methods, while sources in tension point toward opposing conclusions. Corroboration strengthens a claim because an independent second source reaching the same result makes it less likely that the finding was a fluke or the product of one source's bias.