Unit 3: Synthesis and Citation
AP English Language: 52 practice questions with detailed explanations.
Unit Study Guide
Executive Summary
The synthesis essay builds an argument from sources. You read for positions, integrate evidence, and cite properly — while your own voice leads.
Reading sources
Survey the set: what position does each source take? Which sources agree, disagree, or complicate? Group sources by stance and by the evidence they offer. A source's credibility (author, publication, date) shapes how you use it.
Building the synthesis argument
Your thesis should take a position sources can support. Use at least three sources: quote directly for phrasing that matters, paraphrase for ideas, summarize for background. Commentary after each piece of evidence explains its relevance.
Citation
Identify sources in the text ("According to Source A" or author names) and attribute borrowed ideas. In-text citation is required; a works-cited page is good practice. Paraphrase without attribution is still plagiarism.
Avoiding plagiarism
Any borrowed idea or phrasing needs attribution. Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing all require citation. Your own analysis frames the borrowed material.
Exam traps
The synthesis is YOUR argument using sources — not a summary of them. Comment on sources; don't stack quotes. Attribution must be clear at the point of use.