AP Language Synthesis

What point is known for its difficulty, and is also known as the "unicorn point"?

• Thesis Point

• Evidence/Commentary Point

• Sophistication Point

• Complexity Point

The thesis can be in which of these places?

• The introduction

• The body paragraphs

• The conclusion

• All of the above as long as it is clear and prominent

Place holder words are....

• confusing to the reader

• excellent to use when in a time contrainst

• recommended for students to use in commentary

• used to increase the length or complexity of the essay

• frowned upon

The author's voice, also known as "your voice" is how you......

How does mastering the synthesis point help with future essays?

• It does not, teachers recommend just focusing on thesis and evidence/commentary in order to pass.

• Once a student knows what to put, they can carry it to other essays.

True or False

You can change your original position.

• True/ It is called a revised position and comes after seeing new evidence provided in the sources

• False/ Students should have integrity in their own opinions and writing about the opposite of the sources allows them to develop a deeper understanding of synthesis.

Why is a revised position normalized?

• It is human nature to change after seeing new challenging perspectives.

• Sources can be biased towards one perspective over the other, and it would be easier to use them if the position was simply changed.

• All of the above

What is one way the author's voice (your voice) can be lost?

• Using too many sources

• Using words that you know and use alot, which causes the essay to become informal

• By using too many specific words that connect with the message of the essay

• Not using enough sources

How can learning about placeholder words help with writing synthesis essays?

• Learning about it defeats the purpose as it can cause students to only remember placeholder words

• Writers will be able to identify the placeholder words, and instead use more specific word choice and vivid adjectives.

How is thesis defined?

• An arguable statement

• A factual statement

• An opinionated statement that is not arguable

• A summary of the essay