The Synthesis PAper

1. The Synthesis PAper Some helpful tips for reaching success

2. General Reminders • You will have 15 minutes to plan on exam day • This time you will have DAYS to plan • You need to read through sources, pick which ones work best for you, and plan the essay

3. Rubric • Scale of 1 to 9 • Passing is a 6! • Most students fall into the 4-7 range. • My scale • 9=100 • 8=90 • 7=85 • 6=80 • 5=75 • 4=70 • 3=65

4. Reading Sources • Is this a positive or negative source? • Is this a personal or factual source? • Does it provide useful information for one of the appeals? • What is the main idea of the source? • Underline or highlight key words that you might use in your writing. • Remember that you MUST use three. You do not need to use them all.

5. Planning Information • Try to have a source in each supporting paragraph. • Take a clear POSITION on the issue—don’t waffle! You are not getting angry, but remain confident and firm. • Use what is called a They Say I Say format. The source says this…..but or and I say this. (Obviously you will want to vary the sentence structure, but following that concept will help) • Do not quote any more than 7 words at a time. Long quotes suck up your time. The graders HAVE read the prompt. They don’t want to see you write quotes. They want to see your arguments • Avoid fallacies and absolutes (words such as every, never and always are TRAPS!)

6. Planning the Structure • Introduction: Introduce an ethical appeal in the introduction and have a clear thesis • Narration: Create a pathos example (stories –anecdotes-- work really well) • Confirmation: hit your point hard with data and facts (logos) • Refutation: Present a counterargument to show that you aren’t biased and understand the other side and how you present the better and more solid argument • Conclusion: Circle back to the introduction and wrap up the ethical appeal. You may again present an emotional appeal or present a call to action (what can society do about the issue)

7. Referring to Sources! • Never refer to a writer by first name only • You may refer to sources as Source A, Source B • Whether paraphrasing or quoting, give credit to the SOURCE! (otherwise it is plagiarism!)

8. Sample Introduction • In today’s modern world, the United States faces an incredible load of problems. Economically, some of the biggest U.S. companies and industries, long hailed and respected for their financial stability, have filed bankruptcy in recent years. Politically foreign wars cost the US in dollars and peace. During the current situation, the U.S.’s focus has shifted from its fun-loving idealistic dreams of the frontier and the future to the pragmatic decisions required now. This change in attitude can be seen in the criticism of America’s NASA space program, where people like NPR reporter Russell Roberts demands that our money be left “here on Earth” (Source H)—not in some high flowing dreamy adventure in research of mystic moon rook. However, what Roberts and his fellow critics fails to understand is that space exploration is not simply making the whims of a few outcast scientists come to life; rather, it is both an economically pragmatic investment and inspirational tool for our current political rifts and our future.

9. What is a They Say I Say? • Just take a simple glance at a NASA photograph of a space shuttle ready for launch (Source B). While many people may see only a shuttle, I see cars and small houses (NASA owned), large steel structures built to carry the shuttle, I see a crane in the background. Someone had to build these things, someone had to buy the materials for them, and someone has to operate them. In this one picture alone the vast number of people working on this space shuttle launch far exceeds the couple astronauts in the cockpit. Especially in our current harsh economic times, any jobs we can make available is a godsend. For the husband who has been laid off, the availability of construction job for NASA might help save his family of four.

10. They Say…I Say • In Source A, David Livingston evokes the economical importance of space exploration. The money spent on space research employs millions of people. Take Source B for example (photo) and imagine how long and how many people it took to build that. Money poured into NASA, the billions and billions of dollars is only good for mankind. The NIH (Source D) is one of these. The five year survival rate for childhood rose to only 80%! It’s a complete failure. It should have raised it to 100%. Apparently diverting funds from health for space exploration is a sound decision. In fact we should spend billions more on space exploration because the health of our people is much less important than the expansion of our people.

11. Counterarguments • At some point you need a counterargument • You may counter a source from the packet or provide you own example • Think of this as • Although many believe ……they have a misperception. • The source makes a valid point, however…. • While it may be true……

12. Quotations dos and Don’ts! • Don’t float the quote! • Hamlet denies Rosencrantz’s claim that thwarted ambition caused his depression.  “I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space” (Hamlet 2.2). • AHHHHH…The quote is off in the air by itself…that CAN’T happen!

13. What can I do? • Attach the quote with a colon (:): • Hamlet denies Rosencrantz’s claim that thwarted ambition caused his depression: “I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space” (Hamlet 2.2).

14. OR…… • Write a tag line such as • He states, • He claims, • The sources implies • Hamlet denies Rosencrantz’s claim that thwarted ambition caused his depression.  He states, “I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space” (Hamlet 2.2).

15. Embed a few Words • Avoid quotations over 7 words • The best quotes work within the sentence. • Ultimately, death holds no power over Donne since in the afterlife, “death shall be no more” (“Death, Be Not Proud,” l. 14). • The Pirate King argues that “it is, it is a glorious thing/to be a pirate king” (Pirates of Penzance, 1983).

16. What about the Ellipsis • The ellipsis (…) may be used to take words out of a quote to make it shorter • The quote must still make sense as a sentence • It should be used sparingly! • This is NOT a recommended method of quotation to use on a regular basis! • “The boys ran to school, forgetting their lunches and books. Even though they were out of breath, they made it on time.” • “The boys ran to school. . . . Even though they were out of breath, they made it on time.”

17. Do I need an ellipsis at the End? • Sometimes students want to know if they need the ellipsis at the end of quotes to show that the sentence had more to it. • NO • A quotation acknowledges that you have taken words from another piece. Do not begin or end a quotation with the ellipsis!