1. Unit 3: Research Lesson 1
I can evaluate and synthesize information to support my position.
I can determine important, relevant information to serve as evidence to support my position.
RI Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
RI Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
W Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. b. Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literary nonfiction and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy

2. Agenda Bell Ringer: Writing Skill of the Day!
Introduce AP Research Project
Introduce Synthesis Prompt
Skills:
Choosing the Best Information: Determining Importance and Relevance
Synthesizing Information
Synthesis Practice
Picking the Strong Evidence
Synthesizing Evidence

3. AP English Language and Composition Research Project

4. AP Research Project
Situation: What social problems exist in the world around us? How can we create positive change through writing and presenting ideas?
Task: Identify a real problem that is impacting our community that you could solve through effective argument.
Power Pitch (FALL SEMESTER):
After identifying a local challenge currently affecting our community, develop a claim and reasons you believe this is a problem.
Conduct research, in which you find at least 5 credible sources that substantiate this issue as an area of concern. Synthesize the most relevant information from your sources in order to support your claim.
Write a research paper (at least 3 pages in length) in which you argue that your problem is an area of concern. Use MLA citation format in order to properly credit sources and avoid plagiarism and include a Works Cited page.
Present your findings utilizing effective rhetorical strategies in order to convince the audience that the problem exists and should be addressed with immediate action. You should utilize visual aid (PowerPoint, Prezi, Google Slides, etc.) to assist in your presentation. Use MLA citation format in order to properly credit sources and avoid plagiarism.

5. AP Research Project
After Power Pitch Presentations, you will be voting individually to determine which proposed problems are most pressing, have a real world audience, and can be solved through argument.
Based on these results and individual preferences, we will form groups to continue this research in the spring.
Action Research (SPRING SEMESTER):
In your groups, you will gather additional relevant sources, based on the feedback received from the Power Pitch, and synthesize them in order to propose a solution to the problem.
You will write up a proposal for your solution, utilizing research to prove that the solution is viable. Use MLA citation format in order to properly credit sources and avoid plagiarism.
Finally, you will present this solution to a real world audience, someone who can take action based on your ideas. During your presentation, you will need to utilize some kind of visual aids (PowerPoint, pamphlet, poster, infographic, etc.) to assist in your presentation. Use MLA citation format in order to properly credit sources and avoid plagiarism.

6. Fall Research Paper Power Pitch Presentations
We will be working for the rest of the semester on researching a local problem that you identify. After gathering evidence, you will write a 3 page research paper that argues that this is a pressing problem that require action.
Then you will create a presentation on your findings to present to the class, convincing them that this problem is the most important issue facing our community today and requires immediate action.
In order to research effectively, we need to learn some research skills. We will be using the AP Synthesis Essay to help us today!

7. What is synthesis?

8. Research Skill: Synthesizing Information
Synthesis is using two or more ideas to draw a conclusion.
In order to do this, you must make inferences and determine the relationships among sources.
Why is this important?
The most successful research paper is one that uses many sources to support an original thesis.
This requires more than simply summarizing passages of source material; it means drawing connections between the sources, and using these connections to relate the different passages in a way that sheds new light on, and transforms, the material.

9. How do I synthesize?
To synthesize, you used multiple sources to come up with your REASONS for your argument.
So, each reason you have should have evidence from more than one source to show a pattern of proof.
Source #1: Study from Harvard Psychologist showing a decreased performance in schools beginning before 8:30am
Early school start times are problematic because they
negatively affect student performance in class
and
they don’t account for students who have jobs.
Source #2: Child psychologist in New York Times saying she sees more mental health issues in students w/ early start times, which affects grades.
Source #3: School survey: 49% of students in 11th and 12th grades work hours a week
Source #4: Washington Post article: avg. student has 3 hours of homework a night, and if they work and get off at 10pm, they would be going to bed at 1am

10. Terms to know for the AP Synthesis Prompt:
The AP synthesis prompt will present a claim, and ask you to defend, challenge, or qualify that claim based on the information from various sources provided.
Defend: When you defend a claim, you agree with that claim. You will synthesize the information from the sources to SUPPORT the provided claim.
Challenge: When you challenge a claim, you disagree with that claim. You will synthesize the information from the sources to REFUTE the provided claim.
Qualify: When you qualify a claim, you limit or restrict the claim. For example, if the claim is “TV has been beneficial to presidential elections,” you might limit the claim by saying, “ TV has benefitted presidential elections that ___________ but the benefits diminish when the elections __________.”

11. Let’s Look at an AP Synthesis Prompt:
Read the prompt page
Where is the claim located on the prompt page?
Where is the actual prompt that tells you what to do?
Let’s do some prompt deconstruction and figure out exactly what this prompt is asking us to do.

12. Gathering Evidence Information

13. Research Skill: Determining Importance and Relevance
For each source, you will need to do some close-reading and annotating.
First, determine the author’s main idea and major premises(reasons)
When you understand the text, it is easier to determine how you will be able to use the source.
Next, pick out evidence that might be useful in answering your research question.
Look for Facts, Statistics, Quotes, Expert Testimonies, etc.
Finally, narrow the information by eliminating any unimportant or irrelevant pieces of information.

14. Research Skill: What makes evidence THE BEST?
It is directly connected to YOUR argument
It is a FACT
You don’t just want to include an OPINION statement from your source. Make sure it’s a good study, statistic, expert quotation, etc.
That FACT is a good one, which means your source’s author cites their sources for their fact.
If they give a statistic and don’t tell you where it comes from, it might not be THE BEST evidence for you to use.

15. Research Skill: Importance and Relevance
Importance means that something is ESSENTIAL, NECESSARY to the overall meaning of the text.
Obviously if some parts of a text are essential, then some parts are not. You have to become “Judge and Jury” and determine what information is necessary to support an author’s (and eventually your) ideas.
Relevance means closely CONNECTED or APPROPRIATE to the matter at hand.
Again, for each piece of information, you must decide how closely connected is it to your research question and position. If it doesn’t make much sense or isn’t appropriate to support your ideas, then you need to eliminate it as an option for your paper.

16. Don’t Forget
Your use of sources and evidence from your sources should be secondary to your own ideas.
Anyone can quote and paraphrase what an expert has said about your topic.
The thing that will make your paper a Research Paper and an interesting, CONVINCING argument is YOU!

17. Practice Choosing the Best Information and Synthesizing

18. Research Question and Position
Is college worth its cost?
Position: Yes
Thesis Statement: While raising costs have deterred some from perusing post-secondary degrees, a college education and degree is worth the cost because….

19. Together: First Source (Source B)
Identify the author’s main idea and major premises.
Pick out evidence that might be useful in answering your research question.
Narrow the information
Eliminate any unimportant information
Is it necessary to support an author’s (and eventually your) ideas?
Eliminate irrelevant information
Does it make sense? Does it connect to the topic? Is it appropriate?

20. With a Partner: Second Source (Source C)
Read the chart and determine the parts.
Pick out evidence that might be useful in answering your research question.
Narrow the information
Eliminate any unimportant information
Is it necessary to support an author’s (and eventually your) ideas?
Eliminate irrelevant information
Does it make sense? Does it connect to the topic? Is it appropriate?

21. On Your Own: Third Source (Source D)
Identify the author’s main idea and major premises.
Pick out evidence that might be useful in answering your research question.
Narrow the information
Eliminate any unimportant information
Is it necessary to support an author’s (and eventually your) ideas?
Eliminate irrelevant information
Does it make sense? Does it connect to the topic? Is it appropriate?

22. What information did you find?

23. Synthesis
What patterns did you notice across both articles?
What inferences can you make about our topic based on what we read?
What new information do you have after reading both articles?
What two conclusions can you draw about your topic after reading both articles (these would be your reasons)?
Homework: Complete a BRIEF outline, finishing the thesis with reasons and then providing evidence from at least two sources per reason. You may include counterclaims as well.

24. Rubric M 1
1.5 2
2.5 3
3.5 4
No evidence
May have attempted, but evidence chosen or explanation is poor.
Synthesizes information with little valid reasoning, and does not use adequate evidence from sources.
Chooses evidence that is okay but is not the best. Explanations are present.
Synthesizes information with some valid reasoning, but may only use 1 source for evidence per reason.
Chooses good evidence and explains in detail.
Synthesizes information with adequate reasoning and at least 2 sources for evidence per reason.
Chooses the best 3 pieces of evidence in the source and explains in detail.
Synthesizes information with strong reasoning and multiple sources for evidence per reason.