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How to Write a Perfect Synthesis Essay for the AP Language Exam

Advanced Placement (AP)

If you're planning to take the AP Language (or AP Lang) exam , you might already know that 55% of your overall exam score will be based on three essays. The first of the three essays you'll have to write on the AP Language exam is called the "synthesis essay." If you want to earn full points on this portion of the AP Lang Exam, you need to know what a synthesis essay is and what skills are assessed by the AP Lang synthesis essay.

In this article, we'll explain the different aspects of the AP Lang synthesis essay, including what skills you need to demonstrate in your synthesis essay response in order to achieve a good score. We'll also give you a full breakdown of a real AP Lang Synthesis Essay prompt, provide an analysis of an AP Lang synthesis essay example, and give you four tips for how to write a synthesis essay.

Let's get started by taking a closer look at how the AP Lang synthesis essay works!

Synthesis Essay AP Lang: What It Is and How It Works

The AP Lang synthesis essay is the first of three essays included in the Free Response section of the AP Lang exam.

The AP Lang synthesis essay portion of the Free Response section lasts for one hour total . This hour consists of a recommended 15 minute reading period and a 40 minute writing period. Keep in mind that these time allotments are merely recommendations, and that exam takers can parse out the allotted 60 minutes to complete the synthesis essay however they choose.

Now, here's what the structure of the AP Lang synthesis essay looks like. The exam presents six to seven sources that are organized around a specific topic (like alternative energy or eminent domain, which are both past synthesis exam topics).

Of these six to seven sources, at least two are visual , including at least one quantitative source (like a graph or pie chart, for example). The remaining four to five sources are print text-based, and each one contains approximately 500 words.

In addition to six to seven sources, the AP Lang exam provides a written prompt that consists of three paragraphs. The prompt will briefly explain the essay topic, then present a claim that students will respond to in an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources provided.

Here's an example prompt provided by the College Board:

Directions : The following prompt is based on the accompanying six sources.

This question requires you to integrate a variety of sources into a coherent, well-written essay. Refer to the sources to support your position; avoid mere paraphrase or summary. Your argument should be central; the sources should support this argument .

Remember to attribute both direct and indirect citations.

Introduction

Television has been influential in United States presidential elections since the 1960's. But just what is this influence, and how has it affected who is elected? Has it made elections fairer and more accessible, or has it moved candidates from pursuing issues to pursuing image?

Read the following sources (including any introductory information) carefully. Then, in an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources for support, take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that television has had a positive impact on presidential elections.

Refer to the sources as Source A, Source B, etc.; titles are included for your convenience.

Source A (Campbell) Source B (Hart and Triece) Source C (Menand) Source D (Chart) Source E (Ranney) Source F (Koppel)

Like we mentioned earlier, this prompt gives you a topic — which it briefly explains — then asks you to take a position. In this case, you'll have to choose a stance on whether television has positively or negatively affected U.S. elections. You're also given six sources to evaluate and use in your response. Now that you have everything you need, now your job is to write an amazing synthesis essay.

But what does "synthesize" mean, exactly? According to the CollegeBoard, when an essay prompt asks you to synthesize, it means that you should "combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position" in writing. In other words, a synthesis essay asks you to state your claim on a topic, then highlight the relationships between several sources that support your claim on that topic. Additionally, you'll need to cite specific evidence from your sources to prove your point.

The synthesis essay counts for six of the total points on the AP Lang exam . Students can receive 0-1 points for writing a thesis statement in the essay, 0-4 based on incorporation of evidence and commentary, and 0-1 points based on sophistication of thought and demonstrated complex understanding of the topic.

You'll be evaluated based on how effectively you do the following in your AP Lang synthesis essay:

Write a thesis that responds to the exam prompt with a defensible position

Provide specific evidence that to support all claims in your line of reasoning from at least three of the sources provided, and clearly and consistently explain how the evidence you include supports your line of reasoning

Demonstrate sophistication of thought by either crafting a thoughtful argument, situating the argument in a broader context, explaining the limitations of an argument

Make rhetorical choices that strengthen your argument and/or employ a vivid and persuasive style throughout your essay.

If your synthesis essay meets the criteria above, then there's a good chance you'll score well on this portion of the AP Lang exam!

If you're looking for even more information on scoring, the College Board has posted the AP Lang Free Response grading rubric on its website. ( You can find it here. ) We recommend taking a close look at it since it includes additional details about the synthesis essay scoring.

Don't be intimidated...we're going to teach you how to break down even the hardest AP synthesis essay prompt.

Full Breakdown of a Real AP Lang Synthesis Essay Prompt

In this section, we'll teach you how to analyze and respond to a synthesis essay prompt in five easy steps, including suggested time frames for each step of the process.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

The very first thing to do when the clock starts running is read and analyze the prompt. To demonstrate how to do this, we'll look at the sample AP Lang synthesis essay prompt below. This prompt comes straight from the 2018 AP Lang exam:

Eminent domain is the power governments have to acquire property from private owners for public use. The rationale behind eminent domain is that governments have greater legal authority over lands within their dominion than do private owners. Eminent domain has been instituted in one way or another throughout the world for hundreds of years.

Carefully read the following six sources, including the introductory information for each source. Then synthesize material from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies the notion that eminent domain is productive and beneficial.

Your argument should be the focus of your essay. Use the sources to develop your argument and explain the reasoning for it. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the descriptions in parentheses.

On first read, you might be nervous about how to answer this prompt...especially if you don't know what eminent domain is! But if you break the prompt down into chunks, you'll be able to figure out what the prompt is asking you to do in no time flat.

To get a full understanding of what this prompt wants you to do, you need to identify the most important details in this prompt, paragraph by paragraph. Here's what each paragraph is asking you to do:

• Paragraph 1: The prompt presents and briefly explains the topic that you'll be writing your synthesis essay about. That topic is the concept of eminent domain.
• Paragraph 2: The prompt presents a specific claim about the concept of eminent domain in this paragraph: Eminent domain is productive and beneficial. This paragraph instructs you to decide whether you want to defend, challenge, or qualify that claim in your synthesis essay , and use material from at least three of the sources provided in order to do so.
• Paragraph 3: In the last paragraph of the prompt, the exam gives you clear instructions about how to approach writing your synthesis essay . First, make your argument the focus of the essay. Second, use material from at least three of the sources to develop and explain your argument. Third, provide commentary on the material you include, and provide proper citations when you incorporate quotations, paraphrases, or summaries from the sources provided.

So basically, you'll have to agree with, disagree with, or qualify the claim stated in the prompt, then use at least three sources substantiate your answer. Since you probably don't know much about eminent domain, you'll probably decide on your position after you read the provided sources.

To make good use of your time on the exam, you should spend around 2 minutes reading the prompt and making note of what it's asking you to do. That will leave you plenty of time to read the sources provided, which is the next step to writing a synthesis essay.

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

After you closely read the prompt and make note of the most important details, you need to read all of the sources provided. It's tempting to skip one or two sources to save time--but we recommend you don't do this. That's because you'll need a thorough understanding of the topic before you can accurately address the prompt!

For the sample exam prompt included above, there are six sources provided. We're not going to include all of the sources in this article, but you can view the six sources from this question on the 2018 AP Lang exam here . The sources include five print-text sources and one visual source, which is a cartoon.

As you read the sources, it's important to read quickly and carefully. Don't rush! Keep your pencil in hand to quickly mark important passages that you might want to use as evidence in your synthesis. While you're reading the sources and marking passages, you want to think about how the information you're reading influences your stance on the issue (in this case, eminent domain).

When you finish reading, take a few seconds to summarize, in a phrase or sentence, whether the source defends, challenges, or qualifies whether eminent domain is beneficial (which is the claim in the prompt) . Though it might not feel like you have time for this, it's important to give yourself these notes about each source so you know how you can use each one as evidence in your essay.

Here's what we mean: say you want to challenge the idea that eminent domain is useful. If you've jotted down notes about each source and what it's saying, it will be easier for you to pull the relevant information into your outline and your essay.

So how much time should you spend reading the provided sources? The AP Lang exam recommends taking 15 minutes to read the sources . If you spend around two of those minutes reading and breaking down the essay prompt, it makes sense to spend the remaining 13 minutes reading and annotating the sources.

If you finish reading and annotating early, you can always move on to drafting your synthesis essay. But make sure you're taking your time and reading carefully! It's better to use a little extra time reading and understanding the sources now so that you don't have to go back and re-read the sources later.

A strong thesis will do a lot of heavy lifting in your essay. (See what we did there?)

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement

After you've analyzed the prompt and thoroughly read the sources, the next thing you need to do in order to write a good synthesis essay is write a strong thesis statement .

The great news about writing a thesis statement for this synthesis essay is that you have all the tools you need to do it at your fingertips. All you have to do in order to write your thesis statement is decide what your stance is in relationship to the topic provided.

In the example prompt provided earlier, you're essentially given three choices for how to frame your thesis statement: you can either defend, challenge, or qualify a claim that's been provided by the prompt, that eminent domain is productive and beneficial . Here's what that means for each option:

If you choose to defend the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is correct . In this case, you'll have to show that eminent domain is a good thing.

If you choose to challenge the claim, you'll argue that the claim is incorrect. In other words, you'll argue that eminent domain isn't productive or beneficial.

If you choose to qualify, that means you'll agree with part of the claim, but disagree with another part of the claim. For instance, you may argue that eminent domain can be a productive tool for governments, but it's not beneficial for property owners. Or maybe you argue that eminent domain is useful in certain circumstances, but not in others.

When you decide whether you want your synthesis essay to defend, challenge, or qualify that claim, you need to convey that stance clearly in your thesis statement. You want to avoid simply restating the claim provided in the prompt, summarizing the issue without making a coherent claim, or writing a thesis that doesn't respond to the prompt.

Here's an example of a thesis statement that received full points on the eminent domain synthesis essay:

Although eminent domain can be misused to benefit private interests at the expense of citizens, it is a vital tool of any government that intends to have any influence on the land it governs beyond that of written law.

This thesis statement received full points because it states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning on the issue of eminent domain. It states the author's position (that some parts of eminent domain are good, but others are bad), then goes on to explain why the author thinks that (it's good because it allows the government to do its job, but it's bad because the government can misuse its power.)

Because this example thesis statement states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning, it can be elaborated upon in the body of the essay through sub-claims, supporting evidence, and commentary. And a solid argument is key to getting a six on your synthesis essay for AP Lang!

Step 4: Create a Bare-Bones Essay Outline

Once you've got your thesis statement drafted, you have the foundation you need to develop a bare bones outline for your synthesis essay. Developing an outline might seem like it's a waste of your precious time, but if you develop your outline well, it will actually save you time when you start writing your essay.

With that in mind, we recommend spending 5 to 10 minutes outlining your synthesis essay . If you use a bare-bones outline like the one below, labeling each piece of content that you need to include in your essay draft, you should be able to develop out the most important pieces of the synthesis before you even draft the actual essay.

To help you see how this can work on test day, we've created a sample outline for you. You can even memorize this outline to help you out on test day! In the outline below, you'll find places to fill in a thesis statement, body paragraph topic sentences, evidence from the sources provided, and commentary :

• Present the context surrounding the essay topic in a couple of sentences (this is a good place to use what you learned about the major opinions or controversies about the topic from reading your sources).
• Write a straightforward, clear, and concise thesis statement that presents your stance on the topic
• Topic sentence presenting first supporting point or claim
• Evidence #1
• Commentary on Evidence #1
• Evidence #2 (if needed)
• Commentary on Evidence #2 (if needed)
• Topic sentence presenting second supporting point or claim
• Topic sentence presenting three supporting point or claim
• Sums up the main line of reasoning that you developed and defended throughout the essay
• Reiterates the thesis statement

Taking the time to develop these crucial pieces of the synthesis in a bare-bones outline will give you a map for your final essay. Once you have a map, writing the essay will be much easier.

Step 5: Draft Your Essay Response

The great thing about taking a few minutes to develop an outline is that you can develop it out into your essay draft. After you take about 5 to 10 minutes to outline your synthesis essay, you can use the remaining 30 to 35 minutes to draft your essay and review it.

Since you'll outline your essay before you start drafting, writing the essay should be pretty straightforward. You'll already know how many paragraphs you're going to write, what the topic of each paragraph will be, and what quotations, paraphrases, or summaries you're going to include in each paragraph from the sources provided. You'll just have to fill in one of the most important parts of your synthesis—your commentary.

Commentaries are your explanation of why your evidence supports the argument you've outlined in your thesis. Your commentary is where you actually make your argument, which is why it's such a critical part of your synthesis essay.

When thinking about what to say in your commentary, remember one thing the AP Lang synthesis essay prompt specifies: don't just summarize the sources. Instead, as you provide commentary on the evidence you incorporate, you need to explain how that evidence supports or undermines your thesis statement . You should include commentary that offers a thoughtful or novel perspective on the evidence from your sources to develop your argument.

One very important thing to remember as you draft out your essay is to cite your sources. The AP Lang exam synthesis essay prompt indicates that you can use generic labels for the sources provided (e.g. "Source 1," "Source 2," "Source 3," etc.). The exam prompt will indicate which label corresponds with which source, so you'll need to make sure you pay attention and cite sources accurately. You can cite your sources in the sentence where you introduce a quote, summary, or paraphrase, or you can use a parenthetical citation. Citing your sources affects your score on the synthesis essay, so remembering to do this is important.

Keep reading for a real-life example of a great AP synthesis essay response!

Real-Life AP Synthesis Essay Example and Analysis

If you're still wondering how to write a synthesis essay, examples of real essays from past AP Lang exams can make things clearer. These real-life student AP synthesis essay responses can be great for helping you understand how to write a synthesis essay that will knock the graders' socks off .

While there are multiple essay examples online, we've chosen one to take a closer look at. We're going to give you a brief analysis of one of these example student synthesis essays from the 2019 AP Lang Exam below!

Example Synthesis Essay AP Lang Response

To get started, let's look at the official prompt for the 2019 synthesis essay:

In response to our society's increasing demand for energy, large-scale wind power has drawn attention from governments and consumers as a potential alternative to traditional materials that fuel our power grids, such as coal, oil, natural gas, water, or even newer sources such as nuclear or solar power. Yet the establishment of large-scale, commercial-grade wind farms is often the subject of controversy for a variety of reasons.

Carefully read the six sources, found on the AP English Language and Composition 2019 Exam (Question 1), including the introductory information for each source. Write an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources and develops your position on the most important factors that an individual or agency should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm.

Source A (photo) Source B (Layton) Source C (Seltenrich) Source D (Brown) Source E (Rule) Source F (Molla)

In your response you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis presents a defensible position.
• Select and use evidence from at least 3 of the provided sources to support your line of reasoning. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
• Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

Now that you know exactly what the prompt asked students to do on the 2019 AP Lang synthesis essay, here's an AP Lang synthesis essay example, written by a real student on the AP Lang exam in 2019:

[1] The situation has been known for years, and still very little is being done: alternative power is the only way to reliably power the changing world. The draw of power coming from industry and private life is overwhelming current sources of non-renewable power, and with dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, it is merely a matter of time before coal and gas fuel plants are no longer in operation. So one viable alternative is wind power. But as with all things, there are pros and cons. The main factors for power companies to consider when building wind farms are environmental boon, aesthetic, and economic factors.

[2] The environmental benefits of using wind power are well-known and proven. Wind power is, as qualified by Source B, undeniably clean and renewable. From their production requiring very little in the way of dangerous materials to their lack of fuel, besides that which occurs naturally, wind power is by far one of the least environmentally impactful sources of power available. In addition, wind power by way of gearbox and advanced blade materials, has the highest percentage of energy retention. According to Source F, wind power retains 1,164% of the energy put into the system – meaning that it increases the energy converted from fuel (wind) to electricity 10 times! No other method of electricity production is even half that efficient. The efficiency and clean nature of wind power are important to consider, especially because they contribute back to power companies economically.

[3] Economically, wind power is both a boon and a bone to electric companies and other users. For consumers, wind power is very cheap, leading to lower bills than from any other source. Consumers also get an indirect reimbursement by way of taxes (Source D). In one Texan town, McCamey, tax revenue increased 30% from a wind farm being erected in the town. This helps to finance improvements to the town. But, there is no doubt that wind power is also hurting the power companies. Although, as renewable power goes, wind is incredibly cheap, it is still significantly more expensive than fossil fuels. So, while it is helping to cut down on emissions, it costs electric companies more than traditional fossil fuel plants. While the general economic trend is positive, there are some setbacks which must be overcome before wind power can take over as truly more effective than fossil fuels.

[4] Aesthetics may be the greatest setback for power companies. Although there may be significant economic and environmental benefit to wind power, people will always fight to preserve pure, unspoiled land. Unfortunately, not much can be done to improve the visual aesthetics of the turbines. White paint is the most common choice because it "[is] associated with cleanliness." (Source E). But, this can make it stand out like a sore thumb, and make the gargantuan machines seem more out of place. The site can also not be altered because it affects generating capacity. Sound is almost worse of a concern because it interrupts personal productivity by interrupting people's sleep patterns. One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support.

[5] As with most things, wind power has no easy answer. It is the responsibility of the companies building them to weigh the benefits and the consequences. But, by balancing economics, efficiency, and aesthetics, power companies can create a solution which balances human impact with environmental preservation.

And that's an entire AP Lang synthesis essay example, written in response to a real AP Lang exam prompt! It's important to remember AP Lang exam synthesis essay prompts are always similarly structured and worded, and students often respond in around the same number of paragraphs as what you see in the example essay response above.

Next, let's analyze this example essay and talk about what it does effectively, where it could be improved upon, and what score past exam scorers awarded it.

To get started on an analysis of the sample synthesis essay, let's look at the scoring commentary provided by the College Board:

• For development of thesis, the essay received 1 out of 1 possible points
• For evidence and commentary, the essay received 4 out of 4 possible points
• For sophistication of thought, the essay received 0 out of 1 possible points.

This means that the final score for this example essay was a 5 out of 6 possible points . Let's look more closely at the content of the example essay to figure out why it received this score breakdown.

Thesis Development

The thesis statement is one of the three main categories that is taken into consideration when you're awarded points on this portion of the exam. This sample essay received 1 out of 1 total points.

Now, here's why: the thesis statement clearly and concisely conveys a position on the topic presented in the prompt--alternative energy and wind power--and defines the most important factors that power companies should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm.

Evidence and Commentary

The second key category taken into consideration when synthesis exams are evaluated is incorporation of evidence and commentary. This sample received 4 out of 4 possible points for this portion of the synthesis essay. At bare minimum, this sample essay meets the requirement mentioned in the prompt that the writer incorporate evidence from at least three of the sources provided.

On top of that, the writer does a good job of connecting the incorporated evidence back to the claim made in the thesis statement through effective commentary. The commentary in this sample essay is effective because it goes beyond just summarizing what the provided sources say. Instead, it explains and analyzes the evidence presented in the selected sources and connects them back to supporting points the writer makes in each body paragraph.

Finally, the writer of the essay also received points for evidence and commentary because the writer developed and supported a consistent line of reasoning throughout the essay . This line of reasoning is summed up in the fourth paragraph in the following sentence: "One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support."

Because the writer did a good job consistently developing their argument and incorporating evidence, they received full marks in this category. So far, so good!

Sophistication of Thought

Now, we know that this essay received a score of 5 out of 6 total points, and the place where the writer lost a point was on the basis of sophistication of thought, for which the writer received 0 out of 1 points. That's because this sample essay makes several generalizations and vague claims where it could have instead made specific claims that support a more balanced argument.

For example, in the following sentence from the 5th paragraph of the sample essay, the writer misses the opportunity to state specific possibilities that power companies should consider for wind energy . Instead, the writer is ambiguous and non-committal, saying, "As with most things, wind power has no easy answer. It is the responsibility of the companies building them to weigh the benefits and consequences."

If the writer of this essay was interested in trying to get that 6th point on the synthesis essay response, they could consider making more specific claims. For instance, they could state the specific benefits and consequences power companies should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm. These could include things like environmental impacts, economic impacts, or even population density!

Despite losing one point in the last category, this example synthesis essay is a strong one. It's well-developed, thoughtfully written, and advances an argument on the exam topic using evidence and support throughout.

4 Tips for How to Write a Synthesis Essay

AP Lang is a timed exam, so you have to pick and choose what you want to focus on in the limited time you're given to write the synthesis essay. Keep reading to get our expert advice on what you should focus on during your exam.

Tip 1: Read the Prompt First

It may sound obvious, but when you're pressed for time, it's easy to get flustered. Just remember: when it comes time to write the synthesis essay, read the prompt first !

Why is it so important to read the prompt before you read the sources? Because when you're aware of what kind of question you're trying to answer, you'll be able to read the sources more strategically. The prompt will help give you a sense of what claims, points, facts, or opinions to be looking for as you read the sources.

Reading the sources without having read the prompt first is kind of like trying to drive while wearing a blindfold: you can probably do it, but it's likely not going to end well!

Tip 2: Make Notes While You Read

During the 15-minute reading period at the beginning of the synthesis essay, you'll be reading through the sources as quickly as you can. After all, you're probably anxious to start writing!

While it's definitely important to make good use of your time, it's also important to read closely enough that you understand your sources. Careful reading will allow you to identify parts of the sources that will help you support your thesis statement in your essay, too.

As you read the sources, consider marking helpful passages with a star or check mark in the margins of the exam so you know which parts of the text to quickly re-read as you form your synthesis essay. You might also consider summing up the key points or position of each source in a sentence or a few words when you finish reading each source during the reading period. Doing so will help you know where each source stands on the topic given and help you pick the three (or more!) that will bolster your synthesis argument.

Tip 3: Start With the Thesis Statement

If you don't start your synthesis essay with a strong thesis statement, it's going to be tough to write an effective synthesis essay. As soon as you finish reading and annotating the provided sources, the thing you want to do next is write a strong thesis statement.

According to the CollegeBoard grading guidelines for the AP Lang synthesis essay, a strong thesis statement will respond to the prompt— not restate or rephrase the prompt. A good thesis will take a clear, defensible position on the topic presented in the prompt and the sources.

In other words, to write a solid thesis statement to guide the rest of your synthesis essay, you need to think about your position on the topic at hand and then make a claim about the topic based on your position. This position will either be defending, challenging, or qualifying the claim made in the essay's prompt.

The defensible position that you establish in your thesis statement will guide your argument in the rest of the essay, so it's important to do this first. Once you have a strong thesis statement, you can begin outlining your essay.

Tip 4: Focus on Your Commentary

Writing thoughtful, original commentary that explains your argument and your sources is important. In fact, doing this well will earn you four points (out of a total of six)!

AP Lang provides six to seven sources for you on the exam, and you'll be expected to incorporate quotations, paraphrases, or summaries from at least three of those sources into your synthesis essay and interpret that evidence for the reader.

While incorporating evidence is very important, in order to get the extra point for "sophistication of thought" on the synthesis essay, it's important to spend more time thinking about your commentary on the evidence you choose to incorporate. The commentary is your chance to show original thinking, strong rhetorical skills, and clearly explain how the evidence you've included supports the stance you laid out in your thesis statement.

To earn the 6th possible point on the synthesis essay, make sure your commentary demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the source material, explains this nuanced understanding, and places the evidence incorporated from the sources in conversation with each other. To do this, make sure you're avoiding vague language. Be specific when you can, and always tie your commentary back to your thesis!

What's Next?

There's a lot more to the AP Language exam than just the synthesis essay. Be sure to check out our expert guide to the entire exam , then learn more about the tricky multiple choice section .

Is the AP Lang exam hard...or is it easy? See how it stacks up to other AP tests on our list of the hardest AP exams .

Did you know there are technically two English AP exams? You can learn more about the second English AP test, the AP Literature exam, in this article . And if you're confused about whether you should take the AP Lang or AP Lit test , we can help you make that decision, too.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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What is the ap lang synthesis essay, how will ap scores affect my college chances.

AP English Language and Composition, commonly known as AP Lang, is one of the most engaging and popular AP classes offered at most high schools, with over 535,000 students taking the class . AP Lang tests your ability to analyze written pieces, synthesize information, write rhetorical essays, and create cohesive and concrete arguments. However, the class is rather challenging as only 62% of students were able to score a three or higher on the exam. 

The AP Lang exam has two sections. The first consists of 45 multiple choice questions which need to be completed in an hour. This portion counts for around 45% of your total score. These questions ask students to analyze written pieces and answer questions related to each respective passage.  All possible answer choices can be found within the text, and no prior knowledge of literature is needed to understand the passages.

The second section contains three free-response questions to be finished in under two hours and 15 minutes. This section counts for 55% of your score and includes the synthesis essay, the rhetorical essay, and the argumentative essay.

• The synthesis essay requires you to read 6-7 sources and create an argument using at least three sources.
• The rhetorical analysis essay requires you to describe how a piece of writing evokes specific meanings and symbolism.
• The argumentative essay requires you to pick a perspective of a debate and create an argument based on the evidence provided.

In this post, we will take a look at the AP Lang synthesis essay and discuss tips and tricks to master this part of the exam. We will also provide an example of a well-written essay for review.  

The AP Lang synthesis essay is the first of three essays included in the Free Response section of the AP Lang exam. The exam presents 6-7 sources that are organized around a specific topic, with two of those sources purely visual, including a single quantitative source (like a graph or pie chart). The remaining 4-5 sources are text-based, containing around 500 words each. It’s recommended that students spend an hour on this essay—15 minute reading period, 40 minutes writing, and 5 minutes of spare time to check over work.

Each synthesis essay has a topic that all the sources will relate to. A prompt will explaining the topic and provide some background, although the topics are usually broad so you will probably know something related to the issue. It will also present a claim that students will respond to in an essay format using information from at least three of the provided sources. You will need to take a stance, either agreeing or disagreeing with the position provided in the claim. 

According to the CollegeBoard, they are looking for essays that “combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position.” This means that you must state your claim on the topic and highlight relationships between several sources that support your specific position on the topic. Additionally, you’ll need to cite clear evidence from your sources to prove your point.

The synthesis essay counts for six points on the AP Lang exam. Students can receive 0-1 points for writing a thesis statement, 0-4 based on the incorporation of evidence and commentary, and 0-1 points based on the sophistication of thought and demonstration of complex understanding.

While this essay seems extremely overwhelming, considering there are a total of three free-response essays to complete, with proper time management and practiced skills, this essay is manageable and straightforward. In order to enhance the time management aspect of the test to the best of your ability, it is essential to divide the essay up into five key steps.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

As soon as the clock starts, carefully read and analyze what the prompt asks from you. It might be helpful to markup the text to identify the most critical details. You should only spend around 2 minutes reading the prompt so you have enough time to read all the sources and figure out your argument. Don’t feel like you need to immediately pick your stance on the claim right after reading the prompt. You should read the sources before you commit to your argument.

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

Although you are only required to use 3 of the 6-7 sources provides, make sure you read ALL of the sources. This will allow you to better understand the topic and make the most educated decision of which sources to use in your essay. Since there are a lot of sources to get through, you will need to read quickly and carefully.

Annotating will be your best friend during the reading period. Highlight and mark important concepts or lines from each passage that would be helpful in your essay. Your argument will probably begin forming in your head as you go through the passages, so you will save yourself a lot of time later on if you take a few seconds to write down notes in the margins. After you’ve finished reading a source, reflect on whether the source defends, challenges, or qualifies your argument.

You will have around 13 minutes to read through all the sources, but it’s very possible you will finish earlier if you are a fast reader. Take the leftover time to start developing your thesis and organizing your thoughts into an outline so you have more time to write. 

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement 

In order to write a good thesis statement, all you have to do is decide your stance on the claim provided in the prompt and give an overview of your evidence. You essentially have three choices on how to frame your thesis statement: You can defend, challenge or qualify a claim that’s been provided by the prompt. 

• If you are defending the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is correct .
• If you are challenging the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is incorrect .
• If you choose to qualify the claim, your job will be to agree to a part of the claim and disagree with another part of the claim. 

A strong thesis statement will clearly state your stance without summarizing the issue or regurgitating the claim. The CollegeBoard is looking for a thesis statement that “states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning on the issue provided in the prompt.”

Step 4: Create a Minimal Essay Outline

Developing an outline might seem like a waste of time when you are up against the clock, but believe us, taking 5-10 minutes to outline your essay will be much more useful in the long run than jumping right into the essay.

Your outline should include your thesis statement and three main pieces of evidence that will constitute each body paragraph. Under each piece of evidence should be 2-3 details from the sources that you will use to back up your claim and some commentary on how that evidence proves your thesis.

Step 5: Write your Essay

Use the remaining 30-35 minutes to write your essay. This should be relatively easy if you took the time to mark up the sources and have a detailed outline.  Remember to add special consideration and emphasis to the commentary sections of the supporting arguments outlined in your thesis. These sentences are critical to the overall flow of the essay and where you will be explaining how the evidence supports or undermines the claim in the prompt.

Also, when referencing your sources, write the in-text citations as follows: “Source 1,” “Source 2,” “Source 3,” etc. Make sure to pay attention to which source is which in order to not incorrectly cite your sources. In-text citations will impact your score on the essay and are an integral part of the process.

After you finish writing, read through your essay for any grammatical errors or mistakes before you move onto the next essay.

Here are six must-have tips and tricks to get a good score on the synthesis essay:

• Cite at least four sources , even though the minimum requirement is three. Remember not to plagiarize and cite everything you use in your arguments.
• Make sure to develop a solid and clear thesis . Develop a stable stance for the claim and stick with it throughout the entire paper.
• Don’t summarize the sources. The summary of the sources does not count as an argument. 
• You don’t necessarily have to agree with the sources in order to cite them. Using a source to support a counterargument is still a good use of a source.
• Cite the sources that you understand entirely . If you don’t, it could come back to bite you in the end. 
• Use small quotes , do not quote entire paragraphs. Make sure the quote does not disrupt the flow or grammar of the sentence you write. 

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Here is an example prompt and essay from 2019 that received 5 of the 6 total points available:

In response to our society’s increasing demand for energy, large-scale wind power has drawn attention from governments and consumers as a potential alternative to traditional materials that fuel our power grids, such as coal, oil, natural gas, water, or even newer sources such as nuclear or solar power. Yet the establishment of large-scale, commercial-grade wind farms is often the subject of controversy for a variety of reasons.

Carefully read the six sources, found on the AP English Language and Composition 2019 Exam (Question 1), including the introductory information for each source. Write an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources and develops your position on the most important factors that an individual or agency should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm.

Source A (photo)

Source B (Layton)

Source C (Seltenrich)

Source D (Brown)

Source E (Rule)

Source F (Molla)

In your response you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis presents a defensible position.
• Select and use evidence from at least 3 of the provided sources to support your line of reasoning. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
• Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

[1] The situation has been known for years, and still very little is being done: alternative power is the only way to reliably power the changing world. The draw of power coming from industry and private life is overwhelming current sources of non-renewable power, and with dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, it is merely a matter of time before coal and gas fuel plants are no longer in operation. So one viable alternative is wind power. But as with all things, there are pros and cons. The main factors for power companies to consider when building wind farms are environmental boon, aesthetic, and economic factors.

[2] The environmental benefits of using wind power are well-known and proven. Wind power is, as qualified by Source B, undeniably clean and renewable. From their production requiring very little in the way of dangerous materials to their lack of fuel, besides that which occurs naturally, wind power is by far one of the least environmentally impactful sources of power available. In addition, wind power by way of gearbox and advanced blade materials, has the highest percentage of energy retention. According to Source F, wind power retains 1,164% of the energy put into the system – meaning that it increases the energy converted from fuel (wind) to electricity 10 times! No other method of electricity production is even half that efficient. The efficiency and clean nature of wind power are important to consider, especially because they contribute back to power companies economically.

[3] Economically, wind power is both a boon and a bone to electric companies and other users. For consumers, wind power is very cheap, leading to lower bills than from any other source. Consumers also get an indirect reimbursement by way of taxes (Source D). In one Texan town, McCamey, tax revenue increased 30% from a wind farm being erected in the town. This helps to finance improvements to the town. But, there is no doubt that wind power is also hurting the power companies. Although, as renewable power goes, wind is incredibly cheap, it is still significantly more expensive than fossil fuels. So, while it is helping to cut down on emissions, it costs electric companies more than traditional fossil fuel plants. While the general economic trend is positive, there are some setbacks which must be overcome before wind power can take over as truly more effective than fossil fuels.

[4] Aesthetics may be the greatest setback for power companies. Although there may be significant economic and environmental benefit to wind power, people will always fight to preserve pure, unspoiled land. Unfortunately, not much can be done to improve the visual aesthetics of the turbines. White paint is the most common choice because it “[is] associated with cleanliness.” (Source E). But, this can make it stand out like a sore thumb, and make the gargantuan machines seem more out of place. The site can also not be altered because it affects generating capacity. Sound is almost worse of a concern because it interrupts personal productivity by interrupting people’s sleep patterns. One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support.

[5] As with most things, wind power has no easy answer. It is the responsibility of the companies building them to weigh the benefits and the consequences. But, by balancing economics, efficiency, and aesthetics, power companies can create a solution which balances human impact with environmental preservation.

More examples can be found here at College Board.

While AP Scores help to boost your weighted GPA, or give you the option to get college credit, AP Scores don’t have a strong effect on your admissions chances . However, colleges can still see your self-reported scores, so you might not want to automatically send scores to colleges if they are lower than a 3. That being said, admissions officers care far more about your grade in an AP class than your score on the exam.

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How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay with Example

September 5, 2023

If you’re highly interested in learning more about writing analysis, then chances are you enrolled in AP Lang. Essentially, AP Lang is an advanced course for high schoolers that combines interest and knowledge in English with critical thinking. In the class, students learn how to analyze and synthesize a variety of texts to construct well-reasoned arguments. If you take AP Lang, then you can opt to take the AP test at the conclusion of the school year. On the exam, students write the AP Lang synthesis essay to demonstrate their learned abilities. In this article, we’ll look at what the AP Lang synthesis essay requires and show an example to provide better understanding of what to expect on the exam.

AP Lang Exam Basics

The AP Lang exam is separated into two sections. In the first section, students have one hour to answer a series of 45 multiple-choice questions. Here, about half of the questions are based on passages students read. The other half are focused on the best revision techniques. Essentially, the answers for the latter 20-22 questions are geared toward revising mock essays.

In this article, however, we’ll focus mainly on the second part of the exam: the AP Lang synthesis essay.

In this second section, students have two hours and 15 minutes to write three essays of their own design. The three open-ended questions in this section are intended to be free-response and allow for a variety of approaches. Each question is intended to allow up to 40 minutes to complete.

For the AP Lang synthesis essay, students are presented with a scenario of the College Board’s design. The scenario will provide its own thesis statement. Usually, scenarios relate to real-world problems like environmental concerns, media, or government policies.

For each scenario, students are provided with 6-7 outside sources. These sources could be in the form of an image, visual graph, or written paragraph. For written paragraphs, the sources are usually no more than 500 words.

Students are then expected to incorporate at least 3-4 of these outside sources into their essay response. The outside sources are intended to be used as supporting evidence for the student’s chosen stance or argument. Students are able to either agree with or disagree with the thesis presented in the original scenario.

AP Lang Exam – Scoring

In the second part of the AP Lang exam, students can earn a possible 6 points on each essay. 1 point is earned for the development of a thesis. Up to 4 points can be earned for evidence and commentary. The final 1 point is earned for sophistication of thought.

AP Lang Exam – Takeaways

Ultimately, the goal of the AP Lang synthesis essay is not whether the student is “right” or “wrong” in their argument. The key is that students are able to reasonably and clearly support their argument using the provided sources as evidence .

The College Board looks for your ability to identify relationships between texts , form a coherent argument , and interpret external sources .

Synthesis Essay AP Lang Examples

If you’re not sure how the questions will look on the AP Lang synthesis essay section, we’ll provide an example. After the example, we’ll break down the strengths and weaknesses of the response. That way, you’ll have a better idea of what the College Board is looking for.

Additionally, the College Board has released previous AP Lang synthesis essay examples you can review. They even have essay questions as recent as 2022 . For further support, a scoring commentary and comments from the Chief Reader are also available to view. Additionally, there are other examples you can view from earlier years .

Note: A good strategy to study for the synthesis essay AP Lang exam is to review your rhetorical devices and literary devices . Understanding how these devices function can be essential in constructing a cohesive essay.

Synthesis Essay AP Lang Examples – Sample Question

Below is a sample question from the AP Lang synthesis essay and a response to the prompt. This question was taken directly from a 2022 exam . However, the response to the question will be originally crafted for the purpose of this newsletter. As well, all supporting evidence will be originally created and does not correspond to any previous test.

The Question

Since the early 2000s, the United States government and a number of corporations have sponsored initiatives to improve education in the STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The emphasis on STEM subjects in elementary, secondary, and higher education reflects concerns that United States students are less proficient in these areas than are students in other countries. Additionally, there is a belief that mastery in STEM fields is now essential in order to join a highly technical and specialized workforce. However, not everyone is convinced that a STEM-focused curriculum is necessary and/or effective.

In your response you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible
• Select and use evidence from at least three of the provided sources to support your line of Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
• Explain how the evidence supports your line of
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your

How to Approach the Question

Maybe your first thought upon seeing this block of text is to feel overwhelmed. But don’t panic. There are effective ways to approach the question so you will be more prepared in your response.

It’s a good strategy to first isolate the thesis . What is the main idea of the text, and what is its argument?

Try it out. Reread the prompt and see if you can identify what the statement is asking you to develop an opinion on.

Think you’ve got it? In this example, we will be focusing on whether or not a STEM-focused curriculum in K-12 education is necessary and/or effective. In short, we will be arguing either for (highlighting the benefits) or against (highlighting the pitfalls) a STEM-focused curriculum.

How do we know what this statement is asking us?

Well, the statement provides a lot of background information. For example, we receive a definition of what STEM stands for. As well, we know that since 2000, there has been a greater initiative for STEM-focused classes.

When you read the prompt for the first time, it’s a great strategy to learn how to differentiate between background and contextual information from the heart of the argument .

A good way to learn how to isolate the argument is to look for transition words. Usually, these appear near the end of the question. Words like “however” and “yet” are signals that the statement is offering a differing opinion. Typically, the statement will tell you which two positions it’s offering for argument. These opinions are usually signaled by contrasting transition words.

So, now that we know what the question is asking us, what is the best way to respond?

Synthesis Essay AP Lang Examples – Sample Answer

The following is an essay response I crafted to the above question. After reading the sample, I will break down what it does well and what areas can be improved.

A STEM-focused curriculum is not as essential to providing a meaningful K-12 education. Because the majority of high school students are not proficient in STEM-focused classes, prioritizing these classes causes harm to student’s mental health and academic performance.

As seen in Source A, 60% of high school seniors in the Midwest only scored a C average in math and science-based classes (Langston). This statistic suggests that the majority of students do not resonate with STEM classes and therefore perform poorly. Earning a low score in any class does not bode well for students’ mental health.

When looking at the primary argument in Source C, it’s clear that most high schoolers prefer creative outlets to fact-based research (Kohler). Allowing students the opportunity to be more creative and initiate conversations about coursework lets students be more active in their learning. When students can discuss the nuance in their opinions, more personal growth happens. These conversations are not always easy to have in STEM-focused classes.

As well, when looking back to Source A, it’s clear that high school students in the Midwest earned higher grades, on average, in their English and art classes (Langston). This figure suggests that students perform better in these classes because they relate more to the source material. When relating to what they learn, they perform better in class.

In conclusion, STEM-focused curriculum is not as essential in K-12 education because most high school students do not relate to their STEM classes. When students do not earn satisfactory grades in these classes, it negatively affects their future college applications and job prospects.

Synthesis Essay AP Lang Examples – Answer Breakdown

So, what does this essay response get right, and where can it be improved? Let’s start with what the response does well.

First, the response establishes its thesis right away. Usually, it’s a good idea to clearly state your argument within the first paragraph. Not only is this a good practice because a reader can easily identify your stance, but also you can refer to your thesis as you write to make you stay on track.

With your thesis, it’s also a good idea to include one to two supporting sentences with the reasons why the thesis is concluded . Like in this example, I wrote that STEM-focused classes should not be prioritized because they can negatively affect both mental health and academic performance.

Another positive aspect of this response is that it is sure to not only reference but also cites its sources . It’s important that the reader understand where your information is coming from. That way, the readers can ensure you are interpreting the sources correctly.

AP Lang Synthesis Essay (Continued)

However, when rereading the instructions, it’s clear that this response fails the basic requirement of referring to at least three sources. Always make sure to reread the instructions to ensure you meet the standard requirements for incorporating source material.

Further, this AP Lang synthesis essay does not fully support its arguments . Ideas are simply stated and are not expanded upon.

For example, I mentioned a few times that earning low grades in STEM classes leads to negative mental health for high school students. However, there is no source referenced that either confirms or denies this claim. Therefore, there is no sufficient evidence to support my argument. It relies purely on inference.

Additionally, this AP Lang synthesis essay does not arrive at a sufficient level of sophistication of thought . Basically, sophistication of thought means avoiding broad generalizations and vague claims. The more specific you can be, the better your argument will sound.

Synthesis Essay AP Lang – In Conclusion

In the end, it’s always helpful to read the prompt thoroughly before writing. As well, making notes while you read could be a good strategy to pinpoint main ideas both in the prompt and the sources. That way, you can reread the material quickly. Similarly, sketching an outline may also be helpful. In addition, you should always carefully read the instructions to ensure all guidelines are followed.

As long as you avoid broad generalizations and use enough supporting evidence for your claim, you will be on the right path!

• High School Success

Meghan Dairaghi

With a BA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing, Meghan has served as a writing tutor at the University of Missouri St. Louis and Maryville University. Additionally, Meghan has held editorial roles at River Styx and Boulevard, and was a prose reader at Farside Review . Most recently, her work has been featured in Belle Ombre , Flypaper Lit , and Mag 20/20 , among others, and she was nominated for the Mary Troy Prize in Fiction. 

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Synthesis Essay Materials

The two synthesis essay questions below are examples of the question type that has been one of the three free-response questions on the AP English Language and Composition Exam as of the May 2007 exam. The synthesis question asks students to synthesize information from a variety of sources to inform their own discussion of a topic. Students are given a 15-minute reading period to accommodate the additional reading required for the question.

Below is a sample synthesis essay question, sample scoring guidelines, comments from the Chief Reader about the sample student essays, seven sample student responses, and scoring commentary for each sample.

Approximately 300 AP English Language and Composition students from eight schools in New York, Maine, Texas, Tennessee, Washington, Florida, and New Mexico wrote responses to this synthesis topic. Students from these schools were given a 15-minute reading period followed by a 40-minute writing period in which to complete the sample synthesis assignment.

• AP English Language and Composition Synthesis Essay #1 (.pdf/84KB)
• Sample Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/43KB)
• Comments from the Chief Reader (.pdf/47KB)
• Sample Student Responses (.pdf/3.65MB)
• Scoring Commentary (.pdf/50KB)

An additional sample synthesis essay question is provided here.

• AP English Language and Composition Synthesis Essay #2 (.pdf/338KB)

How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay

AP Lang test is the logical conclusion to the introductory college English composition course. And its most important (and often difficult) part is the AP Lang synthesis essay. Despite it being the very basic layer of your future composition skills, it’s a very complicated challenge to approach unprepared. Besides, it's details may change year to year. So let’s have a look with our coursework writing services team at what your AP Lang exam 2022 might look like.

What is AP Lang?

AP Lang is a relatively lengthy test. There are several AP rubrics that a student must be well-versed in to hope to pass it. The first section includes reading and writing, while the second is slightly more freeform and includes three different types of essays.

Among those three, the most interesting and, coincidentally, oftentimes the hardest to deal with is the AP Lang synthesis essay rubric. Today will focus on it specifically to make sure you know exactly what you’re going to be facing during your test.

What Is a Synthesis Essay AP Lang?

At its core, the AP Lang synthesis essay is a pretty straightforward part of the AP Lang test. It might look pretty similar to the reading section of the exam. However, simply finding the right information isn’t enough. When writing a synthesis essay, you should not only gather the data but also distill it into your personal opinion.

This fine line may seem difficult to spot, but it is there. And it’s that small difference that can make or break your exam run. So try to follow the steps one by one and not lose focus. Writing a good synthesis essay is as easy as following the rules. If you feel this task is too difficult for you, you can leave us your ' write an essay for me ' request and we will do it for you.

AP Lang Synthesis Essay Outline

Looking through AP Lang essay examples, you might notice that the overall structure doesn’t really differ too much from your standard essay outline. You have your introduction, your body, and your conclusion. But the important thing to note is where your arguments are supposed to come from.

You’re not supposed to just go off on a rant. The task requires you to base your supporting evidence on at least three sources. And you will have to ensure your essay has solid roots. Here’s what a basic AP Lang exam synthesis essay outline should look like:

• Introduction

Provide sufficient context for the topic you are about to cover. You can do a quick overview of prevailing opinions you have grasped while browsing through your source materials.

Write a short and compelling thesis statement. This will be your ground zero for the rest of the essay. So make sure it reflects your opinion. What is a thesis statement you can read in our special article.

• Body Paragraphs

Dedicate at least one paragraph to every source you’re using. Start with presenting the evidence you have gathered from that source and go on to explain how it formed your opinion on the topic and why it should be considered.

Quickly go through your line of reasoning and reinforce what you have already covered. Finish up with restating your thesis as you’re supposed to logically arrive at it after all the evidence you have presented. That’s how you write a conclusion properly.

Different Forms and Types of Synthesis Essay: Explanatory vs. Argumentative Synthesis Essays

When it comes to writing a synthesis essay AP Lang, there are several types of essays you should consider. The most common ones are the AP Lang argument essay and explanatory essay. The clues as to how each of them should look are hidden within their names but let’s go over them to clear any confusion.

An explanatory essay’s goal is to go over a certain topic, discuss it in detail, and ultimately show a high level of understanding of the said topic. You don’t necessarily have to get into a heated argument with the reader trying to convince them of something. All you need to do is create an impartial overview.

On the other hand, an argumentative essay has to do with personal opinions. And while there is a time and a place for bias, it still has to be as impartial and factual as possible. When proving your point, try not to devolve into emotional arguments but stick to logic and cold truths. This will make your argument way more solid.

Synthesis Essay Structure

In the general case, you don’t really need to look for a synthesis essay AP Lang example to get a solid grasp on how its structure should look like. You can safely fall back on your high school essay writing knowledge, and you’ll be mostly safe.

What you should pay attention to is your writing style and content. A synthesis essay is identified less by its structure and more by the way you form and present your arguments to the reader. It’s when you get a specific essay type (like an argumentative essay) that you should pay attention to slight changes in format.

Argument Essay Structure

The best way to understand argumentative essay structure is to study any well-written AP Lang argument essay example. Standard AP Lang essays have very distinctive features that are very easy to spot and emulate. They follow a very rigid form and employ specific rhetorical devices that you’ll be able to pick up after you analyze them once or twice quickly.

How Many Paragraphs Should an AP Lang Synthesis Essay Be?

The number of paragraphs in an AP Lang synthesis essay can indeed make a difference. Your arguments should be concise and pointed. Spreading them out throughout many paragraphs may seem like a good idea to fill in the space. But it’s actually detrimental to your final score. You can get a basic understanding of what your score is going to be using an AP Lang score calculator.

The same goes for too few paragraphs. Don’t even try to squeeze your entire line of thought into a single body paragraph. Generally, the minimum number of sources you should address is three. Any less, and you are getting a lower score. So try to keep it somewhere in the middle. Three to five body paragraphs is an optimal number. Don’t forget to add an intro and a conclusion to it and you’re all set. A well-written essay has a clear and easily identifiable structure.

How to Write AP Lang Synthesis Essay: Guide

In order to write a decent essay, all you have to do is follow these simple steps. Performing a rhetorical analysis essay example, AP Lang won’t give you insight into how it was built from the ground up. But looking at this list might.

Step 1. Read the Prompt

It may sound like a no-brainer. But it’s actually more important than you can imagine. Don’t skip right past this step. It’s very easy to misunderstand the task under stress. And if you do slip up in the beginning - the entirety of your work after that is wasted.

Step 2. Analyze the Sources Carefully

The same goes for your sources. Take your time reading them. Try to spot every smallest detail, as even a single one can help you better incorporate your evidence into the body of your essay. You can begin outlining the general points of your essay in your head at this point.

Step 3. Come Up with a Strong Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement is the baseline of your writing. Make it short and clear. Try not to overthink it too much.

Step 4. Fill in Your Essay Outline

Start filling out your outline step by step. You don’t have to go from top to bottom. If you feel like you’re struggling - skip to the next part and return to the problem paragraph later. The use of rhetorical devices AP Lang is also pretty important. So once you flesh out your essay a bit, spend some time trying to come up with the perfect wording.

Step 5. Finalize

The first finished version of your essay is a draft. Don’t be hasty to turn it in. Read over it a couple of times. Make sure everything is in order. You can switch some of the parts around or rewrite some sections if you have the time. Ideally, at this stage you should have enough time to eliminate all grammatical errors that may still be present in your essay. Polish it to perfection.

Useful Tips

Here are some useful tips that might make the writing process a bit easier for you:

• Use either APA or Chicago style to cite your sources
• Have a schedule to understand how much time you have for each section
• Leave as much time as you can for editing and proofreading
• You can never over study the source material. Spend as much time as you can reading into it
• Don’t linger on the surface of your essay subject. Dive in and show your complex understanding of the material
• Avoid using private life anecdotes to support your case unless the essay type specifically allows it. These don’t make for a convincing argument.
• Use as many supporting arguments as you can but make sure they are actually solid and relevant to your thesis
• Check with your thesis from time to time. The entirety of your text should align with it

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AP Lang Essay Prompts

Here are some interesting prompts. Some of them could be found in the previous iterations of the test; you may have spotted them in some of the AP Lang essay examples. Others are there to help you practice for the AP Lang exam 2022.

• The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, dedicated in 1979, was founded in memory of the president and contained archives pertaining to his administration. On June 24, 1985, then President Ronald Reagan joined members of the Kennedy family at a fundraising event to help the Kennedy Library Foundation create an endowment to fund and support the presidential library. The following is an excerpt from the speech Reagan gave at that event. Read the passage carefully. Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices Reagan makes to achieve his purpose of paying tribute to John F. Kennedy.
• On August 29, 2009, then-President Barack Obama delivered a eulogy at the funeral of Senator Ted Kennedy in Boston, Massachusetts. Kennedy served in the United States Senate from 1962 until his death. Obama served with him in the Senate from 2005 until Obama was elected president in 2008. The following is an excerpt from Obama’s speech. Read the passage carefully. Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices Obama makes to achieve his purpose of praising and memorializing Kennedy.
• On April 9, 1964, Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, who was at the time the First Lady of the United States, gave the following speech at the first-anniversary luncheon of the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit division of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library dedicated to the works of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who passed away in 1962. Read the passage carefully. Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices Johnson makes to achieve her purpose of paying tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt.

In your response, you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that analyzes the writer’s rhetorical choices.

• Select and use evidence to support your line of reasoning.

• Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation.

• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

AP Lang Essay Example

Here is a decent if a bit shortened, AP Lang rhetorical analysis essay example you can use for reference.

Literature to Prepare for AP Lang

And here is a list of some great AP Lang books that will help you prepare for the exam. Not all of them are immediately useful, but most will help you enhance your writing and analytical abilities to get a better score in the end.

• The Odyssey
• Don Quixote
• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Pride and Prejudice
• Wuthering Heights
• Oliver Twist
• Crime and Punishment
• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

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How to write an AP Lang synthesis essay: the structure, guidelines & tips

Updated 27 Aug 2024

Completing a synthesis essay requires more than merely delivering information; it demands a grasp of rhetorical strategies and skills to synthesize multiple sources into a cohesive argument. In this guide, you will learn the synthesis AP Lang definition, its format, and structure, as well as the essential tips about how to write an AP Lang synthesis essay. We will provide step-by-step strategies for organizing thoughts and developing strong arguments, empowering you to refine your ideas and craft persuasive papers. Thus, this article serves as a roadmap for success, offering tips and examples to unlock the secrets of essay writing. Having a well-structured outline serves as a roadmap, making the process of drafting the actual essay much more efficient and organized.

What is an AP Lang synthesis essay?

The first thing students have to do when taking the AP Lang exam is complete a synthesis essay that marks the beginning of the Free Response section. Before we dive into the details, let’s clarify the question, “What does AP Lang stand for?”

The AP Language and Composition (AP Lang) exam is an advanced placement test administered by the College Board in the United States. In other words, it is designed to assess students’ skills in critical reading, analytical writing, and rhetorical analysis. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions and three free-response essays, one of which is the synthesis essay . In this writing, students get a prompt that presents a topic or issue along with multiple sources that provide different perspectives or viewpoints on that topic. Moreover, students are required to read the sources critically, analyze the arguments presented, and synthesize the information to develop their argument or stance on the issue. Understanding the essay prompt, breaking it down into manageable parts, and outlining the necessary steps for effectively addressing the prompt in an essay format are crucial for success.

The AP Lang exam is typically taken by high school students who have completed an AP Lang and Composition course, although some students may choose to self-study for the exam. No wonder colleges and universities widely use it in the admissions process to assess students’ readiness for college-level writing and their ability to analyze and interpret complex texts, construct coherent arguments, and communicate ideas effectively. Likewise, all these skills are required from learners when they need to write my assignment . Additionally, many high schools offer AP courses as a way for students to earn college credit while still in high school, and successful performance on the AP Lang exam can earn students college credit for introductory English courses.

Synthesis essay structure

When examining synthesis papers, you will observe that their structure closely resembles a typical argumentative essay outline, comprising an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, the crucial distinction lies in the origin of your reasoning ─ it’s imperative not to embark on a mere rant. Thus the task mandates that you ground your supporting evidence in at least three sources, ensuring your study possesses sturdy foundations. A concise thesis statement that clearly articulates the main argument of the essay is essential, serving as a guide for readers and providing direction for the overall structure of the writing.

Here’s an outline of each section and several AP Lang argument essay examples:

Introduction.

Hook: Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question related to the topic. Example: “In today’s interconnected world, where information is readily available at our fingertips, the debate over the impact of social media on society has intensified.”

Background information: Give context about the topic and the sources provided. Example: “With the rise of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, discussions about the influence of social media on individuals and communities have become increasingly prominent.”

Thesis statement: Clearly state your stance on the issue and preview the main points before explaining them in detail. Using appropriate grammar and punctuation is essential for effectively communicating your analysis and reasoning. Example: “While some argue that social media fosters meaningful connections and facilitates communication, a closer examination reveals its detrimental effects on mental health, privacy, and social interactions.”

Body paragraphs.

Topic sentence: Introduce the main point of the paragraph. Example: “Firstly, social media exacerbates mental health issues by promoting unrealistic standards and fostering comparison among users.”

Evidence from sources: Incorporate specific examples or quotes from the provided sources to bolster your argument. Example: “According to a study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, frequent use of social media platforms is associated with increased feelings of depression and loneliness.”

Analysis: Explain in your discursive essay how the evidence supports your argument and relate it to your thesis. Example: “This suggests that the constant exposure to curated images and idealized lifestyles on social media can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem among users, contributing to the decline in mental well-being.”

Transition: Connect the paragraph back to your thesis and preview the next point you will discuss in your synthesis essay outline AP Lang. Example: “Furthermore, social media platforms often compromise users' privacy, as evidenced by…”

Conclusion.

Restate thesis : Summarize your understanding of the main argument and restate your thesis in different words. Example: “In conclusion, while proponents of social media tout its benefits, including improved connectivity and access to information, a closer examination reveals its detrimental effects on mental health, privacy, and social interactions.”

Final thoughts: Reflect on the broader implications of your argument or suggest possible solutions to the issue. Example: “As we navigate the digital landscape, it is essential to remain critical of the impact of social media on our lives and advocate for responsible use and greater awareness of its consequences.”

Call to action: Encourage readers to consider your argument and take action. Example: “By recognizing the drawbacks of social media and implementing measures to mitigate its negative effects, we can strive towards a healthier and more balanced relationship with technology.”

By following this outline and incorporating evidence from the provided sources, you can effectively structure your work and develop compelling arguments.

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Writing a synthesis essay: 6 essential steps

Now that you understand the essay’s particularities and structure, it’s time to consider how to write an AP Lang synthesis essay. Following these steps will help in crafting a well-written essay that effectively integrates multiple sources and presents a strong argument. To optimize time management during the test, it’s crucial to break down the writing process into six essential steps:

Step 1. Understand the prompt.

Before starting an essay, carefully read the prompt to grasp the task at hand. Upon the clock’s start, analyze the essay prompt carefully, marking key details, and breaking it down into manageable parts. Identify the central topic or issue and any specific instructions provided. Dedicate about 2 minutes for this to allow ample time for source reading and argument formulation. Avoid rushing to take a stance; read the sources first before committing to your argument.

Step 2. Analyze the sources.

Even though you’re only required to utilize 3 out of 6-7 provided sources, ensure to read all of them. This comprehensive approach enhances topic understanding and aids in selecting the most relevant sources for your writing. Besides, due to the volume of sources, efficient reading is essential. 12-15 minutes will be enough for reading and jotting down notes. Annotation is also key during this reading phase. Note key reasoning, evidence, and rhetorical strategies employed by the authors. Lastly, consider the perspectives presented and how they relate to the overall topic.

Step 3. Formulate a thesis.

Develop a clear and debatable thesis statement that presents your stance on the topic. You have three options for structuring your thesis statement in your sample synthesis essay AP Lang: defending, challenging, or qualifying the claim provided in the prompt.

Defending: Your task is to demonstrate the claim’s validity.

Challenging: Your task is to refute the claim’s validity.

Qualifying: Your task is to acknowledge some aspects of the claim while disputing others.

Your thesis should respond directly to the prompt, exhibit sophistication of thought, and preview the main points you will discuss in your writing.

Step 4. Plan your composition.

Outline your text to organize your thoughts and ensure a coherent AP English essay format. Creating an outline may appear inefficient when time is limited, but investing 5-10 minutes in planning your work will ultimately prove more beneficial than immediately diving into the writing process. Creating a bare-bones outline serves as a roadmap, making the process of drafting the actual essay much more efficient and organized. Consequently, your outline should feature your thesis statement and three supporting pieces of evidence for each body paragraph. Beneath each evidence point, include 2 or 3 details from the sources supporting your claim and explaining how the evidence reinforces your thesis.

Step 5. Complete your text.

Allocate the remaining 30-35 minutes to compose the document. This task should be manageable if you’ve annotated your sources and crafted a detailed outline. For this purpose, pay particular attention to the commentary paragraphs of your supporting arguments. These sections are crucial for explaining how the evidence aligns with or counters the prompt’s claim. Additionally, using appropriate grammar and punctuation is essential for effectively communicating your analysis and reasoning.

When citing your sources, apply the same strategies as every annotated bibliography writer does. Thus, use in-text citations such as “Source 1,” “Source 2,” “Source 3,” etc. Ensure accuracy to avoid misattributions. Indeed, in-text citations contribute to your essay’s score and are vital to the process.

Step 6. Revise and edit.

First, review your text for coherence, clarity, and accuracy. Second, check your AP Lang argument essay example for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Third, make revisions as needed to strengthen your argument and improve the overall quality of your work.

By following these basic steps, you can effectively write papers that demonstrate critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis of sources.

How to make a good essay: effective tips

Since the exam is timed, it’s crucial to strategically prioritize your focus within the limited writing time for the AP Language synthesis essay. A well-written essay should have a coherent framework that effectively integrates multiple sources and presents a strong argument, which is crucial for achieving a good score on the exam. Continue reading to discover the recommendations from our experienced thesis help providers on where to direct your attention during the exam.

Solid thesis statement: The study should present a clear and debatable thesis statement that articulates a specific position on the topic. This thesis should guide the entire investigation and provide a framework for the arguments presented.

Effective use of sources : A strong essay incorporates evidence from at least four sources to support the argument. The sources should be relevant, credible, and effectively integrated into writing. As a rule, you can cite sources even if you don’t agree with them since utilizing a source to support a counterargument is still effective. Therefore, your work should demonstrate an understanding of the sources’ perspectives and effectively synthesize them to develop a nuanced argument.

Critical analysis : The essay should demonstrate critical thinking skills by analyzing and evaluating the arguments presented in the sources. This includes identifying rhetorical strategies, evaluating the credibility of sources, and considering the implications of the argumentative points presented.

Coherent organization : A well-organized paper follows a logical structure with clear transitions between paragraphs. Thus, each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of the argumentation and contribute to the overall coherence of the text.

Strong development of ideas : The writing should provide thorough development of ideas, including detailed explanations, examples, and analysis. Likewise, each argument should be fully developed and supported with evidence from the sources.

Command of language : The text should demonstrate a strong command of language, including varied sentence structure, precise vocabulary, sophistication of thoughts, and effective use of rhetorical devices. Certainly, the writing should be clear, concise, and free from grammatical errors.

Engagement with complexity: A high-scoring science homework engages with the complexity of the topic and considers multiple perspectives. This includes acknowledging counterarguments and addressing potential objections to the thesis.

Originality and insight: Finally, a strong essay offers original insights or perspectives on the topic. While the text should be based on the sources provided, it should also demonstrate the student’s critical thinking and analysis.

Overall, a high-scoring AP Language synthesis essay effectively synthesizes multiple sources to develop a nuanced argument that demonstrates critical thinking, coherence, and originality.

Final thoughts

Completing an AP Lang synthesis essay thesis is an achievable goal with the right guidance and resources. By utilizing the strategies considered in this article, you can navigate the complexities of this homework with confidence and skill. A well-written essay should have a coherent framework that effectively integrates multiple sources and presents a strong argument. However, for additional support and assistance in refining your essays, EduBirdie stands out as the premier writing service. With our team of experienced writers and commitment to excellence, our platform provides students with the necessary  science homework help to excel in creating their AP Lang essay outline. So, as you embark on this writing endeavor, remember that EduBirdie is here to support you every step of the way, ensuring your success in mastering the art of essay writing!

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Seasoned academic writer, nurturing students' writing skills. Expert in citation and plagiarism. Contributing to EduBirdie since 2019. Aspiring author and dedicated volunteer. You will never have to worry about plagiarism as I write essays 100% from scratch. Vast experience in English, History, Ethics, and more.

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AP® English Language

How to ace the ap® english language and composition synthesis essay.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

The newest section of the AP® English Language and Composition Exam, the synthesis essay, is one of three essays you will be completing during the examination’s 2-hour free-response period. However, you’ll also have a 15-minute reading and planning period just for this essay, and if you use this time to plan effectively, you can’t go wrong.

Before we get into specific advice on how to handle the AP® English Language and Composition synthesis essay, you need to know what this part of the test really is. It is very similar to the argumentative essay you will also write as part of this exam, except that you are provided with a wealth of source material from which to draw some support for your ideas.

While this in some ways makes the AP® English Language and Composition synthesis essay easier than the argument essay (because you can use quotations, point to authoritative sources for support, etc.), there is an extra element of complexity, and the AP® readers want to see how well you can sort through your source material and put it to good use – which makes planning all that much more important. This brings us to our first tip…

1. Use Your 15-Minute Planning Period Wisely.

The main purpose of this 15-minute period is to give you time to read the source materials. This essay will present you with several sources providing different information about or opinions on a certain topic. Make sure you don’t just skim them, but read them closely – make notes, underline key sections you may want to quote later, etc.

You should also begin outlining your essay and considering your opinion on the subject; have this opinion in mind before you start writing the essay, as you will use it to construct your thesis.

You’ve already learned how to structure persuasive essays in this class and in other classes you have taken; put that knowledge to good use now, and have your main points set out before you start writing. Try to have a thesis statement written by the time you start the essay – your thesis should establish your opinion and the general reasons you feel this way; the rest of your essay will go on to justify and exemplify these reasons. Also write down some of the main points upon which you will base subsequent paragraphs and mark quotes or sections of the sources you can use in each of these paragraphs.

2. Evaluate Your Sources.

Every source you can use for the AP® Language and Composition synthesis essay will have a small box above it explaining where it comes from and who said it – to see exactly what this looks like, check out the free synthesis essay sample questions at AP® Central. There are also public sample questions available there for the rest of the AP® English and Composition Exam .

Keep all information about your sources in mind when you’re quoting them or using them to support your arguments. What journal an article appeared in can say a great deal about its potential biases. For example, consider a question on the environmental impacts of corporate practices – an environmental journal is obviously going to be biased in favor of more environmental regulation, while a report from a company spokesperson will probably gloss over some of the negative impacts of his company. Think critically.

3. Keep Your Tone Consistent.

There is no hard-and-fast advice about what tone you should take – some students try to inject a little humor into their essays while others prefer to be as serious as possible, some are extremely critical and others more accepting. However, the one thing you really have to do while writing the AP® Language and Composition synthesis essay (or any other essay) is keep your tone consistent. Jot some tone-related ideas down as you outline during the 15-minute reading period, and keep in mind everything you’ve learned about tone and other aspects of rhetoric so far this year.

4. Use Rhetorical Technique to Your Advantage!

The various rhetorical practices you’ve been learning about all year can be put to good use here. This class and this test aren’t just about recognizing and analyzing these techniques when others use them, but about preparing you for college and your career by teaching you how to use them effectively yourself. However, this isn’t just about writing a beautiful essay, so read on to Tip # 5!

5. Your Argument Must be Well-Crafted.

The AP® English Language and Composition Exam synthesis essay does not have right or wrong answers; rather, it asks you for your opinion. The AP® Examiner cannot take points off because she disagrees with you. However, you must show logical basis for your opinion, drawing on both the sources AND your own knowledge and experience.

To do this, make sure you have a clear and complete thesis. Make sure the ideas expressed in the beginning of each paragraph or section support the thesis, and that you in turn show how those ideas are supported by a source or through your own knowledge and experience. Don’t generalize or write anything down that you can’t support.

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How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay with Example

Are you a high school student preparing for the AP Language and Composition exam? Or perhaps you are a teacher looking to help your students with the skills to ace the synthesis essay? Either way, you’ve landed in the right place. This blog will serve as your comprehensive guide to mastering this challenging yet rewarding component of the AP Language exam.

We’ll dig into what a synthesis essay entails and its structure, and we’ll furnish you with actionable strategies to approach the task with confidence. We’ll also provide insights into selecting and integrating sources effectively, constructing a compelling argument, and polishing your writing to perfection.

Table of Contents

Overview of AP Language and Composition

AP English Language and Composition , widely known as AP Lang, is a popular and engaging Advanced Placement course taken by over half a million high school students each year. The course is designed to hone essential skills such as analyzing written works, synthesizing information, constructing rhetorical essays, and writing compelling arguments. While the course presents a rigorous challenge, with just over 60% of students achieving a passing score of three or higher on the AP exam, the rewards of mastering these skills are significant.

The AP Lang exam is a comprehensive assessment consisting of two distinct sections. The first section, a one-hour multiple-choice segment, assesses your ability to analyze written passages and answer questions based solely on the provided text. This section comprises approximately 45% of the total exam score. The second section is a two-hour and fifteen-minute free-response segment. It evaluates your writing skills through three distinct essays. This section accounts for the remaining 55% of the exam score.

The three essays within the free-response section target specific writing skills. The synthesis essay challenges you to develop an argument by incorporating information from multiple provided sources. The rhetorical analysis essay requires you to dissect how an author uses language to convey meaning and achieve specific effects. Finally, the argumentative essay prompts you to take a stance on a debatable issue and construct a persuasive argument based on evidence.

What is the AP Lang Synthesis Essay?

The AP Language and Composition exam’s first free-response task is the synthesis essay. It is a one-hour exercise during which you read six to seven sources on a specific topic and compose a well-developed essay. These sources include a mix of print texts, approximately 500 words each, and visual elements like graphs or charts. You are advised to allocate 15 minutes to reading and analyzing these sources, followed by 40 minutes for writing and 5 minutes for review, but the time distribution can be adjusted as needed.

The synthesis essay prompt comprises three paragraphs: a brief introduction to the topic, a claim about the topic, and instructions for the essay. The claim is often broad and open to interpretation, requiring you to take a stance—either agreeing or disagreeing—and support your position by synthesizing information from at least three of the provided sources.

According to the College Board, a successful synthesis essay should “ combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position. ” This means you must clearly state your claim, establish connections between sources to reinforce your argument, and provide specific evidence to validate your points.

The synthesis essay contributes six points to the overall AP Lang exam score. A holistic rubric evaluates the essay based on the thesis statement (0–1 point), evidence and commentary (0–4 points), and sophistication of thought and complexity of understanding (0–1 point).

Here’s an example prompt and essay provided by the College Board :

Read also: Write an ap lang argument essay

How to Write a Synthesis Essay for the AP Language Exam

Step 1: analyze the prompt.

Begin by carefully reading and analyzing the prompt. Underline or highlight key terms to identify the central question and your task. Remember that you don’t need to decide your stance immediately; understanding the prompt is the priority here.

Step 2: Read and annotate the sources

Although you’ll only use three sources in your essay, read them all. This provides a broader understanding of the topic and helps you choose the most relevant evidence. As you read, actively annotate by highlighting key points, noting connections, and jotting down potential arguments.

After each source, briefly assess whether it supports, opposes, or nuances your emerging thesis. If you finish reading early, use the remaining time to start outlining your essay.

Step 3: Write a strong thesis statement

Your thesis statement should clearly state your position on the prompt’s claim. You can choose to defend the claim (argue it’s correct), challenge it (argue it’s incorrect), or qualify it (agree with some aspects and disagree with others). A strong thesis avoids summarizing the issue or restating the prompt; it establishes a clear line of reasoning.

Step 4: Outline your essay

Though it may seem counter intuitive when time is limited, outlining is essential. Your outline should include your thesis statement, three main points (one for each body paragraph), and the supporting evidence you’ll use from the sources. Briefly note how this evidence connects back to your thesis.

Step 5: Write your essay

With your annotated sources and outline in hand, writing your essay should be smoother. Begin with a focus on providing insightful commentary that explains how your evidence supports or refutes the prompt’s claim.

When referencing sources, use simple in-text citations like “Source 1,” “Source 2,” etc. Be sure to double-check your citations for accuracy. Before moving on, quickly proofread your essay for any errors.

Read also: How Long Should Your College Essay Be?

AP Lang Synthesis Essay Score Evaluation

The AP Language Synthesis Essay accounts for six points of the total exam score. Your essay will be evaluated on several key components. Primarily, a clear and defensible thesis statement that directly responds to the exam prompt can earn you up to one point. The majority of your score (up to four points) depends on how well you incorporate evidence from at least three sources and explain how that evidence supports your reasoning. Each piece of evidence should be explicitly linked to your argument, demonstrating a clear and consistent line of thought.

To earn the final point, your essay must show sophistication of thought. This can be achieved by writing a nuanced argument that acknowledges the complexities and tensions within the sources, situating your argument within a broader context to reveal its implications, or explaining the limitations of your or others’ arguments. Additionally, employing effective rhetorical devices and maintaining a vivid and persuasive writing style can further strengthen your essay.

Read also: Personal Statement Essay Examples

5 Tips to Ace the Synthesis Essay for the AP Language Exam

1. understand the prompt.

Begin by meticulously analyzing the prompt. Identify the central issue being discussed and the specific task you’re asked to perform (argue, evaluate, analyze, etc.). Underline key terms and phrases to ensure you fully grasp the expectations.

2. Engage actively with the sources

Don’t just skim through the sources; actively read and annotate the provided sources. Identify the main idea and supporting evidence in each. Note the source’s perspective and any potential biases. Highlight quotes or data you might use in your essay. Aim to understand how the sources relate to each other and the prompt.

3. Write a nuanced thesis

Your thesis should be a clear, concise statement of your position on the issue presented in the prompt. It should be specific and incorporate the nuances you’ve gleaned from the sources. Avoid merely restating the prompt; instead, offer an insightful perspective that you’ll support with evidence throughout your essay.

4. Construct a cohesive argument

Your essay should be a well-structured argument, not a mere summary of the sources. Each body paragraph should focus on a single point that supports your thesis. Use evidence from the sources to back up your claims, and provide your analysis and interpretation of that evidence. Connect your paragraphs with clear transitions to create a logical flow.

5. Leave time for revision

After writing your essay, take a few minutes to review it carefully. Check for grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, and clarity issues. Ensure that your argument is well-developed and your evidence is effectively integrated. A polished essay shows your command of language and strengthens your overall argument.

From the Desk of Yocket

Writing a good AP Language synthesis essay requires a balanced approach of critical thinking, careful analysis, and persuasive writing. You should begin by thoroughly understanding the prompt and identifying the central issue and the required task. Then, dig into the provided sources, extracting key points, perspectives, and evidence that relate to your developing stance.

A strong thesis is the backbone of your essay. It should clearly state your position on the issue and provide a roadmap for the reader, outlining the key points you’ll explore. As you bring together evidence from multiple sources, remember to provide insightful commentary, explaining how each piece of evidence bolsters your argument. Try to avoid simply dropping quotes or paraphrasing; instead, analyze the significance of each piece, showing a nuanced understanding of the issue and the sources.

You should conclude your essay by revisiting your thesis and summarizing your key arguments. You can also offer a thoughtful extension, such as suggesting implications for your argument, addressing potential counterarguments, or proposing future directions for research. Throughout your essay, prioritize clarity, coherence, and sophistication in your language and structure. This will show your ability to analyze complex texts and synthesize information into a compelling argument. Remember to maintain a strong connection with your audience, ensuring your writing on Yocket remains engaging and relevant.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a synthesis essay on the ap language exam.

A synthesis essay requires you to develop a position on a given topic by incorporating and citing evidence from multiple sources. You’ll need to evaluate, select, and synthesize information from these sources to create a cohesive argument.

How many sources are typically provided for the synthesis essay?

The AP Language exam usually provides 6–7 sources for the synthesis essay, including texts and visual elements like graphs or charts.

What is the time allotted for writing the synthesis essay?

The entire free-response section of the AP Language exam, which includes the synthesis essay, rhetorical analysis, and argumentative essay, is 2 hours and 15 minutes. You may budget roughly 40 minutes to read the sources and plan your essay, leaving 40 minutes to write.

How is the synthesis essay scored?

The synthesis essay is scored on a 0–9 scale, with 9 being the highest. Points are awarded for a clear thesis, effective use of evidence and commentary, sophisticated analysis, and overall coherence.

Do I have to agree with the sources to use in my synthesis essay?

No, you can use sources to support a counterargument or provide alternative perspectives. The key is to engage with the sources critically and use them to build your argument.

How should I cite sources in my synthesis essay?

You can use parenthetical citations (author’s last name or source letter) to indicate where you’ve used information from the sources. It’s essential to avoid plagiarism by accurately attributing all borrowed ideas and language.

What are some common mistakes to avoid in the synthesis essay?

Try to avoid merely summarizing the sources without adding your analysis. Ensure your thesis clearly states your position and is supported by evidence throughout the essay. You should refrain from relying too heavily on one source and aim for a balanced incorporation of multiple perspectives.

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How to write an AP Lang synthesis essay: Format + Outline + Tips

Brendaw Waller

June 3, 2024

Read Time: 8 min

The last component of your basic college English composition course is the AP Lang test. The most crucial—and sometimes challenging—component is the AP Language Synthesis Essay. It’s the cornerstone of your future writing abilities, but if you’re not prepared, it can be challenging. Additionally, each year’s test details could vary. So, with the expert guidance of Nerdpapers  analytical essay writers , let’s explore what an AP lang synthesis essay is and how to write it. 

What is ap lang?

The AP Language exam is a bit lengthy. Students who want to pass this AP test need to be well-versed in multiple rubrics. Reading and writing are covered in the first half, while three distinct kinds of essays are covered in the second, which is a little more freeform. Of those three, the  synthesis essay  is the AP Lang rubric, which is the most interesting and, surprisingly, often the most challenging to tackle. We’ll concentrate today on the AP Lang synthesis essay, especially to make sure you know what to expect on your test.

Understanding the AP Lang synthesis essay

Do you know what is a synthesis essay ap lang? Imagine someone is selling a mysterious remedy claiming it can cure any disease, but they won’t reveal its ingredients or how it works. Would it be wise to buy this remedy? Probably not!

The same procedure applies when writing an essay. If you do not cite your sources for your thoughts, a reader won’t believe even your ideas are the best ones. That’s where the synthesis essay comes in! In a comprehensive essay, an argument is made on the basis of outside sources. Synthesis essays are used to develop compelling arguments for your viewpoints. You not only need to gather the information, but you also need to add your opinion. 

The goal of the AP synthesis essay rubric is to demonstrate your ability for in-depth source analysis and the creation of an original, well-reasoned thesis statement backed up by relevant evidence. Writing an essay of this kind requires both  critical analysis  skills as well as creative thinking since you have to evaluate the data you have collected and combine it to create a fresh, original viewpoint.

Types of Synthesis Essays

Synthesis essays are of different types. But the most common are explanatory and argumentative synthesis essays. Let’s have a look at them:

Explanatory synthesis essay

The purpose of an explanatory essay is to cover a subject, go into great depth about it, and then show a deep understanding of the subject. You can convince the reader about something without necessarily getting into a furious debate with them. All you have to do is compile an unbiased summary.

Argumentative synthesis essay

An argumentative essay contains personal opinions, but it should be as objective and fact-based as possible despite the possibility of bias. You should stick to logical and objective facts when presenting your arguments rather than depending on your feelings. This strategy will strengthen your claim.

Key Components of an AP Lang Synthesis Essay Outline

When you go through the examples of synthesis essays, you will notice that their structure is almost similar to other essays. You have to do an in-depth analysis of the material you gathered before you start working on a synthesis essay ap lang outline. Keep in mind that if the document is properly structured, then it must receive good grades. If you don’t format your essay correctly, you won’t get good marks even if you write a superb one. You must ensure that you have a thorough understanding of how to write a synthesis essay ap lang.

A lot of time is required to write a synthesis essay outline for the AP Lang test. Simply follow the below steps:

Introduction:

Write about the topic you’re going to cover. Add a strong thesis statement. Your thesis statement should cover three ideas on the selected topic. Moreover, it should also include some background details and a strong attention-grabbing hook statement.

The body paragraphs (3 to 4 paragraphs):

As per the standard essay outline, you must write three paragraphs in the body section of your synthesis essay. Start each paragraph with a new thought or idea. If you use someone else’s words exactly, put them in quotes. Also, the evidence must be from a reliable source. Any information that is not your own should be cited, and your sources should all be listed in your works cited page or bibliography.

Conclusion (1 paragraph):

This section is dedicated to wrapping up your paper and providing a logical conclusion. Only tie up the topics you covered in the introduction and body, without introducing any new ideas. Your conclusion statement must be strong enough to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

How do you write a synthesis essay introduction?

The most challenging aspect of  academic writing  is often getting started. When your mind is teeming with ideas, it can be overwhelming to decide where to begin. Students often spend numerous hours brainstorming ideas. An effective approach is to address this question: ‘What would grab my attention if I were the reader”?

When you’re coming up with ideas for how to compose the paper, keep in mind the specific requirements of the synthesis essay. You can begin in a few different ways. The first method is to present a fascinating fact that not everyone is aware of. The second is to start the essay with a well-known quotation related to the subject. The success of your work will mostly depend on the first impression you make on the reader. So, try to grab their interest quickly.

📕Reading suggestion:   How to write a research paper introduction

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Write a Good Synthesis Essay AP lang

Here are some good techniques for writing a synthesis essay:

Thoroughly read assignment details

Think about the requirements for the assignment. It is very important to  understand the assignment  completely. Teachers will frequently ask questions regarding a particular subject. They may then assign you a number of readings from articles, academic journals, or other sources to help you gain information. Knowing what the assignment entails will help you make sure you focus on the appropriate material in your readings.

Choose or read about the topic

Read the materials carefully, regardless of whether your instructor assigns you to read a certain amount or requires you to conduct your own research. To fully understand the authors’ points of view and their connections, think about annotating each text. One of the most important aspects of synthesis essays is the ability to contrast and compare ideas from multiple sources.

Make a strong thesis statement

Take time to read each source deeply and create a synthesis essay AP lang thesis statement. Do not overlook minute details. The thesis statement is the baseline of your writing. Write it clearly and concisely. Do not overthink too much because you’re not adding any details at this point.

Create synthesis essay outline ap lang

Making an outline will assist you in organizing the structure of your essay. You can outline your topic and any supporting details in a structured format with Roman numerals. There may be subcategories inside each where you can put references to the different articles and make particular references to points you will make. By citing these sources, you can make sure that your essay includes passages or details from each article.

Compose synthesis essay introduction

A paper’s introduction is its opening paragraph. Its primary goal is to introduce the paper’s basic idea, include any background information that is required, and, ideally, grab the reader’s interest. You should have a compelling thesis statement in the first paragraph. This is where you will introduce your argument or the point of view you are investigating.

Add body paragraphs to your essay

The three primary components of a strong body paragraph are a topic sentence (also known as a key sentence), relevant supporting phrases, and a closing (also known as a transitional) sentence. This format provides clear, succinct information while maintaining your paragraph’s focus on the main point. The various components and justifications of your thesis, together with supporting data from each source, should be covered in detail in each body paragraph. Describe the theme that runs through your materials and how your text relates to them. Add counterarguments as well as how your source material may dispute those claims while supporting your own.

Write conclusion

The last section of a research paper, essay, or article that provides a summary of the entire work is called the conclusion. Your synthesis essay’s conclusion paragraph should repeat your thesis, provide a summary of the main points you raised throughout the essay, and provide your assessment of the main idea.

Make a bibliography

An essay’s bibliography is a list of the sources you consulted while writing it. You may compose this on a formal work cited or references page at the conclusion of the essay, depending on the essay type. Try including any works that you have quoted or paraphrased in order to provide context.

If you don’t know how to cite sources in an AP Lang synthesis essay, then avail of our  annotated bibliography writing service  to cite your sources correctly. 

When writing is complete, go over the assignment once more to see if there are any formatting requirements. Depending on your field, you may frequently submit essays using common formatting styles like MLA or  APA . This may change depending on the kind of essay you write because synthesis essays can be written on a wide range of topics.

Before submitting or presenting your assignment, make sure to proofread it several times. Sometimes, the entire core of an argument or opinion can be altered or discredited by a few misplaced words or grammatical faults. Make sure your syntax, grammar, and writing style are as precise and understandable as you can. This will make you seem like a reliable source.

Synthesis Essay AP lang rubric

Generally, a synthesis essay rubric assesses multiple factors, such as your ability to compile and integrate several sources, your ability to build a solid argument, and your proficiency with language and mechanics. Although rubrics differ from instructor to instructor, a simple AP synthesis essay rubric includes the following:

• Your argument’s cohesion and clarity
• Ability to back up your claims with proof
• Language and mechanics used
• Combining ideas from several sources
• Information synthesis from several sources

To make sure you’re fulfilling all the requirements for the assignment, make sure you go over any rubrics your professor or teacher may have provided. As an alternative, if you are feeling overwhelmed, you can always hire our  assignment writing service  for timely delivery and expert help.  

Tips for Synthesis Essay AP Lang

Now that you know how to write a synthesis essay in AP lang properly, your chances of receiving an A are significantly increased. Use these synthesis essay tips in AP Lang to ensure that your project will receive a high score. You can become an expert writer by adhering to them.

Pick the right subject

As a student, you may be motivated to write on a topic about which you are unfamiliar in order to widen your horizons. Learning new things is perfectly acceptable, but it should happen on your own time rather than while you are completing a paper for a grade. Write an essay based on your knowledge; we assure you that you will learn a great deal of new information when you research the topic. Focusing on improving your writing abilities and achieving a good mark should be your main objectives; writing on an entirely different subject makes it more likely that you won’t achieve an A.

Refer credible sources

One of the main issues facing academia today is that new students frequently quote Facebook, blogs, and other unreliable media sources in their papers because they are unsure of what makes an authentic source. When writing a paper, refer only to books, academic journals, the internet, and other similar resources.

Properly cite your sources

Making improper or missing citations and bibliographies will always result in a failing assignment. Failure to adhere to the professor’s directions is another factor that frequently gets students into trouble. This frequently occurs when a student chooses to cite in  Chicago style format  or Harvard style, but the professor prefers another format, like MLA essay format. Never carry out this. Regardless of whether you agree with your professor’s instructions or not, you should always obey them.

Read your essay aloud

Speaking out loud while reading an essay can help you identify sentences or paragraphs that need clarification or correction. Try doing this to find any last-minute structural or grammar errors.

Synthesis Essay Do’s and Don’ts

• Leave enough time for proofreading and editing your essay.
• Make a proper schedule for how much time you are required to write each section.
• Try to use MLA or Chicago style to format your essay.
• Add as many arguments as you can to support your claim, but all must be solid and relevant to the topic.
• Read the source material thoroughly.
• Private anecdotes should not be used to support your argument unless the essay genre expressly permits it. These don’t provide a strong enough case.
• Don’t get too deep into the essay topic; instead, immerse yourself and show your thorough understanding of the subject.

AP Lang Synthesis Essay Prompts

Here is a list of AP synthesis essay prompts:

• Analyze the impact of technology on modern society.  Use evidence from at least four sources to support your viewpoint.
• Discuss the government’s role in climate change.
• Explore the pros and cons of social media in the context of interpersonal communication.
• Analyze the relationship between education and income inequality.
• Consider the effects of globalization on the economy. Synthesize information from at least three sources to make your case.
• Discuss the effects of climate change on global agriculture. Cite evidence from at least four sources to support your argument.
• Consider the effects of widespread monitoring programs on people’s civil liberties and right to privacy while balancing potential benefits for national security against worries about privacy invasion.
• Analyze the impact of immigration on cultural diversity in the United States.
• Discuss the ways that media sources, such as news sites, social media, and advertisements, affect societal attitudes, beliefs, and actions as well as public opinion.

Final Thoughts

Now we’ve come to the end of the blog; you should not be feeling stressed by the thought of writing an AP Lang synthesis essay. Moreover, you already know that analyzing sources, creating a strong outline, and skillfully integrating them into your writing are essential to success.

So don’t be afraid, brave writer! You’re ready to start writing a successful paper now because you have these synthesis essay writing strategies at your hand. Alternatively, you may simply  buy an essay  to wow your teachers!

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How to Write a Synthesis Essay AP Lang | Guide to Getting a Perfect Score

The AP Language and Composition exam is notoriously difficult. Even top, A+ language arts students have found it exceptionally challenging. 

Beyond diligently studying with a  top-rated AP Lang review book , you should also carefully review our comprehensive guide on how to write a synthesis essay for AP Lang featured in this article.

Once you complete the supremely humbling hour-long multiple-choice section, making up only 45% of your score, the trial has only just begun. Now, already fatigued from the first section, you must begin the grueling, two-hour free response section of the exam, which accounts for a whopping 55% of your final exam score. This section requires you to compose three essays of distinct types: an argumentative essay, a rhetorical analysis essay ( you also need to learn how to use AP Lang rhetorical devices ) and, the most dreaded of all, the synthesis essay.

Luckily, there are some great options to help you prepare to nail your synthesis essay. So, read on for everything you need to know to knock your synthesis essay out of the park!

How to Write Synthesis Essays AP Lang

One of the most challenging aspects of the AP synthesis essay is figuring out what the prompt is asking you to do. After all, what does it mean to “synthesize” something anyway? And what’s the difference between a synthesis essay and an evidence-based argumentative essay?

In this guide, we’ll answer these questions and a lot more. We’ll help you establish a solid understanding of what synthesis is, how to do it, and how to use it to write a high-scoring essay, according to College Board’s AP Language and Composition scoring guidelines . Lastly, we’ll leave you with some advice about things to be sure and attend to in your essay, as well as the most important things to avoid. 

Introduction to Syntheses

Before we get into all the details and advice on how to write a quality synthesis essay, we first need to answer a critical question: what is a synthesis essay?

Simply put, a synthesis essay is a piece of writing that brings together information and ideas from two or more sources. 

The synthesis part comes in as you begin to develop connections between the sources, whether they are in agreement, disagreement, approach the same topic from different angles, or simply provide ideas on different topics that can in some way contribute some other discourse.

This, of course, is just a very basic introduction to what a synthesis essay is.

Throughout this article, the concept will surely become clearer to you.

Two Types of Syntheses

There are essentially two types of synthesis essay that you will run into: argumentative syntheses and explanatory syntheses. Luckily, you really only need to master one of them, the argumentative synthesis, as this is the most common expectation on AP exams.

Explanatory Synthesis

An explanatory synthesis essay is exactly what it sounds like. It the type of writing in which you will be asked to explain the arguments and information presented in your sources. You should also seek out connections and contrasting elements between the sources in order to give your essay a certain level of nuance and to display your deeper understanding and reasoning skills. 

Most of the time, AP Language and Composition exams won’t focus on explanatory synthesis essays. However, it would be wise to use some explanatory techniques even within your argumentative synthesis essay.

Argumentative Synthesis

When someone asks, “what is a synthesis in writing?” they’re typically referring to argumentative synthesis, and this is especially the case for the AP exam. 

At its most basic, an argumentative synthesis essay is on in which you must present your own opinions and support them with appropriate ideas and information from your sources. Most importantly, the thesis for your argumentative synthesis essay must be a proposition that can be debated. That is, there must be another potential argument against your own. 

Standards for Synthesis Essays

The people who will be scoring your AP Lang synthesis essay use a very clearly defined rubric to determine your score according to various criteria. Unfortunately, these prompt-specific rubrics are not available to the public until after the exams.

That said, we can still gain a wealth of useful information from past scoring guidelines.

Here are some of the elements of high-scoring essays that seem to be fairly constant from exam to exam, regardless of the essay prompt topic:

Supply useful context on the topic

Give a sense of why the topic is important

Engage with the complexity of the subject

Foreground your opinion on the topic

Offer thorough and thoughtful analysis of quotations, paraphrases, etc.

Synthesize source material by finding connections with your own ideas and opinions

Properly attributes ideas to sources

Conclude with more than just a summary by answering the “so what?” question

Techniques for Developing Synthesis Essays

Before you can start writing a quality synthesis essay, you need to spend some time developing your ideas and seeing how they do or do not relate to your source materials.

The following is a list of steps that you should always take before you start writing the bulk of your actual essay. These guidelines will be enormously helpful when it comes time to figure out what you want to say in your essay. If you read this carefully and take seriously these suggestions, you’ll have no trouble coming up with interesting and complex ideas for your essay.

What’s your purpose? Before you do anything, you need to determine what the prompt is asking you to do. Obviously, it’s going to ask you to synthesize some stuff, but keep an eye out for these helpful guide words:

Compare/Contrast

Read the source material; then, read it again to annotate. Once you’ve read through the sources once, go back and reach each one again, this time with a pencil to underline and add notes as you go.

Formulate your thesis statement. After reading and taking notes on your sources, you’re ready to brainstorm your thesis statement. As you do this, try to keep track of potential aspects of each source that you can use to support your claim. 

Sketch an outline. When you have a thesis statement down (at least a tentative one—you should always be open to revising it as you go), you should sketch a simple outline that includes your thesis statement, supporting points that you can use for topic sentences, and a rough idea of how you will incorporate your sources. 

If you follow these steps closely, there’s no doubt that you’ll be ready to start writing what is sure to be a clever, thoughtful, and nuanced synthesis essay.

How to Write a Good Synthesis Essay?

Now that we know what a synthesis essay is, what AP exam scorers will be looking for in your essay, and what techniques you can use to develop your essay topic, it’s time to look at some different strategies for how to actually write a synthesis essay in AP Lang.

As you go about the work of composing your essay, there are several approaches and strategies to can implement at different points in the essay.

None of these elements will be particularly effective in isolation, so be sure to use a variety of these strategies to enhance the complexity and depth of your argument.

Summarize. Summarizing ideas and source material is easy, and for that reason it is not going to do a whole lot in the way of getting you a great score. It is, however, an incredibly useful tool that, when used in conjunction with other strategies on this list, can be quite effective.

Compare and Contrast. This is typically the level of synthesis that most people start at after summarizing the content they are considering. It’s not exactly “high-order” analysis, but it can be very useful in establishing the positions of your sources and creating a foundation on which you can present your own ideas and opinions.

Give an Example. A great way to show you understand a certain concept is to apply your understanding through an example. You can think of examples that illustrate the concepts you’re dealing with as a way to clarify your topic and also to support your own arguments. 

“They Say, I Say.” This is the classic, and possibly most effective, synthesis move. After you’ve presented a quotation or paraphrase of one or more sources’ ideas, move on to explain your own position as it relates to theirs. It becomes much easier to state your own ideas and opinions when you do it within the context of the larger discussion of the topic.

Synthesis Essay Structure

One of the most sure-fire ways to earn a passing score on your synthesis essay is to ensure you structure it effectively. To do this well, it’s a smart idea, prior to writing your essay, to sketch out a quick outline of the essay’s structure. Your outline doesn’t need to be especially detailed, but it will be tremendously helpful for you to have a general plan to work from.

Another good idea that will help you learn how to structure your essay is by looking at a synthesis example.

Helpfully, the College Board’s AP Language and Composition exam site supplies several samp le essays for you to get an idea of what good, average, and poor synthesis essays look like.

If you take some time to read these examples, you’ll have a much better vision of what the scorers are looking for in terms of a well-structured synthesis essay.

That said, there is a very basic structure for synthesis essays that, if followed carefully, will guarantee that your essay is, at the very least, structured logically. This format is essentially the standard format for any basic five-paragraph essay. Take a look.

Basic Essay Structure

Introduction Paragraph

Give some BACKGROUND information and CONTEXT on the general topic of your essay.

Briefly introduce the SOURCES that you will be using.

Present your THESIS STATEMENT (this is usually the very last sentence of the paragraph).

Body Paragraph

Start with a TOPIC SENTENCE that supports your thesis statement.

Cite one or more SOURCES that support your topic sentence.

Provide COMMENTARY and ANALYSIS on the ideas you have just cited from your sources. 

Use a TRANSITION WORD or PHRASE to guide the reader logically toward the ideas you will present in the topic sentence of the next paragraph.

Body Paragraphs 2-?

Repeat the steps in the previous section with different topic sentences and source references, all of which must support your thesis statement. 

Include as many body paragraphs as you have points and topic sentences to justify. Typically, a good AP Lang synthesis essay will have around 3-4 well-constructed and reasoned body paragraphs, but this is just a general guideline.

Conclusion Paragraph

Restate your THESIS statement in a new and interesting way (that is, do not simply repeat your thesis word-for-word as it appears in the introduction!).

Tie it all together by briefly summarizing your main points.

Answer the “SO WHAT?” QUESTION by explaining why your argument matters and what the implications of it might be. Try to broaden your scope in order to show the reader how it fits in with the “big picture.”

Synthesis Writing Dos and Don’ts

Finally, we want to leave you with a quick list of things to strive for and things to avoid at all costs. 

DO Develop a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement

DO Use Topic Sentences 

DO Cite Your Sources Accurately and Appropriately

DO Sketch a Basic Outline 

DO Pace Yourself

DO Proofread and Revise Your Essay Carefully

DON’T Overdo It with Summaries

DON’T Start Paragraphs with Quotations

DON’T Get Overwhelmed by the Sources

DON’T Use Other People’s Ideas without Citing Your Sources

DON’T Use Overly Lengthy Quotations or Paraphrases

Leonard Haggin

I created this site to help students like you learn from the experiences my team had learned during our extensive academic careers. I am now studying Law at Stanford, but I also make time to write articles here in order to help all you fellow students advance in your academic careers and beyond. I hope our efforts on Study Prep Lounge will arm you with the knowledge you need to overcome whatever trial or test you find in front of you.

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Steps to Draft AP Lang Synthesis Essay

The synthesis essay AP lang is part of the AP language and composition exam . It is one of the courses in the juniors’ curriculum, making it compulsory for them to appear for the exam. Judging the argumentation skills with the ability to establish a line of reasoning, answering the exam requires students to follow a pattern. Easily cracked with the practice, here is how you should go on to learn to write the perfect answer. 

What Does the AP Language and Composition Exam Look Like?

The AP Language and Composition Exam is taken in the duration of 3 hours and 15 minutes and comprises two sections. 

• The first section is multiple choice questions where the reading and writing abilities of the students are assessed through a total of 45 questions. The section holds 45% weightage and must be completed in an hour. 
• The second section is free-response questions, where there are three questions holding 55% weightage. The time offered here is 2 hours and 45 minutes, where 15 minutes are allotted to the reading period. There are three essay questions here, with 40 minutes allotted to each. The first question is the synthesis AP lang essay , the second is the rhetorical analysis, and the third is an argument. 

How is the AP Lang Synthesis Essay Question Asked?

The first free-response question puts forward a specific topic and six to seven sources of information. The students are offered a variety of information where two are visuals, and at least one is the quantitative source. The remaining sources are excerpts from the text, and each of these sources will be around 500 words. The candidates are expected to synthesise their essays and reflect their viewpoints based on and backed by at least three provided sources. 

What Are the Factors or Criteria of the Assessment of the Synthesis Essay?

The synthesis essay is assessed by the invigilator considering the following points: 

• The presence of a thesis statement in response to the prompt could start a series of argument
• Utilisation of at least three sources to support the evidence. The sources must be clearly cited or indicated in parentheses
• Ability to relate the evidence and thesis 
• Capability to exhibit an understanding of the rhetorical situation 
• Usage of proper grammar and its rules in the essay 

How To Write a Synthesis Essay AP Lang?

This is the prime question when dealing with the synthesis essay AP Lang . Let’s begin by breaking it down into smaller and more understandable components: 

Step 1: Prompt Analysis

Since you have only a completely new question and sources in hand, the first step will be to analyse the available information. Re-read the prompt at least twice or thrice and identify and note down the prime fact each prompt is conveying. For instance, the first para will be an introduction making you familiar with the topic and the second will offer insights and help you build a view or take a specific side. The third paragraph can be instructions on what is expected in the essay. 

Step 2: Choose the Source

For proper choice usage, you must know what each source encompasses. It leads to the recommendation of going through each source. Reading the source is recommended to ensure you know which sources back your side and which don’t. Summarise this information on each source with a word about which side they are on. Glancing over the sources will also aid in deciding the utilisation of sources in the topic and is efficient compared to randomly choosing the sources without reading. It needs to be done during the reading time and is aimed at saving the essay writing time. 

Step 3: Begin with the Thesis Statement

You need to begin by conveying your side or stand and must establish a line of reasoning for scoring good marks. It should be strictly related to the topic provided and must not wander about the general situations. The thesis statement needs to be clearly mentioned and should not be a copy of the complete or part of the prompt. The reader must understand at the beginning what the essay will be about or what they should expect, along with the reason for your thoughts in your write-up. 

Step 4: Structure Your Essay

An essay is supposed to be sequential. Structure with an outline is the only method to do it. This will not go on your fair copy but will be a guide on how you will approach writing the essay. You are expected to divide the essay into an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction will carry a brief context of the topic and sources, along with communication about your stand or side on the topic. 

The body can be divided into three paragraphs. Each paragraph will begin with supporting or opposing information, followed by the evidence and your thoughts on the same. The conclusion will be an overview or summarisation of the reasoning presented in your essay and a final line proving your point. 

Step 5: Fill the Outline With the Essay

You have the structure of what exactly you will be covering in the essay. You know how it has to go, and now the only thing left is writing the essay. Fill up your structure like the blanks. You will be communicating and reflecting your mind and thoughts to the invigilator with the essay. Ensure to depict how the evidence takes or opposes the side you are on. You can get help by incorporating quotes from the source. Overall, you will be explaining the source and clearly indicating the sources used within the parenthesis or by mention in the essay, as it is the criteria determining your marks. 

What Are the Do’s and Don’ts While Writing a Synthesis Essay AP Lang Exam?

Here are some important do’s and don’ts to follow: 

• Don’t limit your source usage to minimum requirements. Use at least four of them.
• Don’t end up plagiarizing by summarisation or copying the question part. 
• Do use your freedom to agree or disagree. 
• Do go through all the sources for better choices. 
• Do use quotes to enhance readability 
• Do cite the sources used 
• Do write the thesis statement 
• Do write the notes when going through the topic and sources 

Conclusion 

The AP lang synthesis question is a part of the second section carrying more weightage in the exam. Being one of the three free-response questions, the candidates are expected to put forward their perspective and stand while tracking back their reasoning to the sources. Going through the complete prompt and all the sources tends to assist in scoring. Further, writing assistance is available on creating a structure to fill it up with your essay. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum possible score in the synthesis part.

The synthesis part is of 6 points, where a maximum of 1 mark is awarded on thesis development, a maximum of 4 is awarded on evidence and commentary, and a maximum of 1 mark is awarded on the sophistication of thought.

Can I score well in the AP Language and Composition exam?

Yes, you can score well. However, it necessarily requires practice, a broad way of thinking, and properly deciding the flow of ideas in the essay.

How many questions are there for reading and writing?

There are 23 to 25 questions for reading and 20 to 22 questions for writing part in section I.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, need help with synthesis essay outline for ap lang.

Hey AP Lang fam! I'm struggling with creating an effective synthesis essay outline. Any tips on how to structure it or resources that could help? Thanks a ton!

Hey there! I totally understand how the synthesis essay can be a bit daunting. Many students find that using the following structure really help to organize thoughts and create a smooth-flowing essay:

1. Introduction: Hook the reader, provide some context on the issue, and state your thesis.

2. Body paragraphs (usually 3 or more):

a. Topic sentence related to your thesis

b. Present evidence from the sources

c. Explain how the evidence supports your argument

d. Add some additional commentary or examples for further support

3. Counterargument paragraph:

a. Introduce the counterargument (opposing viewpoint)

b. Present evidence from sources supporting the counterargument

c. Identify flaws in the counterargument and demonstrate how your thesis is still stronger

4. Conclusion: Restate your thesis, summarize the main points, and provide some final thoughts on the issue.

As for resources, CollegeVine has some great articles and guides on essay writing and AP Language tips. Good luck with your essay, and feel free to reach out if you have any more questions!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Tackling the AP English Language and Composition Essays: Part 3

As you may recall from Part 1 , the Synthesis and Argument essays require that you take an argumentative position on a topic. In the Synthesis Essay, you are given a topic or question (e.g., is the death penalty just?) and six sources addressing that topic or question. You will then be asked to take an argumentative position, citing at least three of the sources. In the Argument Essay, you are given a topic or idea typically in the form of an author’s quote: for example, a quote from a famous writer saying that, in modern society, it’s necessary to be a little bit unethical to succeed. You are then asked to take an argumentative position on this topic or idea. This time, though, there will be no sources for you to cite. All of your thinking about the topic must come from your own head.

We’ve already discussed the Rhetoric Essay, and how to go through the process of writing a good one. Much of the same advice still applies to these two essays! Here are the things that, when it comes the Synthesis and Argument Essay, remain the same:

• The grading rubric for the Synthesis and Argument Essays is the same as that for the Rhetoric Essay, awarding one point for thesis, four for evidence and analysis, and one for “sophistication.”
• For all three essays, you must make a clear argument, supply sufficient evidence, and explain that evidence well. 
• The six step process will also be the same for all three essays. Remember that the six steps are: (1) Organizing Your Time, (2) Reading and Annotating, (3) Outlining the thesis (4) Outlining the structure (5) Writing [paragraphs, evidence, analysis] (6) Writing [sentences].

But, lots of things are different, too. So, you need to go through the six steps of the process in a slightly different way for each essay...

The Synthesis Essay: Six Steps

1. organizing your time.

As discussed in Part 1 , the first 45 minutes of the essay section (including both the “reading” and “writing” periods) should be devoted to the Synthesis Essay. During the first 15 minutes, which are the designated “reading period,” you should read the question and six sources, and begin to brainstorm and outline your essay. As the “writing period” opens—the first thirty minutes of which you will now devote to the Synthesis Essay—you should be finishing your outline, and beginning to write. You should then write for about 25, reserving 5 minutes to proofread.

2. Reading and Annotating

As you read the six sources, keep a running list of the pro or con arguments that you encounter, and the corresponding evidence. I suggest you take a piece of paper and divide it into two columns, pro and con. As you read through the sources, you can use the columns to keep track of arguments and evidence. At the same time, you should underline particularly compelling pieces of evidence supplied for the arguments you’re recording, like statistics or particularly persuasive turns of phrase. 

As you proceed, you may start to feel like you know which side you want to defend. Great! At that point, I would start paying closer attention to the evidence supplied for arguments for that side, carefully noting which quotes or details you might cite. That being said, I would not stop recording the arguments for the other side. These are going to be the types of counter-positions you will need to answer in your essay.

By the time you’re done taking notes, you should have a good list of the arguments available for defending each side, as well as some evidence for those arguments. Now, you can use that material to make an outline.

3. Outlining Part 1: Thesis

Go look at the AP Lang test grading rubric (printed at the very end of this guide ), and look at the sample excellent theses that graders are given as models for earning the 1 thesis point. They all clearly take a stance on one side or another of the issue. This isn’t the time to be wishy-washy or even-handed. It’s a time to be decisive, and clearly take a side. Your thesis may address both sides of the issue, but only in the process of clearly deciding on one of those sides. It may for example, read something like: “Though use of public libraries will, in the digital age, no doubt dwindle, they remain essential to the future of our nation, and should be maintained.” It should not read like this: “Use of public libraries will start to dwindle in the digital age, but they do still seem in many ways essential.” In the first case, you acknowledge both sides, but it’s clear which side you stand on: this is the best strategy to use for this essay.

4. Outlining Part 2: Structure

Many different types of structures have earned perfect scores for the Synthesis Essay. That being said, there are a few guidelines to follow. 

First, you need to have multiple body paragraphs (aim for three, though two can be ok if they are robust). Each of those paragraphs needs to make one clear point, and each of those paragraphs’ points needs to be stated clearly and completely in an initial topic sentence. 

There are also some new rules to follow here. You must give at least two strong reasons for why your side is correct. And you must, in some way, address counterarguments: likely rebuttals of your points, or strong arguments for the other side.

There are many different structures you might use to do both of these things, and which structure you choose will depend on the arguments you want to make, as well as the strongest arguments the other side might marshal. Here are some possible structures that have all worked in perfectly scored essays:

• Provide three different reasons why your side is right, each with its own paragraph. Address any potential counterarguments or concerns about these reasons, where necessary, within the paragraphs. 
• Provide two reasons why your side is right, in two paragraphs. In a third paragraph, address and answer the strongest argument or case for the other side.

5. Writing Part 1: Paragraphs, Evidence, Analysis

When you go to write, make sure:

• Each paragraph has a topic sentence.
• Each paragraph supplies evidence to support that topic sentence’s argument.
• The evidence is analyzed. For more information on any of these points, see Part 2 of this series.

There is one extra thing, though: you have to cite your sources. There are two ways to cite. First, you can simply make a point that one of the readings made, without quoting. Or, you can quote! I suggest that you quote directly at least once. It ensures that you are citing in detail, and you want to be citing and engaging with the arguments in detail. Be sure to put “Source #” or the author name in parentheses after your paraphrase or quote in order to cite the source.

6. Writing Part 2: Sentence by Sentence

Proofread your sentences, in the last few minutes. All the same principles apply ( see Part 2 for details ).

The Argument Essay: Six Steps

1-2. managing your time + brainstorming.

You have 45 minutes. But this essay should take you a bit less time than the other two, since it gives you no passages to read. Spend 5-7 minutes reading the question and then brainstorming/outlining. Then, spend the rest of the time writing, with some time at the end for proofreading. If you finish this essay before your 45 minutes are up, use your extra time to proofread everything you’ve written (all three essays). 

3-4. Outlining: Thesis and Structure

The same rules for thesis and structure from the Synthesis Essay apply to the Argument Essay. You need to take a clear position on the topic, even if you acknowledge the other side. And you need to provide multiple reasons for that position, while also addressing counterarguments. 

The difference, here, comes in the types of reasons you are going to give for your argument. In the Synthesis Essay, you were giving reasons largely supplied from the sources you read. Here, you have to come up with your own reasons and examples for them. In general, your reasons and examples are going to come from a few sources: 

• Your personal life and experience: you might tell a story from your own life to show why the principle you’re defending is true.
• Your knowledge of history, literature, or other nonfiction or school subjects: you might use an example of an event from a novel to support the point, or an anecdote from Renaissance history that you learned in school, or a tidbit from the biography of some inspiring person, like MLK or Marie Curie. 
• Your knowledge of current events: you might be able to supply a reason for your point that refers to some major, hot button issue of current events, like climate change, or Black Lives Matter, or the benefits and downsides of social media. 
• Your knowledge of other things: Know a lot about music? Or gardening? Or religion? Use examples from those domains.

What you might be gathering is that, in order to answer this essay question well, supplying arguments for general principles like “Money can’t buy happiness” or “quitters never win,” you need to know about…things. And as a teenager, you’ve only had so much time to get to know things. So, here’s what I advise: in preparation of the exam, make a list of 20 things that you are going to know about. Yes, you can choose common school topics like “The American Revolution” or The Scarlet Letter. But supplement those topics with the academic or political topics that you are actually interested in or passionate about, like the 1980s AIDS epidemic and struggle for LGBQT rights, or ancient Greek military history, or novels by Jane Austen or Toni Morrison, or the biography of an Olympic athlete. Passion speaks! Also, include some important or pivotal anecdotes from your life, especially times when you learned lessons. Once you have your list, make sure you actually know about these things. Know some details: dates, names, precise events, anecdotes, etc. Though you can’t predict what your Argument Essay question will be, having detailed knowledge of various topics will certainly help you out. 

5. Writing: Paragraphs (Evidence, Analysis)

As with the other essays, you still need topic sentences summarizing each paragraph’s argument (a reason for why your position is correct, drawing on some major example from history, culture, or personal life). You still need evidence for your argument (coming from your store of knowledge about…things). And you still need to analyze that evidence and explain why it proves your points, addressing counterarguments where possible. 

Only one more tip: when you supply your support, be detailed. Don’t refer to some event in your life in vague terms (“at first I found math hard, but then I practiced and got better”). Supply the details (“At first I found math hard, and in the first weeks of the term, I failed a test. Soon, however, I started to practice, drilling problems at my kitchen table every night, and asking my older brother to check over my work. By the end of the semester, I had greatly improved, and earned a B+ on the final exam.”). The same goes for historical or literary anecdotes: cite specific dates, names, events. In reading and writing, we call this “the reality effect”: an argument or story feels more real and more persuasive, when it includes little, hyper-specific details. “I ate some food,” doesn’t feel as real as, “Sitting on a bench in a park in West Palm Beach, I ate a banana and seven almonds.”

6. Writing: Sentence by Sentence

Proofread, at the end! The same tips from Part 2 apply.

Well, that just about covers the three AP Lang Essays! I have just two parting tips. First, practice, practice, practice. It will not feel easy writing three good essays at this pace the first time you do it (or the second, or the third). It will start to feel ok after many iterations, and that’s where you want to be. You don’t want your first, or even second time trying this out to be on test day. Second, try to have fun with it. Don’t go crazy, but psych yourself into getting into your essays. The readers can feel your enthusiasm. And they like it. Best of luck!

The   AP Exams are an opportunity for you to deepen your academic engagement, demonstrate your readiness for college learning, and earn college credit .  Our team of PhD candidates, composed of expert tutors like Tess, loves teaching AP material and helping students hone test taking strategies. Looking for customized AP support?

Related Content

How to write a good AP synthesis essay

Published September 27, 2020. Updated June 7, 2022.

Synthesis Essay Definition

A synthesis essay uses information from multiple sources to support an argument or explanation.

Overview of Synthesis Essay Writing

First, take some time to develop a thorough understanding of what you will be writing about. Take notes as you go, keeping track of points you want to make and evidence you want to include in the essay. While you read, you can begin to brainstorm a thesis statement and outline for the essay. Writing an outline will help structure your essay and keep you on track. The standard synthesis essay outline includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. Spend adequate time reviewing the instructions, sources, and prompts.

The AP English Language and Composition (also known as AP Lang) exam is composed of two sections: a Multiple Choice section and a Free Response section. It’s normal to be nervous before an exam, especially an AP exam. If you’re not sure what to expect from the AP Lang synthesis essay, never fear. Here you can read about everything you need to know before exam day, including:

• the purpose of the synthesis essay
• what to expect from the sources and prompt
• a sample prompt and response
• how the synthesis essay is scored
• how to write a high-scoring synthesis essay

Worried about your writing? Submit your paper for a Chegg Writing essay check , or for an Expert Check proofreading . Both can help you find and fix potential writing issues.

Synthesis essay

The College Board describes the synthesis essay this way:

“After reading 6–7 texts about a topic (including visual and quantitative sources), students will compose an argument that combines and cites at least 3 of the sources to support their thesis.”

You will have 45 minutes to complete the synthesis essay. How you use this time is up to you, but below we’ve included a timeline for how you might choose to use your 45 minutes.

What will the sources and prompt be like?

The six to seven sources will all be centered on a specific topic. In past exams, the prompt has been focused on subjects like alternative energy and eminent domain. At least two of the sources will be visual, and at least one will be numerical (a chart or graph). The others will be text passages of roughly 500 words.

Before the sources, you’ll be given directions and a writing prompt. The prompt will explain the topic, then present a claim for you to respond to. Your response should synthesize material from at least three of the sources, forming a full-fledged essay.

See a sample synthesis essay prompt directly from the College Board linked here.

Following the directions in this sample prompt, you’ll find Sources A-F. Click here to view sample student responses.

How will my synthesis essay be scored?

Synthesis essays will be scored on a range from 0 to 6 based on an analytic rubric. This score will be the total of three scores based on three categories: your thesis, your evidence and commentary, and your sophistication.

Click here to review the complete free-response scoring guidelines for the 2020 AP Lang exam. As a quick summary, we’ll provide the College Board’s descriptions for what warrants the highest and lowest points in each category.

According to the AP English Language Scoring Rubrics, 0 points in the thesis category will be given “for any of the following”:

• There is no defensible thesis.
• The intended thesis only restates the prompt.
• The intended thesis provides a summary of the issue with no apparent or coherent claim.
• There is a thesis, but it does not respond to the prompt.

1 point in the thesis category will be given to essays that respond “to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible position.”

0 points will be given in the evidence and commentary section to any essay that “Simply restates thesis (if present), repeats provided information, or references fewer than two of the provided sources.”

4 points will be given in the evidence and commentary section to an essay that “Provides specific evidence from at least three of the provided sources to support all claims in a line of reasoning” and “Consistently explains how the evidence supports a line of reasoning.”

Finally, in the sophistication category , 1 point will be given to an essay that demonstrates “sophistication of thought and/or develops a complex understanding of the rhetorical situation.” 0 points will be given to essays that do not meet that criteria.

While it’s natural to worry about your score, keep in mind that your scorers know you have less than an hour to complete your synthesis essay. They know it is essentially a first draft, and they will pay more mind to what you do right than what you do wrong. Even the highest-scoring essays will contain occasional errors, so worry less about perfection than your holistic argument and synthesis.

How to write a high-scoring synthesis essay

Before we dive into what makes a high-scoring synthesis essay, let’s cover the basics. What is a synthesis essay?

Basically, a synthesis essay uses information from multiple sources to support an argument or explanation. However, when it comes to the AP Lang exam, you will be writing an argumentative synthesis essay.

You’ll take an argumentative stance, which you will express via your thesis statement, and argue in favor of that stance using evidence from multiple sources.

Outstanding AP Lang synthesis essays tend to do the following things very well. They:

• demonstrate an understanding of the topic at hand.
• express understanding of the topic’s importance.
• make the writer’s opinion on the topic clear early on.
• frequently cite examples from the sources, such as statistics and quotes.
• conclude with a strong “so what” point.

To write an essay that succeeds in all of these areas, you should use a few strategies on exam day.

Read, read, and read again

One of the worst mistakes you can make is to jump into outlining and writing before you’ve read and analyzed the directions, prompt, and sources. Though you have limited time, it’s worth taking some time to develop a thorough understanding about what you’ll be writing about.

Take notes as you go, keeping track of points you want to make and evidence you want to include in your essay. While you read, you can begin to brainstorm a thesis statement and outline for your essay.

Follow an outline

Even if you’re more of a “fly by the seat of your pants” type, an outline will help structure your essay and keep you on track.

Below is a standard synthesis essay outline to keep in mind. However, this is only an example, and your argument may not fit this outline exactly.

• Give a bit of context on the subject, demonstrating the knowledge you gained from reviewing the sources.
• Give a clear and concise thesis statement that presents your argument.
• Topic sentence
• Evidence #1
• Evidence #2
• Sum up the main points made in the essay.
• Restate the thesis statement
• End on a “so what?” statement.

Don’t lose track of time

While it’s vital you spend adequate time reviewing the instructions, sources, and prompt, it’s a lost cause if you don’t leave yourself enough time to outline and write!

Here’s a handy timeline to keep in mind during the 55-minute-long synthesis essay portion of the AP Lang exam:

• Reading the directions, sources, and prompt: 15 minutes
• Analyzing the sources and outlining your response: 10 minutes
• Drafting your response: 25 minutes
• Reviewing and revising your response: 5 minutes

Before you turn in that paper, don’t forget to cite your sources in APA format , MLA format , or a style of your choice.

Sample synthesis essay

Although you cannot know what your prompt and sources will be before exam day, you can prepare beforehand by reading sample synthesis essays  and writing practice essays from past questions .

AP synthesis example essay

Based on the 2020 prompt : 

The impact of television on political matters has been  under  debate for years. Television provides a low-cost method to  stay informed  about policy changes  and receive  important announcements, and  it  often  offers  a path to learn more about political figures and their plans for the United States. However, critics of television believe that there is a strong psychological and marketing strategy in play,  which  presents  false images of personalities and  is  commonly used as a tool to sway public opinion. While there are drawbacks to  broadcasting debates and politics ,  it  positively influences presidential elections by providing accessible information to viewers ,  shar ing  the candidate s’  personali ties , plans, and ideals during  their  potential role as president,  and  ultimately assisting citizens in casting their vot e.  

The  primary benefit of televising politics is t hat it provides  accessible information . Television, as s ource A explains , provides an opportunity for citizens to be more involved in political matters than ever before, specifically  by adding to  their  knowledge. With public speeches and political events televised, viewers can learn about the structure of the U.S. political system and build a better understanding  of  how legislation is created, in addition to their representative s’  contribution s  to political matters.  The reach of television is clear, as shown in Source D, where millions of viewers tune in every four years for the presidential debates.  T he data reports  that  80.6 million people view ed  the debates in 1980,  and even  in 1996, the chart’s lowest year of ratings, 46.1 million viewers tuned in — all who may have been influenced to vote !  The data shows that television is unmatched in  its  ability to reach voters , proving that it is a beneficial tool for providing information  to help  citizens  make their choices .  

Television also works as a trust-building tool between the viewer and the presidential candidate s . Although the criticism from Source C — which  claim s  that televised debates  are  largely  focused  on image instead of content — is noteworthy,  we  must also consider the relationship development that occurs between the constituent and the politician.  For example, consider  the story of Walter Cronkite, who performed investigat ive  journalism on-site in Vietnam to deliver a message about his opinion of the war. In doing so, he was able to shift the support for the ongoing war into a national call for closure, resulting in the end of the United States ’  presence in Vietnam and potentially saving thousands  of  live s  (Source E) . For presidents, their arguments, vision, and speeches can establish trust with the viewers, raising  citizens’  confidence  in their  ability  to  do the job successfully.  Though  televised appearances do result in investment in public relation campaigns and sometimes  support  an inauthentic view  of their subjects , at the same time, television serves as an important tool to connect citizens with their  president and  candidates .  

Perhaps the most  troubling   element of  televisi ng  presidential elections  is the threat  of commercialism. With the variety of issues and complaints regarding legislation and public policy, presidential candidates may use their live airtime to tackle only the most popular economic and social issues. T ed Koppel  analyzed  this phenomenon  during a past presidential debate,  in which  the television station structured the debate to limit responses from the candidates (Source F) .  This approach is somewhat deceptive, forcing the candidates to come up with quick answers  while  masking other issues.  For example,  only the most popular social issues may have been brought up, sidelining  complex political matters and policy problems  that may have been ongoing for years.  However, while this  format  surely limits candidates ’ ability  to share their opinions on a wide variety of issues, television does allow  the candidates to connect with the masses, which may not be possible through other forms of communication.  I f necessary , the format  of future debates  could be restructured to create  more  space for complex  argumentation   without sacrificing the benefits of televised  communication.  

In summary, t he  influence of television is unprecedented, allowing presidential candidates and other politicians to connect with viewers from across the nation. The critics are justified in  remarking   that  televised debates  may mislead  citizens through their  emphasis on  public image. However,  if audiences  analyz e  the debates, announcements, and other  such  matters with a critical approach,  this highly accessible form of communication  encourages people to build trust with presidential candidates, enhance their worldview, and feel more involved in political matters.  

Works cited

“AP English Language.” AP Central , 13 Aug. 2020, apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-english-language-and-composition/exam.

“AP English Language and Composition Free-Response Questions Scoring Rubrics, Effective Fall 2019.” The College Board, 2019, https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-english-language-and-composition-frqs-1-2-3-scoring-rubrics.pdf

“AP English Language and Composition 2020 Free-Response Scoring Guidelines Applied to the 2019 Exam Questions.” The College Board, 2019, https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-english-language-and-composition-2020-frq-scoring-guidelines-2019-exam-questions-0.pdf

Published September 8, 2020.

By Jolee McManus. Jolee earned a BA in English from the University of Georgia. She has several years of experience as a writing tutor and freelance copywriter and editor.

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clear, concise rhetorical analysis instruction.

Synthesis Essay Intro

December 14, 2022 by Beth Hall

When students are writing an essay, the introduction sets the tone for the entire paper. Readers will not want to continue if the hook does not draw them in. This is the case for class papers to the big essays on the AP® Lang exam. However, it is incredibly stressful to develop a strong introduction when time goes so quickly. Luckily, this blog post provides provides an overview of how to write a synthesis essay intro paragraph quickly! 

More than a Thesis 

When it comes to a timed essay, worst case scenario, write a defensible thesis and move on. However, writing a thesis-only introduction can be a bit jarring for your reader. So, if possible, try to write a couple sentences to lead into your synthesis essay thesis.

Definition Sentence

One way to develop your synthesis essay introduction paragraph is to set parameters. This helps narrow down and specify your argument. You can do this in your introduction by actually defining your topic. For instance, if the topic is wind farms, you can define what this means. This is a great way to ensure the reader fully understands the terms within your synthesis essay intro. 

Ex: Wind farms, an isolated area containing wind turbines used to generate clean, renewable energy, have become a point of discussion as a means of providing efficient energy without dependence on foreign countries. 

Essentially, you start with the topic. In this case, it is wind farms. Then, you put a comma, the definition, and another comma before finishing your sentence. This is a great way to improve your syntax as well! 

Provide Context in Your Synthesis Essay Intro

Another example how to start your synthesis essay introduction involves providing a bit of context. For example, ask yourself: 

• Why are we really talking about this issue in the first place? 
• Why is this issue relevant? 
• Why is it a point of conversation in society today?

Even if it is a topic you are unfamiliar with, you can still gather that information from the prompt and sources. Then, add some information to help the reader understand your topic. 

Explain Both Sides 

Another tip to crafting a quick synthesis essay intro paragraph is to explain both sides of the issue. Now, you can’t end there. You need a defensible thesis. If you do not actually assert a position, you’ve just equivocated, which means you did not take a stance. If you are going to explain both sides, be sure you include a transition word such as “therefore” and establish the position you will argue in your synthesis essay.

The Most Important Part of the Synthesis Essay Intro: The Thesis 

After deciding how to start the synthesis essay intro, it is time to move on to the thesis. For most students, this will be the introduction’s last sentence. You will assert a position that you will later prove in your body paragraphs. 

Many times, it helps to start your thesis with a dependent clause. This could be words like although, when, and while. This helps make a complex sentence, which tends to read better.

Additionally, students can also use a counter-argument thesis. This shows the other side of the argument but ultimately goes back to your stance. 

Here’s an example of a sentence frame you can use: While it may be true that…, one would be remiss not to consider that…. 

For more introduction tips, watch How to Write an Introductory Paragraph for a Synthesis Essay. It provides excellent insight into crafting the perfect introduction. Then, check out this blog post:  How to Outline a Synthesis Essay for AP® Lang . This will help ensure your body paragraphs have good evidence and strong commentary! Since there are so many components to the synthesis essay, check out how to write a synthesis essay conclusion . This will help ensure there is a solid ending to your paper. 

Synthesis Essay Intro Example

Want to see the aforementioned tips in action?

Here is a synthesis essay introduction example.

In recent years, the United States’ test scores have declined. In response to this, there has been a push to transform kindergarten into a more academic environment. Skills that were once commonly taught in first grade are now being taught in kindergarten. But at what cost? Increasing the academic rigor in kindergarten has not led to an increase in test scores. If anything, increasing the academic focus has drastically reduced the amount of time for free play. While it is true that students need to learn some fundamental academic skills in kindergarten, the overall focus should be students social and emotional development.

The synthesis essay intro example above provides context for the issue (the focus on test scores) and a defensible thesis to argue that kindergarten should not be transformed into an academic environment.

Here’s another synthesis intro example:

Locavorism, the concept of eating food grown within 100 miles of one’s home, has gained popularity in recent years. Supporting local business is great, and yes, the food is likely to be fresher. However, one cannot ignore that locavorism is, at times, inconvenient and impractical. Therefore, when considering whether to join the locavore movement, one must consider two key factors: location and environmental impact.

The example above combines a couple techniques mentioned earlier in this blog post. First, there is a definition. Remember that you don’t need to define every topic, but in some cases, it can help if done effectively. It also includes a concession and refutation to demonstrate the contrasting views on the topic. Finally, it ends with a defensible thesis.

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How to Write a Synthesis Essay With PDF Download

To write a synthesis essay, you need to have great coordination skills. You will need it to link various sources and research outcomes together while deriving and building on your thesis statement.

Fredrick Eghosa

Aug 26, 2024

Table of Contents

Key takeaways

What is a synthesis essay, components of a synthesis essay, the difference between a synthesis essay and an argumentative essay, different types of synthesis essays, how to write a synthesis essay step-by-step with examples, steps to write a synthetic essay, how to use ai to write a synthesis essay.

• A synthesis essay involves analyzing various sources and combining them to create a cohesive and well-supported argument. It is more than just summarizing; it requires blending information to reveal new insights.
• The key components of a synthesis essay are:
• Synthesis essays combine multiple viewpoints to create a new viewpoint whereas argumentative essays focus on rebuttal.
• AI tools like Cowriter.ai can assist with research, summarizing sources, drafting, paraphrasing, editing, and managing citations, making the essay-writing process more efficient.
• Use a provocative question, a jarring fact, a relevant quote, or statistics to make your readers interested in what you have to say.
• A smart writing assistant like Cowriter.ai makes writing hooks so fun and simple. All you need to do is input the topic and nudge it in the direction you desire, depending on whether you want your hook to be a provocative question or a jarring fact.
• Introduction
• The body of the essay is divided into paragraphs for each point. (Combine information from different sources within each paragraph to support the point. Note that you can improve your essay by using transition words to show how the sources connect to each other and to your thesis.)
• Conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a new way. Explain why this synthesis is important or what it shows about the topic.

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