Synthesis Essay Quiz Flashcards
(21 cards)
Which part of the essay (depicted in the rubric) is “by far the most important part of the rubric” and the “gateway to the other two rows”?
Row A - Thesis
The thesis statement is “ideally” where?
The last 1-2 lines of the introduction
People who don’t earn the thesis point make these mistakes:
ALL OPTIONS
No defensible thesis, simple restatement of prompt only, summary of topic with no clear claim, states an apparent fact rather than a defensible claim, thesis statement is off-topic
What is the issue with this thesis statement?
“Historical monuments exist throughout the world.”
States an apparent fact rather than a defensible claim
What is the issue with this thesis statement?
“Historical monuments are cool.”
No defensible thesis
What is the issue with this thesis statement?
“Historical monuments are overrated, unimportant and most of them should be taken down.”
Nothing, this is a valid thesis statement that would earn the thesis point
What is the issue with this thesis statement?
“Historical monuments are structures or places that are important to a country’s history and are connected to a cultural, architectural, or ethnographic event.”
Summary of topic with no clear claim
You need to make sure the claim you’re making is:
ALL OF THE OPTIONS
disputable, it can have somebody object to it, it would need evidence to support it
Synthesis is all about:
ALL OF THE OPTIONS
evidence, reason, support, dialogue
A 0 on the thesis row is a huge problem because:
You cannot get anything higher than a 2 on row B (evidence and commentary)
If you do not “explicitly cite” from at least 3 different sources, what is the maximum amount of points in evidence and commentary that you can earn (out of 4):
1
Should you quote from the sources?
Not really, you should make references to sources and use only short quotes that you will analyze
In order to earn 4/4 on the evidence and commentary you need to have:
Relevant evidence that supports all of the claims you are making
Your essay must have “one line of reasoning” which means it must be:
Unified and organized so that each part of your argument connects to the broader argument
Throughout each body paragraph you should be citing from (a) source(s) at least:
Once or twice
If you bring the 3 sources you are citing from together and your outside information together you will score highly on row B (evidence and commentary).
True
Sophistication is something that people spend too much time worrying about.
True
Possible ways to earn the sophistication point are:
ALL EXCEPT 3RD (Thorough analysis of each evidence that is used to persuade the reader.)
Nuanced thesis that identifies the subtle differences in meaning, attitude, or opinions of a prompt and is well-supported throughout the student’s argument, Acknowledgement of the limitations and implications of an argument (by the student or included in the sources), Successful rhetorical choices by the student, Mature, convincing (persuasive) writing style
Although “Vertical farms have value to the future of agriculture” is a thesis statement that would earn the thesis point, it is not a recommended thesis statement because:
FIRST THREE OPTIONS
It is lacking, It does not preview the points that are coming in the essay, It is very vague
“While vertical farms do offer high-quality produce, their high cost and immense energy consumption limit their value to the future of agriculture.”
Is a better thesis statement because:
ALL OF THE OPTIONS
It is a little more nuanced (complex) of a position, It offers a concession to the other side of the argument before coming back and outweighing that concession with 2 points, It depicts the complexity of the topic by stating that the value is “limited” and not simply worthless or saying it should not be attempted
The thesis statement can help us attain the sophistication credit because a strong thesis statement can bring in nuances (complexities) that go beyond what is simplistic or basic. Examples of such thesis statements are:
GIVEN, WHILE, WHILE
“Given the fact that most kids learn on computers and tablets nowadays, it makes no sense for them to spend time learning an obsolete skill such as cursive handwriting, although they still will need to learn how to print.”, “While it makes sense for students to learn keyboarding and other skills that will prepare them for a digital world, handwriting instruction still holds a place in a modern child’s education.”, “While laws designed to protect historical buildings may help preserve cultural history as well as neighborhood integrity, they should rarely exist as they prevent building owners from possible renovations and sale.”
