Question 1
The writer wants to add a sentence after sentence 10 that explains how the figures in sentence 10 support the claim in sentence 9. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
How to write the AP English Language synthesis essay
You read six sources on a topic, two of them visual and at least one quantitative, and write an argument that uses at least three of them. Two sources can earn at most 1 point for evidence and commentary; three or more open all 4.
| Row A, thesis | 0 or 1 point |
|---|---|
| Row B, evidence and commentary | 0 to 4 points |
| Row C, sophistication | 0 or 1 point |
| Time | About 40 minutes per essay |
What earns each row
- Thesis: a defensible position on the subject, not a summary of the debate or a statement that there are pros and cons.
- Evidence and commentary: specific evidence from at least three sources for every claim in a line of reasoning, with commentary that explains how each piece supports it.
- Sophistication: working with the tensions between sources, or setting your argument in a broader context that shows its limits or implications.
A plan for 40 minutes
- Read the introduction and the prompt's subject, then skim all six sources and note where each one stands.
- Decide your position before you write, and pick the three or four sources that do the most work for it, including one that complicates it.
- Build each paragraph around your own claim, not around a source: the sources are evidence for your reasoning.
- Cite each source by its letter or description, and explain every quotation or figure you use.
Common ways to lose points
- Using only two sources, which caps evidence and commentary at 1 point.
- Writing one paragraph per source, which turns the essay into a summary.
- Quoting a statistic without saying what it shows or why it matters.
Try 2 questions
The following is a draft of a summary a student is writing for her high school's nature club, reporting on the club's first season in a citizen science project that counts birds at backyard feeders. It may need revision.
(1) This fall, twelve members of the Marlow High Nature Club took part in the Hollins Valley Feeder Count, a project in which volunteers count the birds at backyard feeders and send their results to the Hollins Valley Nature Center. (2) Scientists at the center combine reports from hundreds of volunteers to track how the valley's bird populations change from year to year. (3) Counts like these matter because no small team of scientists could watch thousands of feeders on its own. (4) This summary reports what our club counted and what we plan to do next season.
(5) Between October 1 and December 15, club members made 96 counts at nine feeders, all stocked with the same black sunflower seed. (6) We recorded 22 species and 3,140 individual birds. (7) The most common bird was the dark-eyed junco, it made up nearly a third of all the birds we counted. (8) We also spotted a red-breasted nuthatch at the Garcia family's feeder, the first one reported in our part of the valley in four years.
(9) Where a feeder was placed seemed to matter. (10) The four feeders within ten feet of trees or shrubs averaged 41 birds per count, while the five in open lawns averaged 25. (11) This proves that every bird in the valley prefers feeders near trees.
(12) Next season, the club hopes to double the number of feeders it watches. (13) Mr. Okoye, the club's adviser, has offered to lend feeders to members who do not have one. (14) The nature center thanked us for our reports and said the nuthatch sighting had been added to its records. (15) Anyone interested in joining should come to the club's first meeting on September 9 in Room 114.
Question 2
The writer wants to revise sentence 11 (quoted here) so that the claim fits the limited evidence the club gathered. “This proves that every bird in the valley prefers feeders near trees.” Which version best accomplishes this goal?
Next step
Questions people ask
How many sources do you need for the AP English Language synthesis essay?
At least three of the six. An essay that uses only two sources can earn at most 1 of the 4 evidence and commentary points.
How is the synthesis essay scored?
Out of 6: 1 point for the thesis, up to 4 for evidence and commentary, and 1 for sophistication.
How should I cite sources in the synthesis essay?
By letter (Source A, Source B) or by the description in parentheses, through direct quotation, paraphrase or summary.