ap persuasive argument, including synthesis essay, body paragraphs(1)

8/14/2019 AP Persuasive Argument, Including Synthesis Essay, Body Paragraphs(1)

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Writing Body Paragraphs for Advanced Placement English Language

Persuasive Argument and Synthesis Essays

This file contains sample paragraphs from papers scoring 8’s or 9’s on AP English Language free-response (or persuasive argument) and synthesis compositions Please refer to my !e"pages on

#$riting the Persuasive Argument% and #$riting the &ynthesis Essay'% under #$riting for the APEam'% for more detailed information

Loo for patterns in the follo!ing essays

*ou should note the follo!ing+

Concrete Illustrations of Abstract Ideas. Every paragraph !ill present concrete eamples Every

single one ,t is simply a must ,deas that eist only in the mind are rarely convincing "ecause your

audience cannot see ho! they apply in the real !orld

o! and Why. The !riters spend time eplaining ho! and !hy their ideas are correct *ou cannot

simply assume that the reader !ill agree !ith you Tal to your audience &ho! the !hy they should

thin as you do Eplain your reasoning Engage your audience

"ully #eveloped Points. Eamples and eplanations tae time A detailed eample should run -.

sentences /ommentary and eplanation should "e at least 0-1 sentences 2on’t state that #3andhifaced o"stacles'% sho! them4



5ote the !riter’s use of a specific concrete illustration to prove his a"stract point that television is a

!ay for people to escape daily concerns and spend positive time together

This synthesis "ody paragraph "egins !ith information from a source The !riter then eplains 67$and $6* he agrees !ith source’s author 5ote the concrete illustration of #icrosoft tutorials% This

paragraph !ould "e severely !eaened "y the eclusion &trong argumentative paragraphs AL$A*&

use concrete illustrations



This !riter is arguing that adversity "rings out talents that !ould not other!ise "e elicited The

reference is evolution is not fully developed' "ut it does sho! the author’s understanding 6e thenconnects this concept to computers and technological development The !riter sho!s a "road

a!areness and the concrete reference (aircraft !ings) helps immensely This paper scored an 8

Perhaps more concreteness !ould have elevated it to a 9"ut no one can deny the impressive depth ofthought

, completely disagree !ith the author’s point in this synthesis paragraph"ut it doesn’t matter The

!riter presents information from the provided sources and uses it to mae a reasona"le argumentThough , don’t personally agree !ith his conclusion' there is an undenia"le logic Thus' the paper



scored !ell :emem"er+ *ou are "eing evaluated on presenting a reasona"le argument &o long as you

present clear and direct evidence for your ideas' and mae an understanda"le connection "et!eenthem' then you !ill score !ell

The eamples aren’t as developed as they could "e' "ut do see that this !riter presents concrete

historical movements and a simple logic+ These figures !ere unapologetic dissenters !hose vie!seventually "ecame the ma;ority This paragraph is strengthened "y the !riter’s style /onsider the

po!er of the rhetorical <uestions at the end' !hich use =oorstin’s o!n !ords &hort paragraph' "ut it

maes an effective point



>or this synthesis essay response' note that the !riter taes time to eplain $6* teachers should

choose "oos :emem"er+ ,n argument' do not simply given an opinion Al!ays eplain $6* youropinion is the correct one The more time spent eplaining your thought process' the "etter



This synthesis paragraph follo!s a simple structure /laim Evidence Eplanation 5ote the penny is

connected to other concrete eamples (:ushmore' etc) 2o note the author’s passionate style' as

evidence in the last sentence A confident tone in itself can "e etremely persuasive 2on’t "e afraid tosho! a little attitude in your arguments4 Also+ :ecogni?e su"tle rhetorical strategies used "y the author

to mae his argument :hetorical <uestion (#&hould the penny "e treated any differently@%) And

=and!agon (#,ndeedthe federal government has already done !ell%)



3reat paragraph ,t "eings !ith a direct claim' follo!ed "y a "rief eplanation The !riter then uses a

concrete eample (/hina) to illustrate the point



,nteresting paragraph &tudents !ere ased to argue !hether or not voting should "e compulsory

Although this !riter does not address #compulsory% (or re<uired' mandated) voting in this paragraph'his point is clear+ The ma;ority of people need to voteand have their voice heardto eep the peace

This !riter used an etremely appropriate concrete historical eample (the >rench :evolution) 5ote

that this eample !as eplained over -. sentences =e sure to detail some if not all of your eamples

do not ;ust casually refer to them &67$ ho! they are appropriate



, simply love this essay 5ote this !riter’s "road a!areness of current events 6e is a"le to connect the

topic (the value of a society in !hich everyone has an opinion) to the !orld around him The manyconcrete illustrations and references add value to this paper Also' note the irony+ Even though the

!riter sho!s pro"lem after pro"lem' he concludes that !e’re "etter off this !ay The #6o!ever'%

completely shifts the epected direction of the paper Profound point' epertly and stylistically

presented

By no!$ you should clearly see the patterns of high%scoring argumentative papers. ere follo!s

more e&amples !ithout comment. Loo' for the same patterns.

ap persuasive argument, including synthesis essay, body paragraphs(1)

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