As a literature student, you are required to write an AP Lang synthesis essay. To write the essay, you are required to analyze various sources and make a comprehensive argument. This article gives you a guide on how to write an AP Lang synthesis essay.
When writing an AP Lang synthesis essay assignment, you are given a prompt to write the essay on. You are also given 6 or 7 sources that are about a specific topic. You should read all these sources to clearly understand the topic and make a choice on which 3 sources you are going to use in your essay. After reading through the sources, you should make an argument about the topic in your essay based on the 3 sources of your choice.
What is AP Lang
Advanced Placement Language and Composition (AP Lang) is a test taken by high school students that aims to improve their language fluency and analytical writing skills. AP Lang tests your capacity to synthesize literary works, combine knowledge, compose rhetoric essays, and formulate convincing arguments.
What Is a Synthesis Essay AP Lang?
An AP Lang synthesis essay is a specific kind of essay that tests students’ ability to integrate data from several sources into a coherent argument or point of view on a particular subject. It is one of the three free-response section questions on the AP Language and Literature exam, which is given to high school students to improve their writing skills and language fluency.
The AP Lang synthesis essay’s main objective is to assess a student’s capacity for critical analysis of a variety of sources, making connections and seeing patterns, and successfully incorporating information from those sources into an essay that is both well-organized and convincing. The essay prompt often gives the topic and offers a range of materials, including articles, essays, graphs, or charts, that offer several viewpoints on the subject.
Students should carefully read the prompt comprehend the main concepts, and critically evaluate all the given sources. They should then choose 3 out of the given sources to base their essay on them. The next step is for them to create a thesis statement that is succinct and clearly expresses their opinion on the subject and forms the core of their essay. A critical interpretation of the sources should be included in the synthesis essay rather than just a summary or collection of the sources.
AP Lang Synthesis Essay Outline
Before writing an AP Lang synthesis essay, you should write an outline just like a college essay outline that will help you plan for your essay. Below is how to write an AP Lang synthesis essay outline:
a) Introduction
- Start with a hook to grab the reader’s attention
- Give the background of information on the topic
- State your stance on the topic and back it with points that support your argument
- Write a strong thesis statement
b) Analyze the sources
i) Source 1
- Give an analysis and interpretation of the source
- Describe how it supports the thesis statement
ii) Source 2
- Give an analysis and interpretation of the source
- Describe how it supports the thesis statement
iii) Source 3
- Give an analysis and interpretation of the source
- Describe how it supports the thesis statement
c) Develop your argument
- Describe the thesis statement regarding the sources
- Discuss additional evidence that back up your thesis statement
- Describe any counterarguments of your stance in the essay
d) Synthesis of the sources
- Describe how the sources connect to show your stance in the essay
- Discuss any contradictory among the sources
e) Rhetorical strategies
- Analyze the rhetorical strategies used in the sources and how they support your argument
- Apply rhetorical strategies in your essay to improve your writing
f) Conclusion
- Restate the thesis statement and mention the key points in the essay
- Give a call to action or write a concluding statement
Step-by-step guide on how to write an AP Lang synthesis essay
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to write an AP Lang synthesis essay:
- Read and understand the prompt
Carefully read the prompt and consider what is expected of you. To find the most important details, it could be useful to annotate the text. After reading the prompt, you don’t necessarily need to state your position on the assertion. Before committing to an argument, you should read all the sources.
- Read all the sources
Even though you are required to use only 3 out of all the sources provided, you should read every source provided. This will help you comprehend the subject more thoroughly and choose the best sources for your essay. You should read quickly and thoroughly because there are numerous sources to read.
From each passage, underline and highlight key ideas or phrases that you plan to include in your essay. As you read the excerpts, your argument will likely start to take shape in your thoughts; therefore, taking a moment now to make notes on the sides of the passage can save you a lot of work later. Consider whether a source qualifies, refutes, or supports your argument once you have completed reading it.
- Write a compelling thesis statement
To write a compelling thesis, you need to choose your position on the claim presented in the prompt and provide supporting evidence on your claim. There are essentially three ways to structure your thesis statement: you have the option to support, refute, or qualify a point that has been presented by the prompt.
- Create an outline
You should create an outline that will guide you once you start writing your essay. Write all the key points that you will include in your essay. When you properly plan your essay in the outline, it becomes easier to compose it.
- Write the essay
After you have all the required information, you should start writing your essay. You should properly structure your essay and use evidence from the three sources that you chose. Write a good introduction, well-explained body paragraphs, and a well-stated conclusion. You should avoid summarizing the given sources and focus on giving your interpretation of the sources.
Additionally, when citing your sources, use the following format: ‘Source 1,’ ‘Source 2,’ or ‘Source 3’. To avoid citing your sources inaccurately, be sure to keep track of which source you are citing. Your essay’s grade will be affected by the in-text citations you use, which are a crucial step in the procedure. After completing the essay proofread it to remove any mistakes.
Tips to get a good grade in an AP Lang synthesis essay
Do not summarize the sources since it will not be considered as an argument. Give your interpretation of the sources. Avoid plagiarism and always cite all the sources that you use. Preferably cite four sources even if the requirement is three sources.
Write a compelling thesis statement. You should make your stance on the argument in your thesis statement. The body paragraphs should have evidence that supports your thesis. The thesis clearly describes what your essay will entail.
Be original throughout the essay. Give your synthesis and interpretation of the essay. An AP Lang synthesis mainly tests your interpretation of the sources and how well you can give an argument about your point of view on the main topic.
You should read through all the sources and choose three that you clearly understand. You can cite a source even though you don’t agree with it when you are explaining the counterargument of your stance. To avoid wrong interpretation of the source, always cite the sources that you clearly understand.
You should use small quotations from the source. Avoid quoting a whole paragraph. The quotation should not affect the flow of grammar in your essay. In addition, you should avoid independent information, your essay should always have supporting evidence from the sources and your interpretation of the sources.
AP Lang synthesis essay rubric
The AP Lang synthesis essay is graded on a rubric of 1 to 9, with 1 representing the lowest score and 9 the highest. The rubric evaluates the student’s capacity to successfully combine data from several sources, create a cogent and convincing argument, and demonstrate good rhetorical and analytical abilities.
AP Lang essay examples
AP Lang essay examples help you to understand how to write your own AP Lang essay. You can research various AP Lang essay examples to get a clear idea of how to compose a good grade essay. You can get various AP Lang synthesis examples in literature books or on the internet.
To sum up
Writing an AP Lang synthesis essay requires you to analyze and interpret the given prompt and various sources. You can use this article as a guide for your AP Lang synthesis essay. If you need more assistance with your AP Lang synthesis essay, we provide essay writing help.
