Introduction to Synthesis (College Board AP® English Language & Composition): Revision Note

This study guide introduces you to synthesis in AP Lang. It explains how writers consider, explain and integrate ideas from multiple sources while developing their own position. It also shows how synthesis differs from summary, how sources can support, extend, qualify or challenge an argument, and why borrowed words and ideas must be clearly acknowledged.

What is synthesis in AP Lang?

Synthesis is the process of combining ideas from multiple sources to develop or refine your own argument. 

When you synthesize, you:

• Identify the claims and evidence presented by sources

• Determine how the sources relate to one another

• Select information relevant to your purpose

• Integrate that information into your argument

• Explain what the sources help you understand or prove

Synthesis can be understood as a combination of source ideas, relationships among sources and your reasoning.

Imagine that several sources either directly or indirectly discuss aspects of whether a city should convert a vacant lot into a community garden:

• One source emphasizes environmental benefits

• A different source focuses on access to fresh food

• Another source warns about maintenance costs for a city garden

If you report what each source says, you have simply summarized them. 

If you use the sources to argue that the city should create the garden only if it establishes a long-term maintenance plan, and you integrate the source material as support, you have synthesized them. 

Ultimately, sources should enhance your argument rather than replace it. Think of synthesis as entering into an ongoing conversation. You listen to what others have said, you identify agreements and disagreements, and then you contribute your own informed position.

How synthesis differs from summary

A summary reports the main idea or main claim of a source. Synthesis combines source ideas and uses them to develop your reasoning. 

If a student writes a summary:

Notice that this sentence simply reports the likely main idea of the source. 

If a student synthesizes two sources:

Notice that the writer combines two sources, identifies a relationship, explains the significance of that relationship and draws a conclusion.

The four ways writers use sources in synthesis

Sources may perform four common functions within an argument.

To support a position

A source supports a position when it provides evidence or reasoning that reinforces the writer’s claim:

• For example, a public-health report supports the garden proposal by showing that some neighborhoods lack convenient access to fresh produce

To extend an argument

A source extends an argument when it adds a new consequence, application or insight:

• For example, a community organizer extends the argument by explaining that gardens can also provide meeting spaces and educational programs 

To qualify a claim

A source qualifies an argument when it introduces a condition, exception or limitation:

• For example, a city planner notes that gardens often fail without reliable funding and volunteer support, thereby calling for the creation of gardens only after a maintenance plan has been established

To challenge an idea

A source challenges an argument when it questions an assumption or presents an opposing conclusion:

• For example, a housing advocate argues that the vacant land should be used for affordable apartments instead

Position vs. perspective in synthesis

A position is the claim or stance a source takes on an issue. A perspective is the viewpoint from which the source approaches the issue. Perspective may be shaped by a writer’s profession, experience, expertise, interest, values or responsibilities. Two sources may hold the same position but approach it from different perspectives. Note that both sources below support the same proposal, but their reasons and areas of concern differ. 

Why attribution and citation matter

When you use another person’s words, ideas, images or information, you must acknowledge the source. Attribution and citation give credit to the original source, distinguish the source’s ideas from your own, strengthen your credibility and prevent plagiarism. 

You may do this through:

Attribution — naming the source in your sentence:

Citation — identifying the source in parentheses:

Attribution and citation together:

How to combine source material into your own argument

1. Begin with your own claim:

   • "A community garden could transform neglected land into a resource that serves nearby residents."

2. Introduce relevant source information:

   • "A public-health official explains that some neighborhoods have limited access to affordable fresh produce (Source A)."

3. Explain why the information matters:

   • "A nearby garden could provide residents with a local source of fruits and vegetables rather than leaving the lot unused."

4. Add another source:

   • "An environmental organization adds that replacing pavement and debris with plants could also reduce heat and improve the appearance of the area (Source C)."

5. Explain the relationship:

   • "Together, the sources show that the proposal could address both public-health and environmental concerns."

6. Return to your position:

   • "The city should therefore consider the garden, provided that it can establish reliable funding and maintenance."

How to start synthesizing: step-by-step

1. Understand the task:

   • Identify:

     • The subject

     • The question or decision

     • The type of position you must develop

2. Identify each source’s claim and perspective:

   • For each source, record:

     • What it claims

     • What evidence it provides

     • What perspective shapes the argument

3. Find relationships among sources:

   • Ask:

     • Which sources agree?

     • Which sources disagree?

     • Does one source add a new perspective?

     • Does one source introduce a limitation?

     • Can one source answer another?

4. Note the possible relationships:

   • Sources A and C support...

   • Source B qualifies their support...

   • Source D challenges the proposal...

5. Develop your own defensible thesis

6. Select and integrate relevant source material:

   • Choose evidence that helps you support, extend, qualify or challenge

7. Explain relationships and cite the sources:

   • After presenting source material, explain:

     • How it supports your claim

     • How it relates to another source

     • Whether it changes or limits your position

Worked example: annotated synthesis paragraph

Prompt:

• Develop a position on whether a city should convert an unused lot into a community garden

Sources:

Writer's position:

• The city should convert the lot into a community garden, but only after securing a long-term maintenance partnership

Synthesis paragraph:

Converting the vacant lot into a community garden could improve the neighborhood, provided that the city first establishes a realistic maintenance plan. The public-health official in Source A argues that the garden could give residents greater access to fresh produce. This benefit would allow the land to serve a practical community need rather than remain neglected. Source C extends the argument by explaining that plants and trees could also add shade and reduce the heat created by paved surfaces. Together, these sources show that the proposal could improve both residents’ health and the physical environment. However, the city planner in Source B warns that gardens may deteriorate when funding and responsibility are unclear. This concern does not defeat the proposal, but it does require the city to secure a community organization or agency to oversee the property before construction begins. A garden supported by a long-term partnership would therefore offer more value than either an abandoned lot or a project that cannot be sustained.

Tips for synthesizing

Keep your argument central:

• Your position is the main argument

• Sources provide evidence and perspective that help you develop it

Organize by ideas, not by sources:

• Avoid writing one paragraph about Source A, one about Source B and one about Source C — this is what scorers call a “source tour”

• Instead, group sources around the reasons supporting your thesis

Explain how sources relate:

• Do not stop at “Source A agrees with Source C.”

• Instead, explain the relationship

• “Source C extends Source A’s concern about public health by showing that the garden could also improve the physical environment.”

Use only purposeful sources: 

• A source should support, extend, qualify or challenge an idea

• When in doubt, cite — a citation is required whenever the information or ideas come from a source, even when no direct quotation appears 

• Remember that synthesis occurs in your explanation, not merely in the citation 

Common mistakes when synthesizing

• Summarizing sources separately 

• Allowing sources to replace your own reasoning

• Announcing agreement or disagreement without explaining it

• Failing to acknowledge paraphrased ideas

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between synthesis and quoting?

Quoting reproduces a source’s exact words. Synthesis combines source ideas and explains how they contribute to the writer’s argument. Quoting alone is not synthesis. 

How many sources do I need to synthesize?

Conceptually, synthesis occurs when a writer establishes a meaningful relationship between ideas from at least two sources and connects that relationship to an argument. For FRQ 1, the directions call for a minimum of three cited sources in your essay. 

How is synthesis tested on FRQ 1?

In FRQ 1, you develop a position and use evidence from six provided sources to support your line of reasoning. Effective responses do more than mention or summarize sources; they integrate source material into their argument and explain its significance. 

Can I synthesize without using a counterargument?

Yes. Sources can be synthesized because they:

• Support the same claim from different perspectives

• Extend one another 

• Explain different effects

• Qualify a position

• Challenge an assumption

A counterargument is one possible source relationship and is very common, but it is not required. 

Key terms and glossary

• Attribution: identification of the writer, speaker or sources responsible for borrowed words or ideas

• Citation: a reference that identifies the source of quotes, paraphrased or summarized material

• Integration: the process of incorporating source material smoothly into a writer’s own argument 

• Paraphrase: an accurate restatement of a source idea in the writer’s own words and sentence structure

• Perspective: the viewpoint from which a source approaches an issue, shaped by factors such as experience, interests or values 

• Position: a claim or stance on an issue

• Qualification: a condition, limitation or exception that makes a claim more precise

• Source: a text, image, chart, speech, study, or other material from which information or ideas are drawn

• Summary: a condensed statement of a source’s main ideas

• Synthesis: the process of considering, explaining and integrating ideas from multiple sources into one’s own argument