Argument Synthesis Essay

Unit 5 ENG 120

Argument Synthesis Essay

Due: 11:59 PM EST Sunday

The Argument Synthesis will require you to research and choose readings to incorporate into the essay to formulate your argument. After reading

through the pieces on Argument Synthesis and Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, choose one of the following topics for your essay. The essay will be two to

three pages in length and employ APA format.

Follow these guidelines to write your Argument Synthesis:

 The Argument Synthesis should be two to three pages in length and include at least three scholarly sources. Choose one of the following

topics and choose one position on the topic:

o Advertising

o Standardized testing

o Gap year (students taking off one year between high school and college)

o No Child Left Behind Act

o Green energy (solar, wind, water, or another source of your choice)

o Education and rehabilitation in jail

o Technologies impact on children’s social skills

o Unhealthy food banned from high schools

o Obesity

o Holistic medicine

 Include an APA title page

 Include APA in-text citations wherever you reference the text.

 Include a reference page in APA format.

 Be objective and avoid using “I”, “you”, and “we”.

Students: Be sure to read the criteria, by which your paper/project will be evaluated, before you write, and again after you write.

Argument Synthesis Rubric

Unsatisfactory – 1 Developing – 2 Proficient – 3 Exemplary – 4

Organization

The synthesis lacks an

effective introduction and

conclusion and does not offer

explanations of material.

The synthesis contains an

effective introduction and

conclusion but does not offer

reasonable explanations of

material.

The synthesis contains an

effective introduction and

conclusion but some

explanations require more

information.

The synthesis begins with a

well thought-out, cohesive

introduction, includes effective

explanations, and ends in a

summative conclusion.

Arguments

It is difficult for the reader to

know which text is being

discussed. Arguments are

insufficient

Arguments of material are

unclear and haphazard. Student

provides too much or too little

information.

Arguments of material could be

more clear and succinct. Ideas

are not explicitly related to the

thesis.

Each text used is argued clearly

and succinctly with ideas that

relate to the thesis.

Synthesis

No connection is made

between texts, no similarities

or differences are noted, the

reader cannot see how the

texts are related, and the essay

is more summary than

synthesis.

There is little connection

between texts, similarities and

differences seem to be randomly

selected, and it is difficult for the

reader to see how the texts are

related.

The points of comparison and

references to the texts could be

more specific and explicit,

although the reader can see

how the texts are related.

The student uses well-selected

points of comparison and

references to the texts and

clearly explains how the texts

support the thesis statement.

APA

Format

There is no evidence of proper

APA style anywhere in the

synthesis.

The synthesis contains more than

seven APA errors in title page,

objective tone, citation, and

active voice.

The synthesis contains four to

six errors in APA style title

page, objective tone, citation,

and active voice.

The synthesis contains fewer

than three errors in APA style

title page, objective tone,

citation, and active voice.

Grammar,

Mechanics

Errors in mechanics make the

synthesis difficult to

understand.

There are seven or more errors in

mechanics, usage, grammar, or

spelling.

There are four to six errors in

mechanics, usage, grammar, or

spelling.

There are fewer than three

errors in mechanics, usage,

grammar, or spelling.

20 = 100% 16 = 90% 12 = 79% 8 = 70%

19 = 98% 15 = 87% 11 = 77% 7 = 68%

18 = 96% 14 = 84% 10 = 75% 6 = 66%

17 = 93% 13 = 81% 9 = 73% 5 = 64%

*A zero can be earned if the above criteria are not met.