I don't know if this is what you're looking for but I hope it is helpful.
Synoptic reading wasn't meant to just ingest everything on a subject from multiple books.
As someone said: "The mind is the ultimate goal seeking machine." In other words, give the mind a focus and it will find a way to achieve that purpose. That is why we state our purpose before photo reading after getting into state.
Our focus in synoptic reading could be to identify the main prinicples or the foundation of the subject under study. Or to ferret out the issues that are under dispute within a field of study. To understand the contrasting viewpoints. In KWLee's situation it was finding a suitable subject for a dissertation.
If we don't 'focus or direct our energy on a specific purpose' as Alex brought out, we will not accomplish anything and will find frustration as the result of our efforts. Channel the energy along a smaller, acheivable line and we will find beneficial results.
My Dad used to say; "A drop of water wears a rock away." But not if sprayed all over the place. It must be focused on a specific point and consistently applied for the results to be acheived.
