Rhetorical Synthesis questions give you a bulleted list of notes and a stated goal ("The student wants to emphasize a similarity," or "…introduce the study to an unfamiliar audience"). You choose the sentence that best accomplishes that specific goal using the notes.
The goal is everything. Two choices can both be true and grammatical — only one does the exact rhetorical job the question names. Underline the goal before reading choices.
How to work them fast
- Read the goal first, then skim the notes for the pieces that serve it.
- Match the goal's verb: "emphasize a contrast" needs two things set against each other; "introduce" needs the basic what/who; "highlight a result" needs the outcome.
- Eliminate choices that are accurate but off-goal — they're the main trap.
Remember: You don't need every note. You need the notes that fulfill the goal, phrased to do that job.
Worked examples
How do you use the bulleted notes correctly?
- Read the GOAL first and underline its verb: emphasize, compare, introduce, explain, highlight a result.
- Skim the notes for only the facts that serve that goal.
- Eliminate choices that are accurate but off-goal — that's the main trap.
- You don't need every note; you need the right ones, phrased to do the stated job.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing a true statement that doesn't accomplish the stated goal.
- Answering a 'compare' goal with a similarity when it asks for a difference (or vice versa).
- For 'introduce to an unfamiliar audience,' picking a detail that assumes the reader already knows the subject.
- Trying to cram in every bullet instead of selecting what fits.