SATMediumFrequency: 3 - 4 questions
Rhetorical Synthesis from Bulleted Notes
In Digital SAT Rhetorical Synthesis, students are provided 4-6 bulleted research notes and an explicit goal (e.g. 'The student wants to emphasize a difference between...', 'The student wants to introduce X to an unfamiliar audience').
Core Formula & Concept Cheat Sheet
1Rule 1: Read the prompt sentence first to identify the SPECIFIC GOAL.
2Rule 2: Eliminate choices that are factually true according to the notes but DO NOT satisfy the specific goal.
3Rule 3: Never pick choices introducing outside information not in the notes.
The 700+ Score Trap
Choosing an answer that is a good summary of all bullets, instead of one that accomplishes the specific requested goal (such as contrasting two items).
Test Your Mastery
Official Exam FormatLive Interactive Practice Drill
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• The Voyager 1 probe was launched by NASA in 1977.
• It crossed the heliopause into interstellar space in 2012.
• The New Horizons probe was launched in 2006 to explore Pluto.
• New Horizons entered the Kuiper Belt in 2015.
The student wants to emphasize the different destinations of the two spacecraft. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read all the bullets carefully first?
No! Read the final prompt sentence first to know exactly what the student wants to achieve, then scan the choices to find the one directly matching the goal.