Monuments 2013

Question 1

synthesis essay - boring topics

Answer 1

some synthesis essay assignments will not have engaging passages to read, or they may not focus on issues that you care about. it will be more challenging to make them entertaining and effective for your reader

Question 2

how to start

Answer 2

give yourself a couple minutes to brainstorm your ideas. make a list of pros and cons before you evaluate the sources, so that you will have an original position

Question 3

brainstorm your ideas

Answer 3

start with the basics and feel free to use defaults like: economics, health/risk factors, locations, resources, etc. as your are considering factors. consider the factors and decide your position before reading the sources

Question 4

reading the sources

Answer 4

in order to make an effective argument for your position, you have to be able to make your sources “stretch” and “connect” together. Be creative; don’t be bound simply by what the words say or by the graphics you see. Consider the implications and what the words or graphics bring to mind and use them to “push” your position. Make use of the harder sources, like photos, to demonstrate your skill

Question 5

writing effectively

Answer 5

most importantly, make your sources work together; play them off of each other, to support your position. remember that you are in control of the essay and the ideas presented in it

Question 6

if you were writing a synthesis essay about the factors involved in creating a monument, how could you “connect” the two sources?

Answer 6

• If we preserve the places and events of history (Sources A and F), we will remember what matters
• Both monuments, sources C & G, originated in France and stand for freedom, liberty, and justice
• Source G is a monument to French lives, while Source C stood for a new life for many immigrants
• Source C tells of being “impressed” by a memory, which is illustrated in the Roman photo (Source E)
• Monuments can be patriotic like the Statue of Liberty (Source C) and represent a country (Source G)
• While monuments can be culturally insensitive (Source C), they can honor activists (Source G)
• The vast recesses of human potential are expressed in the Louvre and Taj Mahal (Source C and G)
• Monuments house resounding architecture. Source C is circular while Source G is angular
• The sources have examples of how the ordinary can become special as monuments
• Source C indicates monuments stand the test of time, while Source G shows they can house history