Boris and the Synthesis Essay

Pablo Romo

Once upon a time there was a boy names Boris. He was going to take the AP Language and Composition test and was feeling quite apprehensive about the Synthesis essay in it. It is your job to help him with his essay by guiding him through the Synthesis essay administered in 2010.
Read over the prompt and find what it is asking Boris to do. Does it want Boris to define or argue or both? Boris reminds you to answer every question is asks.
Question 1
(Suggested time—40 minutes. This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.)
Directions:
The following prompt is based on the accompanying six sources. This question requires you to synthesize a variety of sources into a coherent, well-written essay. When you synthesize sources, you refer to them to develop your position and cite them accurately. Your argument should be central; the sources should support your argument. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Remember to attribute both direct and indirect references.
Introduction :
Much attention has been given lately to the ubiquitous presence of information technologies. Our daily lives seem to be saturated with television, computers, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and MP3 players, to name just a few of the most common technologies. Many people extol the ability of such technologies to provide easy access to information and facilitate research and learning. At the same time, however, some critics worry that the widespread use of information technologies forces our lives to move too quickly. We encounter images and information from the Internet and other sources faster than we can process or evaluate them, and even though electronic communication has been enhanced, both the quality and quantity of face-to-face interaction is changing.
Assignment :
Read the following sources (including the introductory information) carefully. Then, in an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources for support, evaluate the most important factors that a school should consider before using particular technologies in curriculum and instruction.
You may refer to the sources by their titles :(Source A, Source B, etc.) or by the descriptions in parentheses.
Source A (Rotstein)
Source B (Delaney)
Source C (Dyson)
Source D (Johnson)
Source E (Gelernter)
Source F (cartoon)
What is the prompt trying to say?
It wants to know if technology in school is bad
What are the factors that should be considered before using technology in school?