Writing Synthesis Essays

What is commentary?

• restatement of a thesis
• a transition in your argument
• info that clarifies and connects details
• a concluding sentence

Which of these is NOT a good way to use commentary in an essay?

• Analysis of a quote
• Hypothetical detail
• Anecdote
• Restate the quoted material.

Commentary should happen in the...

• Introduction paragraph
• Body paragraph
• Conclusion
• After Conclusion

How long should an embedded quote be?

• a paragraph
• exactly 12 words
• 1-5 words
• 6-10 words

A quote should...

• build links between your ideas and the ideas of the text
• help advance your argument
• flow in a sentence
• all of the above

The analysis essay on the AP Lang test requires you to...

• Synthesize sources to support your own argument.
• Defend, Qualitfy, or Challenge an author's argument
• Examine the rhetorical strategies the author uses
• Answer multiple choice questions

In terms of the synthesis essay, synthesis means

• examine the language of the written text and identify the author's strategies.
• to summarize and report on various sources.
• to compare two texts for style and purpose.
• to combine sources and the writer's position to form a cohesive supported argument, accurately citing the sources.

Reading for commonalities 

• requires making note of the common issues in each source.
• may look like this: "A, D, and E all
  support the notion that____"
• helps you determine which sources you will use.
• All of the above.

When determining which sources to use, it's best to

• use one really well instead of all poorly.
• Use at least three or four.
• Use only the ones you feel comfortable using.
• cite all of the sources.