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 ...

1. 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:
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

2. 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
-text citations wherever you reference the
text.
e”.
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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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,

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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.