masculinity synthesis essay

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How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay + Example

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What is the ap lang synthesis essay, how will ap scores affect my college chances.

AP English Language and Composition, commonly known as AP Lang, is one of the most engaging and popular AP classes offered at most high schools, with over 535,000 students taking the class . AP Lang tests your ability to analyze written pieces, synthesize information, write rhetorical essays, and create cohesive and concrete arguments. However, the class is rather challenging as only 62% of students were able to score a three or higher on the exam.

The AP Lang exam has two sections. The first consists of 45 multiple choice questions which need to be completed in an hour. This portion counts for around 45% of your total score. These questions ask students to analyze written pieces and answer questions related to each respective passage. All possible answer choices can be found within the text, and no prior knowledge of literature is needed to understand the passages.

The second section contains three free-response questions to be finished in under two hours and 15 minutes. This section counts for 55% of your score and includes the synthesis essay, the rhetorical essay, and the argumentative essay.

The synthesis essay requires you to read 6-7 sources and create an argument using at least three sources.
The rhetorical analysis essay requires you to describe how a piece of writing evokes specific meanings and symbolism.
The argumentative essay requires you to pick a perspective of a debate and create an argument based on the evidence provided.

In this post, we will take a look at the AP Lang synthesis essay and discuss tips and tricks to master this part of the exam. We will also provide an example of a well-written essay for review.

The AP Lang synthesis essay is the first of three essays included in the Free Response section of the AP Lang exam. The exam presents 6-7 sources that are organized around a specific topic, with two of those sources purely visual, including a single quantitative source (like a graph or pie chart). The remaining 4-5 sources are text-based, containing around 500 words each. It’s recommended that students spend an hour on this essay—15 minute reading period, 40 minutes writing, and 5 minutes of spare time to check over work.

Each synthesis essay has a topic that all the sources will relate to. A prompt will explaining the topic and provide some background, although the topics are usually broad so you will probably know something related to the issue. It will also present a claim that students will respond to in an essay format using information from at least three of the provided sources. You will need to take a stance, either agreeing or disagreeing with the position provided in the claim.

According to the CollegeBoard, they are looking for essays that “combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position.” This means that you must state your claim on the topic and highlight relationships between several sources that support your specific position on the topic. Additionally, you’ll need to cite clear evidence from your sources to prove your point.

The synthesis essay counts for six points on the AP Lang exam. Students can receive 0-1 points for writing a thesis statement, 0-4 based on the incorporation of evidence and commentary, and 0-1 points based on the sophistication of thought and demonstration of complex understanding.

While this essay seems extremely overwhelming, considering there are a total of three free-response essays to complete, with proper time management and practiced skills, this essay is manageable and straightforward. In order to enhance the time management aspect of the test to the best of your ability, it is essential to divide the essay up into five key steps.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

As soon as the clock starts, carefully read and analyze what the prompt asks from you. It might be helpful to markup the text to identify the most critical details. You should only spend around 2 minutes reading the prompt so you have enough time to read all the sources and figure out your argument. Don’t feel like you need to immediately pick your stance on the claim right after reading the prompt. You should read the sources before you commit to your argument.

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

Although you are only required to use 3 of the 6-7 sources provides, make sure you read ALL of the sources. This will allow you to better understand the topic and make the most educated decision of which sources to use in your essay. Since there are a lot of sources to get through, you will need to read quickly and carefully.

Annotating will be your best friend during the reading period. Highlight and mark important concepts or lines from each passage that would be helpful in your essay. Your argument will probably begin forming in your head as you go through the passages, so you will save yourself a lot of time later on if you take a few seconds to write down notes in the margins. After you’ve finished reading a source, reflect on whether the source defends, challenges, or qualifies your argument.

You will have around 13 minutes to read through all the sources, but it’s very possible you will finish earlier if you are a fast reader. Take the leftover time to start developing your thesis and organizing your thoughts into an outline so you have more time to write.

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement

In order to write a good thesis statement, all you have to do is decide your stance on the claim provided in the prompt and give an overview of your evidence. You essentially have three choices on how to frame your thesis statement: You can defend, challenge or qualify a claim that’s been provided by the prompt.

If you are defending the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is correct .
If you are challenging the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is incorrect .
If you choose to qualify the claim, your job will be to agree to a part of the claim and disagree with another part of the claim.

A strong thesis statement will clearly state your stance without summarizing the issue or regurgitating the claim. The CollegeBoard is looking for a thesis statement that “states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning on the issue provided in the prompt.”

Step 4: Create a Minimal Essay Outline

Developing an outline might seem like a waste of time when you are up against the clock, but believe us, taking 5-10 minutes to outline your essay will be much more useful in the long run than jumping right into the essay.

Your outline should include your thesis statement and three main pieces of evidence that will constitute each body paragraph. Under each piece of evidence should be 2-3 details from the sources that you will use to back up your claim and some commentary on how that evidence proves your thesis.

Step 5: Write your Essay

Use the remaining 30-35 minutes to write your essay. This should be relatively easy if you took the time to mark up the sources and have a detailed outline. Remember to add special consideration and emphasis to the commentary sections of the supporting arguments outlined in your thesis. These sentences are critical to the overall flow of the essay and where you will be explaining how the evidence supports or undermines the claim in the prompt.

Also, when referencing your sources, write the in-text citations as follows: “Source 1,” “Source 2,” “Source 3,” etc. Make sure to pay attention to which source is which in order to not incorrectly cite your sources. In-text citations will impact your score on the essay and are an integral part of the process.

After you finish writing, read through your essay for any grammatical errors or mistakes before you move onto the next essay.

Here are six must-have tips and tricks to get a good score on the synthesis essay:

Cite at least four sources , even though the minimum requirement is three. Remember not to plagiarize and cite everything you use in your arguments.
Make sure to develop a solid and clear thesis . Develop a stable stance for the claim and stick with it throughout the entire paper.
Don’t summarize the sources. The summary of the sources does not count as an argument.
You don’t necessarily have to agree with the sources in order to cite them. Using a source to support a counterargument is still a good use of a source.
Cite the sources that you understand entirely . If you don’t, it could come back to bite you in the end.
Use small quotes , do not quote entire paragraphs. Make sure the quote does not disrupt the flow or grammar of the sentence you write.

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Here is an example prompt and essay from 2019 that received 5 of the 6 total points available:

In response to our society’s increasing demand for energy, large-scale wind power has drawn attention from governments and consumers as a potential alternative to traditional materials that fuel our power grids, such as coal, oil, natural gas, water, or even newer sources such as nuclear or solar power. Yet the establishment of large-scale, commercial-grade wind farms is often the subject of controversy for a variety of reasons.

Carefully read the six sources, found on the AP English Language and Composition 2019 Exam (Question 1), including the introductory information for each source. Write an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources and develops your position on the most important factors that an individual or agency should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm.

Source A (photo)

Source B (Layton)

Source C (Seltenrich)

Source D (Brown)

Source E (Rule)

Source F (Molla)

In your response you should do the following:

Respond to the prompt with a thesis presents a defensible position.
Select and use evidence from at least 3 of the provided sources to support your line of reasoning. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

[1] The situation has been known for years, and still very little is being done: alternative power is the only way to reliably power the changing world. The draw of power coming from industry and private life is overwhelming current sources of non-renewable power, and with dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, it is merely a matter of time before coal and gas fuel plants are no longer in operation. So one viable alternative is wind power. But as with all things, there are pros and cons. The main factors for power companies to consider when building wind farms are environmental boon, aesthetic, and economic factors.

[2] The environmental benefits of using wind power are well-known and proven. Wind power is, as qualified by Source B, undeniably clean and renewable. From their production requiring very little in the way of dangerous materials to their lack of fuel, besides that which occurs naturally, wind power is by far one of the least environmentally impactful sources of power available. In addition, wind power by way of gearbox and advanced blade materials, has the highest percentage of energy retention. According to Source F, wind power retains 1,164% of the energy put into the system – meaning that it increases the energy converted from fuel (wind) to electricity 10 times! No other method of electricity production is even half that efficient. The efficiency and clean nature of wind power are important to consider, especially because they contribute back to power companies economically.

[3] Economically, wind power is both a boon and a bone to electric companies and other users. For consumers, wind power is very cheap, leading to lower bills than from any other source. Consumers also get an indirect reimbursement by way of taxes (Source D). In one Texan town, McCamey, tax revenue increased 30% from a wind farm being erected in the town. This helps to finance improvements to the town. But, there is no doubt that wind power is also hurting the power companies. Although, as renewable power goes, wind is incredibly cheap, it is still significantly more expensive than fossil fuels. So, while it is helping to cut down on emissions, it costs electric companies more than traditional fossil fuel plants. While the general economic trend is positive, there are some setbacks which must be overcome before wind power can take over as truly more effective than fossil fuels.

[4] Aesthetics may be the greatest setback for power companies. Although there may be significant economic and environmental benefit to wind power, people will always fight to preserve pure, unspoiled land. Unfortunately, not much can be done to improve the visual aesthetics of the turbines. White paint is the most common choice because it “[is] associated with cleanliness.” (Source E). But, this can make it stand out like a sore thumb, and make the gargantuan machines seem more out of place. The site can also not be altered because it affects generating capacity. Sound is almost worse of a concern because it interrupts personal productivity by interrupting people’s sleep patterns. One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support.

[5] As with most things, wind power has no easy answer. It is the responsibility of the companies building them to weigh the benefits and the consequences. But, by balancing economics, efficiency, and aesthetics, power companies can create a solution which balances human impact with environmental preservation.

More examples can be found here at College Board.

While AP Scores help to boost your weighted GPA, or give you the option to get college credit, AP Scores don’t have a strong effect on your admissions chances . However, colleges can still see your self-reported scores, so you might not want to automatically send scores to colleges if they are lower than a 3. That being said, admissions officers care far more about your grade in an AP class than your score on the exam.

Article Contents

Introduction, identity development among boys and young men, positive school-based development programs for boys, aims of the current review, debate surrounding positive masculinity, theoretical foundations of a positive masculinity framework.

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Operationalizing positive masculinity: a theoretical synthesis and school-based framework to engage boys and young men

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Michael Wilson, Kate Gwyther, Ray Swann, Kate Casey, Ross Featherston, John L Oliffe, Matt Englar-Carlson, Simon M Rice, Operationalizing positive masculinity: a theoretical synthesis and school-based framework to engage boys and young men, Health Promotion International , Volume 37, Issue 1, February 2022, daab031, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daab031

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Scholars have consistently documented the relationship between conformity to traditional masculine norms and maladaptive psychosocial outcomes among boys and young men. Given current social commentary, including debate around ‘toxic masculinity’, intervention is needed to encourage boys to embody healthy expressions and identities of masculinity. Whilst new approaches grounded in positive masculinity show promise, the construct requires further definition and phenomenological clarity. Here we review divergent perspectives on positive masculinity, and forward a refined definition, specific to psychosocial health promotion among boys and young men. We then outline the theoretical basis of a positive masculinity framework to guide the content of future interventions, aiming to achieve positive identity development among boys and young men for the good of all. This framework represents a necessary unification of scholarship around male adolescent development, education and health. Future health promotion interventions may benefit from applying the framework to support a positive psychosocial trajectory among boys and young men, with a focus on connection, motivation and authenticity.

Divergent perspectives exist regarding the contribution of masculinity to psychosocial adjustment problems among boys and young men ( Lomas, 2013 ). Whilst some have appraised scholarship surrounding the maladaptive psychosocial sequelae of masculinity as reductive and essentialist ( Addis et al. , 2010 ), others have argued the behaviour of boys and young men cannot be understood completely free from socially constructed idealized masculine relations, roles and identities ( Johnson and Repta, 2010 ). With this article, we aim to review these perspectives regarding the theoretical construct of positive masculinity. Given the current dominant discourse around the term ‘toxic masculinity’ ( Ging, 2019 ), interventions for school-age boys and young men grounded in positive masculinity are urgently needed provided this concept is appropriately operationalized. We aim to advance the conceptualization of positive masculinity that reflects a developmental process towards healthy masculine identities that are supportive of gender equality and grounded in three key domains that represent a conglomerate of strengths-based positive psychology ( Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, 2000 ). The development of this framework represents a necessary step forward in ensuring health promotion efforts for boys and young men are theoretically grounded.

Research investigating psychosocial development, wellbeing and educational outcomes of boys and young men consistently highlights gendered patterns recursively flowing to, and from, difficulties in particular areas during adolescence ( Schofield et al. , 2000 ; Wong et al. , 2017 ; Rice et al. , 2018 ). Among boys and young men, this can manifest in poor school engagement and outcomes ( Ueno and McWilliams, 2010 ) and heightened risk of doing and experiencing harm. This is evidenced by rates of aggression and violence ( Ravn, 2018 ), problematic substance misuse ( Young et al. , 2002 ), perpetration of sexual and gender-based harassment and assault ( Niolon et al. , 2015 ; Casey et al. , 2017 ), and markedly higher rates of suicide compared to females ( Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2019 ). For instance, male suicide accounts for 24.4% of all deaths of Australian young people aged 15–24 ( Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016 ), with similar statistics reported internationally ( Kõlves and De Leo, 2016 ). A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based longitudinal studies also found young males were consistently at greater risk of death by suicide relative to young females ( Miranda-Mendizabal et al. , 2019 ).

These gendered patterns have led to investigations of the role of gender socialization in these issues, particularly the development of a masculine identity and adherence to social expectations of boys and young men ( Patton et al. , 2018 ). According to a social constructionist perspective, masculinity is broadly understood as patterns of expected behaviours that cultures use to construct generally accepted meanings of ‘being a man’ ( Levant, 2008 ). While somewhat dynamic and changeable, these expectations typically reflect behaviours and attitudes that are often characterized by demonstrations of control and agency, stoicism, emotional rigidity and inhibition, and an aversion to character traits associated with femininity ( Kierski and Blazina, 2009 ). Substantial research has documented associations between measures of traditional masculine role adherence and a host of psychological and educational problems among boys and young men ( Wong et al. , 2017 ; Vogel et al. , 2011 ; American Psychological Association, 2018). The negative impact of masculine role norm adherence on health promotion behaviours, such as help-seeking in the context of distress, is widely documented ( Mahalik et al. , 2007 ; Levant et al. , 2009 ). Turning to the school context, scholars have documented the perceived feminization of academic success among school-age boys ( Epstein, 1998 ; Renold, 2001 ), where boys avoid commitment to schoolwork for fear of being labelled weak or feminine ( Jackson, 2003 ).

Arguably one of the strongest influences on the shaping of adolescent identity is the gendered structures and norms of a young person’s surroundings. Willis argued that as part of the development process ( Willis, 1991 ), young people actively shape their own lives, both as individuals and through dynamic interpersonal influence. As Connell highlights, the interpersonal relations that ( Connell, 2005 ) characterize the lives of adolescent boys are not categorically distinct from girls. Yet in reality, boys grow in a society that expects inherent difference based on gender, especially with the onset of puberty ( Hill and Lynch, 1983 ). This is theorized (with empirical support) to result in a developmental dilemma for boys, where there are strong social pressures to enact and embody dominant masculine ideals in order to prove their difference from girls ( Galambos et al. , 1990 ; Connell, 2005 ). Rice et al. also found that conformity to traditional masculine norms ( Rice et al. , 2011 ) is most prominent for young men in emerging adulthood. This is not to imply biologically guaranteed differences in the social construction of boys and girls, or that there is only one masculine identity. In truth boys can assume a host of characteristics that represent their bourgeoning masculine self ( Mac an Ghaill, 1994 ). Yet it is clear social influences on gender identity development that require some form of manhood are particularly salient for boys, and adolescence represents a crucial window of opportunity to help boys assume a masculine identity in which positive characteristics are highlighted ( Way et al. , 2014 ).

In order to address rates of psychosocial problems and low school engagement among young males, various health-promotion programmes have been conducted with boys, primarily in school-based settings. A common theme in these programmes is encouragement for boys to think critically about the breadth of positive human qualities that can characterize masculine identities, in attempts to reduce the pressure to conform to a rigid, often unhealthy, archetype of masculinity ( Vandello et al. , 2008 ). A recent systematic review of existing academic literature of school and community-based programmes highlighted that psychoeducational initiatives for boys and young men incorporating a masculinity focus demonstrated beneficial outcomes across a broad range of domains, including self-efficacy, anger and perceptions of manhood ( Gwyther et al. , 2019 ). A focus on masculinity in these programmes commonly reflects the WHO’s classification of initiatives as gender transformative (aiming to rework maladaptive or harmful gender roles) or gender sensitive (tailored to the needs of males in response to socialized gender roles; WHO, 2007 ). Programmes aiming to specifically prevent engagement in problematic behaviour, such as perpetration of aggression, intimate partner violence and sexual harassment among boys and young men have also shown promising results, attributable at least in part to a theoretical grounding in healthy expressions of masculinity ( Edwards et al. , 2017 ; Banyard et al. , 2019 ). Such initiatives also aim to work holistically by encouraging boys and young men to reflect critically on male gender norms and their positive and negative impacts, to reshape what it means to be and become a man ( Namy et al. , 2015 ). Importantly, whilst these programmes commonly include a focus on socialized masculine role norms, rarely is masculine-specific theory included as an overarching framework, which limits understanding of mechanisms of change ( Gwyther et al. , 2019 ).

Patton et al. discussed the merging of health and education priorities ( Patton et al. , 2000 ), with schools representing an ideal medium for delivery of (mental) health promotion initiatives, given the profound influence of the school climate on the psychosocial development of young people. More specifically, the implementation of young men’s health promotion programmes via schools is fitting, as schools themselves are a site for the production, negotiation and regulation of certain male-coded behaviours ( Martino and Meyenn, 2001 ). Within schools, there are masculinizing practices and structures (e.g. dress codes, physical space design, male role models) through which boys and young men learn the parameters and expectations of being male ( Reichert, 2001 ). As boys interact with their peers, teachers and class curriculum, they may behave according to these expectations inherent within school systems. At present, masculinity and health promotion programmes are being implemented in schools, and with student groups ( Gwyther et al. , 2019 ). Yet the degree to which these programmes incorporate discussion regarding how masculinity is constructed, produced and regulated by school structures and systems is poorly understood.

The field stands to benefit from greater phenomenological clarity regarding the construct of positive masculinity, alongside an accompanying framework that encapsulates this definition. The aim from here on is to conduct a two-stage targeted integrative theoretical review. First, we provide a selective review of specific theoretical argument related to the concept of positive masculinity. This then leads to establishment of phenomenological clarity around the utility of the construct of positive masculinity, with a refined definition offered. Second, a further targeted integrative review leads to a novel, theory- and evidence-driven framework based on the refined definition of positive masculinity, with face validity in preventing the onset of maladaptive psychosocial outcomes associated with subscription to problematic notions of masculinity. The framework is conceptualized to guide development of psychosocial interventions for boys and young men in secondary education (i.e. ages 12–18). This age range represents a prime opportunity for intervention, given the development of masculine identities at this age ( Reigeluth and Addis, 2016 ).

Levant and Pollack’s new psychology of men framework ( Levant and Pollack, 1995 ) represented an early attempt to appraise the role of male developmental socialization in the health problems of boys and young men. Levant and Pollack’s approach resulted in a largely deficit-based model, wherein masculinity was presented as a unitary construct with primarily negative effects on the health and wellbeing of men ( Levant and Pollack, 1995 ). Scholars have since aimed to incorporate positive psychology principles to support the development of initiatives that help boys and men embrace healthy and constructive aspects of masculinity ( Kiselica et al. , 2008 ). Davies et al. furthered this initiative by proposing ( Davies et al. , 2010 ) the possible masculinities approach, which envisioned what men need in order to be healthy, responsible and nurturing of themselves and others. Grounded in a strengths-based positive psychology ( Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, 2000 ), positive masculinity is understood as a perspective that accentuates the strengths and beneficial aspects of a masculine identity ( Aspinwall and Staudinger, 2003 ; Kiselica et al. , 2008 ). Interventions grounded in this construct are important, given the majority of discourse focusing on the negative aspects of masculinity could eclipse efforts to intervene early and establish a positive developmental trajectory for boys. The positive psychology/positive masculinity approach to psychotherapy conceptualized by Kiselica and Englar-Carlson has demonstrable benefits to engaging men ( Kiselica and Englar-Carlson, 2010 ) in counselling who have been socialized to conform to traditional masculine norms, where otherwise their socialized avoidance of vulnerability could present a key barrier to therapeutic engagement. The male strengths discussed by Kiselica and Englar-Carlson in their approach represent a positive reframe ( Kiselica and Englar-Carlson, 2010 ) of traditional masculine states and traits, to engage men who identify with these qualities. Whilst intuitively appealing and clearly beneficial at engaging adult males in therapy, an extended approach is needed to assist boys to grow towards a healthy masculine identity. Of note, psychoeducation interventions delivered to boys regarding positive identity development have shown promising results, involving forums and questionnaire activities to explain to boys some of the challenges associated with growing up male, alongside empowering boys’ strengths and emotional resilience ( O’Neil et al. , 2013 ; O’Neil and Lujan, 2009 ). Yet more work is needed to operationalize key theoretical and practical considerations of positive masculinity as applied within an educational setting, before the content of future interventions is developed. Indeed, Oliffe et al. have called for a clearer definition ( Oliffe et al., 2019 ) of characteristics that constitute positive masculinity prior to development of future efforts to promote healthy psychosocial development among boys and young men.

Prior to exploring the qualities constituent of positive masculinity among boys, it is important to interrogate contention surrounding the utility and lack of phenomenological clarity of the construct of positive masculinity. An important caveat to Kiselica and Englar-Carlson’s conceptualization of positive masculinity is that ( Kiselica and Englar-Carlson, 2010 ) the qualities presented are social constructions that are neither male specific nor based on biologically driven sex differences between males and females. Rather, Kiselica and Englar-Carlson view these qualities as arising ( Kiselica and Englar-Carlson, 2010 ) through intergenerational socialization processes which communicate patterns of expected behaviour among boys, and subsequently men, resulting in the expression of positive human qualities in specific ‘male ways’ ( Brotherson and White, 2007 ; Snarey, 1993 ). To illustrate, McDermott et al. found direct support for the assertion that positive masculinity ( McDermott et al. , 2019 ) can be promoted through masculine gender role socialization. Critiquing this, Addis et al. argue that the concept of positive masculinity ( Addis et al. , 2010 ) itself borders on essentialism and lacks empirical rigour, and question whether there is anything uniquely masculine about the enactment of positive qualities which are simply ‘human’. Addis et al. ’s view is that when processes of gendered social learning ( Addis et al. , 2010 ) lead to maladjustment, the role of masculinity in negative psychosocial outcomes needs to be critically deconstructed. Yet when social learning has positive effects, they argue that these effects should not be necessarily associated with masculinity, in order to promote positive human potential regardless of gender ( Addis et al. , 2010 ; Addis and Hoffman, 2019 ). This perspective is echoed by Lomas, with the concept of critical positive masculinity ( Lomas, 2013 ). This perspective aims to promote healthy enactments of masculinity, whilst also emphasizing a realistic understanding of the problems with traditional notions of masculinity and the breadth of change required by men. Finally, O’Neil has affirmed the utility of the concept of positive masculinity ( O’Neil, 2010 ). Given that in modern society, the enactment of human qualities by males is always imbued with a degree of masculinity, O’Neil argued that it is an idealistic cause to shift public perception of men’s positive behaviour to purely the enactment of human strengths, free from gendered lensing. O’Neil also argued that promoting scholarship around positive masculinity ( O’Neil, 2010 ) can effectively address the futility cast over any attempts to improve the health inequalities experienced by boys and young men, when the vast majority of discourse depicts young men as damaged, and damage doing ( Mac an Ghaill and Haywood, 2012 ).

New directions in positive masculinity for boys and young men

The breadth of psychosocial adjustment problems linked to adherence to problematic manifestations of masculinity are particularly salient during adolescence ( Erikson, 1950 ; Connell, 2005 ; Way et al. , 2014 ). Yet to date, commensurate understanding of the role of positive masculinity in addressing these problems specifically among boys and young men is scant. Based on the preceding review of theoretical perspectives, we conceptualize positive masculinity to represent developmental progress towards the embodiment of key human strengths by males, in particular male ways . This emphasis on progress is particularly relevant for boys and young men, as we aim to move beyond viewing positive masculinity as a fixed state. Rather, it is an ongoing developmental process towards one’s embodiment of positive human qualities in ways that resonate for male youth. Furthermore, we seek to extend previous perspectives [e.g. ( Kiselica and Englar-Carlson, 2010 ; O’Neil, 2010 ; Lomas, 2013 )] and argue that for boys in particular, intervention grounded in the development of positive masculinity is urgently needed. Whilst that which represents manhood changes over time, and the social politics of masculinity are constantly shifting ( Elliott, 2019 ), the pressure or perception of the need to achieve, prove and maintain one’s masculinity remains largely constant for boys and young men ( Kimmel, 2006 ; Vandello and Bosson, 2013 ; Myrttinen et al. , 2019 ). Developmental programmes grounded in positive masculinity are therefore paramount, particularly given current social commentary surrounding dominant conceptions of masculinity as ‘toxic’ ( Kupers, 2005 ), where men are almost universally depicted as violent, unemotional and non-nurturing ( Collier, 1998 ; Connell and Messerschmidt, 2005 ).

Creighton and Oliffe called for a framework ( Creighton and Oliffe, 2010 ) that is able to account for both individual agency and the social structures that influence and shape the health practices of young men and boys. The need for authentic and considered representations of the gendered experiences of boys and young men is also required so that the potential solutions are relevant to this population. Any framework that seeks to transform harmful or restrictive role norms for boys and young men—and sustain wide-spread social change—will need to involve and engage with both the targets of the framework (in this case young men), but also their peers, families, schools and broader communities ( Creighton and Oliffe, 2010 ). A wealth of research has substantiated the argument that socialization towards a more positive and prosocial masculine identity is likely to contribute to ameliorating harms perpetrated and experienced by boys and young men, not limited to interpersonal violence and unfulfilling social connections ( Messerschmidt, 2000 ; McKenzie et al. , 2018 ); suicidality and a lack of help-seeking in the context of distress ( Seidler et al. , 2016 ; King et al. , 2020 ); and academic and occupational disengagement ( Rogers et al. , 2017a , b ). Substantiation of our refined definition of positive masculinity via an evidence-informed framework is therefore an important next step for the field.

It is important to note that male gender socialization intersects with other forms of social diversity (e.g. race, class, sexual orientation), and this can impact both the development of masculinity and the problematic psychosocial outcomes of male gender role norms ( Choo and Ferree, 2010 ). For example, recent work from an intersectionality perspective has shown that dominant culture does not generally recognize the masculinity of gay men as legitimate relative to heterosexual men, which can compound marginalization experienced by this group ( Mitchell and Ellis, 2011 ; Coston and Kimmel, 2012 ). Moreover, Mukandi et al. report a qualitative examination of Indigenous Australian masculinities ( Mukandi et al., 2019 ), often characterized for Aboriginal youth as indelibly tied to stoicism, alongside upholding intergenerational responsibilities towards elders. It is therefore important to be mindful of incorporating intersectionality of key social determinants into new attempts to operationalize positive masculinity, in order to avoid re-entrenching existing power structures that overlay gender and define dominant masculinities. Griffith has nevertheless noted methodological difficulties with operationalizing ( Griffith, 2012 ) intersectionality in practice, as scholarship presenting practical application of these largely theoretical ideas is in its infancy. A novel positive masculinity framework should therefore articulate a number of positive characteristics for boys and young men to aspire towards, that ideally resonate for students regardless of the intersection of social categories with their masculinity, whilst recognizing the overarching influence of intersectional masculinities. An area of future enquiry will be to test and refine the framework and ensure engagement with boys and young men from varying social backgrounds.

The following theories inform the development of the proposed positive masculinity framework, and take into account the call for an individual and social systems approach. Ecological systems theory describes the relationship between an individual and the broader social and cultural context in which they exist ( Bronfenbrenner, 1992 ). The framework will recognize how young men interact with, influence, and are influenced by their microsystems (family, peers, teachers), exosystems (school boards, social media) and macrosystems (culture, laws). Indeed, adolescent masculinity is thought to be manifested as occasioned and situated identities ( Blackbeard and Lindegger, 2007 ). Young men are able to acknowledge how their behaviours shift in response to gendered social norms attached to different environments. In a school context, boys often master their public-facing identity to achieve social inclusion, while recognizing they are eschewing certain normative human practices in order to uphold their masculinity ( Reichert, 2001 ). Similarly, there is a need to recognize how one context can impact individuals differently. As Connell notes, within the school system ( Connell, 2005 ) there will be different ways of portraying masculinity, learning to be a man, and different conceptions of the self. In this regard, the framework needs to recognize that boys and young men develop their identity in a collective context (see ‘communities of practice’; Wenger, 1998 ).

It is also important to understand how young males identify with those around them. Certain aspects of the male reference group identity dependence theory (MRGID; Wade, 1998 ) are pertinent to the development of this framework. MRGID theory suggests that male identity development is influenced by the degree that males rely on others (a reference group) to form their own identity. Of note, when young men are reference group dependent they will model and adopt the characteristics and attitudes of a reference group to define their own masculine identity. Boys and young men are accordingly more likely to have rigid gendered attitudes, and reject the characteristics of males that are unlike the reference group ( Wade, 1998 ). Alternatively, males that are non-dependent on a reference group will be more likely to have personally defined gender role self-concepts that are integrated into their overall identity. This is associated with more flexible gendered attitudes, and an ability to recognize and appreciate individual differences and diversity in other males ( Wade, 1998 ).

Consideration of the motives behind certain (male) behaviours can be explored through both precarious manhood theory, and self-determination theory (SDT). Precarious manhood theory is based upon the belief that manhood is a ‘status’ that must be earned, and continuously demonstrated in public so that it is not lost or taken away ( Vandello and Bosson, 2013 ). Manhood is therefore a tenuous and impermanent state. In this view, certain behaviours occur as a way to demonstrate manhood status, and can be provoked by perceived threats to one’s masculinity ( Vandello et al. , 2008 ). This aligns with the concept of controlled motivation in SDT ( Deci and Ryan, 2008 ). Controlled motivation combines external regulation, where behaviour is a function of external reward/punishment, and introjected regulation, where behaviour regulation is partly internalized and influenced by avoidance of shame, approval, contingent self-esteem and ego-involvements ( Deci and Ryan, 2008 ). For example, a young male may not seek help for an emotional problem to avoid (expected) punishment from peers and feelings of shame. Alternatively, promotion of intrinsic motivation, whereby behaviour is motivated by the action itself, is associated with increased educational engagement and achievement, and positive indicators of wellbeing in young men ( Whitehead, 2003 ; Deci and Ryan, 2008 ).

Furthermore, the successful implementation of these models within different environments warrants consideration. To ensure that a framework can be effectively applied and integrated, the three major indicators in the implementation process need to be considered: dosage (quantity of framework components), fidelity (degree to which a framework is implemented as intended) and quality of delivery (degree of engagement and responsiveness from target recipients and related members in the target’s ecology; Domitrovich et al. , 2008 ). For instance, in schools, it is important to identify and understand how contextual factors, such as the current practices held by school personnel, may impact the dosage, fidelity and quality of delivery. Further, implementation strategies should be made at the individual student, classroom and whole of school levels, as evidenced by established models of education with boys and young men ( Munns et al. 2006 ). Consideration of individuals best-placed to deliver health promotion and identity development initiatives, such as teachers ( Durlak et al. , 2011 ), will also impact the quality of framework delivery. Beyond what the student brings to the learning environment, teachers account for 30% of the variance in student learning and achievement, followed by the home, peers, school characteristics (size, attributes) and principals ( Hattie, 2003 ). Such learning is interconnected with development of social, cognitive and emotional skills.

Positive masculinity framework foundations

On the basis of the preceding refined definition of positive masculinity, here we offer a novel positive masculinity framework, to provide a basis for the future conceptualization of psychosocial development programmes for boys and young men. The process of condensing pertinent themes from the above research utilized an outcome-based approach in guiding the development of a new framework. This involved consideration of that which positive masculinity could represent among boys and young men, and ensuring this was both embedded in the framework and supported by past scholarship. Similarly, practical outcomes were considered in conceptualizing framework components with face validity in their capacity to negate current patterns of poor health-related outcomes among male adolescents (e.g. male suicide, violence and conduct problems, and school disengagement). Based on the theoretical foundations and evidence base in young men’s research, the following framework is proposed (see Figure 1 ).

The positive masculinity framework.

Foremost, the framework recognizes the overarching influence of intersectionality on masculinities, which both directly impacts one’s sense of masculinity, alongside more diffuse impacts via interpersonal relations. The positive masculinity framework base comprises two pillars; knowing and being . The aspect of knowing relates to learning and the pragmatic processes for disseminating information to boys and young men, their parents, teachers and the broader community. Knowing is a key factor in developing positive masculinity as there is widespread misunderstanding and a lack of consensus regarding the concept and its potential value in the health promotion of boys and young men ( Addis et al. , 2010 ). Extensions of the framework will provide dedicated curriculum, positive examples of masculinity across developmental stages (in life and fiction), spaces for idea sharing, tools for self-reflection and direction to relevant services, supports and resources. This facet also encompasses the transmission of essential knowledge to boys as they develop, concerning current gendered issues in society including: men’s violence towards women and other men, male suicide and problematic expectations of men housed in out-dated, yet widely regarded as ‘normal’, conceptions of masculinity. We intend to provide boys with this knowledge such that they can critically appraise gendered social development, and forge their own positive path according to the three human strengths encapsulated by the second pillar: being . Being encourages promotion of three key human strengths that are relevant to the current experiences of boys and young men. The framework seeks to guide boys’ development towards becoming (i) connected, (ii) motivated, and (iii) authentic.

The concept of becoming connected is related to building social relationships, and engagement with an array of individuals and systems in a young man’s ‘ecology’. To be ‘connected’ is to have respectful, tolerant, equal, empathetic, kind and non-violent relationships with a variety of people, systems and the self. Further, to be connected to one ‘group’ or system should not promote disconnection, isolation or intolerance of other groups (see MRGID theory; Wade, 1998 ). This concept is proposed as a key strength in response to the understanding that traditional masculinity expects boys to deny their emotional investment in interpersonal connections ( Way et al. , 2014 ; Chu and Gilligan, 2019 ; Way, 2019 ), often leading to difficulties forming close and trusting relationships, and alienation and loneliness ( Connell and Messerschmidt, 2005 ; Pollack, 2006 ). Further, promoting connection in equal relationships is proposed to address the rates of intimate partner violence and dating violence in young and adult men. This concept reflects engagement with others, where the end goal of improvements to connectedness in this sense is an increase in positive social support and a reduction in boys’ likelihood of perpetrating unhealthy behaviours in future relationships.

The concept of motivation represents the drive to continually grow as a human, contribute to one’s society and feel a sense of purpose. This factor is not necessarily concerned with the specifics of what boys are motivated to be, do, or achieve (given that their motivations are not harmful to themselves or others). Rather, it is concerned with recognizing and modifying the underlying causes of young men’s motivation to think and behave in certain ways. Application of the framework will aim to reduce over-reliance on external motivators of behaviour, namely, acting on the basis of how young men believe or perceive that their peers want them to act (see SDT, precarious manhood). For example, men’s aggression is often driven by false expectations about what their peers prefer, or expect from a ‘man’ ( Vandello et al. , 2008 ). Moreover, promoting intrinsic motivation may respond to the high levels of disengagement with school evidenced in young men ( Ueno and McWilliams, 2010 ). Enabling boys and young men to find their own motivations in school and in their aspirations will be a key element of the framework that we hope will lead to improvements in school engagement, alongside positive engagement with one’s future.

To be authentic is to know, and be comfortable in one’s own (masculine) identity. We conceptualize authenticity as boys and young men having the willingness, courage and comfort to be inclusive of all people, having the ability and flexibility to express their true identity, attitudes and emotions. To be authentic may promote openness, honesty, integrity, kindness (to the self and others), compassion and humility. This concept responds to the notion that young men are often facing confusion and confliction regarding what is expected from them, resulting in a compelling need to mask this confusion by appearing increasingly more manly ( Martino and Meyenn, 2001 ; Pollack, 2006 ; Edwards and Jones, 2009 ). This process of masking hides the authentic self. Demonstrating authenticity in attitudes and behaviour may protect against the anxiety associated with perceived threats to manhood ( Vandello and Bosson, 2013 ). Further, it may promote health behaviours, such as the utilization of health services, increased help-seeking or providing support to others, alongside norming the experience of difficulty and seeking support as strengths ( Lynch et al. , 2018 ). Similarly, authenticity is aligned with the notion of student voice, where students have space for personal agency and an active ability to meaningfully contribute to their school environment ( Quaglia and Fox, 2018 ). Feeling comfortable to use one’s authentic voice in the school community is positively related to school engagement and academic achievement ( Quaglia and Fox, 2018 ). This concept could promote engagement with the self, where the development of an authentic (male) identity may help to increase boys’ comfort in expressing their emotions, and seeking help in the context of distress.

With shifting expectations of boys and men in today’s social climate, a rigorous theoretical framework guiding positive masculinity interventions for boys and young men will likely further scholarship and practice for the field. Given contention surrounding the concept of positive masculinity as it applies to engagement of adults, a new definition is offered for boys and young men. Positive masculinity therefore represents progress towards the embodiment of key human strengths by males. The proposed framework base designates two key factors, knowing and being . Knowing represents the processes of learning and self-reflection, and being promotes development of three broad human strengths that are responsive to current experiences of boys and young men. Future work will entail validation of this framework with boys and young men directly, with a critical focus being to refine the concept of positive masculinity across diverse and minority male youth populations. For example, articulating positive masculinity among Indigenous young men will likely require localized operationalization to ensure the construct appropriately acknowledges beliefs, traditions and practices where there are important gendered expectations and considerations. Future health promotion interventions may benefit from applying the framework to support a positive psychosocial trajectory among boys and young men, in particular facilitating connectedness, motivation and authenticity.

This work was generously funded by a philanthropic donation from the John and Elaine King Foundation.

Addis M. , Hoffman E. ( 2019 ) The Psychology of Men in Context . Routledge , New York .

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write a perfect synthesis essay for the ap language exam.

Advanced Placement (AP)

If you're planning to take the AP Language (or AP Lang) exam , you might already know that 55% of your overall exam score will be based on three essays. The first of the three essays you'll have to write on the AP Language exam is called the "synthesis essay." If you want to earn full points on this portion of the AP Lang Exam, you need to know what a synthesis essay is and what skills are assessed by the AP Lang synthesis essay.

In this article, we'll explain the different aspects of the AP Lang synthesis essay, including what skills you need to demonstrate in your synthesis essay response in order to achieve a good score. We'll also give you a full breakdown of a real AP Lang Synthesis Essay prompt, provide an analysis of an AP Lang synthesis essay example, and give you four tips for how to write a synthesis essay.

Let's get started by taking a closer look at how the AP Lang synthesis essay works!

Synthesis Essay AP Lang: What It Is and How It Works

The AP Lang synthesis essay is the first of three essays included in the Free Response section of the AP Lang exam.

The AP Lang synthesis essay portion of the Free Response section lasts for one hour total . This hour consists of a recommended 15 minute reading period and a 40 minute writing period. Keep in mind that these time allotments are merely recommendations, and that exam takers can parse out the allotted 60 minutes to complete the synthesis essay however they choose.

Now, here's what the structure of the AP Lang synthesis essay looks like. The exam presents six to seven sources that are organized around a specific topic (like alternative energy or eminent domain, which are both past synthesis exam topics).

Of these six to seven sources, at least two are visual , including at least one quantitative source (like a graph or pie chart, for example). The remaining four to five sources are print text-based, and each one contains approximately 500 words.

In addition to six to seven sources, the AP Lang exam provides a written prompt that consists of three paragraphs. The prompt will briefly explain the essay topic, then present a claim that students will respond to in an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources provided.

Here's an example prompt provided by the College Board:

Directions : The following prompt is based on the accompanying six sources.

This question requires you to integrate a variety of sources into a coherent, well-written essay. Refer to the sources to support your position; avoid mere paraphrase or summary. Your argument should be central; the sources should support this argument .

Remember to attribute both direct and indirect citations.

Introduction

Television has been influential in United States presidential elections since the 1960's. But just what is this influence, and how has it affected who is elected? Has it made elections fairer and more accessible, or has it moved candidates from pursuing issues to pursuing image?

Read the following sources (including any introductory information) carefully. Then, in an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources for support, take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that television has had a positive impact on presidential elections.

Refer to the sources as Source A, Source B, etc.; titles are included for your convenience.

Source A (Campbell) Source B (Hart and Triece) Source C (Menand) Source D (Chart) Source E (Ranney) Source F (Koppel)

Like we mentioned earlier, this prompt gives you a topic — which it briefly explains — then asks you to take a position. In this case, you'll have to choose a stance on whether television has positively or negatively affected U.S. elections. You're also given six sources to evaluate and use in your response. Now that you have everything you need, now your job is to write an amazing synthesis essay.

But what does "synthesize" mean, exactly? According to the CollegeBoard, when an essay prompt asks you to synthesize, it means that you should "combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position" in writing. In other words, a synthesis essay asks you to state your claim on a topic, then highlight the relationships between several sources that support your claim on that topic. Additionally, you'll need to cite specific evidence from your sources to prove your point.

The synthesis essay counts for six of the total points on the AP Lang exam . Students can receive 0-1 points for writing a thesis statement in the essay, 0-4 based on incorporation of evidence and commentary, and 0-1 points based on sophistication of thought and demonstrated complex understanding of the topic.

You'll be evaluated based on how effectively you do the following in your AP Lang synthesis essay:

Write a thesis that responds to the exam prompt with a defensible position

Provide specific evidence that to support all claims in your line of reasoning from at least three of the sources provided, and clearly and consistently explain how the evidence you include supports your line of reasoning

Demonstrate sophistication of thought by either crafting a thoughtful argument, situating the argument in a broader context, explaining the limitations of an argument

Make rhetorical choices that strengthen your argument and/or employ a vivid and persuasive style throughout your essay.

If your synthesis essay meets the criteria above, then there's a good chance you'll score well on this portion of the AP Lang exam!

If you're looking for even more information on scoring, the College Board has posted the AP Lang Free Response grading rubric on its website. ( You can find it here. ) We recommend taking a close look at it since it includes additional details about the synthesis essay scoring.

Don't be intimidated...we're going to teach you how to break down even the hardest AP synthesis essay prompt.

Full Breakdown of a Real AP Lang Synthesis Essay Prompt

In this section, we'll teach you how to analyze and respond to a synthesis essay prompt in five easy steps, including suggested time frames for each step of the process.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

The very first thing to do when the clock starts running is read and analyze the prompt. To demonstrate how to do this, we'll look at the sample AP Lang synthesis essay prompt below. This prompt comes straight from the 2018 AP Lang exam:

Eminent domain is the power governments have to acquire property from private owners for public use. The rationale behind eminent domain is that governments have greater legal authority over lands within their dominion than do private owners. Eminent domain has been instituted in one way or another throughout the world for hundreds of years.

Carefully read the following six sources, including the introductory information for each source. Then synthesize material from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies the notion that eminent domain is productive and beneficial.

Your argument should be the focus of your essay. Use the sources to develop your argument and explain the reasoning for it. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the descriptions in parentheses.

On first read, you might be nervous about how to answer this prompt...especially if you don't know what eminent domain is! But if you break the prompt down into chunks, you'll be able to figure out what the prompt is asking you to do in no time flat.

To get a full understanding of what this prompt wants you to do, you need to identify the most important details in this prompt, paragraph by paragraph. Here's what each paragraph is asking you to do:

Paragraph 1: The prompt presents and briefly explains the topic that you'll be writing your synthesis essay about. That topic is the concept of eminent domain.
Paragraph 2: The prompt presents a specific claim about the concept of eminent domain in this paragraph: Eminent domain is productive and beneficial. This paragraph instructs you to decide whether you want to defend, challenge, or qualify that claim in your synthesis essay , and use material from at least three of the sources provided in order to do so.
Paragraph 3: In the last paragraph of the prompt, the exam gives you clear instructions about how to approach writing your synthesis essay . First, make your argument the focus of the essay. Second, use material from at least three of the sources to develop and explain your argument. Third, provide commentary on the material you include, and provide proper citations when you incorporate quotations, paraphrases, or summaries from the sources provided.

So basically, you'll have to agree with, disagree with, or qualify the claim stated in the prompt, then use at least three sources substantiate your answer. Since you probably don't know much about eminent domain, you'll probably decide on your position after you read the provided sources.

To make good use of your time on the exam, you should spend around 2 minutes reading the prompt and making note of what it's asking you to do. That will leave you plenty of time to read the sources provided, which is the next step to writing a synthesis essay.

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

After you closely read the prompt and make note of the most important details, you need to read all of the sources provided. It's tempting to skip one or two sources to save time--but we recommend you don't do this. That's because you'll need a thorough understanding of the topic before you can accurately address the prompt!

For the sample exam prompt included above, there are six sources provided. We're not going to include all of the sources in this article, but you can view the six sources from this question on the 2018 AP Lang exam here . The sources include five print-text sources and one visual source, which is a cartoon.

As you read the sources, it's important to read quickly and carefully. Don't rush! Keep your pencil in hand to quickly mark important passages that you might want to use as evidence in your synthesis. While you're reading the sources and marking passages, you want to think about how the information you're reading influences your stance on the issue (in this case, eminent domain).

When you finish reading, take a few seconds to summarize, in a phrase or sentence, whether the source defends, challenges, or qualifies whether eminent domain is beneficial (which is the claim in the prompt) . Though it might not feel like you have time for this, it's important to give yourself these notes about each source so you know how you can use each one as evidence in your essay.

Here's what we mean: say you want to challenge the idea that eminent domain is useful. If you've jotted down notes about each source and what it's saying, it will be easier for you to pull the relevant information into your outline and your essay.

So how much time should you spend reading the provided sources? The AP Lang exam recommends taking 15 minutes to read the sources . If you spend around two of those minutes reading and breaking down the essay prompt, it makes sense to spend the remaining 13 minutes reading and annotating the sources.

If you finish reading and annotating early, you can always move on to drafting your synthesis essay. But make sure you're taking your time and reading carefully! It's better to use a little extra time reading and understanding the sources now so that you don't have to go back and re-read the sources later.

A strong thesis will do a lot of heavy lifting in your essay. (See what we did there?)

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement

After you've analyzed the prompt and thoroughly read the sources, the next thing you need to do in order to write a good synthesis essay is write a strong thesis statement .

The great news about writing a thesis statement for this synthesis essay is that you have all the tools you need to do it at your fingertips. All you have to do in order to write your thesis statement is decide what your stance is in relationship to the topic provided.

In the example prompt provided earlier, you're essentially given three choices for how to frame your thesis statement: you can either defend, challenge, or qualify a claim that's been provided by the prompt, that eminent domain is productive and beneficial . Here's what that means for each option:

If you choose to defend the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is correct . In this case, you'll have to show that eminent domain is a good thing.

If you choose to challenge the claim, you'll argue that the claim is incorrect. In other words, you'll argue that eminent domain isn't productive or beneficial.

If you choose to qualify, that means you'll agree with part of the claim, but disagree with another part of the claim. For instance, you may argue that eminent domain can be a productive tool for governments, but it's not beneficial for property owners. Or maybe you argue that eminent domain is useful in certain circumstances, but not in others.

When you decide whether you want your synthesis essay to defend, challenge, or qualify that claim, you need to convey that stance clearly in your thesis statement. You want to avoid simply restating the claim provided in the prompt, summarizing the issue without making a coherent claim, or writing a thesis that doesn't respond to the prompt.

Here's an example of a thesis statement that received full points on the eminent domain synthesis essay:

Although eminent domain can be misused to benefit private interests at the expense of citizens, it is a vital tool of any government that intends to have any influence on the land it governs beyond that of written law.

This thesis statement received full points because it states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning on the issue of eminent domain. It states the author's position (that some parts of eminent domain are good, but others are bad), then goes on to explain why the author thinks that (it's good because it allows the government to do its job, but it's bad because the government can misuse its power.)

Because this example thesis statement states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning, it can be elaborated upon in the body of the essay through sub-claims, supporting evidence, and commentary. And a solid argument is key to getting a six on your synthesis essay for AP Lang!

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Step 4: Create a Bare-Bones Essay Outline

Once you've got your thesis statement drafted, you have the foundation you need to develop a bare bones outline for your synthesis essay. Developing an outline might seem like it's a waste of your precious time, but if you develop your outline well, it will actually save you time when you start writing your essay.

With that in mind, we recommend spending 5 to 10 minutes outlining your synthesis essay . If you use a bare-bones outline like the one below, labeling each piece of content that you need to include in your essay draft, you should be able to develop out the most important pieces of the synthesis before you even draft the actual essay.

To help you see how this can work on test day, we've created a sample outline for you. You can even memorize this outline to help you out on test day! In the outline below, you'll find places to fill in a thesis statement, body paragraph topic sentences, evidence from the sources provided, and commentary :

Present the context surrounding the essay topic in a couple of sentences (this is a good place to use what you learned about the major opinions or controversies about the topic from reading your sources).
Write a straightforward, clear, and concise thesis statement that presents your stance on the topic
Topic sentence presenting first supporting point or claim
Evidence #1
Commentary on Evidence #1
Evidence #2 (if needed)
Commentary on Evidence #2 (if needed)
Topic sentence presenting second supporting point or claim
Topic sentence presenting three supporting point or claim
Sums up the main line of reasoning that you developed and defended throughout the essay
Reiterates the thesis statement

Taking the time to develop these crucial pieces of the synthesis in a bare-bones outline will give you a map for your final essay. Once you have a map, writing the essay will be much easier.

Step 5: Draft Your Essay Response

The great thing about taking a few minutes to develop an outline is that you can develop it out into your essay draft. After you take about 5 to 10 minutes to outline your synthesis essay, you can use the remaining 30 to 35 minutes to draft your essay and review it.

Since you'll outline your essay before you start drafting, writing the essay should be pretty straightforward. You'll already know how many paragraphs you're going to write, what the topic of each paragraph will be, and what quotations, paraphrases, or summaries you're going to include in each paragraph from the sources provided. You'll just have to fill in one of the most important parts of your synthesis—your commentary.

Commentaries are your explanation of why your evidence supports the argument you've outlined in your thesis. Your commentary is where you actually make your argument, which is why it's such a critical part of your synthesis essay.

When thinking about what to say in your commentary, remember one thing the AP Lang synthesis essay prompt specifies: don't just summarize the sources. Instead, as you provide commentary on the evidence you incorporate, you need to explain how that evidence supports or undermines your thesis statement . You should include commentary that offers a thoughtful or novel perspective on the evidence from your sources to develop your argument.

One very important thing to remember as you draft out your essay is to cite your sources. The AP Lang exam synthesis essay prompt indicates that you can use generic labels for the sources provided (e.g. "Source 1," "Source 2," "Source 3," etc.). The exam prompt will indicate which label corresponds with which source, so you'll need to make sure you pay attention and cite sources accurately. You can cite your sources in the sentence where you introduce a quote, summary, or paraphrase, or you can use a parenthetical citation. Citing your sources affects your score on the synthesis essay, so remembering to do this is important.

Keep reading for a real-life example of a great AP synthesis essay response!

Real-Life AP Synthesis Essay Example and Analysis

If you're still wondering how to write a synthesis essay, examples of real essays from past AP Lang exams can make things clearer. These real-life student AP synthesis essay responses can be great for helping you understand how to write a synthesis essay that will knock the graders' socks off .

While there are multiple essay examples online, we've chosen one to take a closer look at. We're going to give you a brief analysis of one of these example student synthesis essays from the 2019 AP Lang Exam below!

Example Synthesis Essay AP Lang Response

To get started, let's look at the official prompt for the 2019 synthesis essay:

In response to our society's increasing demand for energy, large-scale wind power has drawn attention from governments and consumers as a potential alternative to traditional materials that fuel our power grids, such as coal, oil, natural gas, water, or even newer sources such as nuclear or solar power. Yet the establishment of large-scale, commercial-grade wind farms is often the subject of controversy for a variety of reasons.

Source A (photo) Source B (Layton) Source C (Seltenrich) Source D (Brown) Source E (Rule) Source F (Molla)

In your response you should do the following:

Respond to the prompt with a thesis presents a defensible position.
Select and use evidence from at least 3 of the provided sources to support your line of reasoning. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

Now that you know exactly what the prompt asked students to do on the 2019 AP Lang synthesis essay, here's an AP Lang synthesis essay example, written by a real student on the AP Lang exam in 2019:

[4] Aesthetics may be the greatest setback for power companies. Although there may be significant economic and environmental benefit to wind power, people will always fight to preserve pure, unspoiled land. Unfortunately, not much can be done to improve the visual aesthetics of the turbines. White paint is the most common choice because it "[is] associated with cleanliness." (Source E). But, this can make it stand out like a sore thumb, and make the gargantuan machines seem more out of place. The site can also not be altered because it affects generating capacity. Sound is almost worse of a concern because it interrupts personal productivity by interrupting people's sleep patterns. One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support.

And that's an entire AP Lang synthesis essay example, written in response to a real AP Lang exam prompt! It's important to remember AP Lang exam synthesis essay prompts are always similarly structured and worded, and students often respond in around the same number of paragraphs as what you see in the example essay response above.

Next, let's analyze this example essay and talk about what it does effectively, where it could be improved upon, and what score past exam scorers awarded it.

To get started on an analysis of the sample synthesis essay, let's look at the scoring commentary provided by the College Board:

For development of thesis, the essay received 1 out of 1 possible points
For evidence and commentary, the essay received 4 out of 4 possible points
For sophistication of thought, the essay received 0 out of 1 possible points.

This means that the final score for this example essay was a 5 out of 6 possible points . Let's look more closely at the content of the example essay to figure out why it received this score breakdown.

Thesis Development

The thesis statement is one of the three main categories that is taken into consideration when you're awarded points on this portion of the exam. This sample essay received 1 out of 1 total points.

Now, here's why: the thesis statement clearly and concisely conveys a position on the topic presented in the prompt--alternative energy and wind power--and defines the most important factors that power companies should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm.

Evidence and Commentary

The second key category taken into consideration when synthesis exams are evaluated is incorporation of evidence and commentary. This sample received 4 out of 4 possible points for this portion of the synthesis essay. At bare minimum, this sample essay meets the requirement mentioned in the prompt that the writer incorporate evidence from at least three of the sources provided.

On top of that, the writer does a good job of connecting the incorporated evidence back to the claim made in the thesis statement through effective commentary. The commentary in this sample essay is effective because it goes beyond just summarizing what the provided sources say. Instead, it explains and analyzes the evidence presented in the selected sources and connects them back to supporting points the writer makes in each body paragraph.

Finally, the writer of the essay also received points for evidence and commentary because the writer developed and supported a consistent line of reasoning throughout the essay . This line of reasoning is summed up in the fourth paragraph in the following sentence: "One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support."

Because the writer did a good job consistently developing their argument and incorporating evidence, they received full marks in this category. So far, so good!

Sophistication of Thought

Now, we know that this essay received a score of 5 out of 6 total points, and the place where the writer lost a point was on the basis of sophistication of thought, for which the writer received 0 out of 1 points. That's because this sample essay makes several generalizations and vague claims where it could have instead made specific claims that support a more balanced argument.

For example, in the following sentence from the 5th paragraph of the sample essay, the writer misses the opportunity to state specific possibilities that power companies should consider for wind energy . Instead, the writer is ambiguous and non-committal, saying, "As with most things, wind power has no easy answer. It is the responsibility of the companies building them to weigh the benefits and consequences."

If the writer of this essay was interested in trying to get that 6th point on the synthesis essay response, they could consider making more specific claims. For instance, they could state the specific benefits and consequences power companies should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm. These could include things like environmental impacts, economic impacts, or even population density!

Despite losing one point in the last category, this example synthesis essay is a strong one. It's well-developed, thoughtfully written, and advances an argument on the exam topic using evidence and support throughout.

4 Tips for How to Write a Synthesis Essay

AP Lang is a timed exam, so you have to pick and choose what you want to focus on in the limited time you're given to write the synthesis essay. Keep reading to get our expert advice on what you should focus on during your exam.

Tip 1: Read the Prompt First

It may sound obvious, but when you're pressed for time, it's easy to get flustered. Just remember: when it comes time to write the synthesis essay, read the prompt first !

Why is it so important to read the prompt before you read the sources? Because when you're aware of what kind of question you're trying to answer, you'll be able to read the sources more strategically. The prompt will help give you a sense of what claims, points, facts, or opinions to be looking for as you read the sources.

Reading the sources without having read the prompt first is kind of like trying to drive while wearing a blindfold: you can probably do it, but it's likely not going to end well!

Tip 2: Make Notes While You Read

During the 15-minute reading period at the beginning of the synthesis essay, you'll be reading through the sources as quickly as you can. After all, you're probably anxious to start writing!

While it's definitely important to make good use of your time, it's also important to read closely enough that you understand your sources. Careful reading will allow you to identify parts of the sources that will help you support your thesis statement in your essay, too.

As you read the sources, consider marking helpful passages with a star or check mark in the margins of the exam so you know which parts of the text to quickly re-read as you form your synthesis essay. You might also consider summing up the key points or position of each source in a sentence or a few words when you finish reading each source during the reading period. Doing so will help you know where each source stands on the topic given and help you pick the three (or more!) that will bolster your synthesis argument.

Tip 3: Start With the Thesis Statement

If you don't start your synthesis essay with a strong thesis statement, it's going to be tough to write an effective synthesis essay. As soon as you finish reading and annotating the provided sources, the thing you want to do next is write a strong thesis statement.

According to the CollegeBoard grading guidelines for the AP Lang synthesis essay, a strong thesis statement will respond to the prompt— not restate or rephrase the prompt. A good thesis will take a clear, defensible position on the topic presented in the prompt and the sources.

In other words, to write a solid thesis statement to guide the rest of your synthesis essay, you need to think about your position on the topic at hand and then make a claim about the topic based on your position. This position will either be defending, challenging, or qualifying the claim made in the essay's prompt.

The defensible position that you establish in your thesis statement will guide your argument in the rest of the essay, so it's important to do this first. Once you have a strong thesis statement, you can begin outlining your essay.

Tip 4: Focus on Your Commentary

Writing thoughtful, original commentary that explains your argument and your sources is important. In fact, doing this well will earn you four points (out of a total of six)!

AP Lang provides six to seven sources for you on the exam, and you'll be expected to incorporate quotations, paraphrases, or summaries from at least three of those sources into your synthesis essay and interpret that evidence for the reader.

While incorporating evidence is very important, in order to get the extra point for "sophistication of thought" on the synthesis essay, it's important to spend more time thinking about your commentary on the evidence you choose to incorporate. The commentary is your chance to show original thinking, strong rhetorical skills, and clearly explain how the evidence you've included supports the stance you laid out in your thesis statement.

To earn the 6th possible point on the synthesis essay, make sure your commentary demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the source material, explains this nuanced understanding, and places the evidence incorporated from the sources in conversation with each other. To do this, make sure you're avoiding vague language. Be specific when you can, and always tie your commentary back to your thesis!

What's Next?

There's a lot more to the AP Language exam than just the synthesis essay. Be sure to check out our expert guide to the entire exam , then learn more about the tricky multiple choice section .

Is the AP Lang exam hard...or is it easy? See how it stacks up to other AP tests on our list of the hardest AP exams .

Did you know there are technically two English AP exams? You can learn more about the second English AP test, the AP Literature exam, in this article . And if you're confused about whether you should take the AP Lang or AP Lit test , we can help you make that decision, too.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download them for free now:

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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It’s a Man’s World: The Effect of Traditional Masculinity on Gender Equality

Public and international discourse on the debate for gender equality focuses on the oppression of women, as it rightly should. However, the influence that traditional male stereotypes have on the perpetuation of gender inequality, at a transnational scale, also needs to be addressed. This essay asks how do male stereotypes affect the manner in which males engage with gender equality? By encouraging males to analyse their socially constructed gender profiles, it is possible to educate them on how their social roles may impact gender equality. This will involve analysing the entrenchment of traditional male stereotypes in society and their consequent impact on women. Firstly, the essay will establish that male stereotypes operate within a larger structure of the gender paradigm. Then, it will define gender equality and its various interpretations. This will then lead the essay to discuss the trajectory of the progress towards gender equality and why males must be viewed as fundamental actors. Certain masculinities preserve and promote the inequalities experienced between men and women, and, in order to achieve gender equality, they must be dismantled.

When analysing male stereotypes, in the context of gender equality, it is important to recognise that they do not operate in isolation. Male stereotypes, or masculinities , function ‘… as an aspect of a larger structure’. [1] This structure is gender . Gender denotes the social phenomenon of distinguishing males and females based on a set of identity traits. The gendering of the sexes produces and sustains socially constructed differences. [2] Men and women are constructed to behave and interact in ways that perpetuate their gendered identities. However, there is a vital distinction at work here, one that will underpin this essay — the difference between sex and gender. Although this difference is highly contentious and widely contested, it will inform the essay’s discussion of gender equality. Sex and gender are classifications for differentiating between men and women. Sex, in contrast to gender, refers to the determination made based upon scientifically accepted biological criteria. The distinction of sex can be made through the classification of ‘… genitalia at birth or chromosomal typing before birth’. [3]

The terms gender and sex are often understood to be the same thing and used interchangeably. [4] However, this only serves to conflate biological anatomy with socially constructed identities. The problem with this misconception is that in societies, such as those in the West, it is assumed that the reproductive function of males and females is a sufficient basis for prescribing psychological and behavioural characteristics onto members of society. [5] In response to this, Peterson and Runyan assert that:

‘… gender should be understood as a social, not physiological, construction: Femininity and masculinity, the terms that denote one’s gender, refer to a complex set of characteristics and behaviours prescribed for a particular sex by society and learned through the socialisation process’. [6]

In other words, society, not biology, confines males and females to particular masculine and feminine character profiles. This means that gender is not fixed. Christian states that ‘… it is perfectly feasible for gender to change while biological sex remains the same’. [7] Gender should be considered an adjustable and fluid concept, as opposed to the more static disposition of biology.

According to Freud, the human subject has always been sexed , and that despite the biological differences, males and females have become particular social subjects. [8] The biological individual can be viewed as a blank canvas upon which gendered identities are projected and performed through socialisation. Therefore, the supposed differences between men and women are accentuated through the legitimisation of social stereotypes. These stereotypes, presented as inherent, are influenced by the social environment to which one is subjected. Male and female gender profiles are normalised to the extent that they appear natural, biological. Freud, who pioneered early psychoanalysis of the unconscious, was able to examine the ‘… continuity between normal and neurotic mental life, the concepts of repression and the unconscious, and the metal process to be ‘read’ through dreams, jokes, slips of the tongue and symptoms’. [9]

His work provided much needed insight into understanding inherent and normative views of gender identities. By definition, psychoanalytic theory aims to deconstruct what is explicitly or unintentionally communicated to illuminate the latent ‘… fantasies, anxieties, and desires of the speaking subject’. [10] In relation to gender, psychoanalysis stresses that our biology is experienced within culture, not nature, and ‘… that the effect of culture is to transform and channel biology and instinct in particular ways’. [11] Thus, the psychological differences between males and females are mostly, if not entirely, socially constructed.

This view, however, is not universally shared. In his paper titled, Feminism Against Science , Goldberg argues that the cognitive and behavioural differences between men and women are established through their respective physiologies, and that society and gender are a reflection of biological realities. [12] Moir and Jessel also advocate for biological determinism, arguing that to proclaim that men and women ‘… are the same in aptitude, skill, or behaviour is to build a society based on a biological and scientific lie’, and that biological reality reveals a comparative relationship of sexual asymmetry. [13] The argument raised by Goldberg, Moir, and Jessel is allegedly based on solid scientific findings. The ethos offered by ‘science’ is easy to succumb to. However, these ‘findings’ and results are often filtered and manipulated to strengthen the author’s argument. In her book, Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities , Halpern contends that throughout her study, the most important lesson she learnt was that ‘… researchers, like the rest of us, maintain a particular world view that they use in interpreting research findings’. [14] So when analysis arguments about gender, nothing should be unquestioningly accepts as irrefutable, scientific fact.

Discussions about gender are often adjacent to discussions that attempt to determine the intellectual capacities of either sex. Debates of this nature were generated in the late nineteenth century, when it was determined, with scientific vindication, that the challenges and complexities of academia were deemed too overwhelming for the female mind. [15] This attempt to distinguish sex difference on the basis of physiology is one found in evolutionary theory. The theory argues that men and women ‘… pursue distinctive strategies to achieve reproductive effectiveness, with sometimes significant divergence’. [16] This view reduces human existence to the reproductive function. It supports the idea that the only factor of sexual differentiation that needs to be considered is the reproductive process. [17] The pursuit of survival is thus contingent upon successful reproduction, which creates a lineage of evolution for both men and women. Wilson, a Darwinist evolutionary theorist argues in his book, The Great Sex Divide , that for individuals who ‘… perform their sex role more successfully, their genes would have superior survival value, and so we would expect progressive differentiation of physical and mental equipment as parallel evolutionary developments’. [18] That is to say, human evolution is based on the propensity of an individual to fulfil their biological function. Therefore, sex differences are of vital importance to survival. Wilson also contends that the differences between men and women ‘… are observed, fairly universally, regardless of species or culture, time or place’. [19] This kind of argument lies at the very centre of gender inequality. Differentiation can unintentionally, and intentionally, cultivate a culture of discrimination. In categorising the differences between two subjects, one is automatically participating in a process of judgment. This judgment can manifest as a destructive bias or a positive comparison.

Sex difference has been biologically substantiated, and, in some cases, justified in the development of evolution. However, some argue that males and females are increasingly similar than different. For example, Epstein, in her book Deceptive Distinctions , maintains that distinctions based on gender identities serve more harm than good, and that attempts to divide the sexes based on intelligence present dysfunctional consequences for society. [20] In many ways, the argument returns to the age-old question: Are women mentally inferior to men? Some scholars argue in the affirmative, that men and women exhibit asymmetrical cognitive capabilities. However, scholars such as Seligman answer in the negative: ‘no, [women] are not. Data are now being laid on the table that show that, on average, men and women are equal in mental ability’. [21] Since the late nineteenth-century, research has studied sex difference across a plethora of psychological planes, such as mental abilities, attitudes, interest, personality traits, and emotions. Moreover, Connell, like Seligman, states that ‘… sex differences, on almost every psychological trait measured, are either non-existent or fairly small’. [22]

Across many social and academic spheres, the question of who is the smarter sex is deemed unanswerable. Given the tendency of researchers to favour a sex, most concede then that men and women are ‘even’ [23] Researchers are gendered subjects, conditioned by sociocultural gender constructs. They may support the superiority of a particular sex, which in turn, is deliberately or intuitively reflected in their respective research. This is why psychoanalysis ‘… does not assume the existence of an a priori “self” or “ego”’, but asserts that personal identity is contingent upon social conditioning. [24] Researchers do not operate, nor conduct their research, in isolation of reality. They are thus influenced by universal social discourses such as race, gender, and class. Absolute scientific objectivity is a standard difficult to uphold. Halpern warns of the existence of researchers that allow their bias for either sex to direct their study outcomes, such as Rushton and Jenson who ‘… steadfastly maintain that women are less intelligent than men’. [25] Views such as this intensify the gender divide by supporting the notion of male dominance, which further solidifies gender disparities. As Gaitanidis states, the conditions, which produce gender identities, are not quasi-universal; sociocultural and historical forces intrude in our lives to shape our personal identities. [26] Therefore, favouring certain data can be a symptom of cultural influences, such as gendered sex roles.

Sex difference has been largely debunked, or at the very least, considered inconclusive. The general consensus is that neither sex is psychologically superior. The emphasis is rather on the socialisation of difference, where the male and female gender constructs are influenced by worldviews, perceived norms and the unconscious. The variation of positions on sex difference indicates how pervasive the gender paradigm is, and how even purportedly objective areas of study, like science, can be skewed to perpetuate the idea of male intellectual dominance. The revolutionary work of feminists and social constructivists over the past four decades has highlighted the impact and influence of gender constructs on sociocultural life and knowledge. [27] Kimmel summarises the scale and influence of gender as an organising principle of society by stating, ‘virtually every society known to us is founded upon assumptions of gender difference and the politics of gender inequality’. [28] This point becomes foundational when answering the question of how traditional masculinity affects the manner in which men engage with gender equality. At this juncture, the essay needs to address this question.

Debates about gender equality refer to the asymmetrical power balance experienced between men and women due to differences in their gendered identities. [29] On this, Peterson and Runyan contend that:

‘… the social construction of gender is actually a system of power that not only divides men and women as masculine and feminine but typically also places men and masculinity above women and femininity and operates to value more highly those institutions and practices that are male dominated and/or representative of masculine traits and styles’. [30]

This is a contemporary analysis of modern gender constructs and the relations between the sexes, yet the idea of gender equality has been a major international principle of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [31] Despite this, Grossman and McClain argue that progress towards achieving gender equality have failed to substantially materialise, and that there still exists ‘… a stark gap between formal commitments to the equal rights and responsibilities of men and women and against discrimination and subordination based on sex the gendered realities of women’s lives’. [32]

The term ‘gender equality’, when deconstructed in isolation, unveils fundamental problems. Some argue the term is a paradox; gender is a system based on difference, and thus could never transform into a state of equivalence. [33] Parvikko frames equality ‘… as a concept which obscures differences’, and states that in contemporary liberal political thought, equality and difference are incommensurate. [34] Such difficulties in the application of the term have resulted in some people proclaiming that gender equality should be considered a discourse rather than a fixed term. This approach is much more constructive, as it recognises gender equality as a fluid concept that responds to the unique requirements of specific contexts. [35] Gender equality has many variants and interpretations, such as formal substantive equality. [36] This essay will consider equality as a system that facilitates equal opportunity. As echoed by men and women across all continents, in the World Development Report conducted by The World Bank, gender equality was seen to encompass three key elements: ‘the accumulation of endowments (education, health, and physical assets); the use of those endowments to take up economic opportunity and generate incomes; and the application of those endowments to take actions, or agency , affecting individual and household well-being’. [37] This is not an exhaustive list of what constitutes gender equality, but it provides a solid foundation for what it should entail. With this in mind, the essay will now discuss the relationship between masculinity and gender equality.

Gender is an organising principle of social life, and change towards equality will require exceptional institutional and gender identity reform. [38] Realising gender equality is strongly weighted on the contribution of males, because ‘… the very gender inequalities in economic assets, political power, cultural authority, and means of coercion that gender reform intend to change (ultimately) mean that men control most of the resources required to implement women’s claims for justice’. [39] In Australia, men make up the overwhelming majority of key decision-makers. In 2012, women comprised only 26.5% of Federal Parliament, and in the private sector constituted approximately 10% of company board members and 24.7% of managers. [40] Thus, men are an essential enabler for gender reform. Masculinities and male stereotypes must be studied and deconstructed in order to effect change in how men relate to women.

Stereotypes, or gender profiles, play an important role in the discussion of gender equality. They attribute certain characteristics to whole segments of society with the intention of presenting perception as truth. [41] In relation to gender, stereotypes form the basis of how society believes men and women should act. The scale to which gender stereotypes impact society is articulated by Epstein who argues:

‘no aspect of social life — whether the gathering of crops, the ritual of religion, the formal dinner party, or the organisation of government — is free from the dichotomous thinking that casts the world in categories of “male” and “female”‘. [42]

Gender stereotypes are inherently political; they can be used as tools for manipulating power relations between men and women. They are naturalised within society through a process of reproduction and maintenance. To this end, gender stereotypes become ‘… self-fulfilling: if we expect certain behaviours, we may act in ways that in fact create and reinforce such behaviours’. [43]

Masculinities, as is the case with femininities for women, are socially constructed gender profiles under which men are categorised. However, they are not created equal. For men, there is ‘… a culturally preferred version that is held up as the model against which we [men] are to measure ourselves’. [44] The dominant model to which men must aspire is what Connell describes as hegemonic masculinity. It is a location within the male gender hierarchy that occupies the hegemonic, or top position. [45] However, hegemonic masculinity is not a fixed position, and occupying the position is contestable. Masculinity can be viewed as a social order that lends analysis and structure from Gramsci’s notion of class relations. As such, hegemonic masculinity retains the dominant position of social life, while other masculinities, such as homosexual masculinity, [46] and women are subordinated. [47] The current, and historical, occupier of this hegemonic position is traditional masculinity, which:

‘… refers to the stereotypical twentieth-century male-chauvinist outlook and activities resulting from the kinds of gender socialisation conventionally seen as appropriate to males in Western societies since at least the late Victorian times’. [48]

An example of how gender stereotypes are cultivated in society, and how hegemonic masculinity is highly valued, is in New Zealand where some schools are pressured to employ male teachers. The rationale for this is to preserve boys’ masculinity through the appointment of ‘real men’ teachers who exhibit characteristics consistent with hegemonic masculinity. [49]

Men who exhibit the traits of traditional masculinity are considered to possess hegemonic masculinity. In order to aspire to this social classification, there is a particular set of core features that a man must demonstrate. These include: power/strength, rationality, heterosexuality, risk-taking, dominance, leadership, control, and repression of emotions. [50] Given that identities, and indeed gender profiles, must be defined, reconstructed, and performed, it is argued that the construction of masculine identities by men is a conscious attempt to maintain their power within the gender hierarchy. [51] This may be true in some cases, however, to apply this universally is problematic. New contends that while ‘men are frequently the agents of the oppression of women, and in many cases benefit from it, their interests in the gender order are not pre-given but constructed by and within it’. [52] To achieve gender equality, it must be recognised that hegemonic masculinities can be altered, or even replaced, through the socialisation process from which they are initially constructed.

Public and private engagement with gender equality is scarce among males, which often obscures the issue and manifests dismissive attitudes. One of the main issues regarding gender equality is that men do not comprehensively understand how traditional masculinities disadvantage women. Many men are unaware they exist within socially constructed gender structures that disenfranchise subordinated gender profiles, and therefore do not recognise a problem. [53] Thus, engaging in discussion about gender equality is often a pointless experience for men who find it challenging to appreciate how entrenched the issue is in society. Fortunately, attitudes, and the gender profiles they are associated with, are subject to social construction and transformation. Christian argues that:

‘sexist attitudes and actions are currently an integral part of the dominant masculinity, but if masculinities are socially constructed by and for each generation of males growing up, rather than genetically inherited, then masculinities can change and sexism can in principle be eradicated’. [54]

However, social construction and indeed, deconstruction, is contingent upon the participation of relevant stakeholders. The supportive involvement of all those affected by gender is required to effect gender equality. In other words, the global community as a whole.

Worldwide, Plan International found three general categories for men’s attitudes towards gender equality: those who recognise gender inequality and seek to address it — the smallest group; those who acknowledge gender inequality but are afraid that empowering girls will come at the expense of boys; and, those who either do not perceive an imbalance, or do not believe in equal rights — the largest group. [55] The significance of this research highlights the overwhelming percentage of men who do not recognise a problem, or do not believe in equal opportunity. These attitudes present a considerable hurdle in reaching gender equality, as they are taught to children and carried on through the generations. A research program commissioned by Plan of over 4,000 adolescent children in different countries including the United Kingdom (UK), Rwanda, and India, found that: 83% of boys and 87% of girls in India and 67% of girls and 71% of boys in Rwanda agree with the statement ‘changing diapers, giving kids a bath and feeding kids are the mother’s responsibility’. More than 60% of participants agreed that ‘if resources are scarce it is better to educate a boy instead of a girl’ and 65% of children in Rwanda and India agreed that ‘a woman should tolerate violence in order to keep her family together’. [56] While this research was conducted among a limited sample, it highlights the startling reality of gender inequality and the continuity of male dominance.

One of the major principles of traditional masculinity that harms gender equality is that women are fundamentally inferior to men. This view can be traced back to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who based this claim on the principles of reason. He surmised that ‘masculinity was equated with the human rationality of men, and women were marked by sexuality, emotion, and their bodies’. [57] The notion that men are intellectually superior has already been disproved; however, what Aristotle articulates about women and their bodies remains relevant. According to the French feminist philosopher, Beauvoir, men consider humanity to be constructed in their image: ‘it is clear that in dreaming of himself as donor, liberator, redeemer, man still desires the subjection of women’. [58] This idea of male superiority and female inferiority is one that must be maintained by traditional masculinity if it is to occupy the hegemonic gender identity. Attitudes that stem from traditional masculinity, such as ‘… the notion that “real men” are tough and hard and that the only appropriate emotion for them to display is anger’, [59] present a significant barrier towards gender equality.

Due to the fact that traditional masculinity discourages the expression of emotion, men rarely discuss their feelings. Evidence of this is presented in the positive relationship between traditional masculinity and depression among male university students in the UK and United States. It was ‘… found that conformity to Western masculine norms in and of itself is a risk factor for developing depression’. [60] Men compound the issue of depression by aligning with traditional masculinity. Hanninen and Valkonen argue that the principles of masculinity inhibit the expression of weakness or emotional distress and the seeking of help to remedy it. [61] In addition, analysis into the individual accounts of men’s depression ‘… reveals how depression threatened a man’s masculine identity and how recovery presupposed reconstructing one’s self-image and masculinity’. [62] This identifies a lack of openness to change in traditional masculinity. In other words, traditional masculinity is not equipped to respond to challenges that threaten its integrity, such as depression (perceived as emotional weakness) and gender equality.

Changing or altering traditional masculinity should be more widely recognised as an important step towards realising gender equality. In light of this, some gender equality advocate groups around the world have identified the need to promote masculinities that are more conducive of change. MenEngage is a group for boys and men whose primary function is to advocate for equality between males and females. [63] To this end, they have identified that ‘… questioning men’s and women’s attitudes and expectations about gender roles is crucial to achieving gender equality’. Those who acknowledge the existence of gender equality, and seek to address it, agree that equality cannot progress without the contribution of males. [64] It is increasingly evident that the deconstruction of traditional masculinity presents a primary concern, as its uncompromising nature makes it less responsive to revolution. [65]

By encouraging males to become more open and discuss their masculinities, it is possible to educate them on how their social roles and responsibilities impact women. Developing male attitudes towards open acknowledgement of the gender profiles they operate within is an important step in reaching gender equality. The absence of such progress would only serve to maintain the ‘… disempowerment of girls and young women down the generations — and the restriction of boys and young men to traditional “male roles”’. [66] Efforts in this approach to gender equality have yielded that: according to the United Nations Population Fund, boys that grow up with positive male role models are found to be more critical towards negative gender stereotypes and inequalities; men who maintain a healthy engagement with their children are less inclined to be depressed, suicidal or violent; and, boys that have more engaging fathers are less inclined to exhibit risky sexual behaviour. [67] Latin American NGOs also found similar character traits in young men who supported gender equality. These similarities included: having a peer-group or group of friends that were more accepting of gender-equitable attitudes; having personally suffered the negative impacts of traditional masculinity such as domestic violence; and, having a positive adult role model that represented an alternative to traditional gender roles. [68] This indicates that positive, nurturing, and engaging character traits exhibited by males are constructive towards gender equality. Furthermore, this suggests that gender equality is achievable through the deconstruction of traditional masculinity as the hegemonic masculinity.

Male stereotypes affect the manner in which males engage with gender equality, and traditional masculinity acts as the dominant masculinity for men. Although different masculinities exist for men, the idea of traditional masculinity remains the most influential. Realising gender equality is difficult, because the fundamental characteristics exhibited by traditional masculinity defend against change. For global gender equality to progress, males must recognise themselves as fundamental actors and actively work to change the patriarchal structures, which benefit them to the exclusion of all others. Without the supportive contribution of males, gender equality is doomed to perpetuate existing power imbalances that favour traditional masculinity. To progress towards gender equality, efforts must be made to deconstruct traditional masculinity.

[1] R. W. Connell, Masculinities , 2 nd ed. (Australia: Allen & Unwin, 2005), p. 67.

[2] M. Hughs and P. Paxton, Women, Politics, and Power: A Global Perspective , 2 nd ed. (London: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014), pp. 24-25.

[3] D. Zimmerman and C. West, ‘Doing Gender’, in A. Aronson and M.Kimmel (eds.), The Gendered Society Reader , 5 th ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), p. 122.

[4] V. S. Peterson and A. Runyan, Global Gender Issues (Oxford: Westview Press, 1993), p. 17.

[5] Zimmerman and West, op. cit. (2014), p. 122.

[6] Peterson and Runyan, op. cit. (1993), p. 17.

[7] H. Christian, The Making of Anti-Sexist Men (London: Routledge, 1994), p. 6.

[8] M. Gatens, Feminism and Philosophy: Perspectives on Difference and Equality (Cambridge: Polity Press, 1991), p. 102.

[9] Connell, op. cit. (2005), pp. 8-9.

[10] D. Britzman, ‘Psychoanalytic Theory’, in Encyclopaedia of Curriculum Studies (Online: Sage Publications, Inc., 2010), p. 693.

[11] Gatens, op. cit. (1991), p. 103.

[12] S. Goldberg, ‘Feminism Against Science’, National Review, vol. 43, no. 21 (1991), p. 30.

[13] A. Moir and D. Jessel, Brain Sex: the real difference between men and women (London: Mandarin, 1997), p. 6.

[14] D. Halpern, Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities, 4 th ed. (New York: Psychology Press, 2012), pp. 97-98.

[15] Connell, op. cit. (2005), p. 21.

[16] J. Ashfield, The Making of a Man: reclaiming masculinity and manhood in the light of reason, 2 nd ed. (Australia: Peacock Publications, 2004), p. 154.

[17] G. Wilson, The Great Sex Divide (Washington, D.C.: Scott-Townsend Publishers, 1992), p. 20.

[18] Ibid., p. 19.

[20] G. Sharwell, ‘Review of Deceptive Distinctions: Sex, Gender, and the Social Order by Cynthia Fuchs Epstein; A Woman’s Wage: Historical Meanings and Social Consequences by Alice Kessler-Harris’, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences , vol. 517 (1991), p. 229.

[21] D. Seligman, ‘Gender Mender’, Forbes (41998), available online: http://www.forbes.com/forbes/1998/0406/6107072a.html (accessed 22 October 2013).

[22] Connell, op. cit. (2005), p. 21.

[23] Halpern, op. cit. (2012), p. 96.

[24] Gatens, op. cit. (1991), p. 100.

[25] Halpern, op. cit. (2012), p. 96.

[26] N. Gaitanidis, ‘Benign Masculinity and Critical Reason’, Psychotherapy and Politics International , vol. 10, no. 3 (2012), p. 220.

[27] M. Kimmel, ‘Introduction’, in A. Aronson and M. Kimmel (eds.), The Gendered Society Reader, 5 th ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), p. 1.

[28] Ibid, p. 2.

[29] World Bank, World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development (Washington D.C.: The World Bank, 2012), p. 4.

[30] Peterson and Runyan, op. cit. (1993), p. 18.

[31] R. Connell, Confronting equality: gender, knowledge and global change (UK: Polity Press, 2011), p. 15.

[32] J. Grossman and L. McClain (eds.), Gender Equality: Dimensions of Women’s Equal Citizenship (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011), p. 1.

[33] J. Flax, ‘Gender Equality’, in M. Horowitz (ed.), New Dictionary of the History of Ideas (Detroit: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2005), p. 701.

[34] T. Parvikko, ‘Conceptions of Gender Equality: Similarity and Difference’, in E. Meehan and S. Sevenhuijsen (eds.), Equality Politics and Gender (London: SAGE Publications, Inc., 1991), p. 36.

[35] C. Bacchi, ‘Review of Promblematizing “Gender Equality” by Magnusson, Eva, Malin Ronnblom and Harriet Silius, eds,’ Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research , vol. 17, no. 4 (2009), p. 304.

[36] Parvikko, op. cit. (1991), p. 48.

[37] World Bank, op. cit. (2012), p. 4.

[38] Connell, op. cit. (2011), p. 17.

[40] Department of Social Services, ‘Background Paper: ‘The role of men and boys in gender equality’ (2013), available online: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/women/programs-services/international-engagement/united-nations-commission-on-the-status-of-women/background-paper-the-role-of-men-and-boys-in-gender-equality (accessed 21 October 2013).

[41] Peterson and Runyan, op. cit. (1994), p. 21.

[42] C. Epstein, Deceptive Distinctions (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988), p. 232.

[43] Peterson and Yunyan, op. cit. (1994), p. 22.

[44] Kimmel, op. cit. (2014), p. 4.

[45] Connell, op. cit. (2005), p. 76.

[46] Homosexual masculinity is considered to be a gender profile that is subordinated in relation to the hegemonic masculinity. — R. Connell, ‘A Very Straight Gay: Masculinity, Homosexual Experience, and the Dynamics of Gender’, American Sociological Review, vol. 57, no. 6 (1992), p. 735-737.

[47] Christian, op. cit. (1994), p. 7; and Connell, op. cit. (2005), p. 77.

[48] Christian, op. cit. (1994), p. 7.

[49] J. Clarke and P. Cushman, ‘Masculinities and Femininities: Student-Teachers Changing Perceptions of Gender Advantages and Disadvantages in the New Zealand Primary School Environment’, in J. Aston and E. Vasquez (eds.), Masculinity and Femininity: Stereotypes/myths, Psychology and Role of Culture (New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2013), p. 2.

[50] H. Mansfield, Manliness (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006), p. 23; and Clarke and Cushman, op. cit. (2013), p. 2.

[51] D. Collison and J. Hearn. 1996. ‘”Men” at “work”: multiple masculinities/multiple workplaces’, in M. Mac an Ghaill (ed.), Understanding Masculinities: Social Relations and Cultural Arenas (Buckingham: Open University Press, 1996), p. 65.

[52] New as quoted in O. G. Holter, ‘Social Theories for Researching Men and Masculinities: Direct Gender Hierarchy and Structural Inequality’, in R.W. Connell, J. Hearn and M. Kimmel (eds.), Handbook of Studies on Men and Masculinities (Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2005), p. 15.

[53] Department of Social Services, op. cit. (2013).

[54] Christian, op. cit. (1994), pp. 7-8.

[55] IRIN, ‘Gender Equality: Why involving men is crucial’ (2011), available online: http://www.irinnews.org/report/93870/gender-equality-why-involving-men-is-crucial (accessed 18 October 2013).

[56] Plan, Because I am a Girl: The State of the World’s Girls 2011 – So, what about boys? (Plan International, 2011), p. 3.

[57] J. Gardner, ‘Men, Masculinities, and Feminist Theory’, in R.W. Connell, J. Hearn and M. Kimmel (eds.), Handbook of Studies on Men and Masculinities (Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2005), p. 36.

[58] S. de Beauvoir and H. Parshley (trans. ed.), The Second Sex (New York: Bantam Books, 1968), p. 172.

[59] Plan, op. cit. (2011), p. 4.

[60] J. Oliffe et al., 2010. ‘Masculinities and college men’s depression: Recursive relationships’, Health Sociology Review, vol. 19, no. 4 (2010), p. 466.

[61] V. Hanninen and J. Valkonen, ‘Narratives of Masculinity and Depression’, Men and Masculinities , vol. 16 (2012), p. 161.

[62] Ibid, pp. 161-162.

[63] MenEngage, ‘What we believe’ (2008), available online: http://www.menengage.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12:what-we-believe&catid=4:about-us&Itemid=10 (accessed 20 October 2013).

[65] Mansfield, op. cit. (2006), pp. 31-32.

[66] IRIN, op. cit. (2011).

[67] Plan, op. cit. (2012), p. 4.

[68] V. Fonseca et al., ‘Program H and Program M: Engaging young men and empowering young women to promote gender equality and health’ (2010), available online: http://www.promundo.org.br/en/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/OPASINGLES_WEB.pdf (accessed 21 October 2013).

— Written by: Aydon Edwards Written at: University of Queensland Written for: Dr. Samid Suliman Date written: November 2013

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Masculinity Synthesis Essay

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AP Language and Composition synthesis essay concerning masculinity. Used successfully as an introduction to synthesis essays. Provided sources include visual, textual, and even commercial.

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Masculinity Essay Examples

Toxic masculinity's effect on men, women and the whole society.

To be clear in the beginning of toxic masculinity essay: ‘toxic masculinity’ is not an innate male trait, but rather the result of societal expectations of what it means to be a man. The truth is, traditional gender roles can be constrictive for boys as...

Machismo and Toxic Masculinity in the Modern Society

In this modern society, men are stereo-typed and hassled for being men. If men dress or even act different, they are most likely exposed to insulting or degrading terms. In America, most people can dress and act differently without being verbally abused. In other countries,...

The Toxicity of Masculinity in the Story of Tom Brennan

In today’s modern society, men can misinterpret the meanings and intentions behind their actions, which can in turn, lead to severe consequences towards the ideologies and expectations, placed on men by others. These beliefs include their masculinity, strength, domination and emotions of anger and hatred...

The Presence of Hegemonic Masculinity in Wrestling

In this essay, to look further into the presence of hegemonic masculinity in sport we focused on the sport of wrestling and collected data from a singular individual who is a student-athlete. We interviewed Kane Jajieh, a 4th-year student at the University of California, Los...

The Issue of Toxic Masculinity in Ang Lee’s Film 'Brokeback Mountain'

Toxic masculinity is an issue that has surfaced over the course of the transitional period taking place towards the end of the twentieth century leading into the progressive twenty-first century. This said issue is clearly evident in texts set prior to the twenty-first century, such...

Leopold Bloom and the Concept of Masculinity in Ulysses

James Joyce’s complex and riveting novel Ulysses features many parallaxes and deep complexities within it. Themes of paternity and maternity issues, self-identity, and heroism are some composites that makeup Ulysses. In the first set of chapters, we meet multiple men of Dublin. The male characters...

The Making of Moonlight: a Talk About the Nature of Gay Masculinity

Moonlight is a 2016 film written and directed by Barry Jenkins. The extract begins with a circular shot that follows Terrel, a high school bully, walking around in a circle. He picks Kevin to punch Chiron to prove his own masculinity. This extract exemplifies one...

Masculinity and Feminism in the Woman Warrior

Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior (1976) came only a few years after Small Changes, and yet the context of masculinity is much more hidden. The novel consists of five stories from Kingston’s family, Chinese myth, and Kingston’s own story. The opening chapter of the...

The Lord of the Flies: Man Through the Eyes of William Golding

“Man produces evil as a bee produces honey” (Golding). Humans do what they do base off of uncontrollable factors or instincts. Sigmund Freud classifies this as the Id side of men; acting on impulses and desires. Throughout Golding's novel, the boys are seen acting based...

Masculinity and Emasculation in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

In Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart, various emotions are displayed by the characters including some serious topics like colonialism, tradition, repression, pride, and masculinity. The protagonist Okonkwo, a self-made man, experiences first hand what pride ultimately leads to: Death. His ultimate demise represented the...

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How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay + Example

What’s Covered:

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement

Step 4: Create a Minimal Essay Outline

Step 5: Write your Essay

Here are six must-have tips and tricks to get a good score on the synthesis essay:

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Here is an example prompt and essay from 2019 that received 5 of the 6 total points available:

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Operationalizing positive masculinity: a theoretical synthesis and school-based framework to engage boys and young men

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Synthesis Essay AP Lang: What It Is and How It Works

Full Breakdown of a Real AP Lang Synthesis Essay Prompt

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement

Step 4: Create a Bare-Bones Essay Outline

Step 5: Draft Your Essay Response

Real-Life AP Synthesis Essay Example and Analysis

Example Synthesis Essay AP Lang Response

Thesis Development

Evidence and Commentary

Sophistication of Thought

4 Tips for How to Write a Synthesis Essay

Tip 1: Read the Prompt First

Tip 2: Make Notes While You Read

Tip 3: Start With the Thesis Statement

Tip 4: Focus on Your Commentary

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Masculinity Synthesis Essay

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Questions & Answers

Masculinity Essay Examples

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