The student wants to provide an example of a position in ballroom dance. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal? While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes: • Body positions are an important part of dance. • In ballroom dance, there is a position called closed facing position. • It is one of several positions for partner dancing.

Closed facing position is an example of a position in ballroom dance.

In dance, some positions are for partner dancing.

Body positions are an important part of dance, including ballroom dance.

Ballroom dance includes several dance positions for partner dancing.

The student wants to specify the average weight of the large tree finch. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal? While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes: • The large tree finch is a species of bird. • It has an average weight of 19 grams. • It can be found on the Galápagos Island of Santa Fe. • The Galápagos Islands are a group of islands that have many different species of birds.

The large tree finch has an average weight of 19 grams.

Many species of birds can be found in the Galápagos Islands, including the large tree finch.

The large tree finch can be found on the Galápagos Island of Santa Fe.

The Galápagos Islands, which include the island of Santa Fe, contain many different species of birds.

The student wants to emphasize the location of Hornsdale Wind Farm. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal? While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes: • Wind is a renewable energy source. • A wind farm uses turbines to convert wind into electrical power. • A wind farm's maximum electrical output is called its nameplate capacity. • Hornsdale Wind Farm is located in Hornsdale, Australia. • Its nameplate capacity is 316 megawatts.

Hornsdale, Australia, is home to Hornsdale Wind Farm.

Hornsdale Wind Farm has a nameplate capacity of 316 megawatts.

Nameplate capacity is another name for a wind farm's maximum electrical output.

Turbines can be used to generate electricity from a renewable energy source: the wind.

Reading & Writing · Expression of Ideas

Rhetorical Synthesis

Use a set of research notes to accomplish a specific rhetorical goal.

What the SAT Tests

Rhetorical Synthesis gives you a bulleted list of notes and a goal (for example, 'emphasize a similarity' or 'introduce the study to an unfamiliar audience'). You pick the sentence that accomplishes that exact goal using the notes.

Key Tips for Rhetorical Synthesis

Read the goal twice — it is the single most important part of the question.
Eliminate answers that are true but do not accomplish the stated rhetorical goal.
Answers that use the most notes aren't always right; the best answer is focused.

Sample Rhetorical Synthesis Questions

These are real practice questions pulled from our Digital SAT bank. Try each one before reading the highlighted correct answer.

Question 1 · Easy
The student wants to provide an example of a position in ballroom dance. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
1. Body positions are an important part of dance.
2. In ballroom dance, there is a position called closed facing position.
3. It is one of several positions for partner dancing.
- A. Closed facing position is an example of a position in ballroom dance.Correct
- B. In dance, some positions are for partner dancing.
- C. Body positions are an important part of dance, including ballroom dance.
- D. Ballroom dance includes several dance positions for partner dancing.
Question 2 · Easy
The student wants to specify the average weight of the large tree finch. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
1. The large tree finch is a species of bird.
2. It has an average weight of 19 grams.
3. It can be found on the Galápagos Island of Santa Fe.
4. The Galápagos Islands are a group of islands that have many different species of birds.
- A. Many species of birds can be found in the Galápagos Islands, including the large tree finch.
- B. The large tree finch can be found on the Galápagos Island of Santa Fe.
- C. The Galápagos Islands, which include the island of Santa Fe, contain many different species of birds.
- D. The large tree finch has an average weight of 19 grams.Correct
Question 3 · Easy
The student wants to emphasize the location of Hornsdale Wind Farm. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
1. Wind is a renewable energy source.
2. A wind farm uses turbines to convert wind into electrical power.
3. A wind farm's maximum electrical output is called its nameplate capacity.
4. Hornsdale Wind Farm is located in Hornsdale, Australia.
5. Its nameplate capacity is 316 megawatts.
- A. Hornsdale Wind Farm has a nameplate capacity of 316 megawatts.
- B. Nameplate capacity is another name for a wind farm's maximum electrical output.
- C. Hornsdale, Australia, is home to Hornsdale Wind Farm.Correct
- D. Turbines can be used to generate electricity from a renewable energy source: the wind.

Practice Rhetorical Synthesis Questions

Drill rhetorical synthesis questions in the Digital SAT Reading & Writing question bank, or take a full-length practice module to see how this skill appears under test conditions.

FAQs

What is Rhetorical Synthesis on the Digital SAT?

How hard are rhetorical synthesis questions?

Rhetorical Synthesis questions appear at every difficulty level on the Digital SAT Reading & Writing section. The hardest versions gate access to the top scaled scores in the hard Module 2.

How do I practice rhetorical synthesis?

Use the 1600.now question bank to filter for rhetorical synthesis questions, solve at least 20 in a row, and review every miss with the written explanation.