AP English Language and Composition · Exam guide

AP English Language Synthesis Essay Explained: How to Use Sources to Earn 6 Points

The synthesis essay gives you a topic and six sources, including at least one visual and one quantitative source. You write an argument that uses at least three of them as evidence for a position of your own. The sources are your evidence, not your argument. Plan on a 15-minute reading period plus about 40 minutes of writing.

What the rubric asks for

Row	Points	What earns it
A: Thesis	1	A defensible position that responds to the prompt. A summary of the issue, a restatement, or "there are pros and cons" earns nothing.
B: Evidence and commentary	4	Evidence from at least three sources, set in a line of reasoning, with commentary that explains how each piece of evidence supports your argument.
C: Sophistication	1	A nuanced argument, such as exploring tensions across the sources, noting limits or implications, or making consistently effective rhetorical choices.
Total	6

A sample prompt

Many school districts are debating whether to start the school day later. Write an essay that argues your position on whether high schools should start later in the morning. The six sources are imaginary and are used only for practice.

Source A: an article by a sleep researcher explaining that teenagers' body clocks shift later.
Source B (quantitative): a bar graph of the share of students getting eight or more hours of sleep at schools with different start times.
Source C: a district transportation director's memo about the cost of changing bus schedules.
Source D: a parent's letter about after-school jobs and sports.
Source E (visual): a photograph of students waiting at a bus stop before sunrise.
Source F: a principal's report on attendance and tardiness.

Point 1: the thesis

Does not earn the pointThere are good arguments for and against later school start times.

It summarizes the debate and takes no position.

Earns the pointHigh schools should start later, because the evidence about teenagers' sleep needs outweighs the real but solvable costs of rescheduling buses and activities.

It takes a position and gives the reasoning the essay will follow.

Points 2 to 5: evidence and commentary

Summary, not commentarySource A says teenagers' body clocks shift later. Source B shows a graph of sleep. Source C talks about buses.

It summarizes each source in turn and never says how any of it supports a claim.

Evidence with commentaryThe biological case is strongest in Source A, which explains that teenagers' body clocks shift later, so an early bell asks them to learn when their brains are least ready. Source B supports this: schools with later start times have a larger share of students getting at least eight hours of sleep, which suggests the schedule, not student choice, is a major cause of the shortage. Together they show that the sleep problem is built into the schedule.

Each source is attached to a claim, and the commentary says how the evidence supports it.

Point 6: sophistication

Earns the pointSource C's cost concern is serious, but it describes a scheduling problem that a district can plan around, while Source A describes a biological limit that a district cannot. Weighing the two reveals which tension matters more. The graph in Source B also comes from a limited set of schools, so it supports the claim without proving it.

It explores a tension between sources and notes a limit of the evidence, as part of the argument.

A method that works

Use the reading period to mark each source's main claim in a few words, and group the sources into two or three ideas.
Build the essay around your ideas, not around the sources. Each paragraph is one idea supported by two or more sources.
Cite sources by letter, as in Source A, or by a short description in parentheses.
Include the visual or quantitative source when it helps your argument.

Common mistakes

Summarizing the sources one by one. That is a report, not an argument.
Quoting without commentary. A quotation that is not explained is not evidence of anything.
Using fewer than three sources, which caps Row B.
Treating the sources as the whole argument. Your own position should be clear even if the reader has not seen the sources.

Frequently asked questions

How many sources do I have to use in the synthesis essay?

At least three of the six. Using more only helps if each one supports a claim.

Can I use outside knowledge?

You may, but the prompt expects you to build your argument from the sources. Use outside knowledge only to support what the sources say.

How should I cite a source?

Refer to it as Source A, Source B, and so on, or use a short description in parentheses.

Do I have to use the visual and quantitative sources?

Not required, but they often make the best evidence. Describe what the image or data shows and say how it supports your claim.

How long should I spend reading?

The 15-minute reading period is for the sources. Use it to mark claims and decide which three or four to use.

Keep practicing

The AP English Language course has five practice prompts for each of the three essay types, with a writing space that scores your response against the official 6-point analytic rubric. These free lessons also build the skills the free-response section tests:

See the AP English Language and Composition course Free lessons and lesson list

Other free-response guides:

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