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How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay + Example

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AP English Language and Composition, commonly known as AP Lang, is one of the most engaging and popular AP classes offered at most high schools, with over 535,000 students taking the class . AP Lang tests your ability to analyze written pieces, synthesize information, write rhetorical essays, and create cohesive and concrete arguments. However, the class is rather challenging as only 62% of students were able to score a three or higher on the exam.

The AP Lang exam has two sections. The first consists of 45 multiple choice questions which need to be completed in an hour. This portion counts for around 45% of your total score. These questions ask students to analyze written pieces and answer questions related to each respective passage. All possible answer choices can be found within the text, and no prior knowledge of literature is needed to understand the passages.

The second section contains three free-response questions to be finished in under two hours and 15 minutes. This section counts for 55% of your score and includes the synthesis essay, the rhetorical essay, and the argumentative essay.

The synthesis essay requires you to read 6-7 sources and create an argument using at least three sources.
The rhetorical analysis essay requires you to describe how a piece of writing evokes specific meanings and symbolism.
The argumentative essay requires you to pick a perspective of a debate and create an argument based on the evidence provided.

In this post, we will take a look at the AP Lang synthesis essay and discuss tips and tricks to master this part of the exam. We will also provide an example of a well-written essay for review.

The AP Lang synthesis essay is the first of three essays included in the Free Response section of the AP Lang exam. The exam presents 6-7 sources that are organized around a specific topic, with two of those sources purely visual, including a single quantitative source (like a graph or pie chart). The remaining 4-5 sources are text-based, containing around 500 words each. It’s recommended that students spend an hour on this essay—15 minute reading period, 40 minutes writing, and 5 minutes of spare time to check over work.

Each synthesis essay has a topic that all the sources will relate to. A prompt will explaining the topic and provide some background, although the topics are usually broad so you will probably know something related to the issue. It will also present a claim that students will respond to in an essay format using information from at least three of the provided sources. You will need to take a stance, either agreeing or disagreeing with the position provided in the claim.

According to the CollegeBoard, they are looking for essays that “combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position.” This means that you must state your claim on the topic and highlight relationships between several sources that support your specific position on the topic. Additionally, you’ll need to cite clear evidence from your sources to prove your point.

The synthesis essay counts for six points on the AP Lang exam. Students can receive 0-1 points for writing a thesis statement, 0-4 based on the incorporation of evidence and commentary, and 0-1 points based on the sophistication of thought and demonstration of complex understanding.

While this essay seems extremely overwhelming, considering there are a total of three free-response essays to complete, with proper time management and practiced skills, this essay is manageable and straightforward. In order to enhance the time management aspect of the test to the best of your ability, it is essential to divide the essay up into five key steps.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

As soon as the clock starts, carefully read and analyze what the prompt asks from you. It might be helpful to markup the text to identify the most critical details. You should only spend around 2 minutes reading the prompt so you have enough time to read all the sources and figure out your argument. Don’t feel like you need to immediately pick your stance on the claim right after reading the prompt. You should read the sources before you commit to your argument.

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

Although you are only required to use 3 of the 6-7 sources provides, make sure you read ALL of the sources. This will allow you to better understand the topic and make the most educated decision of which sources to use in your essay. Since there are a lot of sources to get through, you will need to read quickly and carefully.

Annotating will be your best friend during the reading period. Highlight and mark important concepts or lines from each passage that would be helpful in your essay. Your argument will probably begin forming in your head as you go through the passages, so you will save yourself a lot of time later on if you take a few seconds to write down notes in the margins. After you’ve finished reading a source, reflect on whether the source defends, challenges, or qualifies your argument.

You will have around 13 minutes to read through all the sources, but it’s very possible you will finish earlier if you are a fast reader. Take the leftover time to start developing your thesis and organizing your thoughts into an outline so you have more time to write.

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement

In order to write a good thesis statement, all you have to do is decide your stance on the claim provided in the prompt and give an overview of your evidence. You essentially have three choices on how to frame your thesis statement: You can defend, challenge or qualify a claim that’s been provided by the prompt.

If you are defending the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is correct .
If you are challenging the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is incorrect .
If you choose to qualify the claim, your job will be to agree to a part of the claim and disagree with another part of the claim.

A strong thesis statement will clearly state your stance without summarizing the issue or regurgitating the claim. The CollegeBoard is looking for a thesis statement that “states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning on the issue provided in the prompt.”

Step 4: Create a Minimal Essay Outline

Developing an outline might seem like a waste of time when you are up against the clock, but believe us, taking 5-10 minutes to outline your essay will be much more useful in the long run than jumping right into the essay.

Your outline should include your thesis statement and three main pieces of evidence that will constitute each body paragraph. Under each piece of evidence should be 2-3 details from the sources that you will use to back up your claim and some commentary on how that evidence proves your thesis.

Step 5: Write your Essay

Use the remaining 30-35 minutes to write your essay. This should be relatively easy if you took the time to mark up the sources and have a detailed outline. Remember to add special consideration and emphasis to the commentary sections of the supporting arguments outlined in your thesis. These sentences are critical to the overall flow of the essay and where you will be explaining how the evidence supports or undermines the claim in the prompt.

Also, when referencing your sources, write the in-text citations as follows: “Source 1,” “Source 2,” “Source 3,” etc. Make sure to pay attention to which source is which in order to not incorrectly cite your sources. In-text citations will impact your score on the essay and are an integral part of the process.

After you finish writing, read through your essay for any grammatical errors or mistakes before you move onto the next essay.

Here are six must-have tips and tricks to get a good score on the synthesis essay:

Cite at least four sources , even though the minimum requirement is three. Remember not to plagiarize and cite everything you use in your arguments.
Make sure to develop a solid and clear thesis . Develop a stable stance for the claim and stick with it throughout the entire paper.
Don’t summarize the sources. The summary of the sources does not count as an argument.
You don’t necessarily have to agree with the sources in order to cite them. Using a source to support a counterargument is still a good use of a source.
Cite the sources that you understand entirely . If you don’t, it could come back to bite you in the end.
Use small quotes , do not quote entire paragraphs. Make sure the quote does not disrupt the flow or grammar of the sentence you write.

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Here is an example prompt and essay from 2019 that received 5 of the 6 total points available:

In response to our society’s increasing demand for energy, large-scale wind power has drawn attention from governments and consumers as a potential alternative to traditional materials that fuel our power grids, such as coal, oil, natural gas, water, or even newer sources such as nuclear or solar power. Yet the establishment of large-scale, commercial-grade wind farms is often the subject of controversy for a variety of reasons.

Carefully read the six sources, found on the AP English Language and Composition 2019 Exam (Question 1), including the introductory information for each source. Write an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources and develops your position on the most important factors that an individual or agency should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm.

Source A (photo)

Source B (Layton)

Source C (Seltenrich)

Source D (Brown)

Source E (Rule)

Source F (Molla)

In your response you should do the following:

Respond to the prompt with a thesis presents a defensible position.
Select and use evidence from at least 3 of the provided sources to support your line of reasoning. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

[1] The situation has been known for years, and still very little is being done: alternative power is the only way to reliably power the changing world. The draw of power coming from industry and private life is overwhelming current sources of non-renewable power, and with dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, it is merely a matter of time before coal and gas fuel plants are no longer in operation. So one viable alternative is wind power. But as with all things, there are pros and cons. The main factors for power companies to consider when building wind farms are environmental boon, aesthetic, and economic factors.

[2] The environmental benefits of using wind power are well-known and proven. Wind power is, as qualified by Source B, undeniably clean and renewable. From their production requiring very little in the way of dangerous materials to their lack of fuel, besides that which occurs naturally, wind power is by far one of the least environmentally impactful sources of power available. In addition, wind power by way of gearbox and advanced blade materials, has the highest percentage of energy retention. According to Source F, wind power retains 1,164% of the energy put into the system – meaning that it increases the energy converted from fuel (wind) to electricity 10 times! No other method of electricity production is even half that efficient. The efficiency and clean nature of wind power are important to consider, especially because they contribute back to power companies economically.

[3] Economically, wind power is both a boon and a bone to electric companies and other users. For consumers, wind power is very cheap, leading to lower bills than from any other source. Consumers also get an indirect reimbursement by way of taxes (Source D). In one Texan town, McCamey, tax revenue increased 30% from a wind farm being erected in the town. This helps to finance improvements to the town. But, there is no doubt that wind power is also hurting the power companies. Although, as renewable power goes, wind is incredibly cheap, it is still significantly more expensive than fossil fuels. So, while it is helping to cut down on emissions, it costs electric companies more than traditional fossil fuel plants. While the general economic trend is positive, there are some setbacks which must be overcome before wind power can take over as truly more effective than fossil fuels.

[4] Aesthetics may be the greatest setback for power companies. Although there may be significant economic and environmental benefit to wind power, people will always fight to preserve pure, unspoiled land. Unfortunately, not much can be done to improve the visual aesthetics of the turbines. White paint is the most common choice because it “[is] associated with cleanliness.” (Source E). But, this can make it stand out like a sore thumb, and make the gargantuan machines seem more out of place. The site can also not be altered because it affects generating capacity. Sound is almost worse of a concern because it interrupts personal productivity by interrupting people’s sleep patterns. One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support.

[5] As with most things, wind power has no easy answer. It is the responsibility of the companies building them to weigh the benefits and the consequences. But, by balancing economics, efficiency, and aesthetics, power companies can create a solution which balances human impact with environmental preservation.

More examples can be found here at College Board.

While AP Scores help to boost your weighted GPA, or give you the option to get college credit, AP Scores don’t have a strong effect on your admissions chances . However, colleges can still see your self-reported scores, so you might not want to automatically send scores to colleges if they are lower than a 3. That being said, admissions officers care far more about your grade in an AP class than your score on the exam.

How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay with Example

September 5, 2023

If you’re highly interested in learning more about writing analysis, then chances are you enrolled in AP Lang. Essentially, AP Lang is an advanced course for high schoolers that combines interest and knowledge in English with critical thinking. In the class, students learn how to analyze and synthesize a variety of texts to construct well-reasoned arguments. If you take AP Lang, then you can opt to take the AP test at the conclusion of the school year. On the exam, students write the AP Lang synthesis essay to demonstrate their learned abilities. In this article, we’ll look at what the AP Lang synthesis essay requires and show an example to provide better understanding of what to expect on the exam.

AP Lang Exam Basics

The AP Lang exam is separated into two sections. In the first section, students have one hour to answer a series of 45 multiple-choice questions. Here, about half of the questions are based on passages students read. The other half are focused on the best revision techniques. Essentially, the answers for the latter 20-22 questions are geared toward revising mock essays.

In this article, however, we’ll focus mainly on the second part of the exam: the AP Lang synthesis essay.

In this second section, students have two hours and 15 minutes to write three essays of their own design. The three open-ended questions in this section are intended to be free-response and allow for a variety of approaches. Each question is intended to allow up to 40 minutes to complete.

For the AP Lang synthesis essay, students are presented with a scenario of the College Board’s design. The scenario will provide its own thesis statement. Usually, scenarios relate to real-world problems like environmental concerns, media, or government policies.

For each scenario, students are provided with 6-7 outside sources. These sources could be in the form of an image, visual graph, or written paragraph. For written paragraphs, the sources are usually no more than 500 words.

Students are then expected to incorporate at least 3-4 of these outside sources into their essay response. The outside sources are intended to be used as supporting evidence for the student’s chosen stance or argument. Students are able to either agree with or disagree with the thesis presented in the original scenario.

AP Lang Exam – Scoring

In the second part of the AP Lang exam, students can earn a possible 6 points on each essay. 1 point is earned for the development of a thesis. Up to 4 points can be earned for evidence and commentary. The final 1 point is earned for sophistication of thought.

AP Lang Exam – Takeaways

Ultimately, the goal of the AP Lang synthesis essay is not whether the student is “right” or “wrong” in their argument. The key is that students are able to reasonably and clearly support their argument using the provided sources as evidence .

The College Board looks for your ability to identify relationships between texts , form a coherent argument , and interpret external sources .

Synthesis Essay AP Lang Examples

If you’re not sure how the questions will look on the AP Lang synthesis essay section, we’ll provide an example. After the example, we’ll break down the strengths and weaknesses of the response. That way, you’ll have a better idea of what the College Board is looking for.

Additionally, the College Board has released previous AP Lang synthesis essay examples you can review. They even have essay questions as recent as 2022 . For further support, a scoring commentary and comments from the Chief Reader are also available to view. Additionally, there are other examples you can view from earlier years .

Note: A good strategy to study for the synthesis essay AP Lang exam is to review your rhetorical devices and literary devices . Understanding how these devices function can be essential in constructing a cohesive essay.

Synthesis Essay AP Lang Examples – Sample Question

Below is a sample question from the AP Lang synthesis essay and a response to the prompt. This question was taken directly from a 2022 exam . However, the response to the question will be originally crafted for the purpose of this newsletter. As well, all supporting evidence will be originally created and does not correspond to any previous test.

The Question

Since the early 2000s, the United States government and a number of corporations have sponsored initiatives to improve education in the STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The emphasis on STEM subjects in elementary, secondary, and higher education reflects concerns that United States students are less proficient in these areas than are students in other countries. Additionally, there is a belief that mastery in STEM fields is now essential in order to join a highly technical and specialized workforce. However, not everyone is convinced that a STEM-focused curriculum is necessary and/or effective.

In your response you should do the following:

Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible
Select and use evidence from at least three of the provided sources to support your line of Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
Explain how the evidence supports your line of
Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your

How to Approach the Question

Maybe your first thought upon seeing this block of text is to feel overwhelmed. But don’t panic. There are effective ways to approach the question so you will be more prepared in your response.

It’s a good strategy to first isolate the thesis . What is the main idea of the text, and what is its argument?

Try it out. Reread the prompt and see if you can identify what the statement is asking you to develop an opinion on.

Think you’ve got it? In this example, we will be focusing on whether or not a STEM-focused curriculum in K-12 education is necessary and/or effective. In short, we will be arguing either for (highlighting the benefits) or against (highlighting the pitfalls) a STEM-focused curriculum.

How do we know what this statement is asking us?

Well, the statement provides a lot of background information. For example, we receive a definition of what STEM stands for. As well, we know that since 2000, there has been a greater initiative for STEM-focused classes.

When you read the prompt for the first time, it’s a great strategy to learn how to differentiate between background and contextual information from the heart of the argument .

A good way to learn how to isolate the argument is to look for transition words. Usually, these appear near the end of the question. Words like “however” and “yet” are signals that the statement is offering a differing opinion. Typically, the statement will tell you which two positions it’s offering for argument. These opinions are usually signaled by contrasting transition words.

So, now that we know what the question is asking us, what is the best way to respond?

Synthesis Essay AP Lang Examples – Sample Answer

The following is an essay response I crafted to the above question. After reading the sample, I will break down what it does well and what areas can be improved.

A STEM-focused curriculum is not as essential to providing a meaningful K-12 education. Because the majority of high school students are not proficient in STEM-focused classes, prioritizing these classes causes harm to student’s mental health and academic performance.

As seen in Source A, 60% of high school seniors in the Midwest only scored a C average in math and science-based classes (Langston). This statistic suggests that the majority of students do not resonate with STEM classes and therefore perform poorly. Earning a low score in any class does not bode well for students’ mental health.

When looking at the primary argument in Source C, it’s clear that most high schoolers prefer creative outlets to fact-based research (Kohler). Allowing students the opportunity to be more creative and initiate conversations about coursework lets students be more active in their learning. When students can discuss the nuance in their opinions, more personal growth happens. These conversations are not always easy to have in STEM-focused classes.

As well, when looking back to Source A, it’s clear that high school students in the Midwest earned higher grades, on average, in their English and art classes (Langston). This figure suggests that students perform better in these classes because they relate more to the source material. When relating to what they learn, they perform better in class.

In conclusion, STEM-focused curriculum is not as essential in K-12 education because most high school students do not relate to their STEM classes. When students do not earn satisfactory grades in these classes, it negatively affects their future college applications and job prospects.

Synthesis Essay AP Lang Examples – Answer Breakdown

So, what does this essay response get right, and where can it be improved? Let’s start with what the response does well.

First, the response establishes its thesis right away. Usually, it’s a good idea to clearly state your argument within the first paragraph. Not only is this a good practice because a reader can easily identify your stance, but also you can refer to your thesis as you write to make you stay on track.

With your thesis, it’s also a good idea to include one to two supporting sentences with the reasons why the thesis is concluded . Like in this example, I wrote that STEM-focused classes should not be prioritized because they can negatively affect both mental health and academic performance.

Another positive aspect of this response is that it is sure to not only reference but also cites its sources . It’s important that the reader understand where your information is coming from. That way, the readers can ensure you are interpreting the sources correctly.

AP Lang Synthesis Essay (Continued)

However, when rereading the instructions, it’s clear that this response fails the basic requirement of referring to at least three sources. Always make sure to reread the instructions to ensure you meet the standard requirements for incorporating source material.

Further, this AP Lang synthesis essay does not fully support its arguments . Ideas are simply stated and are not expanded upon.

For example, I mentioned a few times that earning low grades in STEM classes leads to negative mental health for high school students. However, there is no source referenced that either confirms or denies this claim. Therefore, there is no sufficient evidence to support my argument. It relies purely on inference.

Additionally, this AP Lang synthesis essay does not arrive at a sufficient level of sophistication of thought . Basically, sophistication of thought means avoiding broad generalizations and vague claims. The more specific you can be, the better your argument will sound.

Synthesis Essay AP Lang – In Conclusion

In the end, it’s always helpful to read the prompt thoroughly before writing. As well, making notes while you read could be a good strategy to pinpoint main ideas both in the prompt and the sources. That way, you can reread the material quickly. Similarly, sketching an outline may also be helpful. In addition, you should always carefully read the instructions to ensure all guidelines are followed.

As long as you avoid broad generalizations and use enough supporting evidence for your claim, you will be on the right path!

High School Success

Meghan Dairaghi

With a BA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing, Meghan has served as a writing tutor at the University of Missouri St. Louis and Maryville University. Additionally, Meghan has held editorial roles at River Styx and Boulevard, and was a prose reader at Farside Review . Most recently, her work has been featured in Belle Ombre , Flypaper Lit , and Mag 20/20 , among others, and she was nominated for the Mary Troy Prize in Fiction.

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How to Write a Perfect Synthesis Essay for the AP Language Exam

Advanced Placement (AP)

If you're planning to take the AP Language (or AP Lang) exam , you might already know that 55% of your overall exam score will be based on three essays. The first of the three essays you'll have to write on the AP Language exam is called the "synthesis essay." If you want to earn full points on this portion of the AP Lang Exam, you need to know what a synthesis essay is and what skills are assessed by the AP Lang synthesis essay.

In this article, we'll explain the different aspects of the AP Lang synthesis essay, including what skills you need to demonstrate in your synthesis essay response in order to achieve a good score. We'll also give you a full breakdown of a real AP Lang Synthesis Essay prompt, provide an analysis of an AP Lang synthesis essay example, and give you four tips for how to write a synthesis essay.

Let's get started by taking a closer look at how the AP Lang synthesis essay works!

Synthesis Essay AP Lang: What It Is and How It Works

The AP Lang synthesis essay is the first of three essays included in the Free Response section of the AP Lang exam.

The AP Lang synthesis essay portion of the Free Response section lasts for one hour total . This hour consists of a recommended 15 minute reading period and a 40 minute writing period. Keep in mind that these time allotments are merely recommendations, and that exam takers can parse out the allotted 60 minutes to complete the synthesis essay however they choose.

Now, here's what the structure of the AP Lang synthesis essay looks like. The exam presents six to seven sources that are organized around a specific topic (like alternative energy or eminent domain, which are both past synthesis exam topics).

Of these six to seven sources, at least two are visual , including at least one quantitative source (like a graph or pie chart, for example). The remaining four to five sources are print text-based, and each one contains approximately 500 words.

In addition to six to seven sources, the AP Lang exam provides a written prompt that consists of three paragraphs. The prompt will briefly explain the essay topic, then present a claim that students will respond to in an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources provided.

Here's an example prompt provided by the College Board:

Directions : The following prompt is based on the accompanying six sources.

This question requires you to integrate a variety of sources into a coherent, well-written essay. Refer to the sources to support your position; avoid mere paraphrase or summary. Your argument should be central; the sources should support this argument .

Remember to attribute both direct and indirect citations.

Introduction

Television has been influential in United States presidential elections since the 1960's. But just what is this influence, and how has it affected who is elected? Has it made elections fairer and more accessible, or has it moved candidates from pursuing issues to pursuing image?

Read the following sources (including any introductory information) carefully. Then, in an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources for support, take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that television has had a positive impact on presidential elections.

Refer to the sources as Source A, Source B, etc.; titles are included for your convenience.

Source A (Campbell) Source B (Hart and Triece) Source C (Menand) Source D (Chart) Source E (Ranney) Source F (Koppel)

Like we mentioned earlier, this prompt gives you a topic — which it briefly explains — then asks you to take a position. In this case, you'll have to choose a stance on whether television has positively or negatively affected U.S. elections. You're also given six sources to evaluate and use in your response. Now that you have everything you need, now your job is to write an amazing synthesis essay.

But what does "synthesize" mean, exactly? According to the CollegeBoard, when an essay prompt asks you to synthesize, it means that you should "combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position" in writing. In other words, a synthesis essay asks you to state your claim on a topic, then highlight the relationships between several sources that support your claim on that topic. Additionally, you'll need to cite specific evidence from your sources to prove your point.

The synthesis essay counts for six of the total points on the AP Lang exam . Students can receive 0-1 points for writing a thesis statement in the essay, 0-4 based on incorporation of evidence and commentary, and 0-1 points based on sophistication of thought and demonstrated complex understanding of the topic.

You'll be evaluated based on how effectively you do the following in your AP Lang synthesis essay:

Write a thesis that responds to the exam prompt with a defensible position

Provide specific evidence that to support all claims in your line of reasoning from at least three of the sources provided, and clearly and consistently explain how the evidence you include supports your line of reasoning

Demonstrate sophistication of thought by either crafting a thoughtful argument, situating the argument in a broader context, explaining the limitations of an argument

Make rhetorical choices that strengthen your argument and/or employ a vivid and persuasive style throughout your essay.

If your synthesis essay meets the criteria above, then there's a good chance you'll score well on this portion of the AP Lang exam!

If you're looking for even more information on scoring, the College Board has posted the AP Lang Free Response grading rubric on its website. ( You can find it here. ) We recommend taking a close look at it since it includes additional details about the synthesis essay scoring.

Don't be intimidated...we're going to teach you how to break down even the hardest AP synthesis essay prompt.

Full Breakdown of a Real AP Lang Synthesis Essay Prompt

In this section, we'll teach you how to analyze and respond to a synthesis essay prompt in five easy steps, including suggested time frames for each step of the process.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

The very first thing to do when the clock starts running is read and analyze the prompt. To demonstrate how to do this, we'll look at the sample AP Lang synthesis essay prompt below. This prompt comes straight from the 2018 AP Lang exam:

Eminent domain is the power governments have to acquire property from private owners for public use. The rationale behind eminent domain is that governments have greater legal authority over lands within their dominion than do private owners. Eminent domain has been instituted in one way or another throughout the world for hundreds of years.

Carefully read the following six sources, including the introductory information for each source. Then synthesize material from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies the notion that eminent domain is productive and beneficial.

Your argument should be the focus of your essay. Use the sources to develop your argument and explain the reasoning for it. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the descriptions in parentheses.

On first read, you might be nervous about how to answer this prompt...especially if you don't know what eminent domain is! But if you break the prompt down into chunks, you'll be able to figure out what the prompt is asking you to do in no time flat.

To get a full understanding of what this prompt wants you to do, you need to identify the most important details in this prompt, paragraph by paragraph. Here's what each paragraph is asking you to do:

Paragraph 1: The prompt presents and briefly explains the topic that you'll be writing your synthesis essay about. That topic is the concept of eminent domain.
Paragraph 2: The prompt presents a specific claim about the concept of eminent domain in this paragraph: Eminent domain is productive and beneficial. This paragraph instructs you to decide whether you want to defend, challenge, or qualify that claim in your synthesis essay , and use material from at least three of the sources provided in order to do so.
Paragraph 3: In the last paragraph of the prompt, the exam gives you clear instructions about how to approach writing your synthesis essay . First, make your argument the focus of the essay. Second, use material from at least three of the sources to develop and explain your argument. Third, provide commentary on the material you include, and provide proper citations when you incorporate quotations, paraphrases, or summaries from the sources provided.

So basically, you'll have to agree with, disagree with, or qualify the claim stated in the prompt, then use at least three sources substantiate your answer. Since you probably don't know much about eminent domain, you'll probably decide on your position after you read the provided sources.

To make good use of your time on the exam, you should spend around 2 minutes reading the prompt and making note of what it's asking you to do. That will leave you plenty of time to read the sources provided, which is the next step to writing a synthesis essay.

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

After you closely read the prompt and make note of the most important details, you need to read all of the sources provided. It's tempting to skip one or two sources to save time--but we recommend you don't do this. That's because you'll need a thorough understanding of the topic before you can accurately address the prompt!

For the sample exam prompt included above, there are six sources provided. We're not going to include all of the sources in this article, but you can view the six sources from this question on the 2018 AP Lang exam here . The sources include five print-text sources and one visual source, which is a cartoon.

As you read the sources, it's important to read quickly and carefully. Don't rush! Keep your pencil in hand to quickly mark important passages that you might want to use as evidence in your synthesis. While you're reading the sources and marking passages, you want to think about how the information you're reading influences your stance on the issue (in this case, eminent domain).

When you finish reading, take a few seconds to summarize, in a phrase or sentence, whether the source defends, challenges, or qualifies whether eminent domain is beneficial (which is the claim in the prompt) . Though it might not feel like you have time for this, it's important to give yourself these notes about each source so you know how you can use each one as evidence in your essay.

Here's what we mean: say you want to challenge the idea that eminent domain is useful. If you've jotted down notes about each source and what it's saying, it will be easier for you to pull the relevant information into your outline and your essay.

So how much time should you spend reading the provided sources? The AP Lang exam recommends taking 15 minutes to read the sources . If you spend around two of those minutes reading and breaking down the essay prompt, it makes sense to spend the remaining 13 minutes reading and annotating the sources.

If you finish reading and annotating early, you can always move on to drafting your synthesis essay. But make sure you're taking your time and reading carefully! It's better to use a little extra time reading and understanding the sources now so that you don't have to go back and re-read the sources later.

A strong thesis will do a lot of heavy lifting in your essay. (See what we did there?)

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement

After you've analyzed the prompt and thoroughly read the sources, the next thing you need to do in order to write a good synthesis essay is write a strong thesis statement .

The great news about writing a thesis statement for this synthesis essay is that you have all the tools you need to do it at your fingertips. All you have to do in order to write your thesis statement is decide what your stance is in relationship to the topic provided.

In the example prompt provided earlier, you're essentially given three choices for how to frame your thesis statement: you can either defend, challenge, or qualify a claim that's been provided by the prompt, that eminent domain is productive and beneficial . Here's what that means for each option:

If you choose to defend the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is correct . In this case, you'll have to show that eminent domain is a good thing.

If you choose to challenge the claim, you'll argue that the claim is incorrect. In other words, you'll argue that eminent domain isn't productive or beneficial.

If you choose to qualify, that means you'll agree with part of the claim, but disagree with another part of the claim. For instance, you may argue that eminent domain can be a productive tool for governments, but it's not beneficial for property owners. Or maybe you argue that eminent domain is useful in certain circumstances, but not in others.

When you decide whether you want your synthesis essay to defend, challenge, or qualify that claim, you need to convey that stance clearly in your thesis statement. You want to avoid simply restating the claim provided in the prompt, summarizing the issue without making a coherent claim, or writing a thesis that doesn't respond to the prompt.

Here's an example of a thesis statement that received full points on the eminent domain synthesis essay:

Although eminent domain can be misused to benefit private interests at the expense of citizens, it is a vital tool of any government that intends to have any influence on the land it governs beyond that of written law.

This thesis statement received full points because it states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning on the issue of eminent domain. It states the author's position (that some parts of eminent domain are good, but others are bad), then goes on to explain why the author thinks that (it's good because it allows the government to do its job, but it's bad because the government can misuse its power.)

Because this example thesis statement states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning, it can be elaborated upon in the body of the essay through sub-claims, supporting evidence, and commentary. And a solid argument is key to getting a six on your synthesis essay for AP Lang!

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Step 4: Create a Bare-Bones Essay Outline

Once you've got your thesis statement drafted, you have the foundation you need to develop a bare bones outline for your synthesis essay. Developing an outline might seem like it's a waste of your precious time, but if you develop your outline well, it will actually save you time when you start writing your essay.

With that in mind, we recommend spending 5 to 10 minutes outlining your synthesis essay . If you use a bare-bones outline like the one below, labeling each piece of content that you need to include in your essay draft, you should be able to develop out the most important pieces of the synthesis before you even draft the actual essay.

To help you see how this can work on test day, we've created a sample outline for you. You can even memorize this outline to help you out on test day! In the outline below, you'll find places to fill in a thesis statement, body paragraph topic sentences, evidence from the sources provided, and commentary :

Present the context surrounding the essay topic in a couple of sentences (this is a good place to use what you learned about the major opinions or controversies about the topic from reading your sources).
Write a straightforward, clear, and concise thesis statement that presents your stance on the topic
Topic sentence presenting first supporting point or claim
Evidence #1
Commentary on Evidence #1
Evidence #2 (if needed)
Commentary on Evidence #2 (if needed)
Topic sentence presenting second supporting point or claim
Topic sentence presenting three supporting point or claim
Sums up the main line of reasoning that you developed and defended throughout the essay
Reiterates the thesis statement

Taking the time to develop these crucial pieces of the synthesis in a bare-bones outline will give you a map for your final essay. Once you have a map, writing the essay will be much easier.

Step 5: Draft Your Essay Response

The great thing about taking a few minutes to develop an outline is that you can develop it out into your essay draft. After you take about 5 to 10 minutes to outline your synthesis essay, you can use the remaining 30 to 35 minutes to draft your essay and review it.

Since you'll outline your essay before you start drafting, writing the essay should be pretty straightforward. You'll already know how many paragraphs you're going to write, what the topic of each paragraph will be, and what quotations, paraphrases, or summaries you're going to include in each paragraph from the sources provided. You'll just have to fill in one of the most important parts of your synthesis—your commentary.

Commentaries are your explanation of why your evidence supports the argument you've outlined in your thesis. Your commentary is where you actually make your argument, which is why it's such a critical part of your synthesis essay.

When thinking about what to say in your commentary, remember one thing the AP Lang synthesis essay prompt specifies: don't just summarize the sources. Instead, as you provide commentary on the evidence you incorporate, you need to explain how that evidence supports or undermines your thesis statement . You should include commentary that offers a thoughtful or novel perspective on the evidence from your sources to develop your argument.

One very important thing to remember as you draft out your essay is to cite your sources. The AP Lang exam synthesis essay prompt indicates that you can use generic labels for the sources provided (e.g. "Source 1," "Source 2," "Source 3," etc.). The exam prompt will indicate which label corresponds with which source, so you'll need to make sure you pay attention and cite sources accurately. You can cite your sources in the sentence where you introduce a quote, summary, or paraphrase, or you can use a parenthetical citation. Citing your sources affects your score on the synthesis essay, so remembering to do this is important.

Keep reading for a real-life example of a great AP synthesis essay response!

Real-Life AP Synthesis Essay Example and Analysis

If you're still wondering how to write a synthesis essay, examples of real essays from past AP Lang exams can make things clearer. These real-life student AP synthesis essay responses can be great for helping you understand how to write a synthesis essay that will knock the graders' socks off .

While there are multiple essay examples online, we've chosen one to take a closer look at. We're going to give you a brief analysis of one of these example student synthesis essays from the 2019 AP Lang Exam below!

Example Synthesis Essay AP Lang Response

To get started, let's look at the official prompt for the 2019 synthesis essay:

In response to our society's increasing demand for energy, large-scale wind power has drawn attention from governments and consumers as a potential alternative to traditional materials that fuel our power grids, such as coal, oil, natural gas, water, or even newer sources such as nuclear or solar power. Yet the establishment of large-scale, commercial-grade wind farms is often the subject of controversy for a variety of reasons.

Source A (photo) Source B (Layton) Source C (Seltenrich) Source D (Brown) Source E (Rule) Source F (Molla)

In your response you should do the following:

Respond to the prompt with a thesis presents a defensible position.
Select and use evidence from at least 3 of the provided sources to support your line of reasoning. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

Now that you know exactly what the prompt asked students to do on the 2019 AP Lang synthesis essay, here's an AP Lang synthesis essay example, written by a real student on the AP Lang exam in 2019:

[4] Aesthetics may be the greatest setback for power companies. Although there may be significant economic and environmental benefit to wind power, people will always fight to preserve pure, unspoiled land. Unfortunately, not much can be done to improve the visual aesthetics of the turbines. White paint is the most common choice because it "[is] associated with cleanliness." (Source E). But, this can make it stand out like a sore thumb, and make the gargantuan machines seem more out of place. The site can also not be altered because it affects generating capacity. Sound is almost worse of a concern because it interrupts personal productivity by interrupting people's sleep patterns. One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support.

And that's an entire AP Lang synthesis essay example, written in response to a real AP Lang exam prompt! It's important to remember AP Lang exam synthesis essay prompts are always similarly structured and worded, and students often respond in around the same number of paragraphs as what you see in the example essay response above.

Next, let's analyze this example essay and talk about what it does effectively, where it could be improved upon, and what score past exam scorers awarded it.

To get started on an analysis of the sample synthesis essay, let's look at the scoring commentary provided by the College Board:

For development of thesis, the essay received 1 out of 1 possible points
For evidence and commentary, the essay received 4 out of 4 possible points
For sophistication of thought, the essay received 0 out of 1 possible points.

This means that the final score for this example essay was a 5 out of 6 possible points . Let's look more closely at the content of the example essay to figure out why it received this score breakdown.

Thesis Development

The thesis statement is one of the three main categories that is taken into consideration when you're awarded points on this portion of the exam. This sample essay received 1 out of 1 total points.

Now, here's why: the thesis statement clearly and concisely conveys a position on the topic presented in the prompt--alternative energy and wind power--and defines the most important factors that power companies should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm.

Evidence and Commentary

The second key category taken into consideration when synthesis exams are evaluated is incorporation of evidence and commentary. This sample received 4 out of 4 possible points for this portion of the synthesis essay. At bare minimum, this sample essay meets the requirement mentioned in the prompt that the writer incorporate evidence from at least three of the sources provided.

On top of that, the writer does a good job of connecting the incorporated evidence back to the claim made in the thesis statement through effective commentary. The commentary in this sample essay is effective because it goes beyond just summarizing what the provided sources say. Instead, it explains and analyzes the evidence presented in the selected sources and connects them back to supporting points the writer makes in each body paragraph.

Finally, the writer of the essay also received points for evidence and commentary because the writer developed and supported a consistent line of reasoning throughout the essay . This line of reasoning is summed up in the fourth paragraph in the following sentence: "One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support."

Because the writer did a good job consistently developing their argument and incorporating evidence, they received full marks in this category. So far, so good!

Sophistication of Thought

Now, we know that this essay received a score of 5 out of 6 total points, and the place where the writer lost a point was on the basis of sophistication of thought, for which the writer received 0 out of 1 points. That's because this sample essay makes several generalizations and vague claims where it could have instead made specific claims that support a more balanced argument.

For example, in the following sentence from the 5th paragraph of the sample essay, the writer misses the opportunity to state specific possibilities that power companies should consider for wind energy . Instead, the writer is ambiguous and non-committal, saying, "As with most things, wind power has no easy answer. It is the responsibility of the companies building them to weigh the benefits and consequences."

If the writer of this essay was interested in trying to get that 6th point on the synthesis essay response, they could consider making more specific claims. For instance, they could state the specific benefits and consequences power companies should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm. These could include things like environmental impacts, economic impacts, or even population density!

Despite losing one point in the last category, this example synthesis essay is a strong one. It's well-developed, thoughtfully written, and advances an argument on the exam topic using evidence and support throughout.

4 Tips for How to Write a Synthesis Essay

AP Lang is a timed exam, so you have to pick and choose what you want to focus on in the limited time you're given to write the synthesis essay. Keep reading to get our expert advice on what you should focus on during your exam.

Tip 1: Read the Prompt First

It may sound obvious, but when you're pressed for time, it's easy to get flustered. Just remember: when it comes time to write the synthesis essay, read the prompt first !

Why is it so important to read the prompt before you read the sources? Because when you're aware of what kind of question you're trying to answer, you'll be able to read the sources more strategically. The prompt will help give you a sense of what claims, points, facts, or opinions to be looking for as you read the sources.

Reading the sources without having read the prompt first is kind of like trying to drive while wearing a blindfold: you can probably do it, but it's likely not going to end well!

Tip 2: Make Notes While You Read

During the 15-minute reading period at the beginning of the synthesis essay, you'll be reading through the sources as quickly as you can. After all, you're probably anxious to start writing!

While it's definitely important to make good use of your time, it's also important to read closely enough that you understand your sources. Careful reading will allow you to identify parts of the sources that will help you support your thesis statement in your essay, too.

As you read the sources, consider marking helpful passages with a star or check mark in the margins of the exam so you know which parts of the text to quickly re-read as you form your synthesis essay. You might also consider summing up the key points or position of each source in a sentence or a few words when you finish reading each source during the reading period. Doing so will help you know where each source stands on the topic given and help you pick the three (or more!) that will bolster your synthesis argument.

Tip 3: Start With the Thesis Statement

If you don't start your synthesis essay with a strong thesis statement, it's going to be tough to write an effective synthesis essay. As soon as you finish reading and annotating the provided sources, the thing you want to do next is write a strong thesis statement.

According to the CollegeBoard grading guidelines for the AP Lang synthesis essay, a strong thesis statement will respond to the prompt— not restate or rephrase the prompt. A good thesis will take a clear, defensible position on the topic presented in the prompt and the sources.

In other words, to write a solid thesis statement to guide the rest of your synthesis essay, you need to think about your position on the topic at hand and then make a claim about the topic based on your position. This position will either be defending, challenging, or qualifying the claim made in the essay's prompt.

The defensible position that you establish in your thesis statement will guide your argument in the rest of the essay, so it's important to do this first. Once you have a strong thesis statement, you can begin outlining your essay.

Tip 4: Focus on Your Commentary

Writing thoughtful, original commentary that explains your argument and your sources is important. In fact, doing this well will earn you four points (out of a total of six)!

AP Lang provides six to seven sources for you on the exam, and you'll be expected to incorporate quotations, paraphrases, or summaries from at least three of those sources into your synthesis essay and interpret that evidence for the reader.

While incorporating evidence is very important, in order to get the extra point for "sophistication of thought" on the synthesis essay, it's important to spend more time thinking about your commentary on the evidence you choose to incorporate. The commentary is your chance to show original thinking, strong rhetorical skills, and clearly explain how the evidence you've included supports the stance you laid out in your thesis statement.

To earn the 6th possible point on the synthesis essay, make sure your commentary demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the source material, explains this nuanced understanding, and places the evidence incorporated from the sources in conversation with each other. To do this, make sure you're avoiding vague language. Be specific when you can, and always tie your commentary back to your thesis!

What's Next?

There's a lot more to the AP Language exam than just the synthesis essay. Be sure to check out our expert guide to the entire exam , then learn more about the tricky multiple choice section .

Is the AP Lang exam hard...or is it easy? See how it stacks up to other AP tests on our list of the hardest AP exams .

Did you know there are technically two English AP exams? You can learn more about the second English AP test, the AP Literature exam, in this article . And if you're confused about whether you should take the AP Lang or AP Lit test , we can help you make that decision, too.

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Synthesis Essay Writing

Synthesis Essay Examples

15 Synthesis Essay Examples: Tips & Expert Guidance

Understanding What A Synthesis Essay Is

A synthesis essay is a special kind of academic writing where writers blend ideas and information from multiple sources to create a clear and organized argument.

Unlike other types of essays , a synthesis essay demands the integration of various perspectives to form a new understanding or insight.

It involves critically examining different sources, and synthesizing them to develop a comprehensive viewpoint on a particular topic.

Looking at synthesis essay examples can really help you write a great essay. Here's a good synthesis essay example to inspire your writing:

Here’s another sample essay:

Marc And Carly Synthesis Essay Example

Synthesis Essay Outline Example

An outline is just like a table of content sections on a page. It consists of categories and subcategories of a given topic that the writer plans to cover in the essay.

Below is a synthesis essay outline template that explains the outline structure in detail. Have a look at it.

Synthesis Essay Example Outline

Synthesis Essay Example Thesis

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How to Write a Synthesis Essay - Example

In order to write a good synthesis paper, you need to follow the format and proper procedure. The synthesis essay has an introduction paragraph, three body paragraphs with supportive evidence to back up the topic, and a thesis statement .

And a conclusion paragraph where you answer all the questions while referring back to the main thesis.

Check out this sample template; it will help you learn the basics of synthesis essay structure.

AP English Language and Composition Synthesis Essay Example

The AP Lang synthesis essay requires students to analyze information from various sources to discuss the topic of their essays. Refer to the sample AP language synthesis essay to learn how you can write a perfect synthesis essay.

Synthesis Essay Example Ap Lang

2022 Ap Lang Synthesis Essay Example

Synthesis Essay Examples for Different Formats

Knowing how to write synthesis essays in different styles is important. Given below are some examples of synthesis essays in different formats.

APA Format Synthesis Essay Example

APA (American Psychological Association) is a citation style that provides formatting conventions for student and professional papers. Below is a sample example of an APA-style synthesis essay.

Synthesis Essay Example APA

MLA Format Synthesis Essay Example

MLA (Modern Language Association) is another referencing style that allows us to cite the sources using a proper citation format. Here is an MLA-style synthesis essay example to help you learn the basics of this style.

Synthesis Essay Example MLA

Examples of Different Synthesis Essay Types

Synthesis essays come in various types, each requiring a unique approach. Explore the following synthesis essay examples tailored to different types, offering a comprehensive overview of how to tackle diverse writing tasks:

College Synthesis Essay Example

This sample PDF is to help college students learn the outline, format, and structure of the synthesis essay. You can easily download it and save it with you for further use.

Synthesis Essay Example College Board

Explanatory Synthesis Essay Example

The explanatory synthesis is intended to explain a particular subject in detail to make it easy to understand for people. Refer to the sample essay given below and see what makes it different from a simple synthesis essay.

Argumentative Synthesis Essay Example

Argumentative synthesis is another type of synthesis essay that is intended to present an argument. The writer presents his claim and supports it with facts and evidence to prove it right. Check out the sample essay given below to understand how it is different from a general argumentative essay .

Eminent Domain Synthesis Essay Example

An eminent domain synthesis essay explores the concept of eminent domain, which is the government's authority to take private property for public use. This type of synthesis essay inquires into various aspects of eminent domain, considering legal, ethical, and social perspectives.

Here’s an example:

Synthesis Essay Example About Social Media

This type of synthesis essay explores the impact of social media on individuals and society. It aims to analyze and synthesize information to construct a well-rounded understanding of the role of social media in our lives. Here’s an example of it:

Social Media Synthesis Essay Example

Synthesis Essay Example Prompts

Here are five prompts to kickstart your synthesis essay:

Compare the effects of renewable energy on the environment versus its economic impact on traditional energy sectors
Evaluate how social media platforms enhance global communication while contributing to rising mental health concerns
Assess the advantages and drawbacks of integrating technology in classrooms from both student and educator viewpoints
Investigate the environmental and ethical repercussions of fast fashion and suggest sustainable alternatives
Analyze the role of online learning in bridging or widening educational gaps among students from different socio-economic backgrounds

Synthesis Essay Topics - Examples

Choosing a compelling topic is very important when writing a synthesis essay. Here are some thought-provoking synthesis essay topics that can inspire your writing:

The Impact of Technology on Human Interaction
Climate Change and Global Sustainability
The Role of Social Media in Modern Society
The Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Ethics
Education Reform: Challenges and Opportunities
Impact of Social Movements on Policy Change
Healthcare Access: A Global Perspective
Cultural Diversity in the Workplace
The Influence of Literature on Society
The Future of Work: Remote vs. Traditional

Looking for more topics? Check out this blog on synthesis essay topics for inspiration.

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Tips for Writing an Effective Synthesis Essay

A strong synthesis essay goes beyond the writing process; it requires strategic planning and meticulous execution. Here are key points to make sure your synthesis essay stands out:

Select Credible Sources

Begin by choosing reliable and credible sources. Make sure that the information you gather is from reputable authors, organizations, or publications to strengthen the foundation of your essay.

Background Information is Key

Provide sufficient background information on your chosen topic. Help your readers understand the context and significance of the subject matter before jumping to your argument.

Develop a Coherent Argument

Focus on building a clear and coherent argument throughout your essay. Each paragraph should focus on contributing to the overall flow and support your thesis.

Support Your with Evidence

A strong synthesis essay requires a well-supported argument. Back up your claims with evidence from your chosen sources, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the topic.

Utilize Sources to Support Each Other

Instead of treating sources in isolation, highlight their relationships. Demonstrate how each source complements or contrasts with others, emphasizing the interconnectedness of your information.

Synthesis Essay Requires Critical Analysis

Go beyond summarizing your sources; engage in critical analysis. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each source and consider their implications for your argument.

Backup Your Argument:

Throughout your essay, consistently reinforce your central argument. Every piece of information should contribute to and reinforce the main thesis, creating a cohesive and persuasive narrative.

In conclusion , tackling synthesis essays is easier than it seems when armed with the right knowledge. Use the tips and examples provided to boost your skills and approach these essays with confidence.

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At MyPerfectWords.com , our team of experienced writers is here to provide custom essays that meet your expectations. For top-notch essay writing help online, our experts are just a click away.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are some examples of synthesis in writing.

Synthesis in writing is when you combine information from different sources to form a clear, unified idea. For example:

In a research paper , you might summarize several studies to highlight a common theme.
In an argumentative essay , you pull together evidence from different places to support your point.
In a compare and contrast essay , you blend details from multiple sources to show how two things are alike or different.

It's all about bringing various pieces together to create a new, complete picture.

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Short Essay: AP Language Synthesis

The AP Language and Composition exam is a challenging test that requires students to demonstrate a wide range of skills. Among the various components of the exam, the synthesis essay is particularly demanding, as it necessitates not only strong writing abilities but also critical thinking and adept use of sources. In this article, we will delve into the synthesis essay, breaking down the steps and strategies necessary to craft a compelling response.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Synthesis Essay

At its core, the synthesis essay asks you to combine information from various sources to discuss a specific topic or argument. The College Board provides 6-7 sources that might include articles, essays, graphs, and images, reflecting different perspectives on an issue. Your task is to synthesize these sources into a coherent essay that presents your own position on the topic while incorporating the provided materials.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

Before you even consider the sources, read the prompt carefully. Understand exactly what it’s asking you to do. The prompt will typically present an issue and ask you to take a stance, using the sources to support your position. Identify keywords and consider any underlying assumptions or implications within the prompt.

Step 2: Examine the Sources

Take your time to read through each source provided. As you do, annotate key ideas, arguments, and pieces of evidence that might be useful. Be on the lookout for both supporting and contradicting points of view. Consider the credibility of each source and any biases that may be present.

Step 3: Develop a Thesis

Once you have a good grasp of the sources and the prompt, it’s time to formulate your thesis statement. Your thesis should clearly state your position on the issue and set the tone for your essay. It should be specific enough to guide your argument but flexible enough to allow for a nuanced discussion.

Step 4: Create an Outline

Organizing your thoughts and the information you plan to include is crucial. An outline will help you structure your essay logically. Plan out your introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Decide where each source will fit into your argument and how you will address counterarguments.

Step 5: Write the Introduction

Your introduction should set the stage for your argument. Begin with a hook—an interesting fact, question, or quote that grabs the reader’s attention. Provide some background on the issue, if necessary, and then clearly state your thesis.

Step 6: Craft the Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph should focus on a single idea that supports your thesis. Start with a topic sentence that clearly relates to your main argument. Integrate evidence from the sources, and explain how it supports your point. Be sure to attribute information correctly and blend the sources seamlessly into your own prose. Address counterarguments to demonstrate the depth of your analysis and reinforce your position.

Step 7: Use Transitions

Transitions are the glue that holds your essay together. They help the reader follow your argument from one point to the next. Use transitional phrases to connect ideas within paragraphs and to move smoothly between them.

Step 8: Conclude with Strength

Your conclusion should not simply restate your thesis. Instead, it should synthesize the main points you’ve made and demonstrate the broader implications of your argument. Leave your reader with a final thought that underscores the significance of your position.

Step 9: Cite Your Sources

While the AP Language exam does not require formal MLA or APA citation style, you do need to clearly indicate which source you are referencing. You might do this by mentioning the author’s name or by describing the source (“According to the graph provided…”).

Step 10: Revise and Proofread

If time permits, review your essay. Look for clarity, coherence, and grammatical accuracy. Make sure you’ve used a variety of sentence structures and that your word choice is precise. Confirm that you’ve accurately represented the sources and that your argument is persuasive.

Tips for Success

Understand Rhetorical Strategies : Knowing how to identify and discuss rhetorical devices will help you analyze the sources effectively.
Practice Critical Reading : The more you practice reading non-fiction texts critically, the better you will become at quickly identifying key arguments and evidence.
Practice Writing Under Time Constraints : The synthesis essay is timed, so you need to be able to organize and express your thoughts quickly and efficiently.
Learn to Synthesize : Synthesis goes beyond summarizing sources. It involves combining ideas from different sources to support your own argument in a cohesive way.
Expand Your Vocabulary : A rich vocabulary allows you to express your ideas clearly and persuasively.

Example Synthesis Prompt and Thesis

Prompt : In an increasingly digital world, libraries are at a crossroads. Some argue that libraries are more important than ever, providing access to digital resources and a public space for the community. Others believe that libraries are becoming obsolete in the age of the internet. Based on the sources provided, construct an argument about the role that libraries should play in contemporary society.

Thesis : In the 21st century, libraries must evolve beyond their traditional role as repositories of printed materials; they should serve as dynamic community centers that provide access to digital resources, promote digital literacy, and foster communal engagement.

With this thesis, the essay will not only synthesize the given sources but also present a nuanced perspective on the future of libraries.

AP Language Synthesis Essay Example #1

Prompt: Over the past decade, there has been a rising trend of telecommuting, with many individuals working from home rather than in traditional office settings. Some argue that telecommuting offers greater work-life balance and reduces the environmental impact of commuting. Others contend that it can lead to feelings of isolation and may hinder collaboration among colleagues. Based on the sources provided, write an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources to develop your position on the pros and cons of telecommuting.

Source A: An article about the environmental benefits of telecommuting.
Source B: A study on productivity changes when employees work from home.
Source C: An interview with a psychologist discussing the social implications of telecommuting.
Source D: A business magazine article on the impact of telecommuting on company culture.
Source E: A blog post from a telecommuter sharing personal experiences.
Source F: An infographic with statistics on telecommuting trends.

Example Synthesis Essay

Title: Telecommuting: Balancing the Scale of Work-Life and Collaboration

In a world where the digital landscape is rapidly redefining the traditional workspace, telecommuting emerges as a beacon of modern employment. It promises a greener earth through fewer carbon emissions, a more balanced life away from the rigors of office commutes, and an autonomous work environment. However, these benefits come with trade-offs, such as potential obstacles to collaboration and a risk of worker isolation. By synthesizing insights from multiple sources, it becomes evident that telecommuting is a multifaceted issue that requires a nuanced approach to harness its benefits while mitigating its drawbacks.

The environmental argument for telecommuting, as presented in Source A, is compelling. The reduction in daily commutes translates to fewer cars on the road and a significant decrease in carbon footprint. This source posits that if employees with telework-compatible jobs worked from home even half the time, the national savings would total over $700 million in reduced oil consumption annually. The environmental benefits are clear, but they represent only one slice of the telecommuting pie.

Source B presents a more complex picture, suggesting that telecommuting can lead to increased productivity. The study details how employees often work longer hours from the comfort of their homes, free from the distractions of office politics and the time sink of daily commutes. However, this increased productivity does not necessarily equate to increased job satisfaction. The isolation mentioned in Source B can lead to a sense of disconnection from colleagues and the company culture.

The psychological impact of this isolation is further explored in Source C, where a psychologist asserts that human beings are inherently social creatures who thrive on interpersonal interactions. The psychologist warns that prolonged periods of isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness and can be detrimental to mental health—even more so in a work context where collaboration and team cohesion are essential.

Conversely, Source D argues that company culture does not have to suffer as a result of telecommuting. It proposes that with the right communication tools and regular in-person meetings, a company can maintain, if not strengthen, its culture. The article highlights companies that have successfully integrated telecommuting without sacrificing their collaborative ethos. This suggests that while telecommuting presents challenges to maintaining company culture, these challenges are not insurmountable with intentional effort.

The personal account in Source E provides a testament to the positive aspects of telecommuting, outlining the writer’s improved work-life balance, increased autonomy, and reduced stress levels. This perspective is valuable as it underscores the importance of individual differences. For some, the solitude of telecommuting is a blessing that allows for deep work and concentration, whereas for others, it can be a curse that breeds isolation and disconnection.

The infographic in Source F offers a broader overview, presenting data that reflects the growing trend of telecommuting. It states that telecommuting has increased by 44% over the last five years, suggesting that the workforce is adapting to this new model. This rise indicates that despite its challenges, telecommuting is meeting the needs of a significant portion of the workforce.

Considering the evidence, telecommuting presents a paradoxical challenge: it can both enhance and diminish the quality of the working experience. On the one hand, it can lead to environmental benefits, increased productivity, and improved work-life balance (Sources A, B, and E). On the other hand, it can impede collaboration and contribute to feelings of isolation (Sources C and D). The solution lies not in rejecting telecommuting outright but in approaching it with a strategy that fosters connection and collaboration while allowing for the flexibility that many workers desire.

In conclusion, telecommuting is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It is a flexible tool that, when used appropriately, can offer significant benefits to both the employee and the environment. Organizations and employees alike must strive to strike a balance—leveraging technology to maintain team unity, instituting regular check-ins to combat isolation, and promoting a culture that values both individual and collective success. As the workplace continues to evolve, so must our strategies for ensuring that telecommuting serves as a bridge to a more sustainable and satisfying professional life, rather than a barrier.

This synthesis essay integrates material from at least three of the provided sources to construct an argument. It carefully balances the pros and cons of telecommuting, providing a nuanced analysis of the issue. Remember that actual AP sources will contain more detailed information, and your essay should include direct reference to the content of the sources, including quotations and specific data where appropriate. Always cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc., within your essay.

AP Language Synthesis Essay Example #2

Prompt: The rise of social media platforms has transformed the way people interact and consume information. While some praise social media for democratizing information and connecting people worldwide, others criticize it for contributing to the spread of misinformation and reducing the quality of public discourse. Based on the sources provided, write an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources to argue whether social media has been more beneficial or detrimental to society.

Source A: An article on the role of social media in political movements.
Source B: A study examining the relationship between social media use and mental health.
Source C: A journalist’s opinion piece on the spread of misinformation through social media.
Source D: A report on the impact of social media on local businesses and economies.
Source E: A survey revealing how different generations use social media.
Source F: An interview with a social media platform developer discussing the intent behind the platform’s design.

Title: Navigating the Digital Maze: The Dual Faces of Social Media

In an age where a tweet can spark a revolution and a hashtag can unite millions, social media has become a fundamental pillar of modern communication. Its rapid ascendancy has ushered in a new era, where information is at the fingertips of anyone with internet access. This power to connect has been instrumental in driving political movements, as noted in Source A, which highlights the crucial role social media played in the Arab Spring. However, this connectivity comes at a price. As social media’s influence deepens, its capacity for harm seems to match its potential for good. The debate on whether social media serves as a force for societal benefit or detriment is multifaceted, and a synthesis of the provided sources reveals a complex web of consequences that social media weaves.

The democratizing power of social media is evident in its ability to mobilize and empower individuals, particularly in political contexts. Source A illustrates this through examples of social media as a tool for political activism, enabling citizens to organize, protest, and hold authorities accountable. This represents a significant shift in power dynamics, from a centralized broadcast model to a decentralized network where voices that were previously marginalized can now be amplified.

Despite these positive aspects, the argument that social media is a double-edged sword is well-founded. Source B presents alarming evidence linking excessive social media use to deteriorating mental health, especially among younger demographics. The constant comparison with others, cyberbullying, and the “fear of missing out” are cited as contributing factors to anxiety and depression. This correlation points to a darker side of social networks, where the quest for likes and follows can eclipse the quest for genuine human connection.

The pernicious spread of misinformation through social media platforms, as discussed in Source C, adds another layer of complexity. The piece elucidates how false information can go viral, sometimes with dire consequences. The recent proliferation of “fake news” has led to widespread confusion and a general mistrust in the information ecosystem. Social media, designed to facilitate the rapid exchange of information, has inadvertently become a conduit for deception on a grand scale.

However, not all effects of social media are so grim. Source D sheds light on its positive economic impacts, particularly for local businesses. By providing a platform for advertising and customer engagement, social media has enabled small businesses to flourish. The report suggests that social media has been a boon for entrepreneurship, offering affordable and effective marketing tools that were previously accessible only to large companies with substantial budgets.

The generational divide in social media use, as shown in Source E, suggests that the platform’s effects are not uniform across all age groups. While younger users may be more prone to the negative social impacts, older generations might leverage social media primarily for staying connected with family and friends, thus experiencing more of its benefits.

Lastly, Source F provides insight from the perspective of those behind the curtain: the developers of social media platforms. The interviewee reflects on the original intent of these networks—to connect people—and acknowledges that while the platforms have largely succeeded in this goal, they have also created unintended negative consequences.

In synthesizing these sources, it becomes clear that social media is neither wholly beneficial nor entirely detrimental. It is a reflection of humanity itself—capable of great good and great harm. The key lies in how individuals and societies choose to utilize this tool. Social media has the potential to be a formidable ally in the quest for a more informed and connected world, as long as users remain vigilant against its darker tendencies.

In conclusion, the impact of social media on society is akin to fire—a powerful element that can warm a home or raze it. It is incumbent upon users, platform developers, and policymakers alike to cultivate a virtual environment that fuels the flames of positive change while containing the destructive blazes of harm. As social media continues to evolve, so too should our understanding and regulation of its vast influence.

This essay integrates material from the provided sources and develops an argument about the complex nature of social media’s impact on society. It weaves together the benefits and drawbacks discussed in the sources to present a nuanced view that recognizes the power of social media as a tool whose ultimate effect depends on its use and regulation. Remember, in an actual AP Synthesis Essay, you would need to reference the sources more directly, including specific evidence and quotations, and provide in-text citations (Source A, Source B, etc.) within the body of your essay.

AP Language Synthesis Essay Example #3

Prompt: In recent years, the movement towards organic and locally sourced foods has gained momentum. Advocates claim that this shift is essential for health, environmental sustainability, and supporting local economies. Critics argue that it is an inefficient use of resources and can be economically divisive. Based on the sources provided, write an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources to evaluate the validity of the movement towards organic and locally sourced foods.

Source A: A study on the health benefits of organic foods.
Source B: An economic analysis comparing the costs of local vs. imported foods.
Source C: An article on the environmental impact of local sourcing.
Source D: A food critic’s blog post questioning the superiority of organic food taste.
Source E: A sociologist’s research paper on food deserts and community access to organic foods.
Source F: A farmer’s interview about the challenges and rewards of local farming.

Title: The Organic Odyssey: Weighing the Costs and Benefits of a Local Plate

The push for organic and locally sourced foods has transformed from a niche interest into a significant cultural and economic movement. Proponents hail it as a panacea for a range of issues from health to the environment, while critics decry it as an impractical and elitist trend that exacerbates social inequalities. This dichotomy necessitates a critical examination of the widespread claims surrounding the movement. By drawing from various perspectives outlined in the provided sources, it is possible to construct a more measured appraisal of the push for organic and local food sourcing.

Source A presents compelling evidence on the health advantages of organic foods, citing lower pesticide levels and higher nutritional content. These health benefits provide a strong incentive for consumers to seek out organic options, potentially leading to better overall public health outcomes. Yet, the study does not fully address the economic implications of choosing organic, which can be significantly more expensive than conventionally grown produce.

The economic argument against the exclusive consumption of organic and local foods is expounded in Source B. The analysis reveals that local foods often come with a higher price tag due to the economies of scale enjoyed by larger, non-local farms. This cost difference can make organic and locally sourced foods less accessible to lower-income individuals, inadvertently contributing to a socioeconomic divide.

Environmental considerations are the focus of Source C, which underscores the reduced carbon footprint associated with local sourcing. By eliminating long-distance transportation, local sourcing minimizes greenhouse gas emissions, which is a clear environmental win. This source suggests that the benefits of local sourcing extend beyond the individual to global ecological health, reinforcing the environmental argument in favor of the local food movement.

However, Source D introduces a contrarian viewpoint, challenging the purported taste superiority of organic foods. The food critic argues that taste is subjective and that organic foods do not consistently outperform their non-organic counterparts in blind taste tests. This perspective is a reminder that personal preference should not be overlooked in the discourse on food sourcing and that taste alone may not justify the higher cost of organic foods for many consumers.

The issue of access is further complicated in Source E, which investigates food deserts—urban and rural areas where fresh, healthy food is difficult to obtain. The sociologist’s research highlights the disparity in access to organic foods, emphasizing that for many communities, the debate over organic versus conventional is moot when availability is the primary concern. This research implies that the movement toward organic and local foods must be accompanied by efforts to increase access and affordability if it is to be truly transformative.

Finally, Source F provides insight into the experiences of a local farmer, revealing the challenges faced by small-scale agriculture. The interview conveys the passion and dedication of local farmers and the value they place on sustainable practices. It also brings to light the financial and logistical hurdles that these farmers encounter in a market dominated by large agribusinesses.

Synthesizing these sources, it becomes evident that the movement toward organic and locally sourced foods is neither an unequivocal good nor an outright misstep. It offers tangible benefits in health and environmental sustainability but also poses significant economic and access challenges. The validity of this movement, therefore, hinges on a delicate balance: promoting the growth of organic and local food markets while ensuring that these options are affordable and accessible to all segments of the population.

In conclusion, the organic and local food movement has the potential to be a force for positive change, provided that it does not become an exclusive club for the affluent. Bridging the gap between healthful, sustainable food and the diverse needs of a broad consumer base requires policy innovations, community support initiatives, and continued dialogue. As the movement evolves, it must strive to include rather than divide, to nourish both the body and the fabric of society.

In this synthesis essay, the sources provided are integrated to explore the complexity of the organic and locally sourced food movement. The essay examines the movement from multiple angles, considering health, economic, environmental, taste preference, accessibility, andpersonal perspectives. It does not outright reject or accept the movement but rather calls for a nuanced approach that acknowledges its benefits and addresses its limitations. In an actual AP Synthesis Essay, direct references to the sources with in-text citations (Source A, Source B, etc.) would be included to support the points made, and quotations might be used for evidence. The essay would demonstrate how the writer can engage with multiple viewpoints and synthesize them into a coherent argument.

Final Thoughts

The synthesis essay on the AP Language exam presents a unique opportunity to showcase your ability to think critically, argue effectively, and integrate information from multiple sources. By understanding the prompt, examining the sources critically, developing a strong thesis, organizing your thoughts clearly, and employing rhetorical strategies skillfully, you can compose an essay that demonstrates your readiness for college-level work and beyond.

Remember, the key to success is practice. The more you work on reading critically, writing essays, and synthesizing information, the more adept you will become at this challenging but rewarding task. Good luck on your AP Language journey!

About Mr. Greg

Mr. Greg is an English teacher from Edinburgh, Scotland, currently based in Hong Kong. He has over 5 years teaching experience and recently completed his PGCE at the University of Essex Online. In 2013, he graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a BEng(Hons) in Computing, with a focus on social media.

Mr. Greg’s English Cloud was created in 2020 during the pandemic, aiming to provide students and parents with resources to help facilitate their learning at home.

In his spare time, he likes to compete in powerlifitng events and the odd strongman event!

Whatsapp: +85259609792

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Home — Blog — Topic Ideas — 85 Synthesis Essay Topics for College Students

85 Synthesis Essay Topics for College Students

Synthesis essays are a key component of AP Language and Composition courses, providing students with an opportunity to delve into various sources, combine ideas, and present a cohesive argument. These essays require students to evaluate information, identify relationships between different sources, and construct a well-supported thesis. This article will provide an in-depth exploration of synthesis essay topics, including examples and tips for selecting good synthesis essay topics, and cover how to write an AP Lang synthesis essay. By the end, you'll be equipped with a wide array of synthesis topics and understand how to approach your next essay with confidence.

Understanding Synthesis Essays

Before diving into topics, it’s crucial to understand what a synthesis essay entails. A synthesis essay involves combining information from multiple sources to support a central argument or thesis. This type of essay requires you to:

Analyze various sources: Evaluate the credibility and relevance of each source.
Identify common themes: Look for overarching themes or ideas that connect the sources.
Formulate a thesis: Develop a clear and concise thesis statement that reflects your synthesized understanding.
Support your argument: Use evidence from the sources to back up your thesis, while also considering counterarguments.

Tips for Choosing a Good Synthesis Essay Topic

Selecting a good synthesis essay topic is essential for a successful essay. Here are some tips to help you choose a topic:

Interest and Relevance: Choose a topic that interests you and is relevant to your course or current events.
Availability of Sources: Ensure there are enough credible sources available on the topic.
Debatability: Select a topic with multiple perspectives to facilitate a well-rounded argument.
Scope: Avoid topics that are too broad or too narrow. Aim for a balanced scope that allows for thorough exploration without overwhelming you with information.

75 Good Synthesis Essay Topics

Here are some synthesis essay topics across various subjects:

Social Issues

The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: Analyze how social media platforms influence mental well-being.
Abolishment of Capital Punishment
Income Inequality and Its Effects on Society: Discuss the causes and consequences of income inequality.
The Role of Education in Reducing Poverty: Explore how education can be a tool for poverty alleviation.
The Influence of Pop Culture on Youth Identity: Examine how pop culture shapes the identities of young people.
The Effectiveness of Gun Control Laws: Debate the effectiveness of existing gun control measures in reducing violence.
The Relation of Black Lives Matter to "Nineteen Eighty-four" by George Orwell
The Impact of Refugees on The Countries in Which They Settle
How Political Correctness is an Attack on The 1st Amendment
Discussion on Whether America Should Repeal The 2nd Amendment

Arts & Culture

The Reasons Graffiti Should Be Legalized
Is It Possible to Make a Neutral Question
Influence of British Colonialism on Indian Culture in The 19th Century
Creativity is not enough in the Modern World
Analysis of The Evolution of Vampires Approaching The Twenty-first Century

Environmental Issues

Climate Change and Its Global Impact: Assess the various ways climate change affects the planet.
Sustainable Agriculture Practices: Investigate the benefits and challenges of sustainable farming.
The Role of Renewable Energy in Reducing Carbon Footprint: Discuss the potential of renewable energy sources in combating climate change.
Deforestation and Its Consequences: Analyze the causes and effects of deforestation on ecosystems.
Daylight Saving Time: Benefits, Drawbacks, and Controversies
The Impact of Plastic Pollution on Marine Life: Examine how plastic waste affects ocean ecosystems.
The Evolution of Wind Farms
The Unintended Consequences of The Plastic Straw Ban
Earthquake and Its Devastating Effects
Global Warming: Impact of Melting Snow
Discussion on Whether It is Right to Treat Water as a Commodity

Technology and Innovation

The Future of Artificial Intelligence: Explore the potential benefits and risks of AI advancements.
The Ethical Implications of Genetic Engineering: Debate the ethical considerations surrounding genetic modification.
The Role of Technology in Education : Assess how technology is transforming the educational landscape.
Cybersecurity Threats in the Digital Age: Analyze the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats and how to mitigate them.
The Impact of Automation on Employment: Discuss how automation and robotics are changing the job market.
The Impact of Technology on Communication
The Negative Effects of Smartphones on an Individual's Cognitive Abilities
Smartphones as Huge Educational Tools
The Importance of Honor Codes in Higher Education
STEM Education: Benefits, Challenges, Strategies, and Future
Why Free College Tuition is Rather a Financial Burden, not a Breakthrough
The Possibilities of Offering Fine Arts in Rural Schools
The Need for Repeating Policy in Educational Institutions
The Importance of Sex Education in Schools
The Impact of College Tuition Payment on Graduation Rates
Online Vs Traditional Classes: is One More Effective than The Other
Evaluation of The Advantages and Disadvantages of Fiber Optic Transmission
Discussion on Whether College Should Be Tuition-free

Health and Medicine

The Opioid Crisis in America: Examine the causes and potential solutions to the opioid epidemic.
Vaccination and Public Health: Debate the importance of vaccination in preventing disease outbreaks.
The Benefits and Risks of Medical Marijuana: Analyze the medical uses and potential downsides of marijuana legalization.
The Issue of Legalization of Cannabis in Canada
Approving Drugs as a Solution to the War on Drugs
Mental Health Stigma in Society: Discuss the impact of stigma on mental health treatment and support.
The Future of Telemedicine: Explore the potential of telemedicine in improving healthcare access.
The Debate Over Free Healthcare and Universal Healthcare in America
The Effectiveness of Narrative Medicine in Health Care Practice
The Effect of Mental Illnesses on Art Throughout Different Time Periods
Effects of Stress on The Body: How It Affects Physical and Psychological Health
Analysis of Marijuana's Benefits and Dangers from Medical and Social Points
The Ever-Evolving American Dream
The Pros and Cons of Eminent Domain
The Relationship Between Economic Growth and Income Inequality
The Political Consequences of Rising Economic Inequality
Negative Impact of Coal Mining on The Environment

Politics and Governance

The Effectiveness of Democracy in the Modern World: Assess the strengths and weaknesses of democratic systems.
The Role of International Organizations in Global Governance: Analyze the influence of organizations like the UN and WHO.
The Impact of Political Polarization on Governance: Discuss how political divides affect governmental effectiveness.
Discussion on Whether Governments Should Subsidize The Arts
The Influence of Lobbying on Legislation: Examine the impact of lobbying on the legislative process.
Immigration Policies and Their Socioeconomic Effects: Debate the benefits and drawbacks of various immigration policies.
Analysis of The Causes of The ISIS Epidemic Spreading Across The Globe

Law, Crime & Punishment

Is Domestic Violence a Widespread Problem
The Second Amendment – Support Or Abolish
The Link Between The Cruelty of Animals and Humans
Racial Discrimination in The US Criminal Justice
Positive Psychology and Restorative Justice to Reduce Recidivism in Youth Offenders
How The Criminalization of Prostitution Impacts Essential Human Rights
Drug Policy in America: The Issue of Marijuana Legalization

AP Lang Synthesis Essay Example

To better understand how to write a synthesis essay, let’s look at an example prompt and outline the approach.

Example Prompt:

"Evaluate the impact of social media on interpersonal relationships. Use at least three sources to support your argument."

Step-by-Step Approach:

Analyze the Prompt: Understand the key elements of the prompt. Here, the focus is on the impact of social media on relationships.
Gather Sources: Collect at least three credible sources that discuss social media and interpersonal relationships.
Identify Common Themes: Look for recurring themes in the sources, such as communication patterns, emotional effects, and social dynamics.
Formulate a Thesis: Develop a thesis statement that reflects your synthesized understanding. For example: "While social media can enhance communication, it often leads to superficial interactions and decreased face-to-face engagement, ultimately affecting the quality of interpersonal relationships."
Create an Outline.

Argumentative Synthesis Essay Topics

Argumentative synthesis essays require you to take a stance on an issue and support it with evidence from multiple sources. Here are some topics to consider:

Should College Education be Free for All?
Is the Death Penalty an Effective Deterrent to Crime?
Should Governments Regulate Social Media Platforms?
Is Universal Basic Income a Viable Solution to Poverty?
Should Animal Testing be Banned in Scientific Research?
Is Climate Change Primarily Driven by Human Activity?
Should Healthcare be Considered a Human Right?
Is Censorship Justifiable in the Age of Information?
Should Voting be Mandatory in Democratic Societies?
Are GMO Foods Safe for Human Consumption?

Final Thoughts

Crafting a synthesis essay involves not only selecting a compelling topic but also synthesizing information from various sources to support a coherent argument. By understanding the components of a synthesis essay and exploring the wide array of synthesis essay topics provided, you can develop a strong foundation for your next essay. Whether you’re tackling social issues, environmental concerns, technological advancements, health matters, or political debates, the key is to stay organized, critically evaluate your sources, and present a balanced argument.

By leveraging these topic ideas provided, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of synthesis essays and achieving academic success.

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AP English Language and Composition Exam Sample Essay Questions

April 9, 2024

AP English Language Exam Sample Essay Questions

After an hour of answering multiple-choice questions , you’ll have two hours to write three essays :

A synthesis essay in which you use sources to argue your point of view on a given issue.
An analytical essay that examines, interprets, and explains the meaning and structure of prose passage.
An argumentative essay that supports, refutes, or qualifies an opinion expressed in a statement or brief passage.

Before you’re given the signal to begin writing your essays, you’ll have 15 minutes to read the questions and the sources for the synthesis essay. However, you don’t have to spend the whole time reading. During those 15 minutes you can plan your essay, underline noteworthy ideas, formulate a tentative thesis, or prepare a brief outline. You might even glance at the other essay questions. Essentially, the time is yours to fill as you wish but with one exception: you may not start writing your essay. That begins only after the proctor gives you the green light.

Write the essays in any order. The choice is yours. The suggested writing time for each essay is 40 minutes.

Sample Essay Questions

The following sample essay questions have been taken from previous AP English Language and Composition exams.

2014 AP English Language and Composition Essay Questions

In recent years college graduates in great numbers have failed to find jobs for which their education has prepared them. As a result, many people, including high school students and their parents, question whether a college degree is worth the expense required to attain one. Others, however, argue that a college education is not meant solely to prepare students for a job or career. After reading six sources related to this issue, write an essay that discusses whether a college education is worth the cost. Synthesize information from at least three of the sources into your essay.
In 1780, Abigail Adams wrote a letter of advice to her son John Quincy Adams, then traveling in Europe with his father, John Adams, the future second president of the United States. Read the letter carefully. Then, write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical strategies that Mrs. Adams uses to advise the young man.
Research by experts in education reveals that the creativity of children from kindergarten through sixth grade has suffered in recent years. A decline in creativity is alarming, especially when present and future world problems related to climate, economics, war and peace, and much more will require increasingly creative solutions. One proposal to reverse the decline in creativity is to actively teach creative thinking in school. Opinion is divided on whether this approach is worthwhile. State your view on this issue by writing to your school board. Explain what you mean by creativity and argue for or against starting a course in creativity.

2015 AP English Language and Composition Essay Questions

Many schools, colleges, and universities have instituted honor codes meant to discourage such practices as cheating, stealing, and plagiarizing. Students violating established codes are subject to a variety of punishments. After reading six sources related to the issue of honor codes, compose an essay that supports your position on whether your school should establish, maintain, revise, or eliminate an honor code or honor system. Your argument should incorporate ideas, quotations, paraphrases, or summaries found in at least three of the six sources that accompany this question.
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, labor union organizer and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez wrote an article that discusses nonviolent resistance as a means to achieve certain social goals. After reading Chavez’s words, write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices he uses to develop his argument.
Friendly phrases such as “How’s it going?” and “Nice to meet you” are known as polite speech and are usually not taken literally. In an essay, develop your position on the value or function of polite speech in a culture or community with which you are familiar. To support your argument, use evidence drawn from your reading, experience, or observation.

2016 AP English Language and Composition Essay Questions

With the spread of globalization in recent decades, English has become the primary language for communicating in international finance, science, and politics. As the use of English has spread, foreign language learning in English-speaking countries has declined, making the use of only one language—English—the norm. Carefully read the six sources accompanying this question and then write an essay that takes a position on the claim that people who speak only English and no other language are at a disadvantage in today’s world. In your discussion, synthesize appropriate quotations, ideas, paraphrases, or summaries found in at least three of the sources.
In 2004, upon the death of former president Ronald Reagan, the ex–prime minister of Great Britain, Margaret Thatcher, who had worked closely with Reagan, delivered a eulogy to the American people honoring her former colleague and friend. Read the eulogy carefully, and then write an essay that analyzes the rhetoric Thatcher used to convey her thoughts and feelings.
Back in the nineteenth century, the Irish author Oscar Wilde noted that “Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.” In an essay, argue your position on Wilde’s claim that disobedience and rebellion promote progress. Support your views with evidence drawn from your reading, studies, experience, or observation.

2017 AP English Language and Composition Essay Questions

The growth of the Internet has, among other things, changed what and how people read and in so doing has generated controversy about the need for and future of traditional public libraries. Some observers question the relevance of today’s libraries, while others see opportunities for libraries to grow and thrive in new ways. After reading six sources related to the future of libraries, write an essay that discusses your position on the future role, if any, of public libraries. As you develop your argument, be sure to incorporate, or synthesize, material from at least three of the sources that accompany this assignment. Whether you quote directly from a source or put its ideas into your own words, clearly identify each source you use either in the text of your essay or in a footnote.
At the beginning of a speech to the Women’s National Press Club in 1960, the American journalist and politician Clare Booth Luce expressed her objections to a tendency of the press corps to give readers sensationalist stories rather than maintain journalistic integrity by writing serious, consequential news stories. After carefully reading her opening remarks, write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical strategies Luce used to prepare the audience for the disapproval that was central to the remainder of her speech.
In Empire of Illusion, the author Chris Hedges, referring to the world of politics and the consumer culture, argues that “the most essential skill . . . is artifice.” That is, as Hedges explains, successful politicians “no longer need to be competent, sincere, or honest. They need only to appear to have these qualities.” In other words, deception succeeds. After reading a short passage that develops Hedges’s views, write an essay stating your opinion on the issue. Use appropriate, specific evidence to develop and illustrate your position.

2018 AP English Language and Composition Essay Questions

The power of a government to confiscate people’s private property for public use is known as eminent domain. Although eminent domain is centuries old, it remains a contentious issue throughout the world. Read the six sources on the following pages. Then, using at least three of the sources, write a coherent essay that supports, opposes, or qualifies the principle that the govern- mental right of eminent domain is useful and productive. When quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing material, be sure to identify each source in parentheses either with its letter (A, B, C, etc.) or with a description.
In 1997, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright delivered the commencement address at Mount Holyoke College, a women’s college in Massachusetts. After reading a given excerpt from the speech, write a well-developed essay that identifies and analyzes the rhetorical choices Albright made to help convey her message to the audience.
In her book Gift from the Sea, the author and aviator Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906– 2001) reflects on how people make choices: “We tend not to choose the unknown which might be a shock or a disappointment or simply a little difficult to cope with. And yet it is the unknown with all its disappointments and surprises that is the most enriching.” After carefully considering Lindbergh’s position on choosing the unknown, write an essay that develops your own view on the value of exploring the unknown. Support your position with appropriate and specific evidence.

2019 AP English Language and Composition Essay Questions

Our society’s increasing demand for energy has drawn attention of governments and consumers to large-scale wind power and away from traditional materials, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Yet, the creation of large commercial wind farms has created controversy for a variety of reasons. Carefully read the following six sources, including the introduction to each one, and then write an essay that develops your position on the most important factors that an individual or agency should take into account when determining whether to establish a wind farm. As you develop your position, synthesize material from at least three of the sources.
In 1930 Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi led a nonviolent march in India protesting Britain’s colonial monopoly on the taxation of salt. The Salt March, as it was called, triggered a civil disobedience movement that won India independence from Britain in 1947. Just prior to the march Gandhi had written to Viceroy Lord Irwin, who represented the British crown in India. The passage that follows is the conclusion of that letter. Read it carefully and then write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices Gandhi made to present his case to Lord Irwin.
The term “overrated” is commonly used to diminish concepts, geographic places, roles, books, movies, etc., that the speaker thinks fail to live up to their reputation. Choose something that in your judgment is overrated and then write a well-developed essay explaining your views. Use appropriate evidence from your reading, experience, or observation to support your argument.

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Willow catkin template synthesis of NiS@NSC hollow tubes for highly sensitive dual-function electrochemical detection of acetaminophen and Cu 2+

Published: 23 October 2024
Volume 191 , article number 694 , ( 2024 )

Cite this article

Menghao Li 1 ,
Yuying Xin 1 ,
Xiaohan Sun 1 ,
Xianfa Zhang 1 ,
Yingming Xu 1 ,
Xiaoli Cheng 1 ,
Shan Gao 1 &
Lihua Huo 1

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Public health and environmental well-being have become increasingly threatened by the contamination of pharmaceuticals and heavy metal ions. This study focuses on addressing this critical issue by developing a novel electrochemical sensor for the dual-functional detection of acetaminophen (AP) and Cu 2+ . Utilizing willow catkins as a biomass template, a hollow tubular NiS@NSC composite was prepared by simple nickel salt impregnation combined with calcination and sulfurization. A highly sensitive dual-functional electrochemical sensor was thus constructed that can detect both acetaminophen (AP) and Cu 2+ . By examining its electrochemical properties, the sensor achieves an impressive detection limit of 1.33 pM for AP, with a linear range of 4.00 pM ~ 0.15 mM. The sensor can also detect Cu 2+ , with a detection limit of 1.04 µM, and a linear range of 3.13 µM ~ 0.66 mM. The sensor also exhibits strong resistance to interference, and good repeatability and stability. In addition, the sensor has demonstrated good performance in actual sample analysis, including the detection of AP in serum and Cu 2+ in wastewater. This excellent electrochemical sensing performance is mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of its unique tubular structure and highly conductive N, S co-doped carbon. This results in the sensor exhibiting minimal charge transfer resistance, an extensive electrochemically active surface area, and a high density of active sites.

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This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21771060 and 61271126), the International Science & Technology Cooperation Program of China (2016YFE0115100), Program for Science and Technology Project of Heilongjiang Province (JQ2021B002), Environmental Protection Department Program of Heilongjiang Province (HST2022DQ006), Basic Research Business Fees of Colleges and Universities in Heilongjiang Province (2022-KYYWF-1059), Reform and Development Fund Project of Local University supported by the Central Government, Heilongjiang Touyan Innovation Team Program.

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Menghao Li, Yuying Xin, Xiaohan Sun, Xianfa Zhang, Yingming Xu, Xiaoli Cheng, Shan Gao & Lihua Huo

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Menghao Li: Conceptualization, Formal analysis and investigation, Methodology, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing. Yuying Xin: Formal analysis and investigation, Writing - review & editing. Xiaohan Sun: Formal analysis, Methodology. Xianfa Zhang: Formal analysis Supervision, Validation, Writing - review & editing. Yingming Xu: Methodology, Funding acquisition. Xiaoli Cheng: Conceptualization. Shan Gao: Conceptualization, Formal analysis and investigation. Lihua Huo: Formal analysis, Writing-review & editing, Funding acquisition.

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Li, M., Xin, Y., Sun, X. et al. Willow catkin template synthesis of NiS@NSC hollow tubes for highly sensitive dual-function electrochemical detection of acetaminophen and Cu 2+ . Microchim Acta 191 , 694 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-024-06731-4

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Published: 24 October 2024

Synthesis and characterization of ceramic refractories based on industrial wastes

G. A. Khater 1 ,
M. Romero 2 ,
A. López-Delgado 2 ,
I. Padilla 2 ,
A. A. El-Kheshen 1 ,
M. M. Farag 1 ,
M. S. Elmaghraby 3 &
N. H. S. Nasralla 4

Scientific Reports volume 14 , Article number: 25137 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Environmental sciences
Materials science

The possibility of reusing ceramic roller waste to produce cordierite and mullite refractories was investigated. Five batches were designed using wastes representing ceramic roller waste, magnesite, and silica sand, shaped and fired at 1300 °C/2 h, and one batch was selected at 1200 °C. The chemical composition and precipitated phases of the used raw materials and the fired batches were analyzed using XRF and XRD techniques, respectively. Densification parameters, morphology, microstructure and electrical properties were also studied to evaluate the effect of the formed phases on the properties of fired materials. Bulk density increases with an increase in mullite and a decrease in cordierite, and it also increases with increasing temperature, whereas porosity and water absorption show a opposite behavior to density (it decreases with an increase in mullite and temperature). The main phases developed after firing at 1300 °C/2 h were cordierite, mullite, corundum, baddeleyite, and spinel. Bending strength increases with increasing mullite percentage and density, and decreasing grain size and porosity. The microstructure develops and becomes finer with increasing mullite percentage and density. The grain size of the crystals was very fine at 1200 °C/2 h and increased at 1300 °C/2 h. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy was employed to study the electrical and dielectric behavior of the investigated samples. The increase in mullite concentration shows a remarkable increase in ε’, especially at lower frequencies, as it is three times higher than that of M10. At f > 103 Hz ε’, frequency independence is accompanied by an increase in mullite concentrations due to the lag of dynamics fluctuations after the alteration of the electric field. The generation of new free ions leads to the enhancement of conductivity as the mullite concentration increases.

Preparation and characterization of multiphase ceramic designer waste forms

Utilization of industrial waste materials for the preparation of wollastonite by temperature-induced forming technique

A comprehensive study on the fire resistance properties of ultra-fine ceramic waste-filled high alkaline white cement paste composites for progressing towards sustainability

Introduction.

Over the past 100 years, there has been an exponential increase in the volume of industrial waste. Every year, more than 25 billion tonnes of solely solid technology waste are created worldwide. Technogenic waste and geoecological issues are closely related to regional economic development and environmental conservation. The production of waste is another sign that natural resources are being used unsustainably when many are almost depleted. Consequently, recycling industrial waste is a crucial duty for the environment, economy, geoecology, and natural resources. It involves the development of structural and functional materials with excellent performance qualities and the extraction of valuable and deficient materials from industrial waste, such as radioactive, pure oxides, non-ferrous, noble, rare, and other elements 1 , 2 . Khater et al. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 used many industrial wastes to produce lightweight, highly porous ceramic materials and glass-ceramic materials with good mechanical properties that qualify them for use in building materials.

Refractory materials are brittle, inorganic, and crystalline solids burned at the ideal temperature for their intended use. They serve as thermal insulation on the front and rear of industrial furnaces at high temperatures. They are categorized into acidic, neutral, and basic refractories. This classification is based on their chemical composition and resistance to being corroded by the burned materials and in contact with the refractory material in a firing environment. Aluminosilicate refractories rich in silica are considered acidic refractories, whereas those rich in alumina belong to the neutral type 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 .

Refractories experience mechanical abrasion at high temperatures, corrosion from liquids and gases, and different degrees of mechanical stress and strain. They are intended to be heat resistant. The performance of a refractory, which includes its ability to withstand heat shock and maintain its integrity, is closely linked to its texture and the abundance of refractory phases, including mullite, corundum, periclase, doloma, spinel, and alumina 12 , 13 .

Special landfills are used for the final disposal of waste materials, which are also a significant source of secondary raw materials for the fabrication of refractories. The biggest obstacle to reducing reliance on primary raw material imports and worldwide CO 2 emissions is the implementation of a comprehensive industrial recycling procedure for refractory materials 14 .

Massive growing amounts of ceramic waste in the form of ceramic sludge, ceramic roller, and broken tiles are produced during the ceramic fabrication process, causing moderate to severe environmental problems. Another problem in the operation of ceramic production furnaces is the spent rollers. These are usually fabricated from high alumina, silica, and zirconia—the monthly product of the ceramic roller waste accumulating within the plant premises as stockpiles 15 , 16 .

One of the most significant phases of the MgO–SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 system is cordierite (2MgO–2Al 2 O 3 –5SiO 2 ), which has a very low thermal expansion coefficient and good resistance to thermal shock. It also exhibits excellent mechanical strength, good refractoriness, great mechanical stability, low dielectric constant, and high volume resistivity. Accordingly, cordierite is utilized as a refractory material, substrate material for integrated circuit boards, honeycomb-shaped catalyst carrier in automotive exhaust systems, and as an alternative to alumina in electronics. Most cordierite in nature comprises Al 3 (Mg, Fe) 2 Si 5 AlO 18 . It exhibits orthorhombic crystals and low-temperature polymorphism, although its hexagonal form is observed at high temperatures. Khater et al. 17 produced high-performance cordierite and wollastonite ceramics from industrial wastes presented in arc and blast furnace.

Cordierite (M 2 A 2 S 5 ) has a stoichiometric composition of 13.7 mass% MgO, 34.9 mass% Al 2 O 3 , and 51.4 mass% SiO 2 . Iron cordierite melts incongruently at 1210 °C to form mullite (3Al 2 O 3 ·2SiO 2 ), tridymite (SiO 2 ), and liquid phase, while magnesium cordierite melts incongruently at 1465 °C to form mullite 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 .

The single stable crystalline phase in the Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 system is mullite, which has enormous significance in both conventional and highly developed ceramics. This is principally because of its properties: low thermal expansion, high resistance to creep, high thermal stability, conductivity, and corrosion resistance. Its fracture toughness and mechanical strength are also good. Mullite is the crystalline phase developed by heating clay materials 26 , 27 , 28 .

The scope of the present research is to study the possibility of reusing ceramic roller waste and magnesite to produce cheap ceramic refractories containing cordierite and mullite phases with little or no secondary crystalline phases and to protect and to clean the environment from these harmful wastes. Also the prepared materials in this work can be used as electrical insulating ceramic materials beside their usage as refractory materials. such as ceramic arc tubes, protective parts, and spark plugs 29 .

Experimental techniques

Batch calculation and sample preparation.

Mullite-cordierite based refractory materials were fabricated, from ceramic roller waste, magnesite minerals, and silica sand, following the procedure shown in Fig. 1 . The ceramic roller waste was supplied by Ceramica Venezia Company (6th of October City, Egypt), while the magnesite and silica sand were received from El-Nile mining company (Egypt). All raw materials were crushed and ground in a ball mill for 1 h until homogeneous, and then passed through a 63-micron sieve. The chemical composition of raw materials was analyzed by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) (model pw/ 2404). The percentage of oxides was determined using SuperQ and SemiQ software with an accuracy of 99.99% and a confidence limit of 96.7%. Table 1 collects the XRF results.

Schematic procedure for the production of ceramic refractories from industrial waste.

Five mixtures (M10, M20, M30, M40, and M50), presented in Table 2 , were prepared from the ceramic roller waste, magnesite and silica sand, based on different nominal percentages of mullite and cordierite in the fired refractory materials. The powdered raw materials were weighed and well mixed to the proper ratio. Approximately 5% H 2 O was added to 5 g of each sample as a binder and pressed in a cylindrical mold of about 50 mm diameter and 50 mm depth using a uniaxial weight of 40 MPa. The shaped samples were dried in an oven furnace at approximately 120 °C for 20 h and then treated at 1300 °C for 2 h in a single stage. The sample M30 was chosen to study the effect of sintering temperature on crystalline phases development on firing. To this end, M30 sample was also sintered at 1200 °C for 2 h.

The mineralogical characterization of the raw materials and refractories was performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) using a Bruker equipment (D8 Discover) with CuKα radiation, with 2θ from 10° to 80°. The microstructure of the obtained refractories was examined by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) in a Quanta (250 FEG) microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy detector (EDS), and using an acceleration voltage of 30 kV.

The water absorption, A (%), of the fired specimens was calculated using this equation.

where Mu is the sample mass (g) after immersion in water for 24 h and Ms is the sample mass before (g) water immersion.

The bulk density, BD (g/cm 3 ) is the weight of 1 cm 3 of a bulk refractory test piece and it is calculated according to the following equation:

BD = [w 1 / (w 2 – w 3 )] x ρ liquid .

where w1 is the weight (g)of the dry tested sample, w 2 is the weight (g) of the saturated tested sample in air, w 3 is the weight (g) of the saturated test piece immersed in the liquid, and ρ (g/cm 3 ) is the specific weight of the used liquid.

The apparent porosity, AP (%), is the percentage of open-pore volume relative to the volume of the test piece and is calculated according to the following equation:

AP = [(w 2 - w 1 ) /( (w 2 - w 3 )] x 100.

The three-point bending method was used to test the bending strength of the prepared refractory samples, with dimensions of height, width, and length equal to 10, 12, and 50 mm, respectively. The samples were tested using a universal testing machine (model Tinius Olsen 10ST) with a span of 30 mm and loading speed of 0.5 mm/min.

Finally, a high-resolution Alpha analyzer, a Novocontrol Concept 40 instrument, was used to examine the electrical conductivity and dielectric characteristics in the frequency range of 0.1 Hz to 20 MHz. All measurements were carried out at room temperature with an accuracy greater than 99%. The samples were prepared between two gold-plated stainless-steel electrodes in a parallel plate capacitor configuration. More details about the setup can be found elsewhere 30 .

Results and discussion

Chemical and phase compositions of raw materials.

Table 1 collects the chemical composition of the ceramic roller, magnesite, and silica sand and Fig. 2 shows the X-ray diffraction of all raw materials. The ceramic roller is essentially composed of alumina and silica in addition to zirconia, together with minor and trace amounts of other oxides. It is composed of mullite, corundum, and baddeleyite (ZrO 2 ) (Fig. 2 a), which is in accordance with its chemical composition.

( a ) XRD pattern of the ceramic roller waste, ( b ) XRD pattern of the magnesite, ( c ) XRD pattern of the silica sand.

Magnesium and calcium oxides are the primary oxide content in magnesite raw material, together with silica, alumina, and iron oxides in a minor extent. The loss on ignition is 48.14% and is likely related to the release of carbon dioxide and water due to the decomposition of the constituent phases. Indeed, the mineralogical composition of the magnesite sample (Fig. 2 b) supports its chemical composition as magnesite (MgCO 3 ) is the primary phase together with dolomite (CaMgCO 3 ) and antigorite Mg 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 as minor components.

The chemical composition of the silica sand sample mainly contains silica 98.35% with a minor amount of alumina and iron oxide. Concernig its mineralogical composition (Fig. 2 c), quartz is the only crystalline phase detected in its X-ray diffractogram, confirming its chemical composition consisting mainly of silica.

Table 2 shows the designation of the different mixtures studied, as well as the percentage of raw materials and the content of silicon, aluminium and magnesium oxides in each mixture. These combinations of raw materials were calculated to yield different theoretical amounts of mullite and cordierite in the refractories. Once the specimens were formed, they were fired at 1300 °C for 2 h. Figure 3 shows the appearance of the materials resulting after firing.

Appearance of the investigated refractories after sintering at 1300 o C for 2 h.

Physical properties of the fired samples

The physical properties of samples fired at 1200 o C/2 h and 1300 o C/2 h, specifically bulk density, apparent porosity, and water absorption, are presented in Tables 3 and 4 ; Fig. 4 . When the samples are fired at 1200 o C/2 h (Table 3 f; Fig. 4 a), the density increases from M10 to M50, ranging from 1.91 to 2.03 g/cm 3 . In contrast, porosity and water absorption decreases, ranging from 37.17 to 34.79, and 19.46 to 17.14, respectively. As the temperature increases up to 1300 o C, the density further increases, while the porosity and water absorption continue to decrease (Table 4 ; Fig. 4 b). The increase in density from M10 to M50 is attributed to the higher percentage of mullite, which has a density of 3.16 g/cm [3 31 , and the corresponding decrease in cordierite, which has a density of 2.30 g/cm [3 32 . The high density influences the pores, reducing the number of voids that affect the water absorption rate. When the temperature is raised to 1300 o C, a glassy phase forms, leading to an increase in density and a decrease in both porosity and water absorption. These findings are consistents with other studies, which have reported that the densities of mullite, corundum, and spinel phases 33 , are higher than that of cordierite 34 . Specifically, the densities of spinel and corundum in those studies are 3.58 and 3.97 g/cm 3 , respectively, while that of cordierite is 2.3 g/cm 3 . These prior data are align with the results of the current study. Mouiya et al. 35 indicated that the increase in bulk density caused by firing is likely due to forming a glassy phase, resulting in more significant liquid phase production and reduced porosity.

Density (g.cm − 3 ), apparent porosity (%), and water absorption (%) of samples fired at 1200 ºC and 1300 ºC for 2 h.

X-ray diffraction studies of the sintered samples

X-ray diffraction of all samples.

Figure 5 shows the XRD patterns of the studied compositions fired at 1300 °C for 2 h. Cordierite ((MgFe) 2 Al 4 Si 5 O 18 ) (PDF 013–0294) is the main phase formed in samples M10 to M30, with characteristic lines at 8.58, 3.38, 3.03, 3.18, and 4.11 Å, and it slightly decreases in samples M40 and M50. This reduction occurs at the expense of mullite (Al 6 Si 2 O 13 ) (PDF.06-0258), which constitutes the second phase and is characterized by lines at 3.39, 3.43, 2.54 Å, as well as corundum (Al 2 O 3 ) (PDF 01-073-5928), with lines at 2.08, 2.55 and 1.60 Å. Additionally, a spinel phase (MgAl 2 O 4 ) (PDF 01-071-6331) is formed in all samples, with lines at 2.43, 2.85, and 1.43 Å, along with a small amount of baddeleyite (ZrO 2 ) (PDF 013–0307), characterized by lines at 3.16 and 2.83 Å. and 2.62 Å. The mullite phase shows minimum content in batch M10 and increases progressively up to batch M50 as the ceramic roller percentage in the composition and magnesia decreases. The formation of spinel and corundum phases in all samples and their development from M10 to M50 is due to the low percentage of silica, which facilitates the reaction of magnesia with mullite to produce spinel and corundum. The evolution of baddeleyite from M10 to M50 is also attributed to the increase in mullite content and the a high proportion of zircon in the ceramic roller (Tables 1 and 2 ).

X-ray patterns of the samples after firing at 1300 º C for 2 h.

This results are consistent with Simon Sembiring et al. 36 , who studied the effect of adding Al 2 O 3 on the conversion and crystallization behavior of cordierite refractory ceramics based on rice husk silica under heat treatment regime at approximately 1230 °C. Their results indicated that the addition of Al 2 O 3 led to transformation of cordierite into spinel and corundum. Furthermore, they found that adding 10–30% Al 2 O 3 increases the amount of spinel while reducing the amount of corundum and cristobalite phases. The occurrence of corundum, spinel, and cristobalite was associated with an increase in density and flexural strength, whereas a decrease in porosity was observed. After the addition ofapproximately 15–30% alumina, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the stabilized at a comparatively constant value of 9.5 × 10 − 6 /ºC, with the principal crystalline phase being spinel, followed by corundum and lesser quantities of cristobalite.

Effect of firing temperatures on crystalline phase formation

The effect firing temperatures was investigated on sample M30 because it represents the median composition of those studied. Sample M30 was sintered at both 1200 º and 1300 °C for 2 h. Figure 6 shows the diffraction patterns of M30 after firing. At 1200 °C, the crystalline phases exhibit weak formation, indicated by the decreased intensity of their lines. Cordierite is the primary phase, followed by mullite and spinel phases, with corundum and baddeleyite being the least noticeable. When the temperature was increased to 1300 o C, the crystalline phases are more developed, and the intensity of their diffraction lines increased for all crystalline phases. This suggests that at 1200 o C, a significant proportion of the material remains in an amorphous glassy phase. As the temperature increases, the viscosity of the liquid phase decreases, allowing for the development of crystalline phases, thereby enhancing the intensity of the diffraction lines. These findings agree with the study by Cao, Zhimin, and Li, Ping 37 , who demonstrated that increasing the firing temperature led to a higher intensity intensity of the cordierite diffraction peak.

X-ray patterns of sample M30 after firing at different temperatures (A = Fired at1200 º C/2 h, and B = Fired 1300 º C/2 h.

SEM and EDX analysis of the sintered samples

The microstructure of fired materials significantly influences their physical properties, such as density, porosity, making its study essential. Figure 7 shows the microstructure observed in M10, M20, M30, M40, and M50 samples. Their elemental surface composition of is collected in Table 5 . In the M10 sample (Fig. 7 a), the presence of euhedral to subhedral crystals of mullite and cordierite crystals is evident. Mullite is a remnant phase of the crystalline composition of the ceramic roller residue, while cordierite is a neo-formation phase formed through reactions between the components of the original raw materials (silica sand, magnesite, and ceramic roller) 38 , 39 , 40 . Furthermore, tiny grains of corundum embedded within the matrix are observed. EDS elemental analysis reveals the presence of Mg, Al, and Si, which confirmes the formation of the aforementioned crystalline phases.

SEM images and EDS analysis of M10, M20, M30, M40, and M50 ( a-e , respectively) samples fired at 1300 o C for 2 h.

For the M20 (Fig. 7 b)sample, similar to M10, cordierite and mullite are present with coarse to refined grains of subhedral and euhedral crystals. Meanwhile, zircon appears as bright irregular crystals within mullite and cordierite crystals (EDS data not shown). As the ceramic roller content increases in the refractory composition, the microstructure becomes more densely compacted, with higher corundum content and a significant presence of mullite and a smaller amount of cordierite. The microstructure of sample M30 (Fig. 7 c) features baddeleyite as bright white irregular crystals within a corundum-rich matrix. The M40 sample comprises irregular grains, predominantly of mullite with a lesser amount of cordierite. A high content of corundum is observed as a fine-grain matrix interspersed with roller fragments (Fig. 7 d). Sample M50 (Fig. 7 e) primarily consists of mullite and corundum with minor amounts of calcium silicate detected in M40 and M50. These appears fibrous and rod-like crystals within the mullite and cordierite matrix, confirmed by EDS analysis.

The effect of the firing temperature on the microstructure was specifically examined for sample M30, selected because it achieved optimum properties in this study. Figure 8 (a, b) shows FESEM images and EDS analysis of M30 sample fired at 1200 °C The crystal size is significantly coarser than that fired at 1300 o C, due to the incomplete reaction of magnesia and silica inform the raw materials with the ceramic roller at low temperatures, which hinders further crystal growth.

SEM images and EDS analysis of M30 fired at 1200 o C/2 h (a) and 1300 o C/2 h (b).

Bending strength (BS)

Figure 9 illustrates the bending strength (MPa) of the M10, M20, M30, M40, and M50 samples. Bending strength increases with the mullite content up to 30% of mullite, reaching a maximum value of 1.95 MPa. Beyond this point, the bending strength decreases. The increase in bending strength from M10 to M30 is attributed to a decrease in porosity, as indicated in Table 3 . Porosity leads to stress concentration and a reduction in the load-receiving area. This findings aligns with the research conducted by Simon et al. 40 and Barsoum 41 .

Bending strength of samples fired at 1300 o C for 2 h.

Electrical and dielectric properties

The capability of a material to store electrical energy is determined by its permittivity, also referred as the dielectric constant (ε’). When charge carriers accumulate at metal electrodes or between different material phases, it induces polarizations that enhance the electrical capacity and permittivity of the condenser. For optimizing the electrical performance of energy storage devices, maximizing their permittivity to its utmost level is essential. The relationship between the real part of the dielectric constant (ε’) and electrical capacitance (C) can be expressed as follows 42 :

ε‘(ω) = C(ω)d/(ε o A).

where ω is the angular frequency (ω = 2πf) with f being the applied electrical field frequency in Hertz, ε o = 8.85 × 10 − 12 F/m is the vacuum permittivity. The sample geometry is characterized by d (thickness) and A (sample surface area).

The frequency dependence of the permittivity ε’ is shown in Fig. 10 . Furthermore, Table 6 provides the calculated values of ε’ and AC-conductivity,σ′, for selected frequencies. Two distinct trends are observable. First, from 1 kHz to 0.1 Hz, the permittivity increases rapidly as the frequency decreases. This behavior is primarily attributed to the superposition of the interfacial polarization 43 , 44 , which is typically present in such heterogeneous materials, and the contribution from charge carrier transport, which results in increases conductivity. A significant increase in ε’ in the low-frequency domain (< 10 3 Hz) becomes apparent with higher mullite concentrations, showing a rise by three orders of magnitude.

( a ) Frequency dependence of permittivity ( ε’ ) of the investigated samples, and ( b ) determined values of ε’ at the representative frequency of 1 kHz for the different compositions.

Table 6 shows a gradual decrease in permittivity, which becomes almost frequency-independent at frequencies above 10 3 Hz. The permittivity values decrease, remained nearly constant, and and exhibit a significant drop one decade over the entire frequency range, indicating that neither composition nor frequency has a substantial effect on the permittivity values. This result can be explained by the fact that at higher frequencies, changes in polarizations or charge carrier hopping mechanisms lag behind the frequency of the applied electric field 45 , 46 because of the applied field changes much rapidly than the dynamic response of the samples under study 47 . Consequently, as the concentration of mullite increases, ε’ becomes frequency-independent, showing less dependence on mullite concentrations.

The permittivity, ε’, was evaluated at a fixed frequency of 10 3 Hz as a representative frequency to thoroughly understand how the ceramic composition influences permittivity at different compositions (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% of mullite). The findings indicate that M10 exhibitsthe lowest ε’ value (2.835). As the mullite concentration increased from M20 to M50, the ε’ value increases from 15.887 to approximately 37.225, as illustrated in Fig. 10 b.

The electrical conductivity, σ(ω), of a material is an important parameter for analyzing its electrical performance, reflecting its ability to conduct electricity. A notable rise in conductivity is usually a result of higher concentration density and/or improved mobility of free-charge carriers.The aC conductivity σ ac (ω) (usually called the real part of conductivity function σ′) related to the dielectric loss by 30 :

σ ac = ε o ωε’’.

where ω is the angular frequency, ε 0 is the free space permittivity (ε 0 = 8.854 × 10 –12 V –1 m –1 ), and ε ′′ (ω) is the imaginary part for permittivity. σ ac (ω) arises from movements of free charge carriers towards the electric field.

According to Fig. 11 and the list of selected frequencies in Table 6 , the current study examined σ ac (ω) throughout a broad frequency range. It can be noticed from the figure that σ ac (ω) increases by two averages with increasing frequency. At frequencies below 10 2 Hz, σ ac (ω) grows very slowly, exhibiting a semi-plateau-like behavior. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is the influence of frequency-independent conductivity (σ dc ). Conversely, σ ac (ω) shows a notable rise in the 102–106 Hz frequency range, indicating frequency-dependent conductivity. The conductivity increased threefold in the low- frequency and about twofold in the high-frequency regions when the concentration of mullite was raised from M10 to M50. This suggests that an increase in the mobility and/or concentration of free charge carriers may lead to AC conductivity. As shown in Fig. 11 b, the conductivity of all samples at a specific frequency of 10 3 Hz was investigated as a representative study to understand the effect of mullite concentration on conductivity behavior .

In this study, we examined two types of losses in dielectric materials: dielectric loss (ε”) and electric modulus loss (M”). These losses occur when electric energy is dissipated as heat and/or leakage current. Figure 12 shows how these losses vary with frequency. Dielectric loss (ε”) decreases sharply as the frequency increases for all compositions. Dielectric loss occurs at low frequencies due to charge carrier immigration, ion hopping, and ion or dipole polarization in the material. However, the dipoles freeze at high frequencies, and the only source of dielectric loss is ion vibration. As a result, dielectric loss decreases as frequency increases 48 . On the other hand, the electric modulus loss (M”) increases as the concentration of mullite increases from M10 to M20, but shows no significant change when mullite concentration increases further from M20 to M50. This suggests that the influence of charge transport is overshadowing any contribution from polarization dynamics.

( a ) Frequency dependence of Ac conductivity ( σ ac ) of M10, M20, M30, M40, and M50 compositions, and ( b ) σ ac at a representative frequency f = 10 3 Hz.

Frequency dependence of ( a ) dielectric loss ( ε’’ ) and ( b ) Modulus’’ of the M10, M20, M30, M40, and M50 compositions.

The complex electric modulus (M*) is a useful tool for analyzing the electrical response of compounds and investigating their dielectric relaxation processes. It can be calculated from the dielectric permittivity (ε*) using the following formula 30 :

M* = M′ + jM′′.

Figure 12 b illustrates the behavior of the imaginative part of the modulus (M”) as a function of frequency at room temperature. A single relaxation peak is observed in the imaginary part of the modulus (M”), which shifts to higher frequencies with increasing mullite concentrations. This shift indicates a decrease in hopping time, leading to faster dynamics of free charge carriers and a consequent conductivity enhancement. Therefore, the charge transport is dependent on both frequency and concentration. The shift in the peak position of the imaginary part of the composite modulus can be attributed to the observed variations in microstructure.

Industrial and mining wastes have been successfully used to produce refractory crystalline phases, such as cordierite, mullite, corundum, and spinel.

The highest amount of recycled material used was in M50 which uses 72% recycled roller waste.

Bulk density increases with higher mullite and lower cordierite content. It also increases with rising temperature. Conversely, porosity and water absorption decrease with an increase in both mullite content and temperature.

It was found that increasing the percentage of mullite enhances the bending strength while density, grain size, and porosity decrease.

The microstructure develops finer grains with increasing mullite content and density.

The study showed that the electrical insulation properties improved by increasing the percentage of mullite from M10 to M50, indicating that these materials have significant potential for various electrical applications.

This approach successfully protects protects the environment by converting these harmful wastes, which occupy a large area of land, into refractory ceramics.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author [G.A.K] upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This article is based upon work supported by Science and Technology Development Fund Authority (STDF) under grant No. 45862 (Egyptian-Spanish Project).

Open access funding provided by The Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) in cooperation with The Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB).

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G. A. Khater, A. A. El-Kheshen & M. M. Farag

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M. Romero, A. López-Delgado & I. Padilla

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Authors’ ContributionsG.A. Khater: Supervision and Conceptualization; M. Romero: wrote the main manuscript text; A. López-Delgado: Original Draft Preparation; I. Padilla: Methodlogy and prepared Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 and A.A. Elkheshen: Data Curation; M.M. Farag: Software and prepared Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and M.S. Elmaghraby: Methodology and Writing; N.H.S. Nasralla: Draft Preparation and prepared Figs. 10, 11 and 12. All authors: Writing, Reviewing and Editing.

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Khater, G.A., Romero, M., López-Delgado, A. et al. Synthesis and characterization of ceramic refractories based on industrial wastes. Sci Rep 14 , 25137 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74997-y

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AP English Language and Composition Exam Sample Essay Questions. April 9, 2024. After an hour of answering multiple-choice questions, you'll have two hours to write three essays: A synthesis essay in which you use sources to argue your point of view on a given issue. An analytical essay that examines, interprets, and explains the meaning and ...
Well-Written Synthesis Essay Examples
Get multiple synthesis essay examples covering a range of topics. Learn how to craft an introduction, thesis, outlines, or write your entire synthesis essay. ... Students typically write synthesis essays for high school AP language courses or college classes. ... See this whole sample essay by clicking the Adobe PDF below.
PDF English Language and Composition Reading Time: 15 minutes Suggested
Directions: The following prompt is based on the accompanying six sources. This question requires you to integrate a variety of sources into a coherent, well-written essay. Refer to the sources to support your position; avoid mere paraphrase or summary. Your argument should be central; the sources should support this argument.
PDF AP Language Synthesis Essay Outline Example
AP Language Synthesis Essay Outline Example The basic AP Language synthesis essay outline template contains three major parts: 1. Introduction with a thesis statement 2. Body, which contains arguments and counterarguments to the thesis 3. Conclusion Introduction An outline for a synthesis essay starts with an introduction, which is a brief ...
Willow catkin template synthesis of NiS@NSC hollow tubes for highly
Public health and environmental well-being have become increasingly threatened by the contamination of pharmaceuticals and heavy metal ions. This study focuses on addressing this critical issue by developing a novel electrochemical sensor for the dual-functional detection of acetaminophen (AP) and Cu2+. Utilizing willow catkins as a biomass template, a hollow tubular NiS@NSC composite was ...
Synthesis and characterization of ceramic refractories based on
Batch calculation and sample preparation. Mullite-cordierite based refractory materials were fabricated, from ceramic roller waste, magnesite minerals, and silica sand, following the procedure ...
PDF AP English Language and Composition 2018 FRQ 1 Sample Student Responses
AP English Language and Composition Question 1: Synthesis (2018) Sample Student Responses 5 Sample B [1] Eminent domain, or the power of the government to take land from private owners in the name of the public good, has been a major source of controversy over the past few centuries.

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How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay + Example

What’s Covered:

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement

Step 4: Create a Minimal Essay Outline

Step 5: Write your Essay

Here are six must-have tips and tricks to get a good score on the synthesis essay:

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Here is an example prompt and essay from 2019 that received 5 of the 6 total points available:

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How to Write a Perfect Synthesis Essay for the AP Language Exam

Synthesis Essay AP Lang: What It Is and How It Works

Full Breakdown of a Real AP Lang Synthesis Essay Prompt

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement

Step 4: Create a Bare-Bones Essay Outline

Step 5: Draft Your Essay Response

Real-Life AP Synthesis Essay Example and Analysis

Example Synthesis Essay AP Lang Response

Thesis Development

Evidence and Commentary

Sophistication of Thought

4 Tips for How to Write a Synthesis Essay

Tip 1: Read the Prompt First

Tip 2: Make Notes While You Read

Tip 3: Start With the Thesis Statement

Tip 4: Focus on Your Commentary

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Synthesis Essay Examples

15 Synthesis Essay Examples: Tips & Expert Guidance

Understanding What A Synthesis Essay Is

Synthesis Essay Outline Example

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Examples of Different Synthesis Essay Types

Synthesis Essay Example Prompts

Synthesis Essay Topics - Examples

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Short Essay: AP Language Synthesis

Understanding the Synthesis Essay

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

Step 2: Examine the Sources

Step 3: Develop a Thesis

Step 4: Create an Outline

Step 5: Write the Introduction

Step 6: Craft the Body Paragraphs

Step 7: Use Transitions

Step 8: Conclude with Strength

Step 9: Cite Your Sources

Step 10: Revise and Proofread

Tips for Success

Example Synthesis Prompt and Thesis

AP Language Synthesis Essay Example #1

Example Synthesis Essay