AP English Language

Synthesis Essay Prompts

 2007 Prompt
That advertising plays a huge role in society is readily
apparent to anyone who watches television, listens to
radio, reads newspapers, uses the Internet, or simply
looks at billboards on streets and buses. Advertising has
fierce critics as well as staunch advocates. Critics claim
that advertisement is propaganda, while advocates
counter that advertising fosters free trade and promotes
prosperity.
Write an essay in which you develop a position on the
effects of advertising.
(Based on 6 sources. )
 2008 Prompt
In 2001 United States Representative Jim Kolbe
introduced legislation to Congress to eliminate the
penny in in most transactions. Although this
legislation failed, there are still consistent calls to
eliminate the penny as the smallest denominatrion
United States coin.
Write an essay in which you develop a position
on whether or not the penny should be eliminated.
(Based on 7 sources)
 2010 Prompt
In much of the world, the time that regulates our lives is
altered by daylight savings time. Each year, we set our clocks
back an hour in the fall and then move them forward an hour
in the spring. This annual shift is thought to have been
invented by Benjamin Franklin, who in 1784 wrote a letter to a
French journalist suggesting that Parisians could economize
on candles if they simply woke up earlier in the summer.
Daylight saving time was adopted by the United States in the
twentieth century and is regulated by the federal government.
Even though daylight saving time has been widelty adopted, it
still has detractors.
Synthesize at least three of the sources into an essay that
evaluates daylight saving time and offers a recommendation
about its continued use.
(Based on 6 sources.)
 2012 Prompt
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has delivered communications
for more than two centuries. During the nineteenth century, the USPS
helped to expand the boundaries of the United States by providing
efficient and reliable communication across the country. Between 1790
and 1860 alone, the number of post offices in the United States grew
from 75 to over 28,000. With this growth came job opportunities for
postal workers and a boom in the cross-country rail system. The
twentieth century brought substantial growth to the USPS, including
large package delivery and airmail. Over the past decade, however,
total mail volume has decreased considersbly as competition from
electronic mail and various package delivery companies has taken
business away from the USPS. The loss of revenue has prompted the
USPS to consider cutting back on delivery days and other services.
Write an essay that argues a clear position on whether the USPS
should be restructured to meet the needs of a changing world, and if
so, how.
(Based on 8 sources. )
 2013 Prompt
The need to memorialize events or people is
complex; in some cases, monuments honor
moments of great achievement, while in other
cases, monuments pay homage to deep sacrifice. A
monument’s size, location, and materials are all
considerations in planning and creating a memorial
to the past.
In an essay, examine the factors a group or
agency should consider in memorializing an event
or person and in creating a monument.
(Based on 7 sources.)
 2014 Prompt
Many recent college graduates have faced
record levels of unemployment. This situation has
led people to question what they value about higher
education. Some high school students and their
parents are wondering if a college education is
worth the cost. Others, however, believe that a
college education prepares students for more than
just a job or career.
Write an essay that evaluates whether college is
worth its cost.
(Based on 6 sources.)