AP Language and Composition



AP Language and Composition

Synthesis Essay/Research Project

Step 1

Choose a controversial topic that you can “live with” for 6-7 months.

• Do not choose abortion, gay marriage, the war in Iraq or any other overused topic.

• Through the year you will be alert to find any information on your topic from a variety of sources: newspapers, television news, internet, books, interviews, etc.

• You will become an “expert” on your topic and know more than anyone in the school on this issue.

Step 2

Once you have chosen an approved topic, you will collect your sources. Use the following guidelines for your sources:

• Bring a NEW annotated source text to class on the assigned dates (about once every 2 weeks) with a one page review stapled to the front.

• The one page review should include the citation in MLA style, author/source background, and a summary of the text.

• Be sure that your sources address the complete topic, not just one side of it.

• Please keep all your sources in the appropriate section of you binder as you will use your collection for the synthesis essay as well as the final project.

• One of your sources will be a visual (cartoon, graph, photo, etc.).

• One of your sources must be a book (you will photocopy the pages you used to annotate and keep in your binder).

• Each student will have the opportunity to present his/her sources at different intervals throughout the year.

Step 3

Based on the knowledge you have gained about your topic and the synthesis essay, you will create an appropriate essay prompt for the AP exam. For this prompt, you must:

• Create a prompt that is appropriate for the synthesis question on the AP exam and that uses 5-7 of your sources (one must be visual)

• Provide clean copies of those sources (not the annotated ones)

Step 4

As a class, you will choose the best three topics among those generated. The class will write synthesis essays from these prompts. You may not write on your own topic.

Step 5

You will write an extended argument paper using the texts you have collected. For this paper, you will

• Write an effective argument that takes a stance on your issue and defends that stance using at least 7 of your sources.

• Use appropriate MLA documentation (parenthetical citations and works cited page).

Writing Your Synthesis Prompt

45 points

Due Mon 4/25 (A), Tues 4/26 (B)

Over the course of the year, you have collected sources for your synthesis topic. Now you will put together your own synthesis prompt that models the AP prompts. The next class day will be a work day in the library or computer lab. You must bring all your sources! On the day the prompts are due, you will share with the class and at least 2 prompts will be nominated for the class to write on as your synthesis essay assessment worth 50 points (on Tues 5/3 A, Wed 5/4 B).

As a reminder, DO NOT throw away all your sources after writing your prompt; you will still need them for the research paper post-AP test.

Scoring Rubric:

Prompt _____/10

• Includes directions (copy from prompt)

• Concise and appropriate introduction

• Clear and arguable assignment/prompt

• List of Sources A-F and descriptions are listed

Sources _____/25

• There are at least 6 sources

• One of the sources must be a visual source

• Each source is labeled and includes a correct citation at the top

• Each source has specific introductory information in italics (1-2 sentences max.)

• Each source is edited to about 2-3 paragraphs and contains pertinent and concise information for the writer of the prompt

• Sources represent BOTH sides of the issue

Presentation _____/10

• Your prompt and sources look exactly or nearly exactly the same as the AP prompt (includes font, spacing, formatting, etc.) Use past prompts as a model.

• Prompt and sources are proofread, stapled in order, and labeled correctly.

Name: Total: _______/45= __________

Staple this rubric to the front of your prompt and sources packet when you turn it in.

Extended Argument Paper (The Research Paper)

100 pts (10% of semester grade)

Due during Final Exams

Over the course of the year, you have collected your sources and written a synthesis prompt on your topic. Now it’s time for the culminating project. You are to write a 5-7 page research paper using the sources you have collected that answers the prompt you have written. This essay must be written in MLA format with parenthetical citations and a works cited page.

Scoring Rubric

Ideas/Thesis ________/20

• Introduction contains a clear thesis that answers the prompt.

• The ideas in the essay follow that thesis clearly and do not deviate.

Organization ________/15

• Essay is organized logically and coherently.

• Appropriate transitions are used.

Support for Ideas ________/15

• The support is relevant and clearly emphasizes main ideas.

• The focus is on the argument being made, not the sources being used.

Textual Evidence ________/15

• Both quotes and paraphrase are used throughout the paper

• Quotes and paraphrase support the writer’s ideas.

• The sources are not the focus of the paper; they are used to aid the argument being made by the writer.

Citations of sources _________/10

• At least 7 sources, including 1 book source, are cited.

• Sources are cited in parenthetical citations and on the works cited page.

Formatting _________/10

• The paper is written in MLA format (writer info, pg #s, font, etc).

• It includes a creative title.

• Parenthetical citations are used correctly.

• The paper has a properly formatted works cited page.

Conventions _________/15

• The paper has few to no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.

• There are few to no sentence fragments and/or run-on sentences

• Paper fulfills 5-7 page length requirements

Total = ___________/100

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