Writing the Synthesis Essay on the AP English Language Test

1
Writing the Synthesis Essay on the AP English
Language Test
2
15 Minute Reading Period

• Read the prompt
• Determine your thesis
• Annotate the sources
• Yes, you get to keep the sources during the
  writing of the essay.

3
Two Hours to Write Three Essays

• You will have two hours to write the three kinds
  of essays synthesis, argument, and rhetorical
  analysis.
• You decide how long to invest in each essay.
• You decide what order to write the essays.

4
Two Hours to Write Three Essays

• Many prefer to write the synthesis essay first
  because the sources will be fresh in their minds.
• You must use at least three of the sources to
  support your ideas in the synthesis essay.

5
Two Hours to Write Three Essays

• Accurate, source-based paraphrase/summarize
  sources ideas
• Organized so readers see where the information
  from the sources overlap
• Helps reader understand sources in greater depth.

6
The synthesis essay requires you to . . .

1. Analyze break sources down into their parts
2. Synthesize put together parts from at least
   three sources in a new way to support your
   thesis, argument, and counterargument

7

• You must make connections with sources and
  personal observations to support your stand on
  the issue.
• You must understand how to use a variety of
  sources including non-print text (pictures, etc.)
• You will use this synthesis to support your
  thesis.

8
How is this done?

• Writer
• Uses quotes or phrases to extract key
  information.
• Demonstrates understanding in using the quotes or
  phrases.
• Uses the quotes to support his/her
  opinion/position.
• Cites sources because a writer NEVER wants to
  plagiarize.

9
Remember!

• Synthesis is not merely incorporating sources.
• Synthesis is combining information from other
  sources with your opinion!

10
So, how do you do it?

• Essay must be thesis driven, so form a thesis
  based on the prompt.
• Use your prewriting time to jot down ideas that
  support your thesis.
• Highlight information in the sources that support
  your thesis so you can find them later.
  (Remember annotating text? Mark it up! Make
  comments as you read!)

11
So, how do I do it?

• Draw on 3 or more sources.
• Use different phrases and sentences to support a
  central idea - use these as your quotes.

Only 1 text -- baaad!
3 or more texts -- goood!
12
So, how do I do it?

• Make connections among the sources - make sense
  of the sources so the reader has better
  understanding.
• Make further connections through personal
  observations and/or theories that relate to the
  information from the sources.

13
Think of your connections as branches on a tree.
Where do the ideas overlap?
14
(No Transcript)