Possible Sources for Sources

NY Times Room For Debate

Chicago Tribune

Frontline

Campaign speeches

Opinion (Op Ed) pieces from a variety of sources, including newspapers, etc

Reputable newspapers, magazines, television news sources, NPR, CNN, FOX, ABC, etc

Zines

The Lion

Wesley 3 AP American Research and AP Synthesis Project:

Creating an AP Synthesis Prompt and Source Packet

Point Value: 100 points

Context:   As we continue to read American literature and anticipate the AP Language and Composition exam, this project merges three topics of pertinent study: American issues, research, and synthesis.  The book is a springboard for talking about and researching American issues. But we also need to start preparing for the AP Language and Composition exam’s synthesis essay.  This project will help us hone our research skills, become more aware of a current American issues, and prepare for and practice writing an AP synthesis essay.

Assignment

Congratulations! The national AP test writers have nominated this class to write their next synthesis prompts. Lucky.

BIG TIP! While writing, use the AP packets (both the source packet and the student essay packets) to help guide you. These are your models!

In doing this project, you may work with a partner (of course you don’t have to…I work better alone). Together, select a current American issue. It might deal with domestic or foreign policy. If you are having some trouble getting started in identifying a topic, consider the list below as a starting point. Once you have a topic, narrow the topic and consider logical angles that create interesting positions to argue.  Then, brainstorm possible questions that address a SPECIFIC angle on the topic: please note the example research steps below.

Step one: you choose the topic (example-- free school lunches).

Step two: this topic is too generic, but it is a great starting point.  Once you have the topic, begin to create a specific angle that leads to a clear question (this may take some research and searching)-examples: Free school lunches in high schools; free school lunches at LT; free school lunches and federal education department.

Step three: formulate your question—make sure that it is clear and specific—should the federal education department mandate that all schools provide free lunches? Your question must provoke the STUDENT to take a stance (the essayist chooses either pro/con)—you DO NOT take a side in formulating this prompt.

Step four: research this specific angle and find six sources that directly support or negate this topic. They must logically connect to your question!   Three sources should more clearly support one side of the argument (pro) while three other sources should more clearly support the other side of the argument (con); however, you may also include one source (in place of one of the other six) which is neutral/objective and might potentially be used to support either position. Also, remember that one of your six sources must be a visual source.  What is important is that overall your mix of sources provide balanced support for BOTH sides of the issue, not weak sources for one side and strong for the other. 

Source write-ups: Once you have selected your six sources, you must do a clear and concise paragraph write up on each source.  Explain which position (pro, con, objective) you believe the source best supports and why. These write-ups should be clear and concise: a well-developed paragraph which immediately states whether the source is best described as pro, con, or neutral, and then uses embedded quotes, paraphrase, and sound reasoning to explain why your team believes it best fits the pro, con, or neutral category.

IMPORTANT POINT: Most of the sources should be non-fiction, with the exception of the visual, which might be fictional. You may also replace one (but no more than one) of your written non-fiction pieces with an excerpt from a piece of fiction (e.g., The Great Gatsby) we have read this year.

Also, please be sure to label each source as source A-F.  This label should be at the top of the page.

Finally, create an AP style rubric (1-9 scoring) tailored specifically to your prompt.

Objectives

-Students can research a topic of interest and select six credible sources

-Students can define a credible source that is both visual and textual

-Students can formulate a synthesis question appropriate for their topic that is based on their AP models.  Privilege

Possible broad synthesis topics (only one per partners!): We will not do gun control or abortion as topics, not because they aren’t legitimate issues, but for the simple reason that they have been done more than any other topics.

• Health care
• Religious discrimination/profiling
• minimum wage
• foreign policy
• prison sentencing and race
• drug laws
• racial/ethnic profiling
• Snowden—Patriot or Leaker?
• Personal privacy vs. surveillance and security
• Standardized testing
• College admissions
• College tuition
• Policing issues
• Affirmative Action
• Gay Rights/equality/social justice
• Tax policy
• Education funding
• Gender issues
• Housing issues
• Nutrition
• Poverty
• Shrinking middle class
• Economic growth
• Mental health/illness issues
• Minimum Wage
• Disabilities
• Environmental issues
• Any thing else that is relevant

Final product:

You will have a cover page that contextualizes the topic and contains the synthesizing prompt.

You will have six sources—one source per page.

You will create an AP-style rubric (scored on 1-9 scale) for your prompt.

Attached as an appendix, you will submit a pro, con, objective write-ups for each source.

This synthesis packet will be used by your peers to produce an in class synthesis essay that addresses your prompt. 

Deadlines: See calendar below.

2/29 Introduce AP Research/Synthesis Essay project Read in Cliff’s AP: Types of Essays Topics, Synthesis  (Page 29) The Synthesis Essay (background and example): 39-52	3/1 Read and review one more AP synthesis essay (2014 and 2011) Meet with team to discuss your project plan; Work on creating prompt Discuss places where you might find good sources HW: Begin looking for sources	3/2 See/Review student responses to synthesis essay (2014) Work on creating prompt Review AP rubric HW: Look for sources and consider how you would excerpt those sources (and create draft source write-ups)	3/3 Research Day – Continue finding sources and doing source write-ups DC – prd 2 & 3 L ib E – prd 4	3/4 Research Day Library B: Prd 2-4 Due today (visual check) 1st draft of  chosen and excerpted sources, bibliographic entries for sources, source write-ups
3/7 CASIMIR PULASKI DAY *or weather make-up day	3/8 Research Day Prd 2, 3, 4 – in Lib E 1st draft of Completed Rubric	3/9 Late Start Day 2nd draft due: Nearly Final Peer Group Read-through for edits Research Day (Prds 2-3 in Lib B) Prd 4 in Lib E	3/10 TBA	3/11 QUARTER 3 END Final Project Due Synthesis Projects Due as Word Document and Hard Copy

Grading: 100 points                                        Student Names:  _________________________________

AP Synthesis Project Rubric:

A (8-9)  The prompt is mature, meaningful, and well-written, providing a compelling and debatable American issue. The prompt is supported by a balanced (pro, con, neutral) mix of polished, very well-chosen/written, and properly cited (MLA) source documents. Conventions and formatting of the entire packet is all-but-perfect and it is combined into one Word document. The rubric is tailored to the prompt, well-worded and free of errors. The sources chosen are balanced and supported by thoughtful, thorough, fair, and well-written write-ups appended to the end of the assignment. The entire package is essentially ready for printing and use as an AP exam quality prompt. 

B (6-7)  Though perhaps not quite as mature, meaningful, and/or well-written as the best prompts and sources, the document provides a legitimate and debatable American issue. The prompt is supported by a balanced (pro-con) mix of fairly well-chosen/well-written sources, though they might not be as apt in selection or well-written as those found in the best document packets. The source documents are properly cited (MLA). Conventions and formatting is all-but-perfect, and the packet is combined into one Word document. The rubric is tailored to the prompt, fairly well-worded and free of errors. Though they do not necessarily reveal the quality of analysis or polished writing found in the best write-ups, these write-up are good, reasonable, and balanced and they clearly convey why the source falls into the category it fits into. While not yet an AP quality prompt, with some improvements to question, content and formatting, it could be.

C (5) They demonstrate an attempt to create a AP exam style synthesis prompt and packet, but it may have a vague or less compelling prompt and/or have mediocre or unbalanced source content. Source write-ups are adequate but the explanations are not especially precise, insightful, well-written. Alternatively, they may be relatively strong in terms of prompt and source content but are poorly formatted, contain typos, or have other distracting errors. The rubric is generic (not tailored specifically to that prompt) or in some other way is adequate at best.

D (3-4) They are deficient in prompt, source content, formatting, rubric or source write-ups.

F (1-2)  They are realllllyyyy deficicient!